6ER-035 Abstract withdrawn

Background and Importance There is a scarcity of research that holistically explores pharmacists' employment experience and their professional performance. It has been shown that job satisfaction is linked to professionals' productivity and educational preparedness. Aim and Objectives This study aimed to explore the professional experiences of pharmacists who graduated from the College of Pharmacy (CPH) through an examination of their perceptions of job satisfaction, achievements in the workplace, and preparedness to practice. Material and Methods A convergent mixed-methods design was utilised at which the Herzberg Motivation-Hygiene theory was applied. This study involved the administration of a pre-tested questionnaire among all pharmacists who graduated from the CPH (n=214) and the conduction of seven focus groups of which the participants were selected from a heterogeneous purposive sample (n=87). Results One hundred and thirty-six pharmacists completed the questionnaire (response rate=63.6%), and 40 pharmacists participated in the FGs. The pharmacists demonstrated a good level of job satisfaction (median score=30 (IQR=12), out of 48). Examples of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction sources were the recognition, and the limited opportunities for professional growth, respectively. They also demonstrated good satisfaction (median score=20 (IQR=21), out of 56) with their ability to attain several achievements (e.g., developing pharmacy-related services) which allowed for career success. Moreover, the pharmacists indicated a fair level of agreement about the adequacy of their preparedness to practice (e.g., being care providers) (mean=37 (SD=7.5), out of 52); however, certain aspects warranted further improvement (e.g., non-clinical knowledge). Conclusion and Relevance Overall, the pharmacists had positive perceptions of their professional experiences. However, reinforcements are needed throughout the learning experience to support the pharmacists' interests in different pharmacy career prospects. References and/or Acknowledgements Conflict of Interest No conflict of interest.