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Objective. To explore methods that pharmacy programs can use to redefine their work environment to reduce stress, improve well-being, and increase productivity. Findings. To demonstrate a culture of support, organizations should consider a five-fold approach to enhancing and maintaining faculty well-being including, optimizing faculty and staff support, establishing a faculty development and mentoring program, permitting flexibility in work schedules, improving productivity of meetings, and managing communication tools. Individuals can also take measures to improve their well-being including controlling email, giving attention to faculty citizenship, implementing stress reduction and coping techniques, and maintaining boundaries between work and home. Summary. This article discusses approaches that have been shown to reduce burnout and provides strategies organizations and individuals can implement to improve productivity and faculty well-being. While certain areas such as faculty wellness and productivity are well studied in the pharmacy and health professions literature, significant gaps were identified in other areas, including alternate work arrangements. In some cases, data from the business sector can be extrapolated to pharmacy education; however, inferences from effect ive corporate strategies may not be transferable to the culture and expectations of academia. While there is significant overlap between institutional and individual strategies, a culture of communication, collaboration, support and citizenship is foundational. There is no one strategy that will work for everyone and flexibility is important to develop an individualized approach.

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Vaccination remains one of the most effective ways to limit the spread of infectious diseases, and reduce mortality and morbidity in rural areas. Waning public confidence in vaccines, especially the COVID-19 vaccine, remains a cause for concern. A number of individuals in the US and worldwide remain complacent, choosing not to be vaccinated and/or delay COVID-19 vaccination, resulting in suboptimal herd immunity. The primary goal of this study is to identify modifiable factors contributing to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among vaccine-eligible individuals with access to vaccines in two under-resourced rural states, Alaska and Idaho. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with providers and focus groups with community participants in Alaska and Idaho. A moderator’s guide was used to facilitate interviews and focus groups conducted and recorded using Zoom and transcribed verbatim. Thematic, qualitative analysis was conducted using QDA Miner. Themes and subthemes that emerged were labeled, categorized, and compared to previously described determinants of general vaccine hesitancy: established contextual, individual and/or social influences, vaccine and vaccination-specific concerns. Themes (n = 9) and sub-themes (n = 51) identified during the qualitative analysis highlighted a factor’s contributing to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and poor vaccine uptake. Relevant influenceable factors were grouped into three main categories: confidence, complacency, and convenience. Vaccines are effective public health interventions to promote health and prevent diseases in rural areas. Practical solutions to engage healthcare providers, researchers, vaccine advocates, vaccine manufacturers, and other partners in local communities are needed to increase public trust in immunization systems to achieve community immunity.