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Second Chance for Residency Match

Dec 21, 2015
John A. Armitstead, M.S.,R.Ph., FASHP

John A. Armitstead, M.S.,R.Ph., FASHP

NEXT TO GRADUATION, Match Day is likely the most anticipated day on the calendars of soon-to-be pharmacy graduates. Years of hard work and months of pursuing just the right residency position culminate in the one email that reveals the next stop on a student’s pharmacy journey.

Residencies are fertile ground for passing on the knowledge and skills needed for contemporary pharmacy practice, so I’m encouraged to see so many student pharmacists pursue this important training and the accompanying surge in new residency programs. But even with a record number of applicants and residency positions participating in the 2015 Pharmacy Residency Matching Program, there were nearly 400 unfilled positions and more than 1,750 unmatched applicants.

Traditionally, this gap was bridged during the post-Match Scramble, where applicants and positions call or email their contacts in an effort to find a position or candidate. In an effort to further optimize this process for individuals who are seeking residencies, ASHP plans to institute a Second Residency Match. The Second Match will ensure that student pharmacists and PGY1 residents seeking a second-year residency position will have another structured opportunity to connect with open positions. The new Second Match will help level the playing field and will provide an orderly application process.

The list of programs participating in the Match is now available online. Applicants who do not match in Phase I can submit applications to participate in Phase II, the Second Match. Results of the Second Match will be announced in early April. The post-Match Scramble won’t entirely go away, but we believe that the new Second Match will help ensure that a predictable and fair process is available for both students and residency programs.

Next spring, as pharmacy graduates are gearing up for their commencement exercises, the next steps of their careers as patient care providers will be clearer, and the profession can look forward to a new corps of practitioners who are well prepared to fulfill our mission of providing optimal care for patients. Good luck to you, the pharmacy students and graduates. I wish you all the best in your perfect match for your residency program.

 

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