Residency preparation elective courses (and other factors) as predictors of pharmacy residency match rates

The current demand for pharmacy residencies far exceeds supply. The primary purpose of this study was to determine if presence of a pharmacy residency elective course has an effect on the American Society of Health System Pharmacists Residency Matching Program ("the Match") rates.

Data from the 2018 residency match were collected. Independent variables such as presence of a residency preparation elective course, residency track availability, school's affiliation with a residency program, interest in residency (as measured by the number of students enrolled in the Match divided by the number of degrees conferred), age of pharmacy school, first-time 2018 North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination pass rates, number of degrees conferred in 2018, funding status, and geographic region were analyzed to determine factors that could affect or had an association with match rates.

From 139 accredited pharmacy schools, data from 135 schools of pharmacy were included in this study. The match rate for schools with a residency preparation elective course compared to those without was 61% and 62%, respectively. Following univariate linear regression analysis, availability of a residency course did not significantly affect residency match rates. The covariates of geographic region and funding source were significantly predictive of residency match success.

The presence of a residency preparation elective course in the curriculum did not have a significant effect on 2018 match rates when accounting for various variables. It is uncertain whether enrollment in such an elective would have an effect on match rates.