Beyond the PGY-1 community pharmacy residency: Characterizing career pathways of residency graduates

ObjectiveTo characterize positions obtained upon graduation from Community Pharmacy Residency Programs (CPRPs).DesignDescriptive nonexperimental study; online cross-sectional survey.SettingUnited States, February to April 2016.ParticipantsOne hundred thirty-three community pharmacy residency program alumni.InterventionCPRP alumni identified by past program directors were surveyed using 3 contact attempts.Main outcome measuresDescriptive measures of demographics and information regarding post-CPRP employment including sex, region, degree status, number of positions offered, and further specialization were determined. Skills developed during CPRPs, such as research, teaching, management, advocacy, and clinical service provision during employment, were reported.ResultsE-mails were sent to 216 potential participants, and 133 useable survey responses were gathered from CPRP alumni. When asked how many positions were offered upon residency graduation, 57% were offered 2 positions and 26% were offered 3 positions. Of those employed, 50% of respondents indicated employment at the practice site at which they completed their CPRP. The amount of time spent on traditional dispensing decreased from the initial post-residency position to the current position. The time CPRP graduates spent in roles involving research, management, and advocacy activities in their current position was increased.ConclusionGraduates of CPRPs spend approximately 34% of their time dispensing, which is less than the national average reported by the National Pharmacist Workforce Survey. A contributing factor to the expansion of CPRPs largely depends on the ability of employment opportunities that embrace the value this unique skill set brings. CPRPs foster clinical innovation and leadership in the community setting, thus creating additional opportunities for pharmacists to demonstrate their value to the health care system.