Are you a pharmacy student want to find the RIGHT FIT for pharmacy residency? Find out 6 ways to find the RIGHT FIT and over 30 questions to ask in this process. Stay until the end when I share what was the MOST important question to ask to find the right fit.
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Hi, I’m Dr. Jessica Louie and I’m an Associate Professor, Board-Certified Critical Care Pharmacist and entrepreneur. I help people find meaning beyond a job title and let go of burnout. We talk passive income and simplifying on this channel to combat stress and burnout. If you haven’t seen my burnout story or our debt-free journey while in residency/fellowship, please click those video links below.
If you don’t know about my journey, I completed a PGY1 in pharmacy practice and PGY2 in critical care in 2014 and 2015 as ASHP accredited programs.
This video is my personal opinion and not associated or sponsored.
Residency Fit 1: Goals
- Where do you see yourself in the next few years?
- Do you have a PGY2 specialty in mind already that you would like to early commit to?
- Academic institution or community hospital?
- Does it offer a teaching certificate?
- Does it offer opportunities to work with other healthcare trainees (i.e. medical residents, medical students, pharmacy students, etc
Residency Fit 2: Fit for learning and personality
- Do you see yourself being successful in this program?
- Do you feel comfortable with the team members?
- Can you see yourself in this setting for 1-2 years?
- Do you feel you could ask questions and learn from this environment?
- Do you feel the support system is in place? Orientation? Continuing education? Support for research? Support for conferences (time and financial)?
- What type of leadership is in place? Will they micro-manage you?
Residency Fit 3: Specialty, Rotations and Services
- What rotations are offered?
- What rotations are required and what rotations are elective?
- What specialties are offered that are PGY2 options?
- What is the structure of the rotation?
- Is it possible to change the rotation schedule if interests change?
- Can you do a rotation outside the institution?
Residency Fit 4: Program Size
- How many PGY1 residents are at the program?
- Are there different types of PGY1 residencies within the same program?
- Are there PGY2 residency programs offered?
- How many full-time pharmacists are at the organization?
- What is the pharmacy preceptor to resident ratio?
Residency Fit 5: Location
- Urban versus rural
- Close to family or friends or a completely new city for you?
- Near a pharmacy school?
- Near a medical school?
- Where do residents live?
- What is the average cost of housing and transportation?
- What types of weather or seasons are in this area?
- What activities are nearby to do outside of residency?
- What are the pharmacy laws or regulations in the area/state?
- Where is the closest airport if this is a new city?
Residency Fit 6: Compensation
- What is the salary for the year?
- Do they offer retirement benefits?
- Do they offer health insurance, dental insurance and/or vision insurance?
- Do they offer sick time off and are there limits to how much you can take as a resident?
- Do they offer PTO vacation time off and are there limits to how much you can take as a resident?
- Are there opportunities to pick up extra shifts and be made at pharmacist hourly rate?
- Are there opportunities to work other jobs during the residency program (likely part of a contract you sign if this is allowed such as per-diem or part-time work)?
- Do they offer professional development funds for conferences or CE credit?
- Do they compensate in full for required conferences you need to attend (i.e. recruiting at ASHP Midyear)?
What is the MOST important question to ask when looking for the right fit for a residency program?
- Do you feel you could ask questions and learn from this environment?
- Are there opportunities in the specialty you are most interested in? Critical care, solid organ transplantation and cystic fibrosis
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You may also Enjoy Reading:
- How to Stand Out as a Residency Applicant
- Day in the Life of a Critical Care Pharmacist
- Roadmap to Pharmacy Residency
- 5 Ways to Improve Study Habits
- 5 Tips for Staying Focused while Studying
- How to Use Medication Charts to Study Drugs
Jessica Louie, PharmD, APh, BCCCP is the CEO of Clarify, Simplify, Align and Host of The Burnout Doctor Podcast. Dr. Louie uses her signature Burnout Doctor Method to coach burned out pharmacists & professionals to simplify because work-life balance is a LIE. Align work into your life & break free from people pleasing, perfectionism and thrive in life on YOUR TERMS.