A SURVEY OF CAREER IDENTITY AMONG RETAIL AND HOSPITAL PHARMACISTS IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY

Sandeep Maharaj*, Sureshwar Pandey, Arti Maharaj, Bonnilyn Berkeley, Ceema Ramnarine, Crissanne Ramoutar, Jadeine Joseph, Omphemetse Basinyi, Fazal Ali, Robin M. Antoine, Isaac Dialsingh and Ashok Sahai

The purpose of this study was to investigate how retail pharmacists view themselves versus hospital pharmacists. This was explored in terms of self perception, workload, salary, technology and responsibilities. Questionnaires were distributed to thirty full time pharmacists. Fifteen were hospital pharmacists from the North Central Regional Health Authority and the fifteen retail pharmacists from along the North east-west corridor in Trinidad. The differences noted in perception corresponded to the areas of salary (benefits) and working conditions. Retail pharmacists felt that hospital pharmacists would be paid better and have more favourable working conditions (responsibilities; autonomy; technology; reporting relations). This investigation showed that hospital pharmacists basically had a relatively good perception of themselves as compared to their counterparts.