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Faculty Shortage Calls Some Pharmacists Back to School

Jennifer LeClaire / Monster Contributing Writer
Just ask Bobby Bryant, PharmD, dean of Raabe College of Pharmacy at Ohio Northern University. Bryant traded in his pill counter for a chalkboard, because he wanted to give back to the profession that has given so much to him.
“It’s rewarding to share information and experience with the next generation,” he says. “For those pharmacists who want to research and help the future pharmacists, teaching becomes an avocation.”
Tenured faculty typically need a doctorate to pursue a professorship, but those in the field say pharmacists who have proved themselves in the marketplace can fill adjunct positions without furthering their education.
Rewards of Teaching
That’s what Fred Abramson, RPh, did. Abramson began teaching at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy after he sold his community practice. Now, he wouldn’t return to retail pharmacy for the world.
“I never thought I’d be a teacher, but teaching is a tremendously rewarding job,” Abramson says. “Every student I have is fantastic. They want to learn, and I am able to give back something to the profession. I have a love affair with my students, and it’s a great experience.”
Martin Morris, PhD, however, took the opposite road. Morris is a retired college professor now working as a full-time retail pharmacist. His conclusion?
“Teaching is a lot less stressful than dealing with the public,” he says. “Retail pharmacists might want to go into teaching, because they not only have knowledge, but practical experience that can give young people a more realistic view of what contemporary retail pharmacy is all about.”
This article originally appeared on Monster Career Advice.