Factors affecting career plans of faculty of pharmacy students in Ege University and their evaluations about career symposium

Career choice is one of the most important decisions affecting human life substantially and determines the future in material and psychological aspects. This research performed to evaluate 1-day career training program, determine students’ future career plans, factors influencing career choice and training needs, ascertain level of anxiety about future of Ege University’s Pharmacy Faculty students. It is a descriptive research. Population includes Ege University’s Pharmacy Faculty students participating symposium. Data obtained by self-reporting of 12-question survey by 100-students and evaluated with frequency, percentage distribution, chi-square and fisher’s exact test by SPSS-18. It was found that more than half (56%) of the students were members of low-and-low-middle income group and these students want to work in public sector, 92% has anxiety about issues such as low wages, unemployment and failure to work on desired field. 49% of students has more than one career choice, and there is statistically significant differences between gender, parents’ educational background and post-graduation working area choices. 51% of students were found symposium participated in for shaping future career plans is effective, 90% were found symposium useful, 93% were needed career planning trainings and symposiums during undergraduate studies for recognize career areas and raise awareness in pharmacy. For clarifying students’ career goals during the undergraduate, as elective courses may be added to curriculum, organization of events such as symposium, seminar, establishment of counseling offices in universities and increasing internships’ effectiveness will be useful. Concordantly, it is thought that accreditation process of pharmacy faculties will provide opportunity for new regulations.