An Update on the Progress Toward Gender Equity in US Academic Pharmacy

Abstract

Objective. To evaluate the status of gender equity in US pharmacy education since the two previous publications on the topic in 2004 and 2014.Methods. Data were gathered from existing national databases, internal American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) databases, AACP meeting minutes, published reports, scholarly articles, pharmacy association websites, individual school websites, and LinkedIn profiles. Differences between men and women were evaluated on degree completion, discipline, rank, tenure status, research, leadership development, leadership positions, salaries, and professional awards. Comparisons were also made to academic medicine and dentistry.Results. Fifty-one percent of full-time faculty members across all academic pharmacy disciplines are women. The percentage of women at the rank of professor was 36.6%, compared to 25% in 2014. Of the 2992 tenured or tenure track pharmacy faculty, 39.2% were women. Out of 388 department chairs, 146 were women. Throughout 2014-2021, there were 121 chief executive officer (CEO) dean permanent appointments, with men holding 91 (75.2%) and women holding 30 (24.8%). Women received 29.7% of the National Institutes of Health grants awarded to pharmacy schools compared to men (70.3%), although women's funding amount was higher. In both the pharmacy practice discipline and all sciences disciplines, the total salary across all ranks and years in rank was significantly higher for men than women, even for department chairs, but there were no differences for CEO deans. To date, women have received 13% of four national pharmacy organizations' top 13 awards.Conclusion. Since 2014, some achievement gaps have narrowed, but areas of concern still exist and need continued attention and resources so inequities can be eliminated. Women in academic pharmacy need mentoring and support to extend throughout the trajectory of their careers in areas such as academic advancement, grant applications, salary negotiation, leadership pursuit, and award applications.