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Career adaptability of pharmacy students in Taiwan: A qualitative study.

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Title: Career adaptability of pharmacy students in Taiwan: A qualitative study.
Authors: Chen, Shih-Ming1 (AUTHOR), Lee, Ming-Chia1,2 (AUTHOR), Chang, Tsz-Yi3 (AUTHOR), Tsai, Pei-Yun1 (AUTHOR), Lin, Chia-Yu1,4 (AUTHOR), Huang, Pin-Hao1 (AUTHOR), Peng, Tzu-Rong1,5 (AUTHOR), Lee, Jen-Ai1 (AUTHOR), Hsing, Chih-Pin1,6 (AUTHOR) t4579@mail.nknu.edu.tw, Tien, Hsiu-Lan Shelley1,7 (AUTHOR) lantien@ntnu.edu.tw
Source: Currents in Pharmacy Teaching & Learning. Jun2026, Vol. 18 Issue 6, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p.
Subject Terms: *Pharmacy students, *Career development, *Learning strategies, *Vocational guidance, *Qualitative research, Taiwanese people
Geographic Terms: Taiwan
Abstract: As pharmacy roles become increasingly complex and uncertain, career adaptability is critical for all pharmacy students facing academic challenges and an uncertain professional future. Savickas' four-dimension framework—concern, control, curiosity, and confidence—defined career adaptability as psychosocial resources (adaptability resources) for managing career tasks, transitions, and challenges. This framework offers a lens for examining adaptability. Although previous studies have indicated the role of adaptability in career decision-making and engagement, evidence within pharmacy education remains limited. This qualitative study explored career adaptability among 12 third-year pharmacy students in Taiwan. The participants were purposively sampled on the basis of high or low adaptability and completed semi-structured interviews addressing motivations, learning strategies, financial conditions, and career planning. The authors performed thematic analysis to identify subthemes within the four adaptability dimensions. The students with high adaptability demonstrated proactive concern through early planning for research or exchange opportunities, whereas the students with low adaptability tended to delay planning. Stronger self-regulation and postgraduate planning characterized the career control of the high-adaptability group, whereas the low-adaptability group focused narrowly on examinations. Curiosity further differentiated the groups: the high-adaptability group explored interdisciplinary fields, whereas the low-adaptability group reported limited exploration due to external constraints. Confidence in the high-adaptability group was bolstered by recognition of strengths and supportive networks, whereas the low-adaptability group expressed doubts and dependence on external validation. The findings highlight curiosity as equally vital as concern and confidence in shaping adaptability. Educational strategies that promote reflective learning, mentorship, and exposure to diverse career paths may enhance adaptability, particularly in students with low adaptability. Strengthening these adaptability resources is essential for graduate preparedness to navigate evolving health-care and pharmaceutical environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Currents in Pharmacy Teaching & Learning is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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  Data: Career adaptability of pharmacy students in Taiwan: A qualitative study.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chen%2C+Shih-Ming%22">Chen, Shih-Ming</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lee%2C+Ming-Chia%22">Lee, Ming-Chia</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chang%2C+Tsz-Yi%22">Chang, Tsz-Yi</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tsai%2C+Pei-Yun%22">Tsai, Pei-Yun</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lin%2C+Chia-Yu%22">Lin, Chia-Yu</searchLink><relatesTo>1,4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Huang%2C+Pin-Hao%22">Huang, Pin-Hao</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Peng%2C+Tzu-Rong%22">Peng, Tzu-Rong</searchLink><relatesTo>1,5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lee%2C+Jen-Ai%22">Lee, Jen-Ai</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hsing%2C+Chih-Pin%22">Hsing, Chih-Pin</searchLink><relatesTo>1,6</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> t4579@mail.nknu.edu.tw</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tien%2C+Hsiu-Lan+Shelley%22">Tien, Hsiu-Lan Shelley</searchLink><relatesTo>1,7</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> lantien@ntnu.edu.tw</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Currents+in+Pharmacy+Teaching+%26+Learning%22">Currents in Pharmacy Teaching & Learning</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 18 Issue 6, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pharmacy+students%22">Pharmacy students</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Career+development%22">Career development</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning+strategies%22">Learning strategies</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vocational+guidance%22">Vocational guidance</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Qualitative+research%22">Qualitative research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Taiwanese+people%22">Taiwanese people</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Taiwan%22">Taiwan</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: As pharmacy roles become increasingly complex and uncertain, career adaptability is critical for all pharmacy students facing academic challenges and an uncertain professional future. Savickas' four-dimension framework—concern, control, curiosity, and confidence—defined career adaptability as psychosocial resources (adaptability resources) for managing career tasks, transitions, and challenges. This framework offers a lens for examining adaptability. Although previous studies have indicated the role of adaptability in career decision-making and engagement, evidence within pharmacy education remains limited. This qualitative study explored career adaptability among 12 third-year pharmacy students in Taiwan. The participants were purposively sampled on the basis of high or low adaptability and completed semi-structured interviews addressing motivations, learning strategies, financial conditions, and career planning. The authors performed thematic analysis to identify subthemes within the four adaptability dimensions. The students with high adaptability demonstrated proactive concern through early planning for research or exchange opportunities, whereas the students with low adaptability tended to delay planning. Stronger self-regulation and postgraduate planning characterized the career control of the high-adaptability group, whereas the low-adaptability group focused narrowly on examinations. Curiosity further differentiated the groups: the high-adaptability group explored interdisciplinary fields, whereas the low-adaptability group reported limited exploration due to external constraints. Confidence in the high-adaptability group was bolstered by recognition of strengths and supportive networks, whereas the low-adaptability group expressed doubts and dependence on external validation. The findings highlight curiosity as equally vital as concern and confidence in shaping adaptability. Educational strategies that promote reflective learning, mentorship, and exposure to diverse career paths may enhance adaptability, particularly in students with low adaptability. Strengthening these adaptability resources is essential for graduate preparedness to navigate evolving health-care and pharmaceutical environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Currents in Pharmacy Teaching & Learning is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1016/j.cptl.2026.102610
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 1
        StartPage: N.PAG
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Pharmacy students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Career development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Learning strategies
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      – SubjectFull: Vocational guidance
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      – SubjectFull: Qualitative research
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      – SubjectFull: Taiwanese people
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      – SubjectFull: Taiwan
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              Text: Jun2026
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