Evaluating the Pharmaceutical Industry's Need for Graduates with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 2003 by Broedel-Zaugg, Kimberly, Kisor, David F, Sullivan, Donald L

DISCUSSION

This survey identified a need for individuals with a bachelor of science degree in pharmaceutical sciences. The number of individuals with a BS degree in pharmaceutical sciences needed over the next 5 years exceeded 600. This number is likely an underestimate as only 25% of surveys were returned for inclusion in the analysis. Also, based on past salary surveys conducted by AAPS, over 1000 individuals with "basic science" bachelor degrees are typically hired annually in industry while the number of pharmacists hired annually is in the low hundreds.1 Thus, the individual with a BS in pharmaceutical sciences would compete for jobs with individuals holding a basic science degree.

Clearly, the respondents had a positive view of the bachelor of science degree in pharmaceutical sciences as providing a valuable background for a career in the pharmaceutical industry. Expectedly, the need for liccnsure as a registered pharmacist was not viewed as a necessity. This relates to the basic/pharmacy science education needs by the industry as compared with clinical education. This is not to say that the clinical background of current pharmacists is not desirable in the industry. This issue was not addressed in this survey. "Clinically trained" pharmacists are key in clinical drug development.

The educational background of the respondents likely influenced their responses. For instance, medicinal chemists did not feel as strongly as pharmaceutics professionals or those in the "other" group that individuals with a bachelor of science degree in pharmaceutical science plus a PhD would better understand the drug development process than a PhD with a non-pharmacy undergraduate degree. Being unfamiliar with the pharmacy curriculum at the bachelor of science level may have influenced their responses. However, based on differences expressed by these groups of respondents, it would be possible for colleges to offer specific tracks such as medicinal chemistry, toxicology, or bio-pharmaceutics. For example, a medicinal chemistry track might consist of general education requirements (English, speech, psychology, etc), inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, physical chemistry, quantitative chemistry, physics, calculus, biostatics, research methods, biology, physiology, drug delivery systems, dosage forms, pharmacokinetics, and an industry rotation.

As of the academic year 1999-2000, based on information supplied by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, 15 institutions offered a 4-year program in the "Pharmaceutical Sciences."10 These programs will be necessary to supply industry with the needed individuals. As colleges and schools of pharmacy move to the clinically directed Doctor of Pharmacy degree as the sole professional entry-level degree, fewer individuals will have an education at the BS level in the pharmaceutical sciences.

Limitations

An assumption was made that respondents would have sufficient knowledge of pharmacy education to understand the differences between the clinical PharmD degree, the current BS degree leading to licensure, and a BS in pharmacy or pharmaceutical sciences that does not lead to licensure. These differences were briefly discussed in the cover letter and a definition of BS degree in pharmacy as a 4-year degree was included in the directions for the survey (Appendix A). However, the survey was entitled "Evaluating the need for a bachelor of science degree in pharmacy," which may have been misleading.