The pharmaceutical field is in a state of rapid transition, and hospital pharmacy, in particular, faces some unique challenges, including high rates of burnout due to demanding schedules and unclear career progression metrics. While some employers are addressing these issues, if you are like many of the pharmacists who participated in the Drug Topics® Annual Pharmacy Salary Survey, you may be unsatisfied with your current position and want to transition to a new role. 

The good news is, your pharmaceutical background and skillset are in demand across many non-clinical opportunities. This article provides a quick overview of your options, with a special thank you to Kirollos Hanna, PharmD, BCPS, BCOP, FACCC, who spoke to me on a recent episode of the Write Medicine podcast and whose insights inspired this blog post. 

Thinking Beyond the Lab Coat: Overview of Career Change Opportunities for Pharmacists

Your immersion in specialized fields like critical care, ambulatory care, nutrition support, nuclear medicine, or oncology, provided you with an invaluable set of skills applicable to many non-clinical opportunities. Some of these include career options like:

• CME/CE writing: If you’ve always liked writing, teaching, or creating content, going into CME/CE (continuing medical education/continuing education) can be a great way to honor your interests and make use of the skills you gained through clinical experience.  

• Pharmaceutical industry roles: The pharmaceutical world is vast and there is always space for pharmacists with clinical experience to contribute to drug development, regulatory affairs, public health, and medical communication in the industry or via a government position.

• Administrative positions: If you’re interested in an operational or managerial role, getting an administrative position within a healthcare organization is another viable option. 

CME Medical Writing Is A Natural Career Transition For Pharmacists

Pharmacists tend to have an affinity for education because they’re instrumental in explaining complex drug mechanisms to both patients and peers. This knack for breaking down complex topics makes you an excellent candidate for CME/CE writing. 

Besides, as a pharmacist, you already know how valuable continuing education is in staying up-to-date with emerging therapies and evolving standards of care, and have a deep appreciation for your audience’s needs. You can use these skills to dive into medical writing for healthcare organizations or educational companies or create your own content through webinars, courses, podcasts, or social media. 

Another way to contribute is by authoring articles, or collaborating with other pharmacists (or interns and students eager to get into the field) on publishing articles, which, in addition to sharpening your writing prowess, can open doors to promotions and broader recognition. 

Publishing also doesn’t have to mean running head-to-head clinical trials — you can choose to write standalone articles about a drug-based side effect that you've observed or review-style articles discussing therapeutic options for a specific disease state.

Are You Ready to Break into CME/CE Writing? Take this 4-minute quiz to find out your strengths and weaknesses.

Mid-Career Transition to the Pharmaceutical Industry

From pharmaceutical companies, to research institutes, to distributing companies, your clinical knowledge can be helpful in advancing the field whether that’s through conducting research, creating medical communications, or in an operational role. 

Oncology pharmacy in particular is characterized by swift developments and innovations, posing unique challenges for career development. As a result, the field demands professionals willing to remain agile and informed. Pharmacists already must stay up-to-date with clinical trials, standards of care, and emerging treatments, which makes them a great fit. Kirollos recommends specializing in a few cancer types or disease states and becoming an expert in that area as a way to stand out and give yourself a sense of focus. The Enjoy Learning Oncology Program is a great resource for helping pharmacists develop and maintain their baseline knowledge about cancer and its treatment through interactive content and community support. 

Pharmacists Have Straightforward Career Paths to Healthcare Leadership

If you prefer working with a healthcare organization, taking on an administrative role can bring respite from the demands of clinical pharmacy while allowing you to stay in a field you enjoy. Joining a leadership track and making your way through the administrative hierarchy where you get to make impactful decisions for patients and peers can be yet another rewarding career path. In a similar vein, working for a non-profit or sitting on a board of directors and bringing your clinical experience to the table can allow you to affect changes that benefit everyone in your organization, including fellow pharmacists.

Making the Shift to a Non-Clinical Role

While opportunities for non-clinical roles abound, you may run into some knowledge gaps, which can make the initial transition feel daunting. Fortunately, this knowledge, along with networking and mentorship programs, is widely accessible. The Happy PharmD is a great place to start if you’re looking for advice on transitioning out of clinical pharmacy. 

You should also consider investing in: 

• Specialized certification courses: Once you know what role you’d like to move into, getting a certification can be instrumental in preparing you for the transition and can also help you be a stronger candidate. 

• Networking: Joining professional organizations or communities can help you connect with peers and form relationships with potential employers, as well as give you some inside industry knowledge that you won’t find in an online course.

• Mentorship programs: Being a part of a community offers you learning opportunities and a support network of people with shared professional goals and interests. 

Ready to Change Careers? Try out CME Medical Writing with WriteCME Pro

If you're ready to move on from a clinical career, consider freelance medical writing. WriteCME Pro is designed for CME writers by a CME writer who transitioned from academia and clinical care to building a sustainable CME writing business. Discover how WriteCME Pro can help your medical writing journey. Unsure? Schedule a time to talk with Alex, our founder, about what’s next for your career.

One example of such a community is the WriteCME Pro, which helps CME/CE writers sharpen their skills and figure out footing in the medical writing field. Some resources to get you started:

→ Join WriteCME Pro, a CME-specific, skills-based membership for CME writers who are ready to create CME content with confidence. 

→ Listen to the Write Medicine podcast or watch our YouTube channel for weekly best practices in creating content that connects with and educates health professionals.

→ Subscribe to the Write Medicine newsletter for tips, tools, and tactics to help you create CME/CE content with confidence

→ Connect with Alex on LinkedIn