2026 Eastern States Conference

Title: Evaluating Factors Affecting Pharmacist Career Paths in Oncology
Authors: Morgan McIntyre, PharmD; Tristain Maiers, PharmD, BCOP; Elena Patestos, PharmD
Learning Objective: Describe how exposure to oncology-related learning experiences, or lack thereof, may impact pharmacists’ trajectory into the field of oncology.
Background/Objective: This study aims to evaluate the influence of oncology-related exposure on the career paths of pharmacists. Additionally, this study will identify the possible factors that may contribute to increased or reduced interest in oncology-related careers.
Methods: This study utilized an electronic survey to gather insights from practicing clinical oncology pharmacists regarding their perceptions of the impact of oncology-related experiences. Participants were recruited through a convenience sample of current Geisinger oncology pharmacists and email listservs obtained from the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association. An email was distributed, which outlined the purpose of the study and provided a link to a Microsoft Forms questionnaire. The survey included an informed consent document, Likert-scale questions, and optional open-ended prompts to provide context for participant answers. Likert-scale data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while open-ended responses were reviewed by the study investigators to identify common themes.
Results: Out of 106 participants, 50% felt their pharmacy education provided sufficient oncology exposure. Most had the opportunity to complete an oncology APPE rotation (77.4%), though many lacked access to an oncology-focused elective course (56.6%). Many reported oncology-related education (48.1%) and mentorship (50%) influenced their pursuit of oncology. 95.3% felt the complexity of oncology pharmacotherapy improves engagement in this field, while 52.5% felt emotional demands may limit long-term career satisfaction. Most would recommend a career in oncology (95.3%) and would choose oncology again if restarting their career (93.4%). Open-ended responses will be reviewed, and major themes will be identified and presented.
Conclusion: This study highlights the significance of oncology-related education and mentorship in shaping pharmacists’ career paths. Although didactic courses remain limited, clinical rotations provide practical, hands-on experience that enhances interest in oncology. Major themes from open-ended responses are anticipated to provide further context to Likert-scale responses.
Self-Assessment Question: True or False - Adequate exposure to oncology-related experiences does not play a major role in pharmacists' decision to pursue a career in oncology.