The profession of pharmacist is in crisis; only 48 per cent of pharmacy graduates choose it
The number of graduates is also falling. Young pharmacists are going on a ‘tour’ of 11 universities to hear what students expect
Whilst the profession of pharmacist was once a sought-after career that parents dreamed of for their children, alongside that of a doctor or solicitor, today’s young pharmacy graduates see things differently; at least the majority of them, perhaps preferring to work for pharmaceutical or chemical companies. Given that less than half of graduates (48.1 per cent) are working in a pharmacy three years after qualifying, compared with nearly three in four (72.8 per cent) in 2010, whilst in 2020 the figure was still 66 per cent – a sign that this decline in the profession’s appeal has become particularly pronounced in recent years. It is a real paradox when one considers that the pharmacy sector has boomed during the Covid pandemic, becoming the hub of many new services – from vaccinations to telemedicine – with official recognition in last year’s budget, which allocates 50 million a year for pharmacy services. Fenagifar, the National Federation of Young Pharmacists’ Associations, has compiled the figures illustrating the crisis facing one of the most prestigious professions. It has decided to launch a tour – ‘The Pharmacist of the Future’ – across 11 universities (starting tomorrow at Sapienza University in Rome) to change this narrative and, first and foremost, gauge students’ expectations. The number of students is, incidentally, steadily declining, as the number of pharmacy graduates is also in constant decline: there were over 5,000 ten years ago, but this figure plummeted to around 4,000 in 2023–24, although last year it rose again to 4,600 – figures that are still insufficient to meet the demand for pharmacists.
“Many young people see it as a long and demanding path, with career prospects they know little about or imagine to be limited,” warns Francesco Ferro Russo, President of Fenagifar. He goes on to emphasise that “those who graduate often look elsewhere. Key factors include the heavy workload and the difficulty of balancing work with private life, the perception of limited opportunities for professional growth, and the wait for contractual adjustments. Added to this is a view of the pharmacy profession that is often still tied solely to dispensing, which does not do justice to how the profession has evolved. That is why we have decided to undertake a tour of Italian universities, focusing on listening to students and addressing their legitimate expectations. We want to shed light on the new prospects for the profession and dispel their doubts, by placing the emphasis on skills’. “Introducing students to the reality of community pharmacy, with its new professional opportunities, is an investment in the future of the profession,” adds Marco Cossolo, president of Federfarma, who elaborates on the issue of pay and the renewal of the collective agreement: “We are aware of their expectations, and we intend to bring the negotiations to a conclusion as soon as possible, whilst also taking into account the sustainability of pharmacies, particularly the smaller and more rural ones.” In addition to workloads and red tape, another factor contributing to the profession’s loss of appeal is the salary, which, according to Almalaurea, stands at around 1,500 euros a month immediately after recruitment, rising to approximately 1,700 euros after three years.
