Personal characteristics and professional practice patterns of enrollees in ASHP special interest groups (SIGs) were surveyed in early 1984. The mail questionnaire consisting of 23 items was sent to the entire universe of 3595 SIG enrollees, 514 of whom belonged to more than one SIG. The response rate was 64.7%. About two thirds of the respondents were between 25 and 39 years old; 73% were men. Nearly 36% had earned more than one academic degree, and 30% had completed an ASHP-accredited pharmacy residency. Most respondents spent a majority of their work time in a community nonprofit hospital (46%) or a university teaching hospital (22%). The following percentage of respondents spent some time in the functions indicated; the mean percentage of time those respondents spent in a function is given in parentheses: administration, 76% (52%); education, 69% (16%); drug distribution and control, 60% (17%); patient-oriented services, 47% (17%); drug information, 54% (12%); research, 28% (17%); pharmaceutical marketing/sales, 6% (25%); other, 12% (29%). The following percentage of respondents spent half or more of their practice time in the functions indicated: administration, 48%; drug distribution and control, 26%; education, 5%; and patient-oriented activities, 4%. By and large only a small percentage of SIG enrollees spent a majority of their practice time providing patient-specific services. This suggests that for most SIGs enrollment corresponds to an interest in a special practice area, not a heavy practice commitment to that area.