Examination of Job Satisfaction, Achievements, and Employment Preparedness among College of Pharmacy Alumni: A Study From Qatar

Background: Job satisfaction in healthcare is of special interest as has a direct relation with the quality of care provided to patients. It is affected by several factors including the nature of the work, level of educational preparedness and achievements. Objectives: This study aims to explore College of Pharmacy - Qatar University (CPH-QU) alumni's satisfaction with employment and the profession, level of educational preparedness and achievements in the practice. Methods: A sequential exploratory mixed-method designs was adopted. Seven Focus Group (FG) discussions were performed and a self-reported survey distributed to all alumni graduated between 2011-2020. Results: A total of 135 alumni answered the survey (response rate 63%). Majority of respondents were non-Qatari (97%) and 52% of them were recent graduates and obtained doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) as an additional degree (58%). The study findings suggest that CPH alumni are moderately satisfied with the practice and the profession, and Qatari alumni are more satisfied. However, majority of them (44.55%) are not satisfied with the available opportunities for professional development. The level of satisfaction about achievements was significantly high only in the field of research and presentation activities. A general agreement about the level of educational preparedness was dominant, especially in clinical knowledge and skills and experiential training they received. Conclusion: The overall satisfaction about workplace and the profession in CPH-QU alumni is moderate and higher among Qatari graduates. Alumni agreed that they were well prepared to meet the practice requirements and mostly satisfied in achieving research and presentation related activities

Examining Pharmacy Alumni’s Perceptions of Job Satisfaction, Achievements, and Preparedness: A Mixed-Methods Study

ObjectivesThere is a scarcity of research that holistically explores pharmacy alumni’s employment experience and their professional performance. Job satisfaction is linked to professionals' productivity and their educational preparedness. This study aimed to explore the professional experiences of the College of Pharmacy-Qatar University alumni. MethodsA convergent mixed-methods design was utilized to examine the alumni's perceptions of job satisfaction, achievements in the workplace, and preparedness for practice through both quantitative and qualitative approaches. This study involved the administration of a pre-tested online questionnaire among all alumni (n = 214) and the conduction of 7 focus groups of which the participants were selected from a heterogeneous purposive sample (n = 87). Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory was applied in both approaches. ResultsOne hundred thirty-six alumni completed the questionnaire (response rate = 63.6%), and 40 alumni attended the focus groups. A good level of job satisfaction was shown (median score = 30 [IQR = 12], [out of 48]). Sources of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction were recognition and limited opportunities for professional growth, respectively. Also, good satisfaction was revealed (median score = 20 [IQR = 21], [out of 56]) with the alumni’s ability to attain several achievements (eg, developing pharmacy-related services), which allowed for career success. Moreover, fair agreement concerning the adequacy of the preparedness for practice was indicated (eg, being care providers) (mean = 37 [SD = 7.5], [out of 52]). However, certain aspects, such as the enhancement of non-clinical knowledge, warranted further improvement. ConclusionOverall, pharmacy alumni had positive perceptions of their professional experiences. However, alumni’s excellence in different pharmacy career prospects needs to be supported throughout their learning experience.This work was supported by Qatar University Student Grant [grant number: QUST-1-CPH-2021-7]