Job Opportunities in Academia

This blog series by the Resident and New Practitioner Committee is targeted to psychiatric pharmacists seeking their first or a new position. Throughout the spring of 2026, this series will feature interviews with hiring managers in various types of settings. 

Dr. Ericka L. Crouse, PharmD, BCPP, BCGP, FASCP, FASHP, FAAPP is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, VA. Dr. Crouse earned her PharmD from the University of Florida and completed a Geriatrics Specialty Residency at Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center and a Psychiatric Specialty Residency at VCU Health System. Prior to joining the VCU faculty full-time in 2017, she worked for 12 years as a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Psychiatry at VCU Health. Dr. Crouse served as the Secretary of the AAPP Board of Directors from 2018-2020 and currently serves on the AAPP Foundation Board.

The Role of Psychiatric Pharmacists in Academia

The 2023 American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Pharmacotherapy Didactic Curriculum Toolkit includes 14 psychiatric and behavioral topics in the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum, with 5 listed as Tier 1 topics essential for practice-ready graduates.1 Combined with over 40 psychiatric medications on the Top 300 Drug List, this emphasizes the need for inclusion of psychiatric pharmacists in educating the next generation of pharmacists.2

Academic psychiatric pharmacists typically balance responsibilities across three core areas referred to as the “3 Pillars of Academic Practice”, or the “three-legged stool” as they are interdependent. 

Teaching
  • Coordinating pharmacotherapy courses and delivering didactic lectures on psychiatric, behavioral health, and related topics (such as neurocognitive disorders, pain management, migraine, and sleep-wake disorders)
  • Developing and coordinating electives in mental health or substance use disorders
  • Coordinating with adjunct faculty and pharmacy residents as guest lectures
  • Participating in skills laboratories (naloxone counseling, smoking cessation, administration of screening tools such as GAD-7, PHQ-9, injection techniques).
  • Precepting introductory or advanced practice experience (IPPE/APPE) students
  • Contributing to interprofessional education with nursing, medical, and other health professional students
Professional and Clinical Service
  • Obtaining and maintaining board certification in psychiatric pharmacy (BCPP)
  • Maintaining clinical practice sites with affiliated hospitals or health care systems (such as ambulatory care clinics, inpatient acute care, or consult services)
  • Actively engaging in school committees and national professional organizations
Scholarship
  • Publishing psychopharmacology and psychiatric pharmacy practice literature
  • Engaging in research and grant writing
  • Delivering continuing education programs 

Advice for Breaking into Academia

Be Patient 

While there are programs with multiple Board-Certified Psychiatric Pharmacists (BCPPs) on faculty, most schools of pharmacy usually only have one or two faculty members focused on psychopharmacology. Positions typically open when someone moves up the academic ladder or retires.

Consider Multiple Pathways to Academia

You may choose to pursue a faculty position immediately after completion of a PGY2 in Psychiatric Pharmacy. You will most likely be seeking a non-tenure track Assistant Professor position, where you will be developing your teaching, scholarship, and clinical practice concurrently. 

Another path to academia is to begin your career post-residency as a clinical specialist. If academia is in your long-term plan, take time each year to develop your scholarship and teaching. When it comes time to apply, you want to show you have a sustained contribution to these areas while maintaining your clinical practice.

If you are interested more in the research side of academia, you may consider a fellowship and/or graduate PhD position after graduation. Neuroscience and substance use disorders remain important areas of research and drug discovery.

Look for Residency Programs with Opportunities in Academia 

If academia is in your future, take this into account when selecting your residency. 

  • Does the residency offer a teaching and learning certificate?
  • What opportunities does the program offer to be involved in teaching and/or precepting?
  • Do they require or encourage you to provide a lecture at a pharmacy school?
  • Will you have the opportunity to educate other health professional students?
  • Will you obtain an appointment as an instructor or adjunct faculty?
Start Developing the 3 Pillars of Academic Practice

Teaching. Develop a teaching philosophy and seek opportunities to provide guest lectures or participate in skills laboratories. Obtain an appointment as an adjunct faculty. For those already in practice who want to develop teaching skills, pursue a teaching certificate. Both ASHP and ACCP currently offer teaching certificates. 

Service. Establish a clinical practice site that will serve as your primary teaching for experiential education. Volunteer as a peer reviewer for a journal (e.g., Mental Health Clinician) and seek opportunities to volunteer for state or national organizations. For example, AAPP has a Resident and New Practitioner Committee as well as a Teaching Community. Participate in leadership training opportunities.

Scholarship. Build presentation skills by delivering grand rounds or presenting at state and national meetings. Then, expand by submitting ideas to national organizations such as AAPP, ASHP, ACCP, or other national meetings. Submit abstracts and present posters at pharmacy meetings you are planning to attend. Find peers that also like to publish and write a manuscript together. Participate in research and/or grants, and consider linking your research to your clinical service to enhance patient outcomes

Learning About Job Openings

  • Job opportunities in academia are posted in similar places as jobs for clinical specialists. (e.g., AAPP, ASHP, ACCP). Often, these positions may be recruited for at ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting through the Personal Placement Service (PPS).
  • Specific to academia/faculty positions – The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) is another organization to explore.
  • University-specific website job postings are a valuable place to look if you have specific universities in mind.
  • Some universities will advertise on public websites such as indeed.com (search for pharmacy professor or pharmacy faculty).
  • Search for websites focused on higher education. Of note, when searching, it’s a good idea to read the fine details to determine which specialty area you are looking for
    • Higher Ed Jobs: www.higheredjobs.com
    • Higher Education Recruitment Consortium: Hercjobs.org
    • Inside Higher Ed Careers: careers.insidehighered.com
    • Chronicle of Higher Education: jobs.chronicle.com
  • Use your network/seek out word of mouth. Maintain relationships with faculty at the school of pharmacy where you graduated from, trained at, or hope to one day work. They may let you know to apply before the position is posted.

Priority Qualifications and Skills

  • Doctor of Pharmacy or Graduate degree from an ACPE-accredited school/college of pharmacy
  • Usually, completion of a PGY1 and PGY2 residency or Fellowship
  • BCPP – if you are applying immediately after completion of a residency, obtaining your BCPP should be in your 3 to 5-year plan
  • Experience in both didactic and experiential teaching
  • Service/leadership experience in pharmacy professional organizations at the local, regional, state, and national level

How to Prepare for the Interview

Plan for a one- to two-day interview. For an open faculty position, a search committee will review the applicants, design the interview itinerary, and participate in the interview process. You will most likely meet individually with the Dean of the Pharmacy School, the Department Chair, as well as a variety of faculty members. Remain professional in all interactions with the current faculty, even those escorting you from one interviewer to the next. 

Prepare to discuss the "3-legged stool" of academia. Be ready to explain how you plan to meet the expectations for each of them. Inquire about percent effort allocated to each area and come prepared with innovative ideas for meeting your goals. Inquire about the department’s publishing expectations and be prepared to discuss your areas of interest. 

Anticipate common interview questions. Prepare scenarios from your precepting experiences (e.g., how you dealt with a student struggling or difficult situation). Think about your mentors and how they shaped your career and interests as well as how you plan to be a mentor. Research the University's mission and program through their website. Be prepared to answer questions related to how artificial intelligence may impact your teaching practice and the future of pharmacy. Familiarize yourself with evidence-based active learning strategies. 

Be ready to present. You will most likely be asked to give a presentation during your interview. Topics vary based on the position you are applying for. You may be asked to present your vision of how you will fulfill the roles of academia versus an example of your teaching (didactic, or active learning) on a therapeutic topic. If the latter, remember your target audience is a novice pharmacy student and not the seasoned faculty.

Final Advice

  • Understand the differences between tenure-track and non-tenure track positions and know to which you are applying. Many clinical positions are non-tenure track.
  • Research the ladder of academia. If you join faculty upon completion of residency or fellowship, you will join as an Assistant Professor. Over time, you will submit your application for promotion (and tenure) to Associate Professor, and ultimately for full Professor. Find a mentor and begin asking questions early to ensure you understand and can fulfill your requirements for a successful promotion (and tenure).
  • Seek opportunities to sharpen your skills, such as authoring BCPP review materials, providing continuing education programs, as well as participating in the Item-Writing Workshop offered through the Board of Pharmacy Specialties. 

Helpful Resources

References

  1. Kolanczyk DM, Merlo JR, Bradley B, Flannery AH, Gibson CM, et al. 2023 update to the American College of Clinical Pharmacy Pharmacotherapy Didactic Curriculum Toolkit. J Am Coll Clin Pharm 2024; 7(3):255-69.
  2. Kolesar, J. M., & Vermeulen, L. C. (2026). McGraw-Hill's 2026-2027 Top 300 Pharmacy Drug Cards. McGraw Hill.