residency showcase - 2 questions

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gsinccom

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1) Paperwork for Midyear- So the application deadlines aren't until January for most residency programs. What paperwork do you recommend taking to Midyear to leave with the programs you speak to? One of my friends said to have all your application materials done before midyear but then also said you only take your CV to MidYear. If that is the case why would you need your Letters of Intent and Letters of Recomendation done by midyear? Any other advice on the timing of completing residency paperwork and what will be asked for at Midyear?

2) Contacting Program Directors - Should you contact all Residency Program directors, that you are interested in speaking with at Midyear, before MidYear? If so, when is a good time and what would be good to discuss with them? In other words, is it bad form to go to a Residency Program's table at Midyear if you haven't already made contact with them beforehand?

Ok, a 3rd question...

3) Types of LORs - I've heard it suggested that you obtain one letter from a professor, one from an employer and one from a preceptor. I haven't worked a ton through Pharmacy school so I've been thinking of obtaining more than one from professors or preceptors or even one from someone with whom I've affiliated in an extracurricular event. What are your thoughts on not following the typical types of LORs?

Thank you.

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1) Paperwork for Midyear- So the application deadlines aren't until January for most residency programs. What paperwork do you recommend taking to Midyear to leave with the programs you speak to? One of my friends said to have all your application materials done before midyear but then also said you only take your CV to MidYear. If that is the case why would you need your Letters of Intent and Letters of Recomendation done by midyear? Any other advice on the timing of completing residency paperwork and what will be asked for at Midyear?

2) Contacting Program Directors - Should you contact all Residency Program directors, that you are interested in speaking with at Midyear, before MidYear? If so, when is a good time and what would be good to discuss with them? In other words, is it bad form to go to a Residency Program's table at Midyear if you haven't already made contact with them beforehand?

Ok, a 3rd question...

3) Types of LORs - I've heard it suggested that you obtain one letter from a professor, one from an employer and one from a preceptor. I haven't worked a ton through Pharmacy school so I've been thinking of obtaining more than one from professors or preceptors or even one from someone with whom I've affiliated in an extracurricular event. What are your thoughts on not following the typical types of LORs?

Thank you.

1. CV only at the residency showcase, and most of them won't even want that. However, you should be working on securing your letters of recommendation well before the midyear meeting, because the people you are asking require/deserve a decent amount of time to generate a thoughtful letter; but no need to bring them to the meeting.

2. It is not bad form to approach a program without contacting them previously when it comes to the residency showcase. It is a fairly informal process. If you were doing PPS, prior contact is strongly encouraged, but as I have said previously, I do not recommend PPS for the PGY1 year (though it may be more beneficial for some than others).

3. All of mine for PGY1 and PGY2 were from preceptors.
 
1) Paperwork for Midyear- So the application deadlines aren't until January for most residency programs. What paperwork do you recommend taking to Midyear to leave with the programs you speak to? One of my friends said to have all your application materials done before midyear but then also said you only take your CV to MidYear. If that is the case why would you need your Letters of Intent and Letters of Recomendation done by midyear? Any other advice on the timing of completing residency paperwork and what will be asked for at Midyear?

2) Contacting Program Directors - Should you contact all Residency Program directors, that you are interested in speaking with at Midyear, before MidYear? If so, when is a good time and what would be good to discuss with them? In other words, is it bad form to go to a Residency Program's table at Midyear if you haven't already made contact with them beforehand?

Ok, a 3rd question...

3) Types of LORs - I've heard it suggested that you obtain one letter from a professor, one from an employer and one from a preceptor. I haven't worked a ton through Pharmacy school so I've been thinking of obtaining more than one from professors or preceptors or even one from someone with whom I've affiliated in an extracurricular event. What are your thoughts on not following the typical types of LORs?

Thank you.

1. Most programs won't take your CV...but you can bring some just in case. I would not hand them an application. Midyear is a time to figure out what programs you would like to apply to.

2. It is okay to talk to the programs the first time during the showcase...if fact I think that is the norm. You can contact the program director beforehand with questions if you feel the desire to do so. You aren't actually interviewing for programs at Midyear.

3. I had my letters from 1 preceptor and 2 professors (one who I had as a preceptor). I would say at least one letter should be from a preceptor. I don't think a letter from your place of employment is important...and from my experience, these letters end up pretty generic.
 
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Thanks Karm and Pria for your advice:). Anyone else have any on my original questions?

I have another question. Do residencies operate on sort-of a rolling basis? In other words is getting your application in well before the application deadline going to give you a leg up on getting an interview? I've noticed some programs start interviewing only a week after their application deadlines. Please advise.
 
I would also like to know about the rolling policies for most programs. Is there an advantage to getting your app in the day after midyear?
 
probably not.
 
1) Paperwork for Midyear- So the application deadlines aren't until January for most residency programs. What paperwork do you recommend taking to Midyear to leave with the programs you speak to? One of my friends said to have all your application materials done before midyear but then also said you only take your CV to MidYear. If that is the case why would you need your Letters of Intent and Letters of Recomendation done by midyear? Any other advice on the timing of completing residency paperwork and what will be asked for at Midyear?

2) Contacting Program Directors - Should you contact all Residency Program directors, that you are interested in speaking with at Midyear, before MidYear? If so, when is a good time and what would be good to discuss with them? In other words, is it bad form to go to a Residency Program's table at Midyear if you haven't already made contact with them beforehand?

Ok, a 3rd question...

3) Types of LORs - I've heard it suggested that you obtain one letter from a professor, one from an employer and one from a preceptor. I haven't worked a ton through Pharmacy school so I've been thinking of obtaining more than one from professors or preceptors or even one from someone with whom I've affiliated in an extracurricular event. What are your thoughts on not following the typical types of LORs?

Thank you.


1) It will probably make it easier on you if you have some of the application materials organized and figured out before midyear but all you really need to worry about bringing ni your CV. All I've done so far is look at each programs application process to make sure there aren't any surprises and if they have any special requests (like LORs from specific people).

2) I went ahead and emailed a few directors for each program I am interested in, I mostly got a canned generic email back along with an attachment containing the program's brochure. I don't think its that big of a deal ut I would rather them have seen my name a couple times before midyear.

3) I don't think I would get one from an extracurricular unless they were a pharmacist, teacher, or another health professional. I got 2-3 from preceptors and 1 from my employer.
 
I would also like to know about the rolling policies for most programs. Is there an advantage to getting your app in the day after midyear?

From my experience, they look at the applicant pool as a whole and then start inviting candidates...but each program is different. I feel like most interview offers won't come out until early Jan anyway. We ended up put all the materials in a file cabinet as they came in, so we didn't even see the exact date they arrived.
 
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