Is the Pharmacy Door Our Limit? Challenges in the Professional Identity of Pharmacist in Primary Health Care

Antunes, Renata da Silva; Esher, Ângela; Silva, Rondineli Mendes da

doi:10.1590/S0104-12902026230431pt

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Original Article • Saude soc. 35 (2) • 2026 • https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-12902026230431en linkcopy

Is the Pharmacy Door Our Limit? Challenges in the Professional Identity of Pharmacist in Primary Health Care

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Pharmacists have been undergoing changes in their professional identity (PI), understood as the skills, knowledge, values, behaviors, and attitudes necessary for their role in the world of work. This article aimed to analyze the elements of pharmaceutical PI in Primary Health Care (PHC). The study is an exploratory, qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. The event was attended by pharmacists working in PHC, the Regional Pharmacy Council, and universities. Thematic content analysis of the interviews was used based on three categories: “professional and training path,” “PI considering PHC attributes,” and “performance in PHC in the face of professional and health regulation.” Those working in the PHC exhibited a significant level of education and an average of seven years of experience. The analysis of the interviews points to the emergence of a “new identity,” more aware and confident in their role in care and assistance, albeit constructed through the confrontation of challenges in labor relations, a technocratic teaching approach, little recognition from peers, and the obstacles of professional regulation. Changes in public policy were identified to ensure that pharmacists play an integral role as part of the healthcare team.

Keywords:
Social Identification; Pharmacists; Pharmaceutical Care; Primary Health Care; Public Health.

Final categories	Subcategories	Guiding principles
The pharmacist's professional and educational background	Primary Education	This includes the location and year of professional training. It may also include information on previous training.
	Additional Education	This refers specifically to postgraduate studies completed by participants at all levels: continuing education, advanced training, specialization, master’s, and doctoral degrees. It includes a description of the educational path, particularly the academic trajectory of pharmacists.
	Professional Background	This refers to the employment history of the interviewees following their training. In short, it depicts the history of their professional trajectory in the labor market.
The professional identity of pharmacists in light of primary health care attributes	Professional socialization	It examines aspects of how interviewees working in PHC build their professional identity within their work relationships, including their recognition as healthcare professionals in their work context, a sense of belonging, the pursuit of new knowledge, and professional autonomy. It also addresses interprofessional relationships, particularly the integration of pharmacists into multidisciplinary healthcare teams.
	Work process in light of the attributes of primary health care (practices, dilemmas, and challenges)	It consists of the actions, activities, and work processes involved in patient care, viewed through the lens of the essential attributes of PHC, such as access, comprehensiveness, continuity, and coordination of care. It also addresses the pharmacist’s role as a provider of pharmaceutical services to patients and the community, as a disseminator of information to support decision-making, and in addressing the dilemmas and challenges of their activities within PHC.
The Role of Pharmacists in PHC in Light of Professional and Public Health Regulations	Regulatory matters - implications to work practices	This discussion concerns elements related to regulatory requirements, as set forth in both regulations and guidance documents that influence professional practice. It comprises two axes: the first stems from regulations issued by the Federal and Regional Pharmacy Councils. The second is based on a variety of documents, recommendations, and consensus among various stakeholders in the Unified Health System (Ministry of Health, Rio de Janeiro Municipal Health Secretariat, CONASEMS, etc.).

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Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo. Associação Paulista de Saúde Pública. Av. dr. Arnaldo, 715, Prédio da Biblioteca, 2º andar sala 2, 01246-904 São Paulo - SP - Brasil, Tel./Fax: +55 11 3061-7880 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: saudesoc@usp.br

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