Things to Do: Residency Application Process

Ohh residency application time — the stress, the ups and downs, and the doubts. There’s no doubt that this process is just overwhelming and stressful especially with everything else going on in your life. So I wanted to create a general overview of things you should be doing and personal tips. I can dive deeper into one area for future blog posts if you would like. Let me know on Instagram or here in the comments.

So friend, want to know a little bit more about some things you should do during the pharmacy residency application process? Keep Reading!

Breathe

You need to. Don’t let this process get the best of you. It’s stressful. I get it, I’ve been there. You are not alone. I remember preparing to go to Las Vegas last year for midyear (2019) and I was like ‘GIRL you probably aren’t going to get a residency’ and all that worry was so distracting and time-consuming from what I was supposed to be doing. It added no value or time to my life.

Obsessing over past matching statistics added no time to my life. It’s definitely okay to look but don’t let that run your feelings. You’ve done what you can up until this point. So, let this process and your application be a reflection of that. I remember reading all the ‘are you competitive enough’ ‘this is what residency programs look for’ articles, books, and posts and there were often times I didn’t check a lot of the boxes they had. But what did I do? I pushed past it. Don’t get me wrong, there is value in being realistic, but don’t let things get to your head. This is your shot and all you need is one yes.

On top of APPE rotations and life, this is a time-consuming process. There are a lot of programs to sift through and the pressure of making the right decisions and that voice in the back of your head that says ‘what if I don’t get a residency’, all of the subtle unspoken ‘rules’ and ways to interact with a program. It can begin to feel burdensome but breathe.

You will get through this process.

Don’t get caught up in the hype!

You will hear over and over again the “I heard” phrases

’I heard you have to do this to get a residency’
‘Well I know this girl who applied for 20 residencies and didn’t even match’
‘I heard this program only takes candidates who did XYZ’
‘The only way to get a residency is if you have connections’
‘I heard this is how you can beat the match’ etc etc.

Cut out the noise! While information and advice are great to have, don’t let all the talk get to your head. At this point in the process, what’s on your CV is what’s on your CV, and your GPA is your GPA. If it seems like noise – cancel it out.

Research programs

This part can be daunting! When you first look at programs, all of the programs can look the same. I can do a future post on things I considered and why. Here is the LINK to the programs participating in the match this year.

To start, think about the long-term. Do you want to do a PGY-2? If the program also has PGY-2s that would set you up well to do what they call ‘early commit’ which is basically like you don’t have to go through the extensive application process again if you want to continue as a PGY2 – you’re essentially accepted for your PGY2 internally. Click Here for more info on the PGY2 Early Commitment Process.

Pro-Tip: If a program has PGY1s and PGY2s, one question to ask during showcases is about their early commit process.

Other things to consider:

The rotations they offer (both in your interest areas and weak areas), location, staffing requirements (I have a blog on that HERE), number of co-residents (I have a blog on that HERE), salary, would you have the opportunity to do an off-site rotation at another hospital if you wanted more exposure to an area your program doesn’t have.
Do they have a teaching program (if you’re interested in that), how are rotations chosen for residents, is there a mentorship program, what learning activities do they have for residents to make sure they are growing as a pharmacist and will be prepared for the board exam (case days, simulation labs)?
Do they have a way for residents to de-stress or are there wellness goals/activities? Do you have your own office space for yourself and your co-residents (talked about that HERE)? What kind of hospital is it an academic medical center, or A community hospital?
What kind of model do they have decentralized clinical services or centralized services? How are rounds structured? Are providers receptive to the pharmacy? How many patients are typically on one service?
Are there development and leadership opportunities? What’s their reputation (ask your current APPE preceptors about this)? are they accredited? How long has this program been around?

While also keeping in mind what kind of residency you want: community, hospital, outpatient, managed care, combined PGY1/PGY2, etc.

Pro-Tip: Be organized in your search (word doc, excel, folders, whatever works for you!). I also have a $5 template that can be downloaded here

Also, be sure to note down what they require for you to apply: is it 3 or 4 letters of recommendation? Do you need to submit a writing sample? Do they require a PPS interview beforehand? Look at the resident and preceptor bios to learn a little about those who represent and are currently in the program.

Pro-Tip: From what I remember, a program’s individual website had the most up-to-date information than the ASHP directory so please be sure to always visit the individual program’s website to very the information you find on the ASHP directory site.

Attend residency showcases and info sessions

Midyear isn’t the only residency showcase and there are plenty of free showcases that happen throughout the application residency cycle (both virtual and in-person).

Online, check with the local/state pharmacy organizations as they generally host a showcase for the programs in their state too. In Maryland, it was the Maryland Society of Health-system Pharmacy. but of course, each state is likely to have its own version.

Also, post-pandemic, a lot of programs have gravitated to doing more sessions online – see if the program has an Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin, website, etc. where they post information about the recruitment process or even show some behind the scenes of what it’s like at their institution.

A few examples of programs’s social media pages – There are many more!

Letters of Recommendation

Ask for strong and positive letters – be clear that you need a strong AND positive letter.

If they say no, just let it be and ask someone else. I can write a post more specifically about this too if you guys want but definitely make sure the person that writes the letter is reliable and give them the documents they need to be able to write a good one. When it’s time for your writers to write your recommendation, give them materials that will help them! For example, your CV, draft letter of intent, a not-so-subtle list of all the things you did on your rotation, your career goals, etc.

In my residency process, most programs required 3 letters, some required 4, and some wanted letters from specific people (like a clinical pharmacist, a professor, etc). so be sure to note that down.

Pro-Tip: The recommendation letter for PhORCAS isn’t actually a letter. There are fields in which your writer has to answer certain questions and rank you on a Likert scale.

I ended up writing an entire blog post and created a Letter of Recommendation (LOR) template, find the post HERE.

Make your PhORCAS account – pretty straightforward.

Please be sure to fill out the sections that may seem optional or seem repetitive from your CV. Before you submit your applications, read everything over and over with fresh eyes to ensure there are no typos. Personally, I wrote all the free responses out in Microsoft Word, and when I was satisfied with my answer and proofread it, I transferred it to the PhORCAS system. More information from ASHP about PhORCAS is HERE and the direct link to PhORCAS is HERE.

If you are having any difficulties with the site, reach out to PhORCAS, they are so helpful! There were also student sessions at midyear where they went through the process and gave tips, so if you’re having a hard time definitely attend if it’s being offered – it is usually under the student programming category.

Request transcripts from your school

Try to do this before the holidays when those offices will have limited hours.

At my school, the transcripts would come out of an office that processed documents for the entire student body (not just the pharmacy school).

So, if your school is similar, be sure to ask for these to be sent EARLY. I know some people want to wait until they have more APPE rotations under their belt for GPA purposes but think about if one grade on your APPE rotation would change your GPA significantly. There have been many stories over the years of people who could not apply for residency because they waited too long and couldn’t get a transcript.

CV and Letter of Intent (LOI)

Have multiple pharmacists and/or career personnel (your school/university likely has a career office) review your CV multiple times.

Your CV needs to be aesthetically pleasing but simple to the eyes and easy to read. No long paragraphs, use action verbs, have appropriate font size.. etc, etc.

Honestly, the LOI was the most challenging part of this application process for me. I struggled with this so much. Looking back, I should have started at least a draft before midyear, it would’ve helped me so much, so if you have time, do that. Have people review your letter of intent to make sure it makes sense.

Your CV and LOI are your chance to market yourself! Don’t be shy, you’ve worked hard. Market yourself without exaggerating the truth – people can read through it.

For a CV template, check out a template and guide I created HERE.

Register for the Match – straightforward

You have to do this in order to submit your PhORCAS application

Find the link to the National Matching Service HERE.

Prepare for interviews

After I submitted my last application on January 1st, I started prepping.

Interview preparation was more time-consuming than I expected, which is why you may hear people say to limit your application list (especially if you have to travel to them).

A large majority of them require you to have/bring/do something on the interview day such as a presentation, a portfolio, a SOAP note, a case, answer clinical questions, math questions, etc.

PRO-TIP: If you can, use a presentation that you already did on your APPE rotation because it’s already been vetted by your preceptor and an audience of pharmacists/healthcare professionals. Feel free to customize it to the requirements of the program you are interviewing for – for example, you may have a 10-minute limit whereas the presentation you made during you APPE was 30-45 minutes.

Look up common behavioral questions such as “tell me about a time when…” and put them into a Word document and start practicing. Google is your friend! Pull your answers from REAL experiences that YOU played a part in. Don’t fluff, people can read through it. I have an entire post dedicated to the interview process with tons of tips, so check it out when the time comes!

Finalize and submit your rank list post-interviews!

Exciting and nerve-wracking stuff, by this point all you’ll be able to do is wait!

What part of the process do you have questions about or scares you the most? Leave your comment/question down below or head over to my Instagram to ask there — I’d be happy to help. I wish you ALL the best! For more Residency content, check out the rest of my residency blog posts on here and on Instagram. I have created guides and have an Instagram highlight called ‘Rx Resi Help.’

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