This episode is all about securing reference writers for letters of recommendation for pharmacy residency applications. Joining us is Dr. Brandi Bowers, a faculty member at UMKC School of Pharmacy at MSU.

Questions we discuss:

1. What is contained in the reference letter.
2. Who to ask to writer your reference letter.
3. When to ask for a reference letter.
4. How to communicate and best inform your reference writer to improve your chances of obtaining a pharmacy residency interview.

References from the episode:

1. Article we discuss: https://accpjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jac5.1929
2. Letter of Recommendation template form (as of 11.24.23): https://www.ashp.org/-/media/assets/professional-development/residencies/docs/11-14-23-PhORCAS-New-Evaluation-Form.pdf

Check out our website and sign-up to join the SASO (separate and stand out) squad. Check out our blog. If you like the show, support us by telling your friends or colleagues about it. You can also support us by clicking the coffee button on the website and buying us a cup of coffee or getting yourself some of our premium merch.

Follow us on twitter @PGPharmacist or on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn @ThePostGraduatePharmacist. What questions did we not answer? What did you think of the show?

Music | "Sweet" by LiQWYD

Watch: https://youtu.be/eIYlaVPdNYM

License: https://www.liqwydmusic.com/how-to-use

Download/Stream: https://hypeddit.com/link/un7fp7

This episode is all about all about Residency Showcases and Open Houses. Joining us is Dr. Katie Knight, a former PGY1 resident at Ascension Sacred Heart in Pensacola, Florida and current clinical pharmacist. At the time of the recording, Dr. Knight was still completing her residency and the episode is being released 6 months later.

Questions we discuss:

• What recruiting mechanisms programs are currently using, including virtual and in-person showcases and open houses.
• Differences and similarities between showcases and open houses.
• Benefits of showcases and open houses
• If the Midyear showcase attendance necessary to get a residency

This episode's take-aways:

• Showcases are generally held systematically at large meetings or conferences and can happen locally or nationally.
• Open houses are generally virtually and occur at various times depending on program availability
• Some open houses are joint if under a large health system
• How to find out about open houses: School/College of Pharmacy faculty and administrators (if they are contacted by programs); Listservs from professional organizations; Social media accounts from programs
• If planning to stay local and apply only to local program, consider only attending local showcases (state and surrounding states) instead of going to Midyear as well to save financially.
• Benefit of attending a showcase or open house is to create a comprehensive understanding of a program and obtain insight that is not included on the program website, but also get a sense of community of what it would be like to train at a given program.

What should you do now?

• Identify programs you are interested in.
• Determine if you would benefit from attending a regional or local showcase or if a national showcase is more feasible (depending on your geographic limitations)
• Determine if the program is holding an open house if travel to a national meeting is not feasible.

What should you do later?

• Develop a list of questions to ask programs at a showcase or open house.
• Continue to research and monitor program social media accounts to determine when/if they will hold open houses.

Check out our website and sign-up to join the SASO (separate and stand out) squad. Check out our blog. If you like the show, support us by telling your friends or colleagues about it. You can also support us by clicking the coffee button on the website and buying us a cup of coffee or getting yourself some of our premium merch.

Follow us on twitter @PGPharmacist or on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn @ThePostGraduatePharmacist. What questions did we not answer? What did you think of the show?

Music | "Sweet" by LiQWYD

Watch: https://youtu.be/eIYlaVPdNYM

License:

This episode is about new changes to PhORCAS.

Questions we discuss:

1. Purpose of PhORCAS and what it is.
2. When applicants can sign up and when they should.
3. What has changed this year in PhORCAS.
4. Components of the PhORCAS application.
5. Cost and resources involved in the application.

This episode's take-aways:

1. PhORCAS is more user-friendly than previous years.
2. Sign up and make an account as soon as you get the chance.
3. Make sure to fill out all parts of PhORCAS, even if they are on your CV.
4. Plan for the cost associated with PhORCAS.

Check out our website and sign-up to join the SASO (separate and stand out) squad. Check out our blog. If you like the show, support us by telling your friends or colleagues about it. You can also support us by clicking the coffee button on the website and buying us a cup of coffee or getting yourself some of our premium merch.

Follow us on twitter @PGPharmacist or on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn @ThePostGraduatePharmacist. What questions did we not answer? What did you think of the show?

Music | "Sweet" by LiQWYD

Watch: https://youtu.be/eIYlaVPdNYM

License: https://www.liqwydmusic.com/how-to-use

Download/Stream: https://hypeddit.com/link/un7fp7