Ohio pharmacists' opinions concerning required residency

ObjectiveTo determine the opinion of Ohio pharmacists as it concerns the necessity and value of required residencies for current Doctor of Pharmacy graduates.MethodsA self-administered survey was sent to 1000 randomly selected Ohio pharmacists. The survey consisted of 15 items that had to do with residencies and used a Likert scale. Next, nine items used a semantic differential scale to assess opinions of required residencies for hospital, academic, and community pharmacy practice. The study methods were approved by the university's Institutional Review Board.ResultsA response rate of 44.8% was achieved. The average respondent was a 45-year-old female with a BS degree who worked full time in community practice. Most pharmacists (80.6%) thought that a one-year post graduate residency (PGY1) should not be required for a pharmacist entering community pharmacy. In comparison, 49.9% of pharmacists disagreed or strongly disagreed that a PGY1 residency should be required for a pharmacist entering hospital pharmacy. Respondents in the semantic differential scale indicated that PGY1 residencies were most important for academics (3.06 ± 1.83), then hospital practice (3.13 ± 1.73), and least important for community practice (4.59 ± 1.89).ConclusionOverall, Ohio pharmacists responded that residencies should not be required. Residencies were considered most valuable for academic pharmacists, then hospital pharmacists, and least valuable for community pharmacists. Ohio pharmacists were of the opinion that current Doctor of Pharmacy curricula adequately prepare students to successfully practice pharmacy, and further postgraduate training was not necessary.