Retail pharmacy as a career: attitude and perception of pharmacy students

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Alsaikhan This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7630747/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 01 Dec, 2025 Read the published version in BMC Medical Education → Version 1 posted 13 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background Significant shifts in the duties and work settings of retail pharmacies may influence student perceptions and career choices in this field. This study aimed to evaluate the perspectives of student pharmacists on the roles, duties, and appeal of retail pharmacies as career paths. Methods An electronic survey was distributed to approximately 500 pharmacy students, assessing perceptions of retail pharmacy careers, including salary, job security, work schedules, business and clinical duties, interpersonal interactions, and advancement opportunities. Descriptive statistics examined career interest by academic year and retail experience. Results Of the 248 respondents from the third, fourth, and fifth academic years (49.6% response rate), 77.4% reported current or previous retail pharmacy experience. The majority, 52.7%, indicated no interest in pursuing retail pharmacy employment immediately after graduation, and 59.0% did not consider it a long-term career choice. The most appealing aspects included long-term salary and benefits, job availability and security, interactions with pharmacy co-workers, collaboration with other healthcare professionals, customer interactions, and tutoring. The least appealing aspects were work shifts and schedules, business oversight responsibilities, medical coverage tasks, and a fast-paced work atmosphere. Although respondents held positive views regarding job security and interpersonal relationships, negative perceptions of administrative burdens and work-life balance affected their interest in retail pharmacy as a career. Conclusions Student pharmacists showed limited interest in pursuing careers in retail pharmacies. Targeted interventions, for example, enhancing business and administrative training and improving work–life balance in retail settings, may help attract and retain pharmacy graduates in this sector. Student pharmacist Retail pharmacy Career perceptions Job satisfaction factors Work environment Recruitment strategies Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 1. Background The Saudi Ministry of Health requires that nearly 30% of the pharmacy workforce in the private sector be licensed as Saudi pharmacists, with particular attention to retail pharmacies (Almaghaslah, 2023). This requirement aligns with the government's Vision 2030, which aims to increase employment opportunities for Saudi nationals, including pharmacists. We expect a consistent demand for pharmacist positions to continue in the coming years [ 1 , 2 ]. Over the years, the retail pharmacy landscape has experienced significant changes [ 3 ]. A prominent development is the expansion of advanced clinical duties in healthcare systems, for example, those in North America [ 4 , 5 ]. Retail pharmacists are increasingly taking on expanded roles that include monitoring and managing chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and performing point-of-care assessments [ 3 , 6 ]. This evolution shows a shift in the role of retail pharmacies from only dispensing medications to functioning as hubs for patient-oriented care in specialized retail pharmacy chains [ 3 ]. A notable trend in the retail pharmacy environment is the increasing prevalence of stress [ 7 ]. Studies show that retail pharmacists have experienced exhaustion for decades, both before and during the recent COVID-19 pandemic [ 7 – 9 ]. Munger and colleagues found significant levels of job dissatisfaction and stress among retail pharmacists, with more than half considering leaving their positions [ 8 ]. Recent research continues to show the widespread nature of burnout in the retail pharmacy sector [ 7 , 9 ]. Bakken and Winn reported that approximately 50% of retail pharmacists experience physical and emotional stress because of increased workload demands [ 9 ]. In the United States, the 2021 National Pharmacy Workplace Survey found that workload in pharmacy settings is an important factor leading to staff burnout, which negatively affects staff recruitment and retention [ 4 , 10 ]. Both students and practicing retail pharmacists have observed these changes in the retail pharmacy landscape. Siracuse et al. (2008) found that while 91% of third-year student pharmacists expected a lucrative career in retail pharmacy, only 56% believed it would be a fulfilling career. Additionally, only 29% thought retail pharmacy would provide an ideal work-life balance, and only 26% considered the work environment favorable [ 11 ]. In North America, the number of retail-based residency programs increased from 151 to 234, representing a 55% increase from 2013 to 2024 [ 12 , 13 ]. These residency programs were designed to train pharmacists to administer and implement patient-oriented services, which shows a growing interest among student pharmacists in the clinical aspects of retail pharmacies. Barnes et al. reported on an optional course developed to address increasing student engagement in patient-oriented services in retail and ambulatory settings [ 14 ]. Broadening the diversity of practices and modifications in work settings may affect how student pharmacists view retail practices. Information on the perceptions of student pharmacists regarding retail pharmacy careers is limited, especially because of the increased influx of pharmacy school graduates. These data are important for identifying the facets of retail pharmacy practices that should be emphasized or enhanced to attract student pharmacists to the field. We aimed to examine how Saudi student pharmacists currently view retail pharmacy practice as a potential career choice. 2. Materials and Methods We employed a 15-item online survey, distributed through social media platforms, to gather information on the views of future pharmacists regarding retail-based pharmacy practices. The survey, titled "Retail Pharmacy as a career, attitude and perception of Student pharmacist," received approval from the university’s Institutional Review Board (IRB). The survey included demographic questions, followed by 15 custom closed-ended Likert-scale questions that assessed participants' inclination to seek careers as pharmacists in retail pharmacies. These questions also examined respondents' opinions on various elements of retail pharmacy practice, including the roles of pharmacists, the workplace environment, interpersonal dynamics, and potential deterrents to entering the retail pharmacy field as a career choice. Some questions were based on the 2013 American Pharmacists Association (APhA) survey, which focused on chain-retail pharmacies [ 15 ]. Before distribution, we pre-evaluated the questionnaire using individuals not associated with the study and subsequently refined it. We collected data from September to November 2024 after sending a survey message to approximately 500 pharmacy students in the Riyadh, Saudi Arabia area. Although the exact number of students at each pharmacy college was not specified, we estimated the total number to be about 500, based on class size information available on the school websites. The message sent to student pharmacists included a request to participate in the survey. Qualified individuals received notifications to complete the survey. We obtained informed consent from all respondents, and all responses were kept confidential, with no identifying information collected. The survey was expected to take less than 10 minutes to complete, and no incentives were offered for participation. We included responses in which more than 50% of the questions were answered in the analysis. We collected data using Qualtrics and assessed the results with descriptive statistics in Microsoft Excel (Redmond, WA, USA). We performed chi-square (χ²) analysis for specific preplanned analyses to facilitate data stratification using IBM SPSS (Armonk, NY, USA). The analyses included feedback on interest in retail pharmacies from third-, fourth-, and fifth-year pharmacy students, as well as work or training experience, if any. We report Likert-type responses as proportions for each response category, along with median scores and interquartile ranges (IQRs), calculated using the appropriate common scale: 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neutral, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree, or 1 = very unappealing, 2 = unappealing, 3 = neutral, 4 = appealing, 5 = very appealing. We set statistical significance at p < 0.05. 3. Results Of approximately 500 student pharmacists contacted, 361 responded to the questionnaires. Of these, 248 completed questionnaires were considered suitable for analysis, resulting in an estimated acceptable response rate of 49.6%. Although some responses were incomplete, we included them in the analysis of certain aspects of retail pharmacies. Overall, the survey sample group represented a significant cohort for investigating attitudes toward retail pharmacy practices. The demographics and characteristics of the respondents are presented in Table 1 . The mean age of the participants was 23.7 ± 3.7 years. Sex distribution indicated a male predominance, with 172 males (69.4%, 95% CI: 0.636–0.751) and 76 females (30.6%, 95% CI: 0.249–0.364). Analysis of the demographic data shows that third-year students represented 25.0% (n = 62, 95% CI: 0.196–0.304), fourth-year students 35.1% (n = 87, 95% CI: 0.291–0.410), and fifth-year students 39.9% (n = 99, 95% CI: 0.338–0.460) of the survey group. The distribution did not show equal representation across the years (χ² = 8.621, p = 0.013). Table 1 Demographics and characteristics of respondents Age In years 228 91.8 Mean (SD) 23.7 (3.7) Sex n (%) 233 93.8 Male 172 73.8 Female 76 30.6 Professional year n (%) 248 100 Year 3 62 25 Year 4 87 35.1 Year 5 99 39.9 Current career field interest n (%) 248 100 Hospital 98 39.5 Community 50 20.2 Industry 39 15.7 Academia 8 3.2 higher education or training 15 6 Research 13 5.2 Regulatory 25 10.1 Experience in retail pharmacy n (%) 233 93.8 Current 129 55.4 Previous 63 27 No 41 17.6 Completion of community-based training n (%) 233 93.8 Internship 129 55.4 Clerkship 14 6 both 60 25.8 No 30 12.9 Career interest patterns revealed distinct preferences among the participants. Hospital pharmacies were the most favored career path, with 39.5% (n = 98; 95% CI: 0.334–0.456) of participants selecting this option. Community pharmacies followed at 20.2% (n = 50; 95% CI: 0.152–0.252). Industrial pharmacies attracted 15.7% (n = 39; 95% CI: 0.112–0.203), while regulatory affairs attracted 10.1% (n = 25; 95% CI: 0.063–0.138). Academic careers showed limited appeal; higher education attracted 6.0% (n = 15; 95% CI: 0.031–0.090), research positions attracted 5.2% (n = 13; 95% CI: 0.025–0.080), and traditional academia positions attracted 3.2% (n = 8; 95% CI: 0.010–0.054) of respondents. These findings suggest a preference for clinical and industry-based settings. A substantial majority of participants (82.4%) reported having some form of retail pharmacy experience. Of these, 55.4% (n = 129; 95% CI: 0.490–0.617) were currently interns in retail settings, and 27.0% (n = 63; 95% CI: 0.213–0.327) had previous retail experience. Only 17.6% (n = 41; 95% CI: 0.127–0.225) reported having no retail pharmacy experience. Table 2 presents participant views on various aspects of careers in retail pharmacies. The analysis of salary and benefits (n = 248 responses) revealed a moderately favorable perception, with a median score of 3.5 (IQR: 3.0–4.0). While 50.0% of participants expressed positive attitudes, 7.9% reported negative views. Work hours and schedule (n = 249 responses) received the most negative response, with a median score of 2.0 (IQR: 2.0–3.0), and 51.3% expressed negative attitudes. Only 23.9% of participants viewed retail pharmacy work hours positively. The distribution analysis shows that 21.2% of respondents found work hours very unappealing, and 30.1% found them unappealing, which indicates concerns about work–life balance. Job availability and security (n = 248 responses) showed highly positive perceptions, with a median score of 4.0 (IQR: 4.0–5.0) and 81.5% positive responses. Clinical duties (n = 248 responses) received a moderately positive reception, with a median score of 3.0 (IQR: 3.0–4.0) and a positive response rate of 47.3%. The distribution analysis revealed 32.2% neutral responses and 20.5% negative responses regarding retail pharmacy clinical duties. Table 2 Respondent perceptions toward aspects of retail pharmacy (n = 248) Aspect Response, n (%) Median (IQR)a Very unappealing Unappealing Neutral Appealing Very appealing Salary and benefits 8 3.1 12 4.8 104 42 79 32 45 18 3.5 (3.0–4.0) Work hours and schedule 53 21.2 75 30 61 24.7 41 16.4 19 7.5 2.0 (2.0–3.0) Job availability and security 3 1.4 7 2.7 36 14.4 119 47.9 83 33.6 4.0 (4.0–5.0) Clinical responsibilities (e.g., immunizations, medication therapy management, etc) 17 6.8 34 14 80 32.2 80 32.2 37 15.1 3.0 (3.0–4.0) Business management responsibilities (e.g., staffing, inventory, key performance indicators) 58 23.3 76 31 66 26.7 37 15.1 10 4.1 2.0 (2.0–3.0) Interactions with coworkers in the pharmacy 8 3.4 7 2.7 70 28.1 119 47.9 44 17.8 4.0 (3.0–4.0) Interactions with other medical professionals (e.g., providers, nurses, pharmacists) 10 4.1 24 9.6 87 34.9 105 42.5 44 17.8 4.0 (3.0–4.0) Relationships and interactions with patients 15 6.2 27 11 42 17.1 88 35.6 73 29.5 4.0 (3.0–5.0) Teaching and training students 7 2.7 15 6.2 56 22.6 109 43.8 60 24 4.0 (3.0–4.0) Navigating insurance-related tasks 60 24 100 40 54 21.9 29 11.6 3 1.4 2.0 (2.0–3.0) Opportunities for advancement and professional development 36 14.4 44 18 6 2.3 76 30.8 26 10.3 4.0 (2.0–4.0) Pace of the work environment 45 18.1 49 20 54 21.9 46 18.5 27 11 3.0 (2.0–4.0) Business management task responses (n = 247) had a median score of 2.0 (IQR: 2.0–3.0), with 54.1% of respondents expressing negative attitudes. Only 19.2% of participants viewed this aspect of retail pharmacies positively. Interpersonal relationships with coworkers (n = 248 responses) received positive evaluations, with a median score of 4.0 (IQR: 3.0–4.0) and 65.7% positive responses. Only 6.1% of participants expressed negative views regarding interpersonal relationships in retail pharmacy settings. A total of 47.9% found coworker interactions appealing, and 17.8% found them very appealing, which indicates that students valued collaborative environments. Interactions with other medical professionals (n = 270 responses) showed favorable ratings, with a median score of 4.0 (IQR: 3.0–4.0) and 60.3% positive responses. A total of 42.5% of respondents found these interactions appealing, 17.8% found them very appealing, and 13.7% held a negative view. Relationships with patients (n = 245 responses) received strong positive responses, with a median score of 4.0 (IQR: 3.0–5.0) and 65.1% positive attitudes. A total of 35.6% of respondents found patient relationships appealing, and 29.5% found them very appealing. Teaching and training students (n = 247 responses) received positive evaluations, with a median score of 4.0 (IQR: 3.0–4.0) and 67.8% positive responses. A total of 43.8% of respondents found teaching appealing, and 24.0% found it very appealing. Insurance-related tasks (n = 246 responses) generated predominantly negative responses, with a median score of 2.0 (IQR: 2.0–3.0) and 64.4% negative attitudes. Only 13.0% of participants viewed these tasks positively. Furthermore, 24.0% found insurance tasks very unappealing, and 40.4% found them unappealing. Opportunities for advancement (n = 188 responses) received mixed but generally positive responses, with a median score of 4.0 (IQR: 2.0–4.0) and 41.1% positive views. However, 32.2% of respondents reported negative perceptions, resulting in a bimodal distribution. The broad IQR indicates varied perceptions, which suggests uncertainty about career progression and highlights the need for improved communication. Evaluation of the pace of the work environment (n = 221 responses) showed a median score of 3.0 (IQR: 2.0–4.0), with 29.5% positive, 38.0% negative, and 21.9% neutral responses. The wide IQR in this case reflects diverse perceptions of retail pharmacy work intensity, indicating varying preferences and emphasizing the need for realistic job expectations. Career interest patterns are shown in Fig. 1 , where interest in retail pharmacy employment immediately after graduation is compared to interest in long-term retail pharmacy careers. Figure 2 presents the findings regarding the identification of the key factors affecting career choice. There is a clear contrast between highly positive perceptions of job security (81.5% positive), interpersonal relationships with patients (65.1% positive) and coworkers (65.7% positive), and teaching opportunities (67.8% positive), and overwhelmingly negative views of insurance-related tasks (64.4% negative), business management responsibilities (54.1% negative), and work scheduling concerns (51.3% negative). This contrast creates a complex decision matrix that likely drives any observed divergence between immediate employment interest and long-term career commitment, as shown in Fig. 1 . In summary, the survey revealed a complex pattern of attitudes toward retail pharmacy careers, with students expressing strong preferences for job security and patient interaction, but significant reservations about administrative and scheduling aspects. We further examine these findings in the following Discussion section. 4. Discussion Four years after the announcement of Vision 2030, our findings show a significant mismatch between the career preferences of pharmacy students and the realities of retail pharmacy practice. While students value job security, patient interactions, and professional relationships, they express a strong aversion to the administrative tasks, business management, and challenging work schedules that are inherent in retail pharmacies. Similar findings are reported in other studies [ 16 ]. This disconnect may lead to decreased interest in retail pharmacy careers, which could further affect workforce shortages in this sector. Educational institutions and employers may need to address pharmacy students’ perceptions of retail pharmacy by enhancing training in business and administrative skills, improving work–life balance in retail settings, and more effectively communicating career advancement opportunities to attract and retain talented pharmacists in retail practice [ 17 ]. The insights reported in the current study were compiled from a cohort of pharmacy students, most of whom had first-hand short training experience in retail pharmacies, suggesting that their direct encounters likely affected their impressions. The demographic profile of the respondents shows several characteristics that may affect the interpretation of the findings regarding interest in and perceptions of retail pharmacies. The study sample consisted mainly of male participants (73.8%, n = 172), with a mean age of 23.7 years, and most were advanced pharmacy students in their fourth and fifth professional years (75.0% combined). This distribution differed significantly from equal gender representation (χ² = 37.161, p < 0.001) and contrasts with the typical female-dominated pharmacy education demographics reported in other regions [ 18 ]. The overrepresentation of male participants differs from international trends that show increasing female enrollment in pharmacy programs, which suggests that there may be gender-based differences in retail pharmacy career interests that require further investigation [ 19 ]. The demographic profile aligns with previous research, indicating that career preferences solidify during advanced pharmacy education when students have greater exposure to various practice settings through experiential rotations [ 20 ]. Current career field interests show a strong preference for hospital pharmacies (39.5%) compared to community pharmacies (20.2%), which reflects broader trends in pharmacy education that emphasize clinical practices over traditional dispensing roles [ 21 , 22 ]. The interests were scored on a Likert scale of 1–5 and can be interpreted within the context of the study’s demographic composition (Table 1 ) and the complex perceptual landscape summarized in Table 2 . The 248 pharmacy students who were surveyed and provided acceptable responses represented a mature cohort (mean age 23.7 years, SD = 3.7), with 73.8% male representation and substantial clinical experience, as 75% were in their final two professional years (35.1% in year 4, 39.9% in year 5). This demographic profile suggests that any temporal shift in career interests shown in Fig. 1 may reflect informed perspectives rather than naïve initial impressions. Therefore, a comparison between immediate and long-term interests is particularly meaningful for understanding how professional awareness affects career trajectory planning. The observed positive perceptions regarding aspects of clinical engagement and professional security show that students are most attracted to features of retail pharmacies that align with contemporary clinical pharmacy practice paradigms. In several regions, such as the United Arab Emirates, community pharmacists have expressed strong interest in expanding their roles to include extended professional services, such as screening and chronic disease management, provided they receive appropriate training and regulatory support [ 23 ]. This finding suggests that transformation toward enhanced clinical services may align with student interests and support, as well as expanded initiatives, such as provider status legislation and expanded scope of practice [ 24 , 25 ]. Job availability and security received the highest positive endorsement, with 81.5% of respondents rating these factors as appealing or very appealing and a median score of 4.0. This result reflects the economic stability that retail pharmacies traditionally offer compared with other healthcare sectors [ 26 ]. These findings support previous reports, which show that employment security remains a primary motivator for pharmacy career choices, particularly during uncertain economic periods [ 27 ]. Patient relationships and interactions also received substantial positive responses, with 65.1% of respondents indicating a positive view and a median score of 4.0. This aligns with studies that show meaningful patient care continues to be a core professional value among pharmacy students, despite increasing business pressure in retail settings [ 28 ]. The positive perception of teaching and training responsibilities (67.8% positive, median score = 4.0) reflects the profession's commitment to mentorship and knowledge transfer, which is consistent with findings that preceptorship opportunities enhance job satisfaction in retail pharmacies [ 29 ]. However, negative employment perceptions are evident in aspects of the retail pharmacy space related to administrative burden and work-life balance. Therefore, students express significant aversion to the operational aspects that characterize modern retail pharmacy practices. Insurance-related tasks received the most negative evaluations, with 64.4% of respondents rating them as unappealing or very unappealing and a median score of 2.0. This result reflects the increasing administrative complexity that has transformed retail pharmacy practices over the past two decades [ 30 ]. This finding aligns with research that documents pharmacists’ frustration with insurance authorization processes, formulary restrictions, and reimbursement challenges, all of which detract from patient care activities [ 31 ]. Business management responsibilities were also viewed unfavorably, with 54.1% negative responses and a median score of 2.0. This suggests that students are not prepared for or interested in the entrepreneurial aspects of retail pharmacy ownership and operation. This perception contradicts the industrial needs for pharmacists with business acumen, highlighting a potential gap between educational preparation and practical requirements [ 32 ]. Work hours and scheduling concerns received 51.3% negative responses and a median score of 2.0, reflecting documented challenges with extended operating hours, weekend requirements, and staffing pressures in retail pharmacies that contribute to work-life balance difficulties [ 33 ]. These negative perceptions are consistent with the broader literature documenting burnout and job dissatisfaction among retail pharmacists, particularly regarding workload intensity and administrative demands. The dichotomous perceptions identified in this study highlight a fundamental tension between student expectations and the realities of retail pharmacy, which has implications for both educational curricula and the evolution of practice. The overall positive response to clinical activities suggests that the transformation of retail pharmacies toward enhanced clinical services may align with student interests, providing support for initiatives such as provider status legislation and an expanded scope of practice [ 34 ]. However, negative perceptions of administrative and business responsibilities indicate a need for enhanced business education in pharmacy training curricula to better prepare graduates for retail practice [ 35 ]. The strong preference for job security, combined with an aversion to operational demands, suggests that retail pharmacy employers must address work environment factors to attract and retain qualified pharmacists. These findings support recommendations for practice model innovations that emphasize clinical services, while minimizing administrative burdens through technology integration and support-staff use [ 36 ]. Furthermore, the demographic skew toward male participants and hospital pharmacy interests suggests that targeted recruitment and mentorship programs may be necessary to maintain adequate retail pharmacy workforce development, particularly given the projected shortage of pharmacists in community settings [ 37 ]. Limitations of the current study include that we collected data from a limited group of student pharmacists, all located in the Riyadh area, using a questionnaire that had not been validated. This limitation could restrict the applicability and reliability of the findings. In addition, the response rate to the questionnaire was relatively low, which increases the potential for non-response bias. The inclusion of the phrase "retail pharmacy" in the questionnaire's title may have contributed to non-response bias among students who are not interested in a career in retail pharmacy. The absence of open-ended questions prevented us from exploring the reasons for participants' responses in detail. Furthermore, additional factors related to retail pharmacy settings may have affected choices that were not covered by the 12 predetermined domains evaluated in this questionnaire. Future studies should aim to include a more diverse and representative sample of pharmacy students and employ qualitative methods to examine the underlying reasons for career preferences in greater depth. 5. Conclusion This study found that student pharmacists valued job security, patient interactions, and professional relationships in retail pharmacy settings; however, they expressed significant reservations about administrative burdens, business management responsibilities, and challenging work schedules. These negative perceptions contributed to limited interest in retail pharmacy as a career, both immediately after graduation and in the long term. Targeted interventions, such as enhancing business and administrative training in pharmacy curricula and improving work–life balance in retail settings, may help attract and retain pharmacy graduates in this sector. Emphasizing the positive aspects of retail pharmacy, such as job security and opportunities for patient interaction, could also improve student perceptions and career interest. Future research should broaden this initiative by including a larger and more varied sample population and conducting qualitative analyses to examine the specific reasons for the observed trends. Addressing these issues is important for ensuring a sustainable and well-prepared retail pharmacy workforce in line with national healthcare goals. Declarations Funding: This study is supported via funding from Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University project number PSAU/2024/03/30823 Competing Interests: none Author Contributions: Dr. FAHAD ALSAIKHAN, Conceptualization: YES ; Methodology: YES ; Data analysis: YES ; Writing–original draft preparation: YES ; Writing – review and editing: YES; Supervision: YES; fund collection: YES Acknowledgements: Author would like to extend his gratitude to the deanship of research and graduate studies for supporting this research project (grant no. PSAU/2024/03/30823). Ethics Approval: Written informed consent was obtained from all participants in compliance with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and subsequent amendments on comparable ethical standards. The research commenced with official approval (no. Ph/22/16) from the Institutional Review Board (IRB). 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Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 01 Dec, 2025 Read the published version in BMC Medical Education → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 27 Oct, 2025 Reviews received at journal 27 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 27 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 23 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 23 Oct, 2025 Reviews received at journal 23 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 23 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 22 Oct, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 22 Oct, 2025 Editor invited by journal 30 Sep, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 29 Sep, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 29 Sep, 2025 First submitted to journal 16 Sep, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7630747","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":535992956,"identity":"494f2b70-3c7e-4c13-9c67-075a1322f97a","order_by":0,"name":"Fahad I. Alsaikhan","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA3klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBAC9gYGhoONQIJfAsyXkCGohecAVIvkDAZGICXBQ5QWRpAWgxtgLQxEaOE//PDgzB12eca3m48/ulFjwcPAfvjoBrxaJNIMDm48k1xsdudYYnPOMaDDeNLSbuDTYi/BYHDwYRtz4rYbOYbNOWxALRI8Zni18PAf/wDUUp+4eQZIyz9itDDkAB3WdjhxgwRQS24bMVokcgoOzmw7njjjRlri7Nw+CR42Qn4BOmzzx9626sT+GckHPud8q5PjZz98DK8WTMBGmvJRMApGwSgYBdgAAOP9TmnYe8VNAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Fahad","middleName":"I.","lastName":"Alsaikhan","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-09-16 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16:18:08","extension":"xml","order_by":9,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":97034,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"5397efe2f9b549698e3408e094d79d811structuring.xml","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7630747/v1/0103e7d34c3225e2623f904e.xml"},{"id":95007595,"identity":"9578e6ce-e476-4326-b5f7-c77e9bcb7160","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-03 09:41:51","extension":"html","order_by":10,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":105736,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"earlyproof.html","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7630747/v1/98cb6531e13a22c6f3e8b3e8.html"},{"id":95220851,"identity":"5e501a8e-fa4f-485a-a6fc-4832151436f1","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-05 16:16:03","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":20606,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ePharmacy Student Interest in Pursuing Community Pharmacy Careers. Responses range from 1 = not interested to 5 = very interested.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7630747/v1/64348e19ce2de05d420754e6.png"},{"id":95220945,"identity":"0842b8e8-e912-4048-a82b-97866b158730","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-05 16:17:15","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":176962,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eFactors Influencing Career Choice in Retail Pharmacy. The charts show the key factors that attract (top panel) or deter (bottom panel) pharmacy students from pursuing careers in retail pharmacies.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7630747/v1/ee61222f27e8d8cd9a99a134.png"},{"id":97723828,"identity":"ec58fef4-1224-4808-9c39-783d37b3d7b3","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-08 16:08:25","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":693407,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7630747/v1/c239380b-c5d7-4da6-b32d-808dd38e4a0d.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Retail pharmacy as a career: attitude and perception of pharmacy students","fulltext":[{"header":"1. Background","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe Saudi Ministry of Health requires that nearly 30% of the pharmacy workforce in the private sector be licensed as Saudi pharmacists, with particular attention to retail pharmacies (Almaghaslah, 2023). This requirement aligns with the government's Vision 2030, which aims to increase employment opportunities for Saudi nationals, including pharmacists. We expect a consistent demand for pharmacist positions to continue in the coming years [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOver the years, the retail pharmacy landscape has experienced significant changes [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e]. A prominent development is the expansion of advanced clinical duties in healthcare systems, for example, those in North America [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e]. Retail pharmacists are increasingly taking on expanded roles that include monitoring and managing chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and performing point-of-care assessments [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e]. This evolution shows a shift in the role of retail pharmacies from only dispensing medications to functioning as hubs for patient-oriented care in specialized retail pharmacy chains [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA notable trend in the retail pharmacy environment is the increasing prevalence of stress [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e]. Studies show that retail pharmacists have experienced exhaustion for decades, both before and during the recent COVID-19 pandemic [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR8\" citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e]. Munger and colleagues found significant levels of job dissatisfaction and stress among retail pharmacists, with more than half considering leaving their positions [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e]. Recent research continues to show the widespread nature of burnout in the retail pharmacy sector [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e]. Bakken and Winn reported that approximately 50% of retail pharmacists experience physical and emotional stress because of increased workload demands [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e]. In the United States, the 2021 National Pharmacy Workplace Survey found that workload in pharmacy settings is an important factor leading to staff burnout, which negatively affects staff recruitment and retention [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBoth students and practicing retail pharmacists have observed these changes in the retail pharmacy landscape. Siracuse et al. (2008) found that while 91% of third-year student pharmacists expected a lucrative career in retail pharmacy, only 56% believed it would be a fulfilling career. Additionally, only 29% thought retail pharmacy would provide an ideal work-life balance, and only 26% considered the work environment favorable [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e]. In North America, the number of retail-based residency programs increased from 151 to 234, representing a 55% increase from 2013 to 2024 [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e]. These residency programs were designed to train pharmacists to administer and implement patient-oriented services, which shows a growing interest among student pharmacists in the clinical aspects of retail pharmacies. Barnes et al. reported on an optional course developed to address increasing student engagement in patient-oriented services in retail and ambulatory settings [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBroadening the diversity of practices and modifications in work settings may affect how student pharmacists view retail practices. Information on the perceptions of student pharmacists regarding retail pharmacy careers is limited, especially because of the increased influx of pharmacy school graduates. These data are important for identifying the facets of retail pharmacy practices that should be emphasized or enhanced to attract student pharmacists to the field. We aimed to examine how Saudi student pharmacists currently view retail pharmacy practice as a potential career choice.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. Materials and Methods","content":"\u003cp\u003eWe employed a 15-item online survey, distributed through social media platforms, to gather information on the views of future pharmacists regarding retail-based pharmacy practices. The survey, titled \"Retail Pharmacy as a career, attitude and perception of Student pharmacist,\" received approval from the university\u0026rsquo;s Institutional Review Board (IRB).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe survey included demographic questions, followed by 15 custom closed-ended Likert-scale questions that assessed participants' inclination to seek careers as pharmacists in retail pharmacies. These questions also examined respondents' opinions on various elements of retail pharmacy practice, including the roles of pharmacists, the workplace environment, interpersonal dynamics, and potential deterrents to entering the retail pharmacy field as a career choice. Some questions were based on the 2013 American Pharmacists Association (APhA) survey, which focused on chain-retail pharmacies [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e]. Before distribution, we pre-evaluated the questionnaire using individuals not associated with the study and subsequently refined it.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe collected data from September to November 2024 after sending a survey message to approximately 500 pharmacy students in the Riyadh, Saudi Arabia area. Although the exact number of students at each pharmacy college was not specified, we estimated the total number to be about 500, based on class size information available on the school websites. The message sent to student pharmacists included a request to participate in the survey. Qualified individuals received notifications to complete the survey. We obtained informed consent from all respondents, and all responses were kept confidential, with no identifying information collected. The survey was expected to take less than 10 minutes to complete, and no incentives were offered for participation. We included responses in which more than 50% of the questions were answered in the analysis.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe collected data using Qualtrics and assessed the results with descriptive statistics in Microsoft Excel (Redmond, WA, USA). We performed chi-square (χ\u0026sup2;) analysis for specific preplanned analyses to facilitate data stratification using IBM SPSS (Armonk, NY, USA). The analyses included feedback on interest in retail pharmacies from third-, fourth-, and fifth-year pharmacy students, as well as work or training experience, if any. We report Likert-type responses as proportions for each response category, along with median scores and interquartile ranges (IQRs), calculated using the appropriate common scale: 1\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;strongly disagree, 2\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;disagree, 3\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;neutral, 4\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;agree, 5\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;strongly agree, or 1\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;very unappealing, 2\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;unappealing, 3\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;neutral, 4\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;appealing, 5\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;very appealing. We set statistical significance at p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"3. Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eOf approximately 500 student pharmacists contacted, 361 responded to the questionnaires. Of these, 248 completed questionnaires were considered suitable for analysis, resulting in an estimated acceptable response rate of 49.6%. Although some responses were incomplete, we included them in the analysis of certain aspects of retail pharmacies. Overall, the survey sample group represented a significant cohort for investigating attitudes toward retail pharmacy practices.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe demographics and characteristics of the respondents are presented in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e. The mean age of the participants was 23.7\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.7 years. Sex distribution indicated a male predominance, with 172 males (69.4%, 95% CI: 0.636\u0026ndash;0.751) and 76 females (30.6%, 95% CI: 0.249\u0026ndash;0.364). Analysis of the demographic data shows that third-year students represented 25.0% (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;62, 95% CI: 0.196\u0026ndash;0.304), fourth-year students 35.1% (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;87, 95% CI: 0.291\u0026ndash;0.410), and fifth-year students 39.9% (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;99, 95% CI: 0.338\u0026ndash;0.460) of the survey group. The distribution did not show equal representation across the years (χ\u0026sup2; = 8.621, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.013).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDemographics and characteristics of respondents\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAge\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn years\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e228\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e91.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMean (SD)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23.7 (3.7)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSex\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003en (%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e233\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e93.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e172\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e73.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e76\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eProfessional year\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003en (%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e248\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYear 3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e62\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYear 4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e87\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e35.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYear 5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e99\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e39.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"7\" rowspan=\"8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCurrent career field interest\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003en (%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e248\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHospital\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e98\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e39.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCommunity\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIndustry\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e39\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAcademia\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ehigher education or training\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearch\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRegulatory\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eExperience in retail pharmacy\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003en (%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e233\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e93.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCurrent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e129\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e55.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrevious\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e63\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e27\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e41\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCompletion of community-based training\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003en (%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e233\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e93.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInternship\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e129\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e55.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eClerkship\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eboth\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e60\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCareer interest patterns revealed distinct preferences among the participants. Hospital pharmacies were the most favored career path, with 39.5% (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;98; 95% CI: 0.334\u0026ndash;0.456) of participants selecting this option. Community pharmacies followed at 20.2% (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;50; 95% CI: 0.152\u0026ndash;0.252). Industrial pharmacies attracted 15.7% (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;39; 95% CI: 0.112\u0026ndash;0.203), while regulatory affairs attracted 10.1% (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;25; 95% CI: 0.063\u0026ndash;0.138). Academic careers showed limited appeal; higher education attracted 6.0% (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;15; 95% CI: 0.031\u0026ndash;0.090), research positions attracted 5.2% (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;13; 95% CI: 0.025\u0026ndash;0.080), and traditional academia positions attracted 3.2% (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;8; 95% CI: 0.010\u0026ndash;0.054) of respondents. These findings suggest a preference for clinical and industry-based settings. A substantial majority of participants (82.4%) reported having some form of retail pharmacy experience. Of these, 55.4% (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;129; 95% CI: 0.490\u0026ndash;0.617) were currently interns in retail settings, and 27.0% (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;63; 95% CI: 0.213\u0026ndash;0.327) had previous retail experience. Only 17.6% (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;41; 95% CI: 0.127\u0026ndash;0.225) reported having no retail pharmacy experience.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e presents participant views on various aspects of careers in retail pharmacies. The analysis of salary and benefits (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;248 responses) revealed a moderately favorable perception, with a median score of 3.5 (IQR: 3.0\u0026ndash;4.0). While 50.0% of participants expressed positive attitudes, 7.9% reported negative views. Work hours and schedule (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;249 responses) received the most negative response, with a median score of 2.0 (IQR: 2.0\u0026ndash;3.0), and 51.3% expressed negative attitudes. Only 23.9% of participants viewed retail pharmacy work hours positively. The distribution analysis shows that 21.2% of respondents found work hours very unappealing, and 30.1% found them unappealing, which indicates concerns about work\u0026ndash;life balance. Job availability and security (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;248 responses) showed highly positive perceptions, with a median score of 4.0 (IQR: 4.0\u0026ndash;5.0) and 81.5% positive responses. Clinical duties (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;248 responses) received a moderately positive reception, with a median score of 3.0 (IQR: 3.0\u0026ndash;4.0) and a positive response rate of 47.3%. The distribution analysis revealed 32.2% neutral responses and 20.5% negative responses regarding retail pharmacy clinical duties.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRespondent perceptions toward aspects of retail pharmacy (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;248)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"12\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c10\" colnum=\"10\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c11\" colnum=\"11\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c12\" colnum=\"12\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAspect\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"10\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eResponse, n (%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMedian (IQR)a\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVery unappealing\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnappealing\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNeutral\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAppealing\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVery appealing\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSalary and benefits\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e104\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e42\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e79\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e32\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e45\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.5 (3.0\u0026ndash;4.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWork hours and schedule\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e53\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e75\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e61\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e24.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e41\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.0 (2.0\u0026ndash;3.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eJob availability and security\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e36\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e119\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e47.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e83\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e33.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.0 (4.0\u0026ndash;5.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eClinical responsibilities (e.g., immunizations, medication therapy management, etc)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e34\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e80\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e32.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e80\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e32.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.0 (3.0\u0026ndash;4.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBusiness management responsibilities (e.g., staffing, inventory, key performance indicators)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e58\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e76\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e31\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e66\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.0 (2.0\u0026ndash;3.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInteractions with coworkers in the pharmacy\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e70\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e28.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e119\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e47.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e44\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.0 (3.0\u0026ndash;4.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInteractions with other medical professionals (e.g., providers, nurses, pharmacists)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e24\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e87\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e34.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e105\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e42.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e44\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.0 (3.0\u0026ndash;4.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRelationships and interactions with patients\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e27\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e42\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e88\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e35.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e73\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e29.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.0 (3.0\u0026ndash;5.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTeaching and training students\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e56\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e22.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e109\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e43.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e60\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e24\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.0 (3.0\u0026ndash;4.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNavigating insurance-related tasks\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e60\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e24\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e40\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e54\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e29\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.0 (2.0\u0026ndash;3.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOpportunities for advancement and professional development\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e36\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e44\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e76\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.0 (2.0\u0026ndash;4.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePace of the work environment\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e45\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e49\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e54\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e46\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e27\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.0 (2.0\u0026ndash;4.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBusiness management task responses (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;247) had a median score of 2.0 (IQR: 2.0\u0026ndash;3.0), with 54.1% of respondents expressing negative attitudes. Only 19.2% of participants viewed this aspect of retail pharmacies positively. Interpersonal relationships with coworkers (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;248 responses) received positive evaluations, with a median score of 4.0 (IQR: 3.0\u0026ndash;4.0) and 65.7% positive responses. Only 6.1% of participants expressed negative views regarding interpersonal relationships in retail pharmacy settings. A total of 47.9% found coworker interactions appealing, and 17.8% found them very appealing, which indicates that students valued collaborative environments. Interactions with other medical professionals (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;270 responses) showed favorable ratings, with a median score of 4.0 (IQR: 3.0\u0026ndash;4.0) and 60.3% positive responses. A total of 42.5% of respondents found these interactions appealing, 17.8% found them very appealing, and 13.7% held a negative view. Relationships with patients (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;245 responses) received strong positive responses, with a median score of 4.0 (IQR: 3.0\u0026ndash;5.0) and 65.1% positive attitudes. A total of 35.6% of respondents found patient relationships appealing, and 29.5% found them very appealing. Teaching and training students (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;247 responses) received positive evaluations, with a median score of 4.0 (IQR: 3.0\u0026ndash;4.0) and 67.8% positive responses. A total of 43.8% of respondents found teaching appealing, and 24.0% found it very appealing. Insurance-related tasks (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;246 responses) generated predominantly negative responses, with a median score of 2.0 (IQR: 2.0\u0026ndash;3.0) and 64.4% negative attitudes. Only 13.0% of participants viewed these tasks positively. Furthermore, 24.0% found insurance tasks very unappealing, and 40.4% found them unappealing.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOpportunities for advancement (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;188 responses) received mixed but generally positive responses, with a median score of 4.0 (IQR: 2.0\u0026ndash;4.0) and 41.1% positive views. However, 32.2% of respondents reported negative perceptions, resulting in a bimodal distribution. The broad IQR indicates varied perceptions, which suggests uncertainty about career progression and highlights the need for improved communication. Evaluation of the pace of the work environment (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;221 responses) showed a median score of 3.0 (IQR: 2.0\u0026ndash;4.0), with 29.5% positive, 38.0% negative, and 21.9% neutral responses. The wide IQR in this case reflects diverse perceptions of retail pharmacy work intensity, indicating varying preferences and emphasizing the need for realistic job expectations.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCareer interest patterns are shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e, where interest in retail pharmacy employment immediately after graduation is compared to interest in long-term retail pharmacy careers. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e presents the findings regarding the identification of the key factors affecting career choice. There is a clear contrast between highly positive perceptions of job security (81.5% positive), interpersonal relationships with patients (65.1% positive) and coworkers (65.7% positive), and teaching opportunities (67.8% positive), and overwhelmingly negative views of insurance-related tasks (64.4% negative), business management responsibilities (54.1% negative), and work scheduling concerns (51.3% negative). This contrast creates a complex decision matrix that likely drives any observed divergence between immediate employment interest and long-term career commitment, as shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn summary, the survey revealed a complex pattern of attitudes toward retail pharmacy careers, with students expressing strong preferences for job security and patient interaction, but significant reservations about administrative and scheduling aspects. We further examine these findings in the following Discussion section.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"4. Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eFour years after the announcement of Vision 2030, our findings show a significant mismatch between the career preferences of pharmacy students and the realities of retail pharmacy practice. While students value job security, patient interactions, and professional relationships, they express a strong aversion to the administrative tasks, business management, and challenging work schedules that are inherent in retail pharmacies. Similar findings are reported in other studies [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e]. This disconnect may lead to decreased interest in retail pharmacy careers, which could further affect workforce shortages in this sector. Educational institutions and employers may need to address pharmacy students\u0026rsquo; perceptions of retail pharmacy by enhancing training in business and administrative skills, improving work\u0026ndash;life balance in retail settings, and more effectively communicating career advancement opportunities to attract and retain talented pharmacists in retail practice [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e]. The insights reported in the current study were compiled from a cohort of pharmacy students, most of whom had first-hand short training experience in retail pharmacies, suggesting that their direct encounters likely affected their impressions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe demographic profile of the respondents shows several characteristics that may affect the interpretation of the findings regarding interest in and perceptions of retail pharmacies. The study sample consisted mainly of male participants (73.8%, n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;172), with a mean age of 23.7 years, and most were advanced pharmacy students in their fourth and fifth professional years (75.0% combined). This distribution differed significantly from equal gender representation (χ\u0026sup2; = 37.161, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) and contrasts with the typical female-dominated pharmacy education demographics reported in other regions [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e]. The overrepresentation of male participants differs from international trends that show increasing female enrollment in pharmacy programs, which suggests that there may be gender-based differences in retail pharmacy career interests that require further investigation [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe demographic profile aligns with previous research, indicating that career preferences solidify during advanced pharmacy education when students have greater exposure to various practice settings through experiential rotations [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e]. Current career field interests show a strong preference for hospital pharmacies (39.5%) compared to community pharmacies (20.2%), which reflects broader trends in pharmacy education that emphasize clinical practices over traditional dispensing roles [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe interests were scored on a Likert scale of 1\u0026ndash;5 and can be interpreted within the context of the study\u0026rsquo;s demographic composition (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e) and the complex perceptual landscape summarized in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e. The 248 pharmacy students who were surveyed and provided acceptable responses represented a mature cohort (mean age 23.7 years, SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.7), with 73.8% male representation and substantial clinical experience, as 75% were in their final two professional years (35.1% in year 4, 39.9% in year 5). This demographic profile suggests that any temporal shift in career interests shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e may reflect informed perspectives rather than na\u0026iuml;ve initial impressions. Therefore, a comparison between immediate and long-term interests is particularly meaningful for understanding how professional awareness affects career trajectory planning.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe observed positive perceptions regarding aspects of clinical engagement and professional security show that students are most attracted to features of retail pharmacies that align with contemporary clinical pharmacy practice paradigms. In several regions, such as the United Arab Emirates, community pharmacists have expressed strong interest in expanding their roles to include extended professional services, such as screening and chronic disease management, provided they receive appropriate training and regulatory support [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e]. This finding suggests that transformation toward enhanced clinical services may align with student interests and support, as well as expanded initiatives, such as provider status legislation and expanded scope of practice [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJob availability and security received the highest positive endorsement, with 81.5% of respondents rating these factors as appealing or very appealing and a median score of 4.0. This result reflects the economic stability that retail pharmacies traditionally offer compared with other healthcare sectors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e]. These findings support previous reports, which show that employment security remains a primary motivator for pharmacy career choices, particularly during uncertain economic periods [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e]. Patient relationships and interactions also received substantial positive responses, with 65.1% of respondents indicating a positive view and a median score of 4.0. This aligns with studies that show meaningful patient care continues to be a core professional value among pharmacy students, despite increasing business pressure in retail settings [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe positive perception of teaching and training responsibilities (67.8% positive, median score\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;4.0) reflects the profession's commitment to mentorship and knowledge transfer, which is consistent with findings that preceptorship opportunities enhance job satisfaction in retail pharmacies [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e]. However, negative employment perceptions are evident in aspects of the retail pharmacy space related to administrative burden and work-life balance. Therefore, students express significant aversion to the operational aspects that characterize modern retail pharmacy practices.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eInsurance-related tasks received the most negative evaluations, with 64.4% of respondents rating them as unappealing or very unappealing and a median score of 2.0. This result reflects the increasing administrative complexity that has transformed retail pharmacy practices over the past two decades [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e]. This finding aligns with research that documents pharmacists\u0026rsquo; frustration with insurance authorization processes, formulary restrictions, and reimbursement challenges, all of which detract from patient care activities [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e31\u003c/span\u003e]. Business management responsibilities were also viewed unfavorably, with 54.1% negative responses and a median score of 2.0. This suggests that students are not prepared for or interested in the entrepreneurial aspects of retail pharmacy ownership and operation. This perception contradicts the industrial needs for pharmacists with business acumen, highlighting a potential gap between educational preparation and practical requirements [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e]. Work hours and scheduling concerns received 51.3% negative responses and a median score of 2.0, reflecting documented challenges with extended operating hours, weekend requirements, and staffing pressures in retail pharmacies that contribute to work-life balance difficulties [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e]. These negative perceptions are consistent with the broader literature documenting burnout and job dissatisfaction among retail pharmacists, particularly regarding workload intensity and administrative demands.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe dichotomous perceptions identified in this study highlight a fundamental tension between student expectations and the realities of retail pharmacy, which has implications for both educational curricula and the evolution of practice. The overall positive response to clinical activities suggests that the transformation of retail pharmacies toward enhanced clinical services may align with student interests, providing support for initiatives such as provider status legislation and an expanded scope of practice [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e]. However, negative perceptions of administrative and business responsibilities indicate a need for enhanced business education in pharmacy training curricula to better prepare graduates for retail practice [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e]. The strong preference for job security, combined with an aversion to operational demands, suggests that retail pharmacy employers must address work environment factors to attract and retain qualified pharmacists. These findings support recommendations for practice model innovations that emphasize clinical services, while minimizing administrative burdens through technology integration and support-staff use [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e]. Furthermore, the demographic skew toward male participants and hospital pharmacy interests suggests that targeted recruitment and mentorship programs may be necessary to maintain adequate retail pharmacy workforce development, particularly given the projected shortage of pharmacists in community settings [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLimitations of the current study include that we collected data from a limited group of student pharmacists, all located in the Riyadh area, using a questionnaire that had not been validated. This limitation could restrict the applicability and reliability of the findings. In addition, the response rate to the questionnaire was relatively low, which increases the potential for non-response bias. The inclusion of the phrase \"retail pharmacy\" in the questionnaire's title may have contributed to non-response bias among students who are not interested in a career in retail pharmacy. The absence of open-ended questions prevented us from exploring the reasons for participants' responses in detail. Furthermore, additional factors related to retail pharmacy settings may have affected choices that were not covered by the 12 predetermined domains evaluated in this questionnaire.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFuture studies should aim to include a more diverse and representative sample of pharmacy students and employ qualitative methods to examine the underlying reasons for career preferences in greater depth.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"5. Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study found that student pharmacists valued job security, patient interactions, and professional relationships in retail pharmacy settings; however, they expressed significant reservations about administrative burdens, business management responsibilities, and challenging work schedules. These negative perceptions contributed to limited interest in retail pharmacy as a career, both immediately after graduation and in the long term. Targeted interventions, such as enhancing business and administrative training in pharmacy curricula and improving work\u0026ndash;life balance in retail settings, may help attract and retain pharmacy graduates in this sector. Emphasizing the positive aspects of retail pharmacy, such as job security and opportunities for patient interaction, could also improve student perceptions and career interest. Future research should broaden this initiative by including a larger and more varied sample population and conducting qualitative analyses to examine the specific reasons for the observed trends. Addressing these issues is important for ensuring a sustainable and well-prepared retail pharmacy workforce in line with national healthcare goals.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study is supported via funding from Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University project number PSAU/2024/03/30823\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting Interests:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003enone\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor Contributions:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDr. FAHAD ALSAIKHAN,\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConceptualization: YES ; Methodology: YES ; Data analysis: YES ; Writing\u0026ndash;original draft preparation: YES ; Writing \u0026ndash; review and editing: YES; Supervision: YES; \u0026nbsp;fund collection: YES\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgements:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAuthor would like to extend his gratitude to the deanship of research and graduate studies for supporting this research project (grant no. PSAU/2024/03/30823).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics Approval:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWritten informed consent was obtained from all participants in compliance with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and subsequent amendments on comparable ethical standards. The research commenced with official approval (no. Ph/22/16) from the Institutional Review Board (IRB).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClinical Trial Number:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003enot applicable\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Availability:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlmaghaslah D (2023) An analysis of pharmacy workforce capacity in Saudi Arabia. Front Pharmacol. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2023.1219528\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlRuthia Y, Alsenaidy MA, Alrabiah HK, AlMuhaisen A, Alshehri M (2018) The status of licensed pharmacy workforce in Saudi Arabia: a 2030 economic vision perspective. Hum Resour Health 16:28\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGoode J-V, Owen J, Page A, Gatewood S (2019) Community-Based Pharmacy Practice Innovation and the Role of the Community-Based Pharmacist Practitioner in the United States. Pharmacy 7:106\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKruer RM, Czosnowski Q, Miller EM, et al (2023) Expansion of around the clock critical care and emergency medicine clinical pharmacy services at a large urban academic medical center. JACCP: JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CLINICAL PHARMACY 6:889\u0026ndash;899\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJacobi J, Ray S, Danelich I, et al (2016) Impact of the Pharmacy Practice Model Initiative on Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Practice. Pharmacotherapy: The Journal of Human Pharmacology and Drug Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1002/phar.1745\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOladapo AO, Rascati KL (2012) Review of Survey Articles Regarding Medication Therapy Management (MTM) Services/Programs in the United States. J Pharm Pract 25:457\u0026ndash;470\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTobia L, Muselli M, De Luca F, Cofini V, Mastrangeli G, Fabiani L, Necozione S (2023) Community pharmacists\u0026rsquo; perceptions and experiences of stress during COVID-19. J Pharm Policy Pract. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40545-023-00523-6\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMunger MA, Gordon E, Hartman J, Vincent K, Feehan M (2013) Community pharmacists\u0026rsquo; occupational satisfaction and stress: A profession in jeopardy? Journal of the American Pharmacists Association 53:282\u0026ndash;296\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBakken BK, Winn AN (2021) Clinician burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic before vaccine administration. 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APhA career pathway evaluation program for pharmacy professionals. https://aphanet.pharmacist. com/sites/default/ les/ les/Pro le_06%20Chain%20pharmacy%20Final %20071713.pdf. Accessed 27 Jun 2025\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHermansyah A, Sainsbury E, Krass I (2018) Investigating the impact of the universal healthcare coverage programme on community pharmacy practice. Health Soc Care Community 26:e249\u0026ndash;e260\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOsayawe Atu Afolabi J, Olatundun Olatoye F, Osamuyimen Eboigbe E, Abiodun Abdul A, Onyeka Daraojimba H, Author C (2023) REVOLUTIONIZING RETAIL: HR TACTICS FOR IMPROVED EMPLOYEE AND CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT. International Journal of Applied Research in Social Sciences 5:487\u0026ndash;514\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJackman L, Kamran R (2025) Gender-affirming care education in pharmacy: a scoping review protocol of practices in Canada and the USA. BMJ Open 15:e086927\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKnapp KK, Cultice JM (2007) New pharmacist supply projections: lower separation rates and increased graduates boost supply estimates. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) 47:463\u0026ndash;470\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSavage LM, Beall JW, Woolley TW (2009) Factors that influence the career goals of pharmacy students. Am J Pharm Educ. https://doi.org/10.5688/AJ730228\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKnapp KK, Shah BM, Barnett MJ (2010) The Pharmacist Aggregate Demand Index to Explain Changing Pharmacist Demand Over a Ten-Year Period. Am J Pharm Educ. https://doi.org/10.5688/aj7410189\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePharmacy Demand Report (PDR) | AACP. https://www.aacp.org/article/pharmacy-demand-report-pdr. Accessed 30 Jun 2025\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlzubaidi H, Saidawi W, Mc Namara K (2018) Pharmacist views and pharmacy capacity to deliver professional services in the United Arab Emirates. Int J Clin Pharm 40:1106\u0026ndash;1115\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStrand MA (2025) The role of pharmacy in promoting public health: Pharmacy and public health in 2050. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JAPH.2024.102272\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMager ND, Bright D (2023) Advancing Public Health through Community Pharmacy Practice. Pharmacy 11:56\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeng Jing F, Avery GC, Bergsteiner H (2011) Organizational climate and performance in retail pharmacies. Leadership \u0026amp; Organization Development Journal 32:224\u0026ndash;242\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCarvajal MJ, Popovici I, Hardigan PC (2018) Gender differences in the measurement of pharmacists\u0026rsquo; job satisfaction. Hum Resour Health 16:1\u0026ndash;8\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHasan S, Sulieman H, Chapman C, Stewart K, Kong DCM (2011) Community pharmacy in the United Arab Emirates: Characteristics and workforce issues. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 19:392\u0026ndash;399\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMarriott JL, Nation RL, Roller L, Costelloe M, Galbraith K, Stewart P, Charman WN (2008) Pharmacy Education in the Context of Australian Practice. Am J Pharm Educ 72:1\u0026ndash;12\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSchommer JC, Gaither CA, Doucette WR, Kreling DH, Mott DA (2018) Associations between Work Activity and Work Setting Categories and Dimensions of Pharmacists\u0026rsquo; Quality of Work Life. Pharmacy (Basel) 6:62\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGidman WK, Hassell K, Day J, Payne K (2007) The impact of increasing workloads and role expansion on female community pharmacists in the United Kingdom. Res Social Adm Pharm 3:285\u0026ndash;302\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDavid P. Zgarrick, Shane P. Desselle, Leticia R. Moczygemba, Greg Alston (2019) Pharmacy Management: Essentials for All Practice Settings AccessPharmacy, 5 ed. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMott DA, Doucette WR, Gaither CA, Pedersen CA, Schommer JC (2004) Pharmacists\u0026rsquo; attitudes toward worklife: results from a national survey of pharmacists. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) 44:326\u0026ndash;336\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdams SM (2016) Advancing pharmacogenomics education in the Core PharmD curriculum through student personal genomic testing. Am J Pharm Educ. https://doi.org/10.5688/ajpe8013\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHoldford DA, Pontinha VM, Wagner TD (2022) REVIEW Using the Business Model Canvas to Guide Doctor of Pharmacy Students in Building Business Plans. Am J Pharm Educ 86:8719\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDoucette WR, Nevins J, McDonough RP (2005) Factors affecting collaborative care between pharmacists and physicians. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy 1:565\u0026ndash;578\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePolgreen LA, Mott DA, Doucette WR (2011) An examination of pharmacists\u0026rsquo; labor supply and wages. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy 7:406\u0026ndash;414\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-medical-education","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"meed","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Medical Education](http://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/meed/default.aspx","title":"BMC Medical Education","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Student pharmacist, Retail pharmacy, Career perceptions, Job satisfaction factors, Work environment, Recruitment strategies","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7630747/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7630747/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eBackground\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eSignificant shifts in the duties and work settings of retail pharmacies may influence student perceptions and career choices in this field. This study aimed to evaluate the perspectives of student pharmacists on the roles, duties, and appeal of retail pharmacies as career paths.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn electronic survey was distributed to approximately 500 pharmacy students, assessing perceptions of retail pharmacy careers, including salary, job security, work schedules, business and clinical duties, interpersonal interactions, and advancement opportunities. Descriptive statistics examined career interest by academic year and retail experience.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eOf the 248 respondents from the third, fourth, and fifth academic years (49.6% response rate), 77.4% reported current or previous retail pharmacy experience. The majority, 52.7%, indicated no interest in pursuing retail pharmacy employment immediately after graduation, and 59.0% did not consider it a long-term career choice. The most appealing aspects included long-term salary and benefits, job availability and security, interactions with pharmacy co-workers, collaboration with other healthcare professionals, customer interactions, and tutoring. The least appealing aspects were work shifts and schedules, business oversight responsibilities, medical coverage tasks, and a fast-paced work atmosphere. Although respondents held positive views regarding job security and interpersonal relationships, negative perceptions of administrative burdens and work-life balance affected their interest in retail pharmacy as a career.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusions\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eStudent pharmacists showed limited interest in pursuing careers in retail pharmacies. Targeted interventions, for example, enhancing business and administrative training and improving work\u0026ndash;life balance in retail settings, may help attract and retain pharmacy graduates in this sector.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Retail pharmacy as a career: attitude and perception of pharmacy students","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-11-03 09:41:46","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7630747/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-10-28T02:43:22+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-10-27T12:07:29+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"280192891815988291580980450744347678669","date":"2025-10-27T11:51:12+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"165044621016814740724266493508785658692","date":"2025-10-23T20:43:30+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"326668630388536056454954105551114930903","date":"2025-10-23T15:38:55+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-10-23T12:26:27+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"154773093066067562179068066662397602012","date":"2025-10-23T06:49:41+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"27982928769674016937166579359967739383","date":"2025-10-22T17:12:53+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-10-22T16:10:03+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2025-09-30T07:06:09+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-09-29T13:42:50+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-09-29T13:40:09+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Medical Education","date":"2025-09-16T12:52:32+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-medical-education","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"meed","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Medical Education](http://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/meed/default.aspx","title":"BMC Medical Education","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"1cff9358-50b9-438b-8be3-30aad1c57314","owner":[],"postedDate":"November 3rd, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-12-08T16:01:07+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-7630747","link":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-08377-z","journal":{"identity":"bmc-medical-education","isVorOnly":false,"title":"BMC Medical Education"},"publishedOn":"2025-12-01 15:57:03","publishedOnDateReadable":"December 1st, 2025"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-11-03 09:41:46","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1186/s12909-025-08377-z","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-08377-z","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7630747","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7630747","identity":"rs-7630747","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}