Residency Information Preferences of Recent Pharmacy Residency Applicants

Background: The increasing number of both postgraduate year (PGY)-1 and PGY-2 residency programs and applicants requires all parties to discriminate among the many options available in the marketplace. Studies assessing the information preferences of pharmacy students searching for residencies, including the utility and popularity of information sources (eg, school brochures, program Web sites, etc), are lacking. Objective: The preferences of recent residency applicants for types and sources of residency program information were assessed to improve the recruitment strategies of residency programs. Methods: A survey was distributed to 1515 residency program directors (RPDs). Questions solicited information regarding use of electronic resources and preference of information used to discriminate between residency programs prior to and during the application/interviewing process. Results: One hundred ninety-two RPDs responded and forwarded the survey to 522 PGY-1 residents and 207 PGY-2 residents. Completed surveys were submitted by 75.7% (n = 395) of PGY-1 residents and 57.5% (n = 119) of PGY-2 residents (overall response rate 71.3%). Participants ranked the program's Web site followed by a flash drive containing information about the program as the most preferred sources of information. Participants noted that required (n = 464) and elective learning experiences (n = 463) and current positions of past residents (n = 310) were very important information when deciding to apply to a program. Overall, 68.3% (n = 341) of participants indicated that they agreed or strongly agreed that electronic information sources were preferred over paper information sources. Conclusion: Residency programs should dedicate resources to ensuring that their Web site includes information regarding learning experiences and the current positions of past residents.