Roseman residency history file

On Friday, June 15th, all Roseman University P3s received an email containing a document describing where students from Roseman University have done residency in previous years.  The document also described where our faculty trained and where they are currently affiliated with residency programs.  While it is not possible to provide names of alumni, some faculty have kept in touch with these former students and can contact them on your behalf.

Taking the risk on residency

More than any other generation of pharmacy students, you have taken a sizeable gamble in deciding to become a pharmacist.  Most likely you are taking a large financial risk in going to school to study pharmacy and the chances that there won't be a paycheck to help you with those loans is higher than it has been for previous students.  Pursuing a residency position is yet another huge gamble.  What will happen if your time and effort spent networking, working on applications, and completing projects don't pay off? 

Around this time of year, Dr. Sebranek and I talk to a lot of students who are hesitant to take the gamble on a residency position.  They perhaps enjoyed and did well in their first two rotations.  Maybe a recent preceptor told them they would make a good resident.  Maybe they have heard that a residency will best prepare them to compete for the type of pharmacy position they want.  The problem is that they are unsure if the gamble is worth the effort.  Here are some questions you should ask yourself if you are finding yourself in this position.

1. What am I losing by putting time and effort into applying for a residency if I don't get one? How does that time and effort compare to what I've already invested in the profession?
2. What advice have I been given about my "chances?"  Do people (classmates, preceptors, mentors, faculty) seem surprised when I say I want to pursue residency training? Do people seem enthusiastic and encouraging?  What is in my power to change if my chances don't seem favorable in other's eyes?
3. How well informed do I feel about what I will get out of residency training?
4. What do I risk by spending my first (or second) year after graduation in residency training? What are the expectations of my friends and family? What do and don't they understand about the risks vs. benefits of completing a residency?

A recent study published in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacists reveals the results of a survey of current residents and pharmacy faculty on the factors motivating students to decide to pursue or not pursue residency training.  The most common barriers were as follows: financial obligations (79%), a job was available upon graduation (45%), family obligations (37%), geographical limitations (28%), the belief that grades were not good enough (17%), competition for highly sought after programs (28%), disappointment of not matching (20%). 

I don't know about you, but I think it is a shame that 3 out of the 6 most common reasons have to do with fear and lack of confidence.  As you are thinking about your next steps, evaluate your fears carefully and take a hard look at the "worst case scenarios." 

How to select programs in the scramble

I know it's been a long and arduous process, but if you are scrambling, get ready for the final sprint.  By now you have probably at least browsed through the unmatched position list, but where to start?  Here are some steps which might help you break this down a little. 

1. Look for places for which you have already applied.  They might not be THE hospital you sent your original application to, but consider the possibility that they might be willing to consider you more seriously since you have already been vetted by their "sister" hospital.  Another reason I put this first is that you might be able to swing a rotation at the other hospital which first attracted you to the system.  This couldn't hurt if they have a PGY-2 you are interested in for next year as well.
2. Ask a few mentors for ideas.  They might know someone at one of the sites.  Make sure they know what you are looking for so they don't try to send you to a critical care place when you really want more of an ambulatory care place.  This means you need to give people copies of the unmatched list so that they can browse and do a little research.  As I was poking around, I found a former student from Henderson who is now in a completely different part of the country at a site with an unmatched slot.
3. Since you have a much smaller list than when you did this the first time around, consider a process of elimination vs. a process of adding sites to your list.  If you don't want home infusion, for example, you can cross off all of the "Critical Care Systems" slots.  If you are considering this program, give me a call, I know the director pretty well.
4. If you are thinking about a PGY-2 in an inpatient specialty, consider the benefits of a good solid well-rounded PGY-1 experience at a community hospital.  If they offer the basics like cardiology, critical care, pediatrics, internal medicine, administration, and infectious disease, you will have a good foundation for future specialization.  Some of these places might be in more rural areas, which might mean less competition from students at other schools.
5. Don't be afraid of programs in candidate status.  Like the regular application process, you want to apply broadly to more well-known and lesser-known to improve your chances.  EVERY program started in candidate status at some point.  There could be something in there with great potential as long as you will get the experiences you are looking for.

More updates to come!  Hang in there scramblers.  I have a long list of former Roseman students who started out in the scramble and now are gainfully employed in top-notch positions.