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Overemployment and underemployment of part-time pharmacists: Prevalence and connection to work-life characteristics
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Overemployment and underemployment of part-time pharmacists: Prevalence and connection to work-life characteristics

David A. Mott, William R. Doucette, Eilan Alhersh, Vibhuti Arya, Brianne K. Bakken, Caroline Gaither, David H. Kreling, Jon C. Schommer and Matthew Witry
Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy, Vol.20, 100673
12/2025
DOI: 10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100673
PMCID: PMC12617797
PMID: 41244644
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100673View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Background Overemployment and underemployment are associated with fluctuations in labor supply and can negatively impact psychosocial aspects of work and worker health. Objectives The objectives of this study were to 1) determine the prevalence and characteristics of underemployment, overemployment and matched employment among part-time pharmacists; 2) examine differences in actual and ideal hours worked for overemployed and underemployed part-time pharmacists; and 3) test associations between overemployment, underemployment and matched employment and part-time pharmacists' perceptions of job quality and work-life characteristics. Methods Data for 636 pharmacists self-reporting working part-time (≤ 30 h/week) were extracted from the 2019 National Pharmacists Workforce Study. The difference in self-reported actual and ideal hours worked weekly was calculated and used to classify part-time pharmacists as overemployed, underemployed or matched employed. Differences between the variables were tested with multivariate ordinary least squares regression models. Results Being matched employed was most common (41.3 %) followed by underemployed (34.9 %) and being overemployed (23.8 %). Of underemployed respondents, over half (54.1 %) reported wanting to work full-time, which likely is reflective of the relatively loose national pharmacist labor market in 2019. Overemployed and underemployed respondents reported significantly lower levels of several of the work-life characteristics relative to those with matched employment. Conclusion The higher rate of underemployment among pharmacists working part-time is consistent with the surplus of US pharmacists in 2019. The results show that for pharmacists working part-time, a lack of control over how much they work is negatively associated with job quality and work-life characteristics relative to pharmacists with work schedule control.
 Pharmacist Underemployment Part-time Work-life Work-schedule control

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