Jennifer Butler, B.Sc.(Pharm)

Since beginning this course, I’ve been reflecting on my identity as a pharmacist and questioning the meaning of having a professional identity. When I began reviewing articles discussing this topic, I discovered multiple articles expressing this idea that pharmacists have struggled to collectively form a professional identity (Gregory & Austin, 2019; McDermott et al., 2023; Nelson et al., 2021). So what does it mean to be a pharmacist and where do we fit in the healthcare system?

In Canada, there are approximately 42,500 licensed pharmacists, and, of that, about 70% work in community practice, 15% work in hospitals, and the remaining 15% work in other settings such as industry, education and government (Canadian Pharmacists Association, n.d.). The role of a community pharmacist typically involves filling prescriptions and counselling patients, advising on over-the-counter medications and supplements, providing immunizations, participating in health promotion campaigns, as well as managing inventory and overseeing teams of technicians and assistants. The retail environment may involve managing high volumes of patients, frequent interruptions and overall multitasking (Emily Chiang, 2024). Pharmacists who work in the hospital setting will participate in rounds, review patient charts and provide education to both patients and healthcare providers. Working in a hospital setting requires strong clinical knowledge and skills in order to manage, monitor and adjust therapy in complex patients (Emily Chiang, 2024).

But considering the range of responsibilities and practice settings, what unique role does a pharmacist play in healthcare? Nelson et. al. argue that throughout the evolution of and the diversity within pharmacy practice, the characteristic of a pharmacist that remains true is their expertise in preventing, identifying, and managing drug therapy problems, otherwise referred to as a medication expert (2021). Through a medication-centred lens, pharmacists are constantly scanning for problems with indication, effectiveness, safety and adherence (Cipolle et al., 2012). 

At the end of this review, do I feel I’ve landed on what I believe to be my professional identity? Right now, I’m comfortable with an identity as a medication expert, but I expect I will continue to reflect on this as I continue with my studies and throughout my career. In a conversation with a colleague this past summer, it was suggested I get the Bowl of Hygeia teardrop-tattooed on my cheek to cement my identity as a pharmacist. Although they were joking at the time, I have to admit, the simplicity is quite appealing. 

References

Canadian Pharmacists Association. (n.d.). Pharmacists in Canada. Retrieved January 28, 2025, from https://www.pharmacists.ca/pharmacy-in-canada/pharmacists-in-canada/

Cipolle, R. J., Strand, L. M., & Morley, P. C. (2012). Chapter 5. Drug Therapy Problems. In R. J. Cipolle, L. M. Strand, & P. C. Morley (Eds.), Pharmaceutical Care Practice: The Patient-Centered Approach to Medication Management Services, 3e (Vol. 1–Book, Section). The McGraw-Hill Companies. accesspharmacy.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=56172882

Emily Chiang. (2024, November 20). The Differences Working in a Hospital vs Community Pharmacy. TRC Healthcare. https://trchealthcare.com/the-differences-working-in-a-hospital-vs-community-pharmacy/

Gregory, P., & Austin, Z. (2019). Pharmacists’ lack of profession-hood: Professional identity formation and its implications for practice. Canadian Pharmacists Journal : CPJ, 152(4), 251–256. https://doi.org/10.1177/1715163519846534

McDermott, I., Astbury, J., Jacobs, S., Willis, S., Hindi, A., Seston, E., & Schafheutle, E. (2023). To be or not to be: The identity work of pharmacists as clinicians. Sociology of Health & Illness, 45(3), 623–641. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9566.13605

Nelson, N. R., Armistead, L. T., Blanchard, C. M., & Rhoney, D. H. (2021). The pharmacist’s professional identity: Preventing, identifying, and managing medication therapy problems as the medication specialist. JACCP: JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CLINICAL PHARMACY, 4(12), 1564–1571. https://doi.org/10.1002/jac5.1538