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. 2024 Feb 7;12(1):29. doi: 10.3390/pharmacy12010029
Seven studies [25,26,27,28,46,47,48] addressed pharmacy health professionals, of which Queneau [47] examined occupational patterns of occupational segregation by race and ethnicity in healthcare for 16 healthcare professions (including pharmacy).

The pharmacy profession has been experiencing demographic shifts in the past few decades, particularly in the US and UK. Recent data have shown an increase in WoC in the pharmacy workforce in the US [52], UK [53,54], and Canada [55]. Platts et al. described in 1999 the feminization of the pharmacy profession and described the profession as being in transition. They further implied that acceptance of flexible working patterns, childcare availability, and increasing numbers of ethnic minorities in pharmacy, necessitated that the profession be proactive in its recruitment and flexible with its dynamic nature [46].

The pharmacy profession has become one of the most attractive professions to women due to its flexible working and part-time hours, and general working conditions. Despite the growing numbers of women pharmacists of color, there is little empirical research on the experiences, professional development, and advancement of WoC. More work must be achieved to demonstrate the profession’s commitment to diversity, beginning with student recruitment at colleges of pharmacy [26].

Hahn et al. [28] explored career engagement, interest, and retention of minority students at multiple schools and colleges of pharmacy and found that participants were most confident in their ability to obtain a job in community or hospital pharmacy but least confident about academic teaching or the pharmaceutical industry. While the study sample was small and not generalizable, the dearth of WoC in academic teaching needs to be addressed. Similarly, Rockich-Winston et al. [27] found that intersectionality of identities created advantages in belonging to some social categories and disadvantages in belonging to others for student pharmacists who are developing their professional identities.

Chisholm-Burns et al. [48] noted the lack of women in leadership positions, citing that only 18% of all hospital CEOs were women, and in the healthcare sector, women leaders accounted for a mere 25%. Though it has been noted that inclusion of women in business leadership significantly increases firm value, financial performance, economic growth, innovation, social responsibility, and capital, such inclusion continues to be low in the healthcare professions. The article addressed challenges and barriers to professional development of women and presented strategies identified by the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists (ASHP) Women in Pharmacy Leadership Steering Committee that includes above all, soul-searching and reflection by the pharmacy community to make concerted efforts to achieve equality in compensation and representation of women in pharmacy.

A yet-to-be-addressed area is the prospect of unionization of pharmacists, particularly women, since unions tend to be predominantly male dominated. However, the lower numbers of women in leadership positions make it challenging for women to unionize even though they may benefit from collective bargaining. Possibly, such unionization may be likely to occur within homogenous workplaces and unions, and, when available, ought to offer training and mentoring programs for WoC [47]. Lastly, Abdul-Muktabbir et al. used the term “intersectional invisibility” to describe the marginalization experienced by Black, Indigenous, and persons of color (BIPOC) women and the harms perpetuated by single-axis movements that fail to take into account the experiences of discrimination of BIPOC women and the difference from minoritized men [25].