Rising notion of debt deters students from pursuing pharmacist training

The increase in tuition fees and the subsequent overall cost of training for pharmacists deter students from pursuing a career in pharmacy. Newly qualified pharmacists continue to seek employment with large multiples rather than hospital posts, due to salary inequalities, with reduced interest in owning their own independent service due to a lack of funding.

Proposed workforce impact

• Decrease in the supply of pharmacists.
• Further decline in the number of small, independent pharmacies opening.

Sources or references

• www.economics.harvard.edu/faculty/field/files/Field_NYU_ 13108.pdf
• http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/21010/2/Does_the_fear _of_debt_deter_students_from_higher_education_% 28LSERO%29.pdf
• http://cshe.berkeley.edu/publications/docs/ROP. Burdman.13.05.pdf

Additional research questions

• What is the evidence for rising debt influencing career choice?
• Is there evidence of this from other countries?

Some of the information in this section is provided by stakeholders and expert groups, and does not necessarily represent the views of the CfWI.