William Shatner, the iconic Captain Kirk of the Starship Enterprise, once said: "We meet aliens every day who have something to give us. They come in the form of people with different opinions." If that is true, then aliens are truly among us when it comes to the opinions out there on the current pharmacy job market in the U.S.

With news breaking about additional pharmacy schools being added around the country in places like Florida and Mississippi, the debate about the current surplus of pharmacists is heating up again.

Few seem to be arguing about the fact that there is indeed an oversupply of pharmacists in a growing number of markets across the U.S. But opinions differ greatly on just how bad the situation is, or if the situation is even bad at all.

In a recent Drug Topics interview, Daniel L. Brown, PharmD, of the Lloyd L .Gregory School of Pharmacy in West Palm Beach Florida, said: "If pharmacy leaders across the country would simply speak out and express concern that continued academic growth is not in the best interest of the profession, their voices might be enough to discourage universities from perpetuating the madness. But most leaders remain silent on the issue and some even encourage greater expansion."

But not everyone thinks the surplus is such a bad thing. David H. Kreling, Ph.D., professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy recently spoke on the subject: "A surplus may result in pharmacists developing new ideas, taking risks and creating change, especially if opportunity exists. If there is latent demand for pharmacists that can be converted to actual demand in the marketplace, excess supply may be necessary and actually good for the profession.

"It is intriguing to consider the possibility of change that may be stimulated by a surplus of pharmacists, in spite of the challenge and possible pain that may accompany the transition."

So who are we supposed to believe? Is the current pharmacist job market really becoming detrimental to the advancement of the profession, or is the surplus of pharmacists just the thing we need to spur us on to greater opportunities within healthcare?

I believe what I am hearing from pharmacists around the country on a weekly basis: The oversupply of pharmacists is having a definite impact on their personal, professional and financial lives.

Those who have stepped out of the job market to address personal issues are finding it difficult to get back in. Others are getting by on fewer hours or having to relocate to areas with more opportunity. Some cannot transition to different career paths. And many feel their age has become a barrier to employment.

I received this email last week from a pharmacist: "Now after searching and applying for 1 & 1/2 months, the reality of the current state of the pharmacist job market is setting in. I had no idea it was this tough ... I have been following the job boards and have applied to 15 job listings so far with no response."

And this one from another pharmacist: "I am 43 years old and have a BS degree in pharmacy. I have been trying to obtain a new job since October 2015. I have significant clinical pharmacy experience. However, I feel that the HR department passes over my resume because the words PharmD and PGY1 are not in my keywords."

And yet another unemployed pharmacist wrote me saying: "I am getting my home ready to sell and am willing to go anywhere in U.S."

These are the opinions I believe. This is the real-life situation of many pharmacists today. They reached out to me because they heard I had some resources to help them find jobs, and I did. I invite other pharmacists to do the same. But the fact remains that the market is creating troubling times for many pharmacy professionals today.

Yes, there are differing perspectives and opinions on the current pharmacy job market. But one thing is for sure: If the pool of pharmacists continue to grow, we are boldly heading into a future where no pharmacist has gone before.