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The education and experience of pharmacy directors in large hospitals are described. Questionnaires were sent in September 1981 to pharmacy directors of all hospitals in the United States having at least 300 beds. The questionnaire elicited background characteristics, postgraduate degrees, and administrative experience of the pharmacy director and descriptive information about the hospital. Of the 1483 questionnaires distributed, 609 (41%) were returned. Sixty percent of the respondents had an entry-level degree as their highest degree; 26%, 6%, and 7% of the respondents had M.S., M.B.A., and postgraduate Pharm .D. degrees, respectively. M.B.A. and postgraduate Pharm .D. degrees were more common for younger respondents. Only 6% of directors with entry-level degrees and 10% with M.B.A. degrees had completed an ASHP-accredited hospital pharmacy residency compared with 53% and 46% of directors with postgraduate Pharm .D. and M.S. degrees, respectively. Of directors with M.B.A. or postgraduate Pharm .D. degrees, 73% and 77%, respectively, had less than 11 years of administrative experience; just over 50% of directors with M.S. and entry-level degrees had less than 11 years of administrative experience; just over 50% of directors with M.S. and entry-level degrees had less than 11 years of experience. The majority of directors with postgraduate degrees had been in their current position for five years or less. Additional research is needed to evaluate the relationship of these variables more fully.

A survey was mailed nationally to all hospitals with over 300 beds. A portion of the questionnaire focused on the academic training of current directors and their perceptions regarding continuing education. Less than 50 percent of the respondents perceived C.E. as being beneficial to them as a hospital pharmacy administrator. It is apparent from the survey results that there is a group of pharmacists who are not receiving the benefits desired from C.E. Recommendations are made that will increase the opportunities for management training for all pharmacists.

The education received by hospital pharmacy directors was evaluated by the 1981 survey responses of the directors of pharmacy practicing in hospitals with over 300 beds. A total of 657 out of 1,531 (42.9 percent) usable questionnaires were returned. Directors ranked the following academic areas in decreasing order of importance to them; personnel and financial management, computers, hospital organization, clinical pharmacy practice, traditional pharmacy practice, and statistics. Directors with MBA degrees perceived themselves to be stronger in these same academic areas than did directors with MS, PharmD, and BS degrees. Only directors with MBA and MS degrees believed they had been adequately prepared through their academic programs for their administrative role as director. Recommendations for changes in the education received by future hospital pharmacy directors are included in this paper.

The preferred degrees for administrative positions in a hospital pharmacy department were determined by surveying 1531 directors of pharmacy in hospitals with over 300 beds. Responses were analyzed by comparison to the respondents' highest earned degree and the bed size and ownership of the hospitals in which they practice. With a few exceptions, the MBA and MS degrees were the degree of choice for most positions surveyed. Directors with advanced degrees were also found to prefer their degree over all others.