Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Mar;87(2):ajpe8954.
doi: 10.5688/ajpe8954. Epub 2022 Mar 29.

A Survey of Pandemic Impacts on Pharmacy Residency Applications, Interviews, and Selection Factors

Dustin K Miracle  1 , Jenni Thomas  2 , Nicole F Keenan  1 , Robert J Kuhn  1 , Aric D Schadler  1 , Stacy Taylor  3
Affiliations

A Survey of Pandemic Impacts on Pharmacy Residency Applications, Interviews, and Selection Factors

Dustin K Miracle et al. Am J Pharm Educ. 2023 Mar.

Abstract

Objective. To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pharmacy residency application/interview processes, match rate, and factors influencing match rankings at a single college of pharmacyMethods. In spring of 2020 and 2021, an anonymous survey of fourth-year pharmacy school (P4) residency applicants at one college of pharmacy was administered. Survey responses were compared to explore trends in showcase participation, number/type/geographic dispersion of applications submitted, interview invitations, grade point average (GPA), research experience, and match rate. A thematic analysis evaluated common factors influencing match rankings.Results. Responses were collected from 75 of 99 (75.8% response rate) residency-seeking students in 2020 and 79 of 94 (84.0% response rate) in 2021. Students in 2021 reported applying to a higher median number of programs, with no significant differences in mean reported number of interview invitations or match rate. The virtual American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear Showcase led to a median reported savings of $1000 with no significant impact on perceived value. Virtual interviews led to a median reported savings of $430. Thematic analysis revealed feel/culture, location, and learning experience options as the most prevalent deciding factors for match rankings in both years.Conclusion. The pandemic led to an increase in the number of residency applications per student and yielded a net cost savings. There were no differences in number of interviews offered, match rate, or in deciding factors influencing match rankings. As the pandemic evolves, schools should maintain a flexible and dynamic approach to support students.

Keywords: COVID-19; internship and residency; interview; pharmacy; students.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Deciding factors influencing pharmacy students’ match rankings for residency programs by year.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. ASHP Match | Statistics of the Match. Published August 10, 2021. https://natmatch.com/ashprmp/stats.html. Accessed February 24, 2023.
    1. Pandemic effects on residency programs. ASHP. https://www.ashp.org/-/media/assets/professional-development/residencies.... Accessed February 24, 2023.
    1. Sasser CW, Wolcott MD, Morbitzer KA, Eckel SF. Lessons learned from pharmacy learner and educator experiences during early stages of COVID-19 pandemic. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2021;78(10):872-878. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Moore WJ, Webb A, Morrisette T, et al. . Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on training of pharmacy residents and fellows: Results from a national survey of postgraduate pharmacy trainees. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2021;78(12):1104-1111. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Shreffler J, Platt M, Thé S, Huecker M. Planning virtual residency interviews as a result of COVID-19: insight from residency applicants and physicians conducting interviews. Postgrad Med J. 2022;98:276-280. - PubMed