An Empirical Study of Job Satisfaction Among Graduates of South Dakota State University\u27s College of Pharmacy

This study addresses the factors associated with worker satisfaction of pharmacists. There are economic variables involved in worker satisfaction, such as salary and fringe benefits, as well as non-economic variables, such as the type of task involved in the job and autonomy on the job. There are also non-economic, non-work variables such as climate, proximity of extended family, and cultural and recreational diversity. If successful plans are to be devised to recruit and retain health care professionals in rural areas, it is important to know how important economic and noneconomic variables are in pharmacists\u27 job. satisfaction. PROBLEM STATEMENT The problem addressed in this study is the following: What economic and noneconomic factors are related to job satisfaction among practicing pharmacists in rural and urban areas? RESEARCH QUESTIONS In addressing that problem, several related research questions will also be addressed. They are the following: 1. What economic and noneconomic factors are related to job satisfaction among practicing pharmacists? 2. How does gender affect the factors related to job satisfaction among practicing pharmacists? 3. How does age affect the factors related to job satisfaction among pharmacists? 4. Does job satisfaction among practicing pharmacists differ between rural and urban locations and, if so, how? OBJECTIVES Through this study it is the intent of this researcher to accomplish the following objectives: 1. To extend and apply present research from the sociology of work to a study of the levels of satisfaction in job, career, and life style [sic] of pharmacists; 2. To identify factors that may be related to the retention of pharmacists in rural areas; 3. To assess the variations of levels of job satisfaction by age and gender among practicing pharmacists; 4. To assess the variations of 1 eve·, s of job sat i sf action by urban and rural location among practicing pharmacists; 5. To analyze the importance of economic and noneconomic factors in the job satisfaction of pharmacists in rural and urban areas; and 6. To develop recommendations for policy decisions regarding the recruitment and retention of pharmacists in rural areas