Career paths after a pharmacy degree: between community pharmacy, industry and innovation

From the classic professional profile to a multidisciplinary career

Only a few decades ago the community pharmacy was regarded as an almost inevitable career path after a pharmacy degree. Today the professional world presents itself far more broadly. According to the Swiss professional organisation pharmaSuisse, around 6,700 pharmacists worked in Switzerland in 2024, about two thirds of them in community pharmacies.¹ At the same time the need in clinical, regulatory and scientific fields is growing continuously.

Drivers of this development include the ageing population, the rising need for medication, the academicisation of health care and the growing skills shortage. According to the Swiss Health Observatory Obsan, pharmacy is among the health professions with long-term rising demand.²

The community pharmacy: more than dispensing medicines

The community pharmacy remains the most important employer for pharmacists. At the same time the professional profile is changing considerably. Vaccinations, medication reviews, prevention services and pharmaceutical services are increasingly part of everyday work.

A study by the University of Basel showed early on that pharmacists today take on markedly more clinical and advisory activities than ten years ago.³ In Switzerland in particular, extended competences are gaining importance — in vaccination, prescription renewals or medication management, for instance.

Economically too, the community pharmacy remains relevant: Swiss pharmacies generated turnover of around CHF 7 billion in 2023.⁴ Even so, many businesses are under pressure from falling margins, staff shortages and competition from online retail.

For those entering the profession, the community pharmacy still offers the advantage of broad patient contact and early responsibility. At the same time the demands on communication, leadership and business understanding are rising.

Hospital pharmacy: clinical expertise gains importance

Hospital pharmacy is among the fastest-growing fields in the profession. Topics such as medication safety, antibiotic stewardship and oncology in particular have markedly strengthened the role of clinical pharmacists in recent years.

According to GSASA, the Swiss association of public and hospital pharmacists, several hundred pharmacists now work in Swiss acute hospitals.⁵ International studies also show that involving clinical pharmacists can significantly reduce medication errors.⁶

Work in hospital is frequently interdisciplinary. Pharmacists work closely with physicians, nursing staff and quality management. Continuing education such as the FPH title in hospital pharmacy is increasingly a prerequisite.

Many pharmacists find the combination of clinical work, science and opportunities for specialisation particularly attractive — in intensive care medicine, infectious diseases or cytostatic preparation, for example.

The pharmaceutical industry: research, medical affairs and regulatory affairs

Switzerland is among the world’s most important locations for the pharmaceutical industry. Companies such as Roche and Novartis employ thousands of highly qualified specialists, including numerous pharmacists.

Career paths range from research and development through medical affairs to pharmacovigilance or regulatory affairs. Scientific understanding, project management and international communication skills are particularly sought after.

According to Interpharma, the Swiss pharmaceutical industry invested more than CHF 9 billion in research and development within Switzerland in 2023.⁷ The sector is at the same time among the country’s strongest export industries.

Many pharmacists value the industry for its international career prospects, higher salaries and opportunities for specialisation. Critics, by contrast, see less patient contact and a stronger economic focus as drawbacks.

Authorities and regulatory institutions

Authorities too offer attractive career paths for pharmacists. Institutions such as Swissmedic or cantonal health departments regularly seek specialists with a pharmaceutical background.

There, pharmacists work in areas such as medicines authorisation, pharmacovigilance, therapeutic products control or health policy. With the increasing regulation of medicines, medical devices and digital health solutions, the need for experts is rising here too.

The field is particularly suited to pharmacists with an interest in law, quality assurance and public health.

Research and an academic career

Universities and research institutions offer career paths for pharmacists with a scientific focus. Topics such as personalised medicine, drug delivery, biotechnology or longevity research are gaining importance.

The academic career is competitive, however. Many positions require a doctorate. In return, research allows international collaboration and direct access to innovation.

The connection between pharmacy, data science and artificial intelligence is becoming particularly relevant. According to a Deloitte report, AI will massively change drug development in the coming years, especially in the search for active substances and in clinical trials.⁸

Self-employment and new business models

Alongside classic career paths, self-employment is regaining attractiveness. This includes pharmacy takeovers, consultancies, digital health platforms or own brands in supplements and dermocosmetics.

At the same time, the platform economy, e-commerce and telemedicine are changing the sector lastingly. Pharmacists with entrepreneurial thinking can develop new care concepts here — hybrid models combining counselling, prevention and digital support, for instance.

Young pharmacists in particular are increasingly interested in flexible career paths rather than linear ones. Part-time models, portfolio careers and project-based work are on the rise.