Is there reason to be suspicious?

[Glycerin]

I've been researching residencies for quite a while now. There are a couple in the geographical area in which I'm wanting to reside that have stipends "above the norm" for a typical residency. On paper, I can't find anything that would make me doubt the quality of the programs. These programs have been well-receptive of inquiries made to them in the past. However, the first comments that some people, including pharmacists that I know that have worked for many years, ask when I bring up these programs and their stipends are "What is wrong with the programs? There has to be a catch."

I'm asking for objective advice on the subject. Could it just be that these programs are just fine and may just perhaps pay more because the location is perhaps less than desirable or more remote?

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[KARM12]

Could be the cost of living....where are you looking? My residency is located in an expensive city so we make a few thousand more than most programs.

 

[Glycerin]

Could be the cost of living....where are you looking? My residency is located in an expensive city so we make a few thousand more than most programs.

It's on the West coast, but it's not near any major city. Even compared to the other residencies on that side of the country, the stipend's a lot more than most.

 

[whitewasheddesi]

hmm, is this the 70k one in northern california?

I have heard that residencies in the middle of nowhere are ready to give higher stipends to attract more students (e.g. ones in kentucky, etc.)

maybe that is why

 

[KARM12]

Other things to look at...

Did they match their spots this yr?
What type of hospital is it?
How many pharmacists? pharmacy specialists? high turn around?

 

[njac]

There's a $50K one in Houston.

 

[Allure]

If possible, you should contact the current residents and ask them about the program. They might be able to tell you more than any of us here can, but they might not tell you everything, afraid that it might come back to bite them in the butt. Every resident that I've talked to said that the program is good. I haven't heard a single negative comment and I know it can't all be that great.

 

[GatorRxGirl]

I agree with contacting the current residents.

Side note...I can't believe how soon all this is happening - applying for residency this year.

Any current residents please post the good/bad/and ugly!

 

[stevephhs016]

Yea.....it is getting so close. Fellowship or residency or retail/hospital??? They all seem so enticing for now.

Here on the east coast though, seems like most of the residencies and fellowship programs hover around the mid 30s to 40k mark.

 

[Priapism321]

I've been researching residencies for quite a while now. There are a couple in the geographical area in which I'm wanting to reside that have stipends "above the norm" for a typical residency. On paper, I can't find anything that would make me doubt the quality of the programs. These programs have been well-receptive of inquiries made to them in the past. However, the first comments that some people, including pharmacists that I know that have worked for many years, ask when I bring up these programs and their stipends are "What is wrong with the programs? There has to be a catch."

I'm asking for objective advice on the subject. Could it just be that these programs are just fine and may just perhaps pay more because the location is perhaps less than desirable or more remote?

If it is the University of Utah, they just pay more (approximately 55k across the board), not sure there is a good reason why (other than it is Salt Lake City, but I have never been). If it is a drug information residency (Stanford [75k], Kaiser [70k], and again, Utah), they pay more because they absolutely MUST have a resident. They do a lot of external contracting, and therefore compete with their stipends to attract the few individuals seeking Drug Information residencies each year.

 

[Priapism321]

And Stanford may offer 71k for the Critical Care residency because the preceptors look pretty weak overall (on paper that is). They may also pay so much because of what it costs to live in N. California, but I don't think many other sites in that area are nearly as generous.

 

[spacecowgirl]

Do they provide full benefits?

 

[Glycerin]

Do they provide full benefits?

As far as I know, they do.