First-job preferences and expectations of pharmacy students: intergender and interethnic comparisons.
OBJECTIVE
To identify and measure intergender and interethnic differences in preferences and expectations of pharmacy students.


METHODS
Two-part survey. One part addressed systematic variations in work-related expectations and preferences between the sexes and among ethnic minorities that may result from cumulative disadvantage or attitudinal traits; the other part focused on similarities and differences in expected sources of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction.


METHODS
College of Pharmacy, Nova Southeastern University.


METHODS
171 students enrolled in their final semester of didactic training (that is, immediately before rotations or internship).


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Significance of intergender and interethnic disparities was determined using t tests.


RESULTS
No significant intergender disparities were detected in income expectations, anticipated level of job satisfaction, estimated time from graduation to passing the Board exam or working, or in preferred or expected sector of first job. African American students expected to earn lower levels of income, experience less satisfaction in their first job as a pharmacist, and work longer hours. Hispanic and Asian American students exhibited less confidence in their ability to pass the Board exam and in the allocative function of the job market. Salary and ability to help patients were the two sources of job satisfaction anticipated most frequently, whereas work overload ranked first among the anticipated sources of job dissatisfaction.


CONCLUSIONS
The rapidly changing gender composition of the profession has altered traditional integender differences in outlook and attitudinal traits, contributing to the disappearance of intergender disparities identified in previous research. However, significant interethnic differences in preferences and expectations suggest the presence of cumulative disadvantage among minorities.
Carvajal
M J
MJ
Department of Economics, Florida International University, Miami 33199, USA. carvajal@fiu.edu
Hardigan
P
P
D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D013339:Students, Pharmacy / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016526:Workload