A marketing plan for recruiting students into pharmacy school-based graduate programs. A report

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, Winter 2000 by Holdford, David A, Stratton, Timothy P

1. Which drug is most cost-effective for a population of patients suffering from a given condition or disease?

2. What is the distribution of adverse drug events across the United States?

3. What are the consequences of direct-to-consumer advertising on prescription drug prescribing and utilization?

4. How can pharmaceutical prescribing and distribution systems be improved to optimize medication prescribing, dispensing, and administration errors?

5. How can pharmacists help patients better adhere to their prescribed medication regimen? What is "optimum" adherence?

6. Why do patients choose alternative medicines and what benefits do they receive?

7. How can professionalism best be instilled in pharmacy students?

8. Can Internet technology be used to increase access to pharmacy services or improve its quality?

9. What are the potential consequences and costs of a Medicare prescription drug benefit?

10. How can the gap between actual medical practices and evidencebased best practices be reduced?

The importance of a clear definition of SAS education cannot be overemphasized. Students who enter graduate school take a "leap of faith" that the time and money spent will provide some "value" to them. Their faith is not enhanced when presented with an ambiguous or confusing description of their educational process and potential outcomes. The ability to present a clear, unambiguous promotional message to students about SAS education is critical to reducing student concerns and enhancing student commitment.

MARKET SEGMENTATION

Three primary groups of people might be targeted to increase enrollment in pharmacy school-based SAS graduate education programs: (i) Persons who might ordinarily be expected to enroll in graduate programs; (ii) Persons who can influence students to enroll in graduate programs; and (iii) Employers for these students after graduation. Each of these segments consists of sub-segments, which are outlined in Table I.

TARGET MARKETS AND MARKETING GOALS Target Markets

Targeting markets involves identifying a desirable market segment and focusing marketing efforts on that segment(6). The primary target market for AACP should be Segment I (potential students), because they are the primary customers for pharmaceutical graduate education. Segments 2 (influencers) and 3 (potential employers) should be secondary target markets for which objectives and strategies may be developed in the future. Over the coming years, for example, it may be wise for AACP to enlist key influencers to help identify individuals who might be interested in SAS educational programs. AACP may consider establishing relationships with potential employers of SAS graduates to encourage these employers to offer more internships and fellowships for SAS students. Further, AACP might develop educational materials targeting potential employers of SAS graduates to help businesses understand the benefits of employing SAS graduates in contrast to hiring graduates with educational backgrounds completely outside of pharmacy. The remainder of this marketing plan will address targeting Market Segment 1.