We talk with our guest Dr. Jessica Starr, current residency program director, about being a standout residency candidate. Why do you need to be a Stand Out candidate? Post-Graduate Training is becoming more competitive and as a result applicants are doing more to self-brand and sell themselves. 20 years ago, if you were the leader of one organization and applied for a residency program, you most likely would get it. Now, having a single leadership experience pales in comparison to candidates with 2-3 leadership experiences, 1-3 research or quality improvement projects, and even publications. You want to shine in the sea of applicants applying for programs you are interested. You want to get your foot in the door at these programs and then do well on the onsite site interviews. What are things programs look for in Stand Out Candidates? Knowledge or familiarity with the pharmacy school you are graduating fromA well written LOIGreat ReferencesA well Formatted CV (with all the criteria below)Research experienceLeadership experienceHigh GPA (we'll talk more about this later)Diverse APPE/rotation experiencesAPPE/rotation experience in the area you are applying for (e.g. hospitals or clinics)Work experience with preference for work experience in the area you are applying forCommunity serviceStrong self-vision of goals and how to obtain them Lets break each of them down: Knowledge of program: Unfortunately this is somewhat out of your control unless you are listening to this episode before you enter pharmacy school. The older, more prestigious the school, the more alumni will have graduated and dispersed across the nation and the more individuals who will understand the caliber of students. For example, I went to a school that was established in the 2000's. I attended East Tennessee State University, which I am proud to say has built a prestigious reputation in a short amount of time; however, when I graduated, no one outside of the region had any idea what type of program ETSU was. Therefore, when I applied to residencies out west, they most likely did not give my application much consideration. This is not something that should drastically change your evaluation of programs or application process, it is just something to consider when applying to programs far from where you attended pharmacy school. Letter of Intent: The letter of intent is your 1 page (or 2) narrative and voice prior to onsite interviews. Aside from descriptions on your CV, your LOI is the only thing programs have to really hear you before they meet you. Your Letter should VERY CLEARLY and VERY SPECIFICALLY describe 3 things. First, what are your short and long-term goals and how does that relate to your desire to pursue post-graduate training. Second, why THIS program, the one getting the letter, is THE PLACE, that will allow you to achieve those goes. Third, why your experiences thus far will BENEFIT the program and help the purpose of the program! Did I mention you need to be specific?? No fluff!Great References: Your reference writers need to be able to speak confidently and specifically about your clinical (or other) qualities that pertain to the post-graduate training program you are applying. You want to get individuals who will write you a POSITIVE letter of reference. Key note, people who write references a lot are better at writing references and will most likely talk about your qualities more thoroughly than someone who doesn't usually write letters, but just likes you. A well Formatted CV: Needs to be perfect, error free, easily scannable, with explanations on major projects or initiatives like research, leadership/organizational involvement. You can also put...
