Pharmacists and patients seem to have divergent beliefs about potential pharmacy services. Patients have reported desiring more from pharmacists, yet pharmacists have cited lack of patient demand as a reason for not providing pharmaceutical care. Pharmacists (N = 147) and patients (N = 151) completed a questionnaire from multiple perspectives using an interpersonal perception approach assessing their perceptions of the benefits of pharmaceutical care. Findings revealed that pharmacists and patients disagreed on the benefits of those services. Further, they misunderstood each other's perceptions of those services. Few significant differences were found between patients who reported receiving additional services from their pharmacist and those who did not. By directly addressing these differences, pharmacists can attempt to improve patients' perceptions of pharmacy services while providing valuable new services.

Objectives. To determine the extent to which recent pharmacy graduates perceived themselves as caregivers, and to identify differences between respondents' possessing caring attributes and their belief that these were desirable in a pharmacist. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered, online survey instrument asking 402 PharmD graduates to indicate to what extent they felt they had obtained 16 personal attributes appropriate to their responsibilities to patients. Outcome measures included the degree to which graduates believed they possessed the attributes and the desirability of possessing these attributes. Results. Most of the 95 respondents agreed they possessed the attributes under study and many agreed that these attributes were desirable. There were statistically significant differences between genders, mostly associated with the "dealing with uncertainty" and "leadership" domains. Conclusion. Pharmacy curricula appear effective, at least partly, in instilling confidence in graduates to provide direct patient care.

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