Introduction: The Saudi Arabian healthcare divisions that recruit and hire pharmacists include hospital pharmacy, community pharmacies, universities, and research centres. Local studies showed that hospital pharmacy is the most preferred sector, while community pharmacy is the least preferred. However, jobs in hospital pharmacy are limited compared to community pharmacy. Hence, to accommodate the increasing numbers of pharmacy graduates and to facilitate the implementation of Saudi Vision 2030, which promotes primary healthcare and the participation of both private and non-governmental organisations in healthcare delivery, community pharmacy ought to be Saudised. This study was conducted to assess the career choices made by Saudi pharmacy students and the enablers that influence their career choice, especially in community pharmacy. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional approach was used. A total of 437 final year pharmacy students were recruited from 15 pharmacy schools around the country. Results: Salary and advancement opportunities as well as geographical location, benefits, and work environment were found to be “very important” enablers when making career decisions. Hospital pharmacy was selected as the most preferred sector by 242 (55.4%) of the participants, while community pharmacy was the least favoured pharmacy sector (17% or 6.2%). The enablers that might influence the consideration of a job in community pharmacy included career aspiration and social accountability. On the other hand, the barriers were personal beliefs about the sector and the nature of the work. Conclusions: The community pharmacy sector was found to be the least preferred sector to work in. The study revealed a list of enablers that the participants found to be relevant or of high relevance when choosing community pharmacy as a career pathway. Some of the enablers contribute to the role of the pharmacist towards the local community, social accountability, and towards the country’s Vision, such as interaction with the general public and educating them. Other enablers are related to the pharmacists’ career aspirations, such as owning a business. Some of the barriers that were found relevant include high workload, inflexible working hours, and limited opportunities for professional development. Localisation of community pharmacies would help to create more jobs for national pharmacists, increase the participation of female pharmacists in the workforce and support the achievement of Vision 2030. The barriers should be tackled on several levels: undergraduate curriculum, regulatory, and actual practice. Undergraduate education needs to include primary pharmaceutical care services in its curriculum. Regulatory changes include enforcing the renationalisation of the community pharmacy sector and permitting females to work in community pharmacies without location restrictions.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been linked to several types of cancer, including breast cancer. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) serves as an indicator of long-term blood sugar control, and elevated levels may contribute to the development of breast cancer. This study aims to evaluate the association between elevated HbA1c levels and breast cancer risk in women with T2DM attending a tertiary care hospital in South India, and to compare HbA1c levels between diabetic women with and without breast cancer. A retrospective case-control study was conducted at Kovai Medical Center from 2014 to 2016 among women with T2DM. Breast cancer was histopathologically confirmed. Data on HbA1c (<7.0% vs ≥7.0%), body mass index, diabetes duration, menopausal status, and family history were collected. Associations with breast cancer risk were analyzed using Chi-square tests and logistic regression adjusted for confounders, with significance set at P < .05. The study included 182 women with T2DM and breast cancer and 197 age-matched controls without breast cancer. Poor glycemic control (HbA1c ≥ 7.0%) was more prevalent among cases and significantly associated with breast cancer in multivariable logistic regression adjusting for age, body mass index, menopausal status, diabetes duration, and insulin use (adjusted OR = 2.98, 95% CI: 1.08–8.21, P < .0001). Additional risk factors included postmenopausal status (OR = 4.52, 95% CI: 1.36–15.00), age 50 to 59 years (OR = 8.30, 95% CI: 2.80–19.32), and insulin use (OR = 2.57, 95% CI: 1.04–3.21). Most cases were estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor negative, with 63% diagnosed at stage I. Advanced stages (II/III), triple-negative breast cancer (OR = 2.78, 95% CI: 1.05–3.65), and higher Ki-67 index (intermediate: OR = 1.91, high: OR = 3.00) were linked to more aggressive disease. In this retrospective case-control study, higher HbA1c levels (≥7.0%) were associated with breast cancer presence and more advanced tumor stages among women with T2DM, although the odds ratio for HbA1c should be interpreted cautiously. Postmenopausal status and insulin use were more common among cases, while metformin use showed a nonsignificant inverse trend. triple-negative breast cancer status and higher Ki-67 index were also more frequent in advanced disease.