GENDER, EDUCATIONAL CREDENTIALS, CONTRIBUTIONS AND CAREER ADVANCEMENT- RESULTS OF A FOLLOW-UP-STUDY IN-HOSPITAL PHARMACY

This study of hospital pharmacists shows that the ''opportunity'' pres ented by this rapidly-expanding field over the past 20 years different ially attracted women, most of whom became ghettoized in terms of care er advancement. Those women who acquired post-baccalaureate educationa l credentials obtained better entry-level positions, but, consistent w ith previous research on less-feminized professions, lost this advanta ge over the first decade of their careers. The pattern of advancement suggests that gender-related factors serve as a ''negative signal'' to gatekeepers, irrespective of productivity, just as credentials serve as a signal or proxy for productivity in hiring for entry-level positi ons.