To do or not to do a residency

[transzincIIB]

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I am really wondering, do all hospitals or ambulatory care wants a pharmacist with residency background now a days? I'd like to do residency but since this school year has started (my 3rd) the load is just heavy that boosting my gpa is not a guarantee anymore which will drop me into a low 3.xer. I wonder how much is this factored in residency application (considering that I'm involve with research...etc). I want to do residency because I want to be proficient in what I want to do. Or do I get a similar training if I get a hospital job right after graduation? Is it better to work 1/2 retail and 1/2 hospital once I graduate before getting into a residency? Any input helps...

 

[Deja]

uhhh, the reason for residency is so u can know what u r doing in the hospital, if u can get a hospital job with out residency, then i don't know why you would need one

 

[EBT12]

Community and hospital pharmacy are two different environments (as is ambulatory care, research, academics, etc). There are generally many more applicants for residency spots than their are positions available. It is quite competitive, and each program may be looking for different characteristics in their resident (i.e. part of the process is to find a good fit between the resident and institution).

Residency provides a very different experience than going to directly work in most hospitals or community pharmacies. You obtain different skills. It is important to look at what the residency offers to see if it matches your goals. Do you want to be a full-time clinical pharmacist? How much do you want to specialize? Do you want to teach (some residency programs have teaching certificates)? Do you want to work in administration (there are combination programs with a residency and MS in pharmacy administration). Etc etc.

As you go through pharmacy school, you will start to figure out what you are interested in and that will help you decide if a residency is right for you.

 

[PumpkinSmasher]

Community and hospital pharmacy are two different environments (as is ambulatory care, research, academics, etc). There are generally many more applicants for residency spots than their are positions available. It is quite competitive, and each program may be looking for different characteristics in their resident (i.e. part of the process is to find a good fit between the resident and institution).

Residency provides a very different experience than going to directly work in most hospitals or community pharmacies. You obtain different skills. It is important to look at what the residency offers to see if it matches your goals. Do you want to be a full-time clinical pharmacist? How much do you want to specialize? Do you want to teach (some residency programs have teaching certificates)? Do you want to work in administration (there are combination programs with a residency and MS in pharmacy administration). Etc etc.

As you go through pharmacy school, you will start to figure out what you are interested in and that will help you decide if a residency is right for you.

Well said. I debated doing a residency up until the end but decided to go directly into a job. I took a position with a medium sized non-profit hospital in my area. My duties at the hospital are split between staffing/clinical. I enjoy the variety and I like staying active in the daily pharmacy operations not just direct patient care activities.

I do a good amount of reading outside work to keep my clinical skills and follow-up on drug info questions.

Overall, I am extremely happy with my choice to go directly into the hospital position. I see a niche for myself and I am working toward developing it over the next couple years.

It seems every year the market will demand more and more that you must have a residency to get any position in a hospital, especially with more graduates, but you never know what opportunities may arise. I know a residency will be required the next time we have a job posting at our hospital.

When students ask me, I tell them it is a big gamble thinking you will find a clinical hospital or managed care job post graduation without a residency so go into the decision knowing that. If you really want part-time/full-time clinical duties then doing a residency is the safer bet. This will be your career most likely for the next 30-40 years, do you want to spend that time doing something you hate and leads you to being the apathetic pharmacist?

 

[transzincIIB]

Thank you so much for your inputs. I really wish it's that easy to get a job now a days. So far, it's good that I know myself and being an apathetic pharmacist is last thing I want to be. I am really happy I chose this profession. Knowing that I am well rounded, I can see myself as a clinical pharmacist. I like to be challenged, up-to-date, exhausted and to do a variety of things. I don't mind teaching either. would you say that a smart move would be apply to residency then check out a hospital located outside the city? Whichever opens the door first ... Take it yeah?

 

[BenJammin]

uhhh, the reason for residency is so u can know what u r doing in the hospital, if u can get a hospital job with out residency, then i don't know why you would need one

For what it's worth, a classmate of mine works full time at a local hospital as a pharmacist and does not have a residency. It's a medium sized city (roughly 23,000) but she doesn't have a PGY-1. This is why I'm split on the subject of residencies. The number of people I know that work in as a hospital pharmacist with a residency is the same number of people I know that don't have one. Could it be their location? I don't know.

 

[KUMoose]

Plan for a residency. If you get a job without it prior to graduation (i.e. you've gotten something in Feb/Mar from the hospital/etc), then great you're set. If you don't get a job prior to residency selection then you have a fall back option.

Trying to do one after a year off gets rather difficult. More then a year off and there are significant questions about memory/retraining and ability. I'm sure you'll be able to find the outliers of having people taking time off and going back, but from talking with friends and classmates they are just that. Outliers.

http://www.natmatch.com/ashprmp/

 

[Hope1974]

Wish everyone would do a 2 or 3 or 4 year residency.