Educational Attainment and Academic Profile of Deans and Chairs at US Pharmacy Schools

Abstract

Objective. To characterize educational attainment and experiences of current US pharmacy school deans and chairs. Methods. A cross-sectional study using a publicly available listing of accredited schools and information. Results. Among 134 deans and 301 chairs, 79.9% and 65.5% held a professional degree (BSPharm and/or PharmD), 33.6% and 26.2% completed PGY-1 residencies, 12.7% and 15.6% completed post-PharmD fellowships, 23.1% and 33.9% completed post-doctoral fellowships, and 13.4% and 18.3% held BPS certification, respectively. Fewer than 1 in 5 were employed at an alma mater. Ninety (20.7%) deans and chairs completed AACP's Academic Leadership Fellows Program. Average current tenure was 5.7 and 5.1 years for deans and chairs, respectively. Conclusion. The majority of deans and chairs held a pharmacy professional degree and the prevalence of postgraduate educational and leadership training is increasing. Future research should apply mixed methods to investigate educational attainment and employment experience of deans and chairs, institutional hiring trends, and how these characteristics compare between newer and established programs.

Completing the Academic Leadership Fellows Program During the Pandemic

“…As of 2017, one fifth of deans and chairs at colleges of pharmacy had participated in ALFP. 5 However, the ALFP application process is competitive, and only allows for 30 new fellows each year with a maximum of one from each school. The academy needs to continue to work on increasing opportunities for faculty to obtain more formal leadership training, including opportunities for more junior faculty.…”

Appropriateness of Term Limits for Administrative Appointments in Pharmacy Programs

“…A 2017 study by Assemi and colleagues noted that the average tenure of a chief executive officer (CEO) pharmacy dean in the United States was 5.7 years, which is down from 7.5 years in 2004. 10 In addition, over half of department chairs had been in their current position for five or fewer years. In 2016 there were more than 20 CEO dean positions available within schools and colleges of pharmacy.…”