Preparing students for residency interviews through a residency interview boot camp

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Postgraduate Training

Background:

• A voluntary residency boot camp was offered at a college of pharmacy for fourth-year student pharmacists.
• The activity aimed to improve preparedness for competitive pharmacy residency applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the structure and evolution of a residency boot camp.
• To assess the impact of the boot camp on student pharmacists' perceived readiness for residency interviews.

Main Methods:

• The boot camp initially included interview guidance, mock interviews, CV/letter of intent review, and application process discussion.
• Based on feedback, the activity was enhanced to include case and podium presentations.
• Pre- and post-assessments using a Likert scale measured perceived interview readiness.

Main Results:

• Participation rates varied by class year, with 67% (2014), 64% (2015), and 92% (2016) of applying students attending.
• The activity evolved to emphasize mock interviews and presentations based on student feedback.
• Students reported a perceived positive effect on their interview readiness.

Conclusions:

• Simulated training activities like residency boot camps are valuable for developing essential interview skills.
• Pharmacy students perceive these boot camps as beneficial for residency application success.