Emergency medicine pharmacist market perceptions: Emergency medicine residency program directors and directors of...

Graduating pharmacists are applying to postgraduate year 1 (PGY-1) and postgraduate year 2 (PGY-2) programs at a rate that is outpacing the number of programs available. Emergency department (ED) PGY-2 programs are gaining popularity, and competitions are increasing for applicants. Demand for ED pharmacists seems to be steady, although this has not yet been formally evaluated. This survey seeks to clarify current expectations from the ED pharmacist job market and those currently graduating from a PGY-2 ED program.

Electronic surveys were sent via e-mail from January 2019 to February 2019.

Directors of pharmacy (DOPs) and residency program directors (RPDs) of all PGY-2 ED programs available in the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists directory.

Included residency position forecast and trends, program development, pharmacist position forecast and trends, perceptions of pharmacist market, and salary.

RPDs stated that the number of PGY-2 ED resident applicants has increased over the past 5 years. Although RPDs did not plan to expand the number of PGY-2 ED resident positions in their program for the 2019-2020 cycle, they had strong plans to expand in the next 5 years. Although RPDs projected growth in the number of resident positions over the next 5 years, DOPs anticipated the number of full-time equivalents openings for ED pharmacists to remain constant over the next 5 years.

A survey involving PGY-2 ED program RPDs and DOPs found that the market was perceived to be stable by DOPs with more anticipation of growth by RPDs in the number of PGY-2 ED resident positions. Salaries have increased, and demand was perceived to at least be in balance with supply, with RPD respondents generally believing it was easy to find ED pharmacist employment and most PGY-2 ED program graduates finding employment in ED positions following residency.