Recruiting and Retaining Air Force Pharmacists

The Air Force was unable to meet its pharmacist recruiting goals in fiscal years 2006 and 2007, while at the same time it has had a problem retaining pharmacists. The Air Force's inability to recruit and retain pharmacists will lead to degradation in readiness and an erosion of the safe and appropriate provision of pharmaceutical care. One method to improve recruiting is expanding the involvement of pharmacists in the recruiting process. Air Force pharmacists and recruiter teams are better able to explain the differences between Air Force pharmacy and other areas of practice, than recruiters alone. Therefore, having pharmacists available at pharmacy school career days, and to answer questions up front is effective. Hosting pharmacy interns and clerkships is another way that Air Force pharmacists can be utilized to improve recruiting. The Air Force should also look to enhance its use of online tools to improve its ability to recruit pharmacists. The two most commonly cited motivators for retention were availability of a mentor and a good training program. The development of a formal mentorship program and a standardized pharmacist training program that is adaptable to every Air Force pharmacy can go a long way to improve retention.