Pharmacists Number More Than 190,000 in United States

Pharmacists Number More Than 190,000 in United States A study conducted with the help ofAPhA provides the first reliable count ofpharmacists in more than a decade. by Sara Martin

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total 194,570 phannacists are licensed in the United States, 171,600 of whom actively practice, according to a national study conducted in collaboration with several national phannacy organizations. The Phannacy Manpower Project found that of all licensed phannacists: Table 1

Distribution of U.S. Pharmacists by Practice Setting

Managed Care 1.7% Other 5.2% Industry 1.5% \ _I~_ Long-Term Care ___ '-..... 2.2%

Independent Community 33.1%

Hospital 23.6%

Chain 32.8% Percent of Hours Worked Based on 50 States and Washington, D.C., reporting by 12/31/92 (Unduplicated)

AMERICAN PHARMACY

• 64.6% are men and 29.1% are women (6.3% are unspecified). • 86.2% have a BS degree in phannacy; 4% have a PhannD degree; 1.6% have a BS and a Pham1D; 0.1% have a PhannD and another degree; 0.1% have a BS, PharmD, and another degree; 1.5% have another combination of degrees. • 82.6% are white; 2.4% are black; 1.4% are Hispanic; 2.8% are Asian or Pacific Islander; 0.4% are American Indian or Native Alaskan; and 10.3% are unspecified. • By practice setting, 33.1% are independent community phannacists; 32.8% are chain phannacists; 23.6% are hospital pharmacists; 2.2% are long-term-care phannacists; 1.7% are managed care phannacists; 1.5% work in industry; and 5.2% work in other areas. • More than 65% are employee phannacists. • 28.5% are age 30-39; 24.5% are age 40-49; 17.1% are age 60 or older; 14.5% are aged 50-59; 7.1% are age 29 or less; 8.2% are unknown. In descending order, the states with the most phannacists are California (12,173); Texas ( 10,597); Ohio (10,220); Illinois (9,358); New York (8,04 1); Florida (7,562); Pennsylvania (7,038); New Jersey (6,769); North Carolina (6,608); and Georgia (5,496). "These data are essential as we contemplate the phannaceutical care needs of the public and what we need to do to deliver on these needs," said Henri R. Mannasse, Jr., PhD, phannacy p,rofessor at University of Illinois at Chicago, w ho has conducted extensive research on phannacy manpower. "The profession must have sound data on the present and projected pharmacy manpower because we cannot make quick changes in human resource development." The organizations that conducted the Phannacy ManpowJuly 1993

Vol. NS33, No.7

er Project are the American Pharmaceutical Association, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, the American College of Apothecaries, the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, American Society of Hospital Pharmacists, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, NARD, the National COlmcil of State Pharmacy Association Executives, the National Pharmaceutical Association, the National Wholesale Dnlggists Association, and the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association. Summaries of national and state data are available by contacting Bart Clark, project director, Pharmacy Manpower Project, Inc., 700 Busse Highway, Park Ridge, IL 60068.

Table 2

Distribution of Pharmacists in the United States by Age

24.5%

25%

20%

17.1% 15%

10% 5% '--_

Sara Martin is managing editor, American Pharmacy.

28.5%

30%

______ _-'-_ _ 0-29

30-39

40-49

50-59

60+

Unknown

Based on 50 States and Wash ington, D.C., re porting by 12/31/92 (U nd upli cate d)

Table 3

Distribution of Pharmacists in the United States by State

Pharmacists per 100 D Not available D 0 to 60 D 61 to 80 II 81 to 100 • 101 to 120 Based on 1991 Census of Pharmacists (plus 1992 update for Arizona) and 1990 Census of the United States.

Vol. NS33, No. 7

July 1993

AMERICAN PHARMACY