Pharmacist Burnout: Interview with Burnout Expert, Alex Barker

Interview by: Steve Malen PharmD/MBA , producer at Harmacy Film

Alex Barker is the CEO and Founder of The Happy Pharm D, a nationwide coaching firm guiding pharmacists to inspiring careers and more fulfilling lives. Alex is an accomplished public speaker, a published author and teacher. Since 2017, his coaching program and career development seminars have guided over 2,000 pharmacists into new jobs and roles they love. His book Indispensable: A prescription for a fulfilling pharmacy career, has motivated countless pharmacists to love pharmacy again. Alex is a husband and the proud father of two daughters. He loves drinking coffee and eating good guacamole (though not at the same time). When he isn’t working, which happens occasionally, he plays Nintendo, Dungeon & Dragons, and reads comics.

1) From your experience helping 2000 pharmacists transition careers what percentage of these pharmacist’s experienced burnout?

Alex: "Our client's burnout rates are similar to the industry average: 50-70%. However, what is clear about our pharmacists is they strongly desire to work a job they love. That desire creates opportunities for positions where they love what they do and experience less of the burnout triggers."

2) What were the causes of burnout for these pharmacists?

Alex: "The environment almost always causes burnout for pharmacists. Contribution factors of burnout cause are?low autonomy, poor communication by management, unrealistic expectations, work overload, and misaligned values between them and their company all contribute to this burnout. However, there are typically two phrases we hear most often; they would be: 'I don't feel valued by my company.' and 'I don't know if I want to be a pharmacist anymore.'"

3) What can employers do to minimize burnout? How much of burnout is just poor job fit so therefore there is nothing the employer can do?

Alex: "The research is mixed on what can improve burnout. However, interventions on resiliency or individual well-being show little effect, according to a meta-analysis review.? However, organization interventions that focus on improving work overload and automation show some promise. Ultimately, my recommendation to employers is to ensure your hiring processes focus on value-based identification in candidates to eliminate employees who don't have the same values as your organization."

4) What impact did COVID have on burnout??

Alex: "Like gasoline on a napalm fire.?COVID only made the bad situation worse."

5) What can pharmacists do to minimize burnout regardless of their job?

Alex: "Communicate with your team and supervisor often about workload, values, and current conflicts. Ideally, your manager and team will help resolve them, but if not, then these factors will cause a residue effect of burnout.?No pharmacist deserves to work in an environment that eliminates years of life due to a negative work environment."??

6) What can be done from a government, regulation, high-level perspective to minimize burnout?

Alex: "Since the research isn't clear on "fool-proof" burnout interventions, I hesitate to offer policies or regulation ideas.? My focus has always been on helping the pharmacist, and if there's one thing I learned from helping pharmacists, it's that they can rise out of a poor workplace culture."

7) At a high level what does The Happy PharmD do to combat pharmacist burnout?

Alex: "The Happy PharmD helps pharmacists get jobs they love in companies where they feel valued. How we do that is through career education and coaching.?We combat burnout by helping?pharmacists transition from bad workplace cultures and into healthy ones. Pharmacists who experience burnout often are in work environments that don't match their values, so one of our first steps is to help pharmacists identify their work values and how to become top candidates for companies with similar values."?

I, Steve Malen PharmD/MBA , the guy who interviewed Dr. Alex Barker, PharmD also experienced burnout to the point of severe mental health implications in this past year. Dr. Barker's responses resonate with me as I also tried to make retail pharmacy fit into my life. I made the rounds of the chains and finally ended up in a nice independent pharmacy. Unfortunately, then COVID-19 hit and after a couple of years of the news affecting my job on a weekly basis I said enough is enough. Independently, I took the path Dr. Barker recommended above and it changed my life. Now I am a Happy PharmD and this is possible for every pharmacist with burnout reading this now. Most likely if you are unhappy in your job it isn't your fault. It isn't your laziness, your intelligence or your grit. You are not doing what you love. You deserve better. Finally, you have a valuable education and experience which has a place in the healthcare system beyond counting pills and checking expires. I hope this article will put you on the path to happiness!