Reflections on the first three years as a junior faculty member.

A career in pharmacy can lead one down several different paths; however, I chose a career in academia because I knew that it would allow me to have the daily variety of responsibilities I enjoy, provide opportunities to promote the profession, and teach future generations. My experiences as a junior faculty member have been challenging as well as rewarding. I write this reflection for new junior faculty members and pharmacy practice administrators to share my journey, highlight challenges, and offer strategies and solutions to address potential obstacles. Specifically, orientation, mentoring, teaching, and evaluations will be addressed. Like many other new faculty members, I received my appointment as an assistant professor of pharmacy practice following completion of a 1-year pharmacy practice residency and a 1-year specialty training program. During the 2 years of residency, the majority of training I received was clinical. I was briefly exposed to academia during 2 months of elective experiences; however, that short period is not sufficient to prepare a person for a full-time faculty position. During residency training little emphasis is given to the expectations placed on a faculty member: teaching, research, and service. Yet, residency graduates are the most likely candidates to fill the vacant positions in pharmacy education.