Beginning of December was the annual conference by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) in Orlando, Florida. This was my first time attending as a student pharmacist and it was quite something.
One of the reasons why I decided to only go as a fourth year student was because, I am currently applying for residencies. I’ve had many colleagues tell me there is no real benefit attending unless you are a fourth year student and honestly, my take on that is, if you personally feel that you can afford going prior to fourth year I think it doesn’t hurt to go, especially if your goal is ultimately to match with a residency program in the future.
ASHP midyear
Midyear was a mix of feels for me, it included excitement, nervousness and exhaustion and i’m sure many other students can attest to those exact same feelings. First of all, it was quite overwhelming seeing the number of students at the conference wanting residencies, especially knowing that not all of us will match with one. Because there is such a limited amount of residency positions, the atmosphere at this conference was quite different than any other pharmacy conference I have attended. You could feel the competition in the air. I especially felt the competition during PPS interviews (Personnel Placement Service) and residency showcase which I will go into details later. However It was awesome running into friends from other pharmacy schools, reconnecting and even meeting new people. I took advantage of the opportunity to network during the conference, not only with students but also pharmacists. Networking in the pharmacy world is EXTREMELY important. You will find most people got a job because of someone they knew in their network.
One thing that I also realized is that, when you attend ASHP midyear it is VERY important you are professional at all times, not only during the conference but everywhere you go, even outside the conference. ASHP midyear is the largest pharmacy conference in the nation so thousands of pharmacists come from all over the country even Canada and Saudi Arabia. A lot of these pharmacists could be important people in the residency programs you apply to, last thing you want is to offend someone without you knowing and eliminating your spot in a potential residency program.
PPS (Personnel Placement Service)
ASHP offers a great opportunity during the conference to interview with potential residency programs including PGY-1, PGY-2 and fellowship programs. This is a great opportunity for you to see how a program is in an intimate setting before you apply, especially if the program is out of state. There is an extra fee to participate in PPS, but I found it completely worth the money.
Residency Showcase
It is important to be strategic and organized before attending residency showcase
Residency showcase was two things, exhilarating but also mayhem. It is important to be strategic and organized before attending residency showcase and having an idea what programs you want to talk to. I personally went a day before the residency showcase started to see where the programs I planned on talking to would be so that the navigation process would be easier. One thing I found frustrating though was that it was sometimes hard to get a good conversation in with residency directors, especially when 6 to 8 other students are there asking questions. I swear there were some people who would be around a residency director for at least 10 mins, which is not only a turn off to the residency director but also other students who have questions to ask.
My advice during residency showcase is to stand out as much as possible in the most unique way. I personally had a really unique way that caught everyone’s attention (which I will not share, sorry) and for that they will always remember me. Because programs see so many students it is tough to remember who stopped by, so be MEMORABLE, in a good way of course.
Michelle Obama
I got to witness THE Michelle Obama speak which was amazing. Every dollar spent on the conference was worth it because I got to see Michelle Obama, who is definitely someone I look up to. And of course I was not the only person, in fact, there was a stampede to enter the front doors to see her, which I have never witnessed before and it was crazy. Overall, she sparked my inspiration and determination to pursue my goals and It was a blessing seeing her.
The Pharmacy Profession
Don’t ever be afraid that a residency would be a poor move, because it is not. It is a great move for job security and quality of life.
It is important that you know what your goals are before pursuing a residency and to gain experiences to know exactly what you want to pursue as a pharmacist. The health-system pharmacy world is growing which is good news and there are a lot of opportunities. Also I am hearing that community pharmacy positions are slightly being more diminished. So don’t ever be afraid that a residency would be a poor move, because it is not. It is a great move for job security and quality of life. However it is important to do your research on the job market of certain specialties you may be interested in. Unfortunately there are some people who have completed a PGY-1 and PGY-2 and are struggling to find a job in their specialty. In such a case, it is good to be innovative and make connections with people to create a position or do your research early on, so you are not stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Ultimately, the future of pharmacy is bright, good luck to everyone applying to residency programs, do the best you can do and what is meant to be will happen.
–Ms RxGeek
Kgrant