r/PharmacyResidency

I'm a current 4th year who is on rotations that are pass/fail, so my GPA is pretty much set in stone now. I know I'm not competitive at Academic Medical Centers, but I'm considering Managed Care or more Suburban Hospitals. Many of the programs I'm interested in (both ASHP and Non ASHP accredited) don't say a minimum GPA (I found 2 with a 2.8 minimum). They just say graduation from Pharmacy School. If the program doesn't list the gpa, does it mean that they don't have a minimum, it's "unspoken", or they look at the application holistically with GPA as one factor among many?

Besides academics, I have decent extracurriculars, internships, research, and leadership, and can probably secure good rec letters.

I just finished my first week of residency and I'm trying to find the best way to keep track of all the deadlines and meetings. Does anyone have a favorite planner that has been helpful?

Completed PGY2 in critical care at a level 1 trauma center and opening for an ER job at a smaller site with 1/3 beds due to location limitations and job saturation. Will be able to look and work up ICU patients if time permits on shift but not guaranteed. Will this hinder my application to a CC job in the future? Any advice?

I’m curious as to which of the above people have found more useful in studying for the BCEMP. My focus is usually on practice questions, not so much doing a comprehensive review. I’d love to hear anyone’s experience studying for this exam!

Is staffing supposed to be this awful? Maybe it’s because I’m training (and interned outpatient) and feel stupid but between the staff pharmacists being mean and my site being short staffed, I cried the entire way home. I just feel defeated.

Hey guys, I’m considering a PGY1 residency opportunity at a hospital while being a mom to a toddler, and I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has done something similar.

I’m a recently licensed pharmacist (foreign grad) and this would be my first hospital role here in US. The program is at a smaller site and I would be the only resident there!

I’m trying to understand what the day-to-day reality is like—especially balancing residency hours, studying, projects and childcare. If anyone has gone through PGY1 with young kids, or even just as a foreign grad-what was the most challenging part or what did you wish you knew before taking it on? I really value your honest experience, what helped you manage it, and what you wish you had known before starting. I am having second thoughts about it.TIA!

Like the title suggests, my PGY-1 ended and I’m incredibly sad. Like I can’t stop crying sad. I really loved my preceptors and all of the staff at my site. I am going on to a PGY-2 that starts next week and I’m scared I had such a great experience with my PGY-1 that it’s not going to be the same. Any advice?

My residency start date was supposed to be today. I’m having issues with HR and they will not let me start until next Monday 7/6. Long story short I have some accommodations, they are saying my doctor’s letter is not specific enough and won’t clear me for work. I cannot get this resolved any faster and my RPD can’t either. Already getting a new letter sent today.

Since it is now completely out of my control RPD has said they’ll work with me, and I can start next week. Obviously I’m missing a lot of orientation. They’re looping me in via teams meeting for some info sessions that I don’t need full clearance for, and doing some other online stuff. I want to do this so I don’t fall behind but it’s occurred to me I won’t be getting any pay during this time. I don’t want to be the problem resident and I want to show my program I am willing to do what it takes to get this sorted and catch up with my peers. Just because I’m having a paperwork snafu doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be paid during training like the at any other job. I also don’t want to fall behind or seem ungrateful. Has this ever happened to you or your residents? What did you do?

TLDR: Can’t start on time due to paperwork issue. I’m being asked to do some online orientation training without compensation. Can I tactfully broach the subject of money without rocking the boat more?

Hey everyone,

I am completely stuck and experiencing major decision paralysis. I have two incredible offers, but I am feeling overwhelmed trying to choose between them because of the massive financial and lifestyle differences.

I’m a Canadian citizen (from BC) and I need to choose between:

University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Medical School

University of Toronto (U of T) PharmD (Pharmacy)

My Dilemma & Fears:

My ultimate career goal is to have high lifestyle/schedule freedom, a solid income, and the ability to work part-time later in life. I absolutely do not want to work crazy, exhaustive hours forever, and I do not want to take my work home with me.

The MD Path (UIC): I am absolutely terrified of the debt. Because I don't have a US co-signer, I'm looking at stacking a Canadian Medical LOC with private lenders like MPOWER. The total debt at graduation will easily clear $450,000+ CAD. I am incredibly anxious about the 60–80 hour weeks during residency, and I'm stressed about the matching process—what if I don't match into a shift-based, lifestyle-friendly specialty (like Outpatient Family Med or Urgent Care) and end up stuck in a brutal specialty?

The Pharmacy Path (U of T): The finances are way more manageable (around $80k–$100k total debt, mostly covered by StudentAid BC). My goal here would be to completely avoid retail and pursue a Hospital/Clinical residency, or transition to the US on a TN Visa for higher pay. However, I’ve heard hospital slots are insanely competitive. My biggest fear is failing to get a hospital job and being forced to work a corporate retail counter, which is an environment I explicitly want to avoid.

What I need advice on:

Has any other Canadian taken the USMD route with zero US co-signers? How bad is managing that debt during residency?

For the doctors: Is it realistic to easily transition into a part-time, shift-work lifestyle right after residency? Is the 7+ year grind worth it if my primary goal is avoiding long hours?

For the pharmacists: How realistic is it to completely bypass retail if you go to U of T? Is the hospital pharmacist lifestyle actually as flexible and low-stress as it looks? How easy is it to work in USA after my studies? What are your thoughts on industrial pathway

I feel like I'm looking at spreadsheets and interest rates all day and completely losing my mind. I would love to hear from any residents, attending physicians, or hospital pharmacists who can give me some real-world perspective.

Thank you so much.

Is it bad my pgy2 in oncology uses cerner and not epic? I used epic in pgy1, will training without using Beacon in oncology put me at a disadvantage post pgy2

I am a recent PharmD graduate who unfortunately did not match into a residency program despite participating in Phase I, Phase II, and the post-Match process. I applied to both in-state and out-of-state programs and received approximately 7–8 interviews after applying to around 15 programs during Phase I. Although I was grateful for these opportunities, I was ultimately unsuccessful in matching.

This outcome has been especially difficult because I also had to repeat an academic year after failing a course due to unforeseen circumstances. I successfully remediated the course and graduated with a cumulative GPA of 3.1. Throughout pharmacy school, I held several leadership positions and gained multiple years of hospital internship experience.

My goal remains to pursue a residency, particularly within the VA system. I plan to take and pass the NAPLEX and CPJE this year, continue working as a hospital intern, and apply again during the next residency cycle.

I would greatly appreciate any guidance from residents, preceptors, or residency program directors.

• Is it appropriate to reapply to the same VA residency programs that I interviewed with or applied to this past cycle?
• What experiences or accomplishments would you recommend I focus on over the next several months to become a stronger residency candidate?
• For those who have reapplied successfully, what changes made the biggest difference in your application?
• How did you plan for the interviews? What skills or examples did you use for the interviews? I would also appreciate if they could give examples for clinical questions as well.

Thank you in advance for your time and any guidance you are willing to share.

What kind of resources have y’all used to study? Geoff Mospan’s study guide? Dr. C’s?

Hi everyone,

I'm a P4 student interested in pursuing a career in pediatric pharmacy and ultimately completing a pediatric PGY2. As I start thinking about residency applications, I'm trying to decide whether it is better to pursue:

A PGY1 at a dedicated children's hospital

or

A PGY1 at a large academic medical center that has pediatric experiences available

My long-term goal is to be a competitive candidate for a pediatric PGY2. I know children's hospitals offer more pediatric exposure throughout the year, but some academic medical centers seem to have strong pediatric rotations while also providing broader adult experiences.

For those who matched into pediatric PGY2 programs (or are involved in residency recruitment), how much does the PGY1 site matter? Is a dedicated children's hospital significantly advantageous, or can a strong PGY1 at an academic medical center with meaningful pediatric experiences prepare you just as well?

Additionally:

• What pediatric experiences during PGY1 are most important when applying to PGY2?
• Are there any disadvantages to completing PGY1 at a children's hospital?
• If you could go back, would you make the same choice?

I'd appreciate hearing about your experiences and any advice you have. Thanks!

hello! p4 student here. just wondering how heavily Canadian residency programs weigh gpa. mine is below 3.0, but i do have strong references and some leadership, work, and extracurricular experience. do applicants with lower gpas still have a realistic chance if the rest of their application is solid?

just looking for honest feedback so i can set realistic expectations. thanks!

P3, oncology PGY1 → PGY2 track, targeting academic medical centers.

Most of my CV strength is research: ~20 PubMed-indexed publications, mix of first-author and co-author, oncology/pharmacology (a mix of review articles and some bench original research). Clinical experience is solid but not standout, and my leadership is org-level rather than exceptional.

Question for RPDs / current residents: at what point do publications stop moving the needle? Is a research-heavy profile a genuine differentiator for competitive AMC programs, or does it plateau fast and I should be redirecting energy toward rotations, LORs, and interview prep?

Trying to figure out if I’m building on a strength or quietly neglecting gaps. Appreciate any honest read.

I can’t believe the end of the year is here! I want to get a gift for my co-residents and need some ideas with help for what to get! Has to be something I can obtain quickly via amazon, target, etc!

Everyone will be practicing inpatient clinical pharmacy (either via a job or PGY2) except for one, who does not have a job lined up yet. I want to get everyone the same gift, but not something specific to clinical practice, so that the one without a job doesn’t feel singled out… Any ideas?