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Purpose Pharmacy administrators play a critical role in the success of health systems, yet pathways to pharmacy administration are incompletely understood. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe pathways to becoming a health-system pharmacy administrator, including challenges experienced and resources needed. Methods Participants (N = 21) individually completed one or more journey maps detailing the pathway(s) to pharmacy administration and then engaged in small group discussion to identify common themes. A large group debrief was used to share and identify findings across small groups. Thematic analysis was utilized to identify common ideas shared. Results There was variation across the maps, illustrating many steps one might follow to become a pharmacy administrator. In the 23 maps completed, pathways most frequently began with pharmacy school (n = 9, 39.1%), high school (n = 6, 26.1%), or undergraduate training (n = 4, 17.4%). Most included residency training or dual master's of science in health-system pharmacy administration/residency training (n = 16, 69.6%). Common challenges included distractions, time constraints, grades/performance, financial constraints, and stress. Common resources needed included exposure to diverse career paths, pipeline and outreach support, mentoring, and leadership. Themes included debate about the definition of a pharmacy administrator, questions regarding the core competencies of the pharmacy administrator, discussion regarding ways to enter pharmacy administration, and reflection on the role of serendipity and networking. Conclusion Understanding the pathways to pharmacy administration is critical to fostering a sustainable and competent workforce. Work must be done to identify strategies and develop processes for identifying, equipping, and retaining talented health-system pharmacy administrators and leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2023 ACCP Research Affairs Committee was charged with developing a commentary to address best practices in pharmacy resident research and quality improvement projects and to consider methods to overcome the challenges encountered in conducting these projects. Literature regarding best practices was evaluated, and approaches were recommended that might help (1) advance the value of the projects to stakeholders; (2) overcome limited preparation for research by residents and mentors, including writing skills and dissemination experience; (3) overcome challenges related to resources (e.g., time and mentors); and (4) avoid burnout among residents and mentors. Although there are many challenges to completing projects and disseminating the results, studies have provided useful recommendations to help circumvent the barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coronavirus pandemic significantly impacted pharmacy care and organizational practices. Residency program directors, students, and residents were required to adapt to these challenging environments to minimize the impact on learning, well‐being, and clinical care. There is limited research on organizational changes related to pharmacy resident recruitment, interviewing, and selection processes. Objective: To explore how resident recruitment practices changed to accommodate the pandemic from learner and educator reflections. Methods: In May 2021, attendees of the virtual Research in Education and Practice Symposium were invited to a one‐hour networking session that included individual reflections before small group discussions about recruitment process modifications in the past year. Participants submitted reflections in an electronic survey and anonymous responses were coded using thematic analysis in this exploratory, qualitative study. Reflection prompts asked about the changes made during the 2020 to 2021 recruitment cycle, what worked, what could be improved, and what should be retained. Results: Forty‐seven participants (33 residents, 5 preceptors, and 9 residency program directors) submitted complete reflections during the session. The most common change discussed was the transition to virtual interviews, recruitment events, and online national conferences. Participants highlighted benefits and challenges during the modifications. Benefits included less stressful experiences, more cost‐effective practices, and more access to potential candidates. Challenges included a continuing lack of personal contact and technical issues with virtual environments. Participants reflected that future recruitment cycles should include hybrid experiences using both virtual and in‐person opportunities and to continue virtual connection opportunities through social media, online forums, and virtual tours. Conclusion: Resident recruitment practices changed during the pandemic and mostly included a transition to online and virtual interactions. Programs often reported positive experiences with these modifications and supported more hybrid‐based experiences in the future to accommodate more candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]