Implementing and evaluating a diversity, equity, and inclusion resident recruitment strategy

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy education
• Healthcare diversity initiatives
• Residency program recruitment

Background:

• The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) emphasizes racial diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in pharmacy residency programs.
• Effective July 1, 2023, DEI is a mandatory component of the ASHP Accreditation Standard for postgraduate pharmacy residency programs.
• A diverse residency program enhances patient care, trainee development, and organizational benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) residency recruitment strategy implemented at University of Michigan Health, Michigan Medicine (MM).
• To evaluate the effectiveness of MM's DEI recruitment approach in increasing racial diversity among applicants for the postgraduate year 1 pharmacy program.

Main Methods:

• Established a dedicated residency DEI subcommittee.
• Conducted targeted outreach to students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups.
• Revised the application screening rubric to mitigate potential biases.

Main Results:

• The multifaceted recruitment strategy led to a 5% increase in applicants from pharmacy schools with a high proportion of underrepresented minority students.
• The implemented interventions demonstrated the effectiveness of targeted recruitment in enhancing applicant diversity.

Conclusions:

• Targeted recruitment strategies are effective in increasing the racial diversity of pharmacy residency program applicants.
• Further exploration of unaddressed barriers to diversity in residency recruitment is warranted.
• Implementing DEI principles in recruitment aligns with evolving accreditation standards and benefits all stakeholders.