Miller ML. Getting Started in a Pharmacy Residency. Washington, DC: American Pharmacists Association; 2013, 202pp, $32.50 (softcover), ISBN 9781582121550.

Getting Started in a Pharmacy Residency is one of several “Getting Started…” books released by the American Pharmacists Association. Other titles include Getting Started as a Pharmacy Faculty Member, Getting Started as a Pharmacy Preceptor, and Getting Started as a Pharmacy Manager. This 202-page paperback serves as a reference to help student pharmacists learn the basics about residency training. As competition for residencies becomes more intense, this guide can be referred to one chapter at a time or read from cover to cover for a full overview and better understanding of details of the process. This text offers students instruction, additional resources, examples, and anecdotes for each topic. As a residency program director, I found myself agreeing with much of the content, and wanting to bold, italicize, and underline some of the advice to our residency-bound students. Author Monica L. Miller offers insight into her own residency journey while offering additional quotes and stories from other fairly recent residency graduates. It is refreshing that not all of the stories were about the easy or wonderful process of finding a residency. For example, one of the pharmacists interviewed went through the post-match “scramble,” and another didn’t get their first choice during the match process. As Miller refers to her own story throughout in the first person, students can almost get to know her. Hearing about how she narrowed down her residency search is relatable to most students during this time. While reading the book from cover to cover may offer more context to Miller’s story, most students will likely use the various chapters at different times in their search. The sequence of the 10 chapters is logical. Chapter 1 begins with a discussion on the decision to become residency trained. While students reviewing this book will likely have made that decision already, reading this chapter can provide a more thorough understanding for what a residency is, and it also offers a comparison of types of residencies (PGY-1 vs community vs managed care, as well as academic centers vs VA medical centers vs community hospitals.) There is no discussion of residency accreditation or standards. Chapter 2 reviews the desirable characteristics of a candidate. This chapter is most helpful for younger students with more time to follow the advice or participate in leadership or research, but it also addresses gaining experience later in pharmacy school. These characteristics are similar to many evaluation forms that programs use to determine which candidates to interview, and include GPA, professional curiosity, leadership and professional organizations, research, community service, developing positive relationships, and know what you want. Two components not discussed include: choosing appropriate and challenging advanced pharmacy practice experiences, and work experience. Chapter 3 discusses researching residency programs. The examples and stories in this chapter are most helpful to assist students in narrowing down their search for programs that meet their needs. It includes a comprehensive list of questions to consider in order to focus one’s residency search. Chapter 4 is a guide to preparing a curriculum vitae. This chapter provides well thought out examples within the text that students may use as a template. Additionally, there are 2 full CV examples for students to review within the text. Miller’s examples are relevant to this audience. There is no comparison to other types of self-promotion formats such as resumes or online portfolios. Chapter 5 discusses connecting with residency programs during showcases or by e-mail. As a program director who receives many e-mails, I particularly appreciated the e-mail examples. However, students may find the list of questions to be of the most value in this chapter. The authors give a comprehensive list of questions to ask about each program, and divide the list into questions to ask the current residents vs questions to ask the residency program director. The chapter compares the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ (ASHP’s) Residency showcase vs the Personal Placement Service, which is often an area of confusion for students. The application process is considered in Chapter 6. It describes a process to assist readers in making a decision on where to apply. Writing letters of intent and requesting a letter of recommendation are described. There is an example of a good and a poor letter of intent within the text. There is also a section on the Pharmacy Online Residency Centralized Application Service. Chapter 7 is about the residency interview. Again, there are lists of questions for the reader to consider; both for the reader to prepare to answer, as well as for the reader to prepare to ask the program during the interview. There is a discussion of budgeting for the search, which is a consideration students may forget about until the time comes to pay for expenses. While there is a sidebar about professional attire, the author leaves out mention of professionalism in social media. An area of concern for students is included in the next chapter: The Match. In Chapter 8, the match is well explained and anecdotes from pharmacists who didn’t match with their first choice can instill confidence in students. There is a discussion of the post-match process, or “scramble,” that could have been further developed, though the author admits that ASHP was considering implementation of a more formal process at the time of publication. Chapter 9 is about pharmaceutical industry fellowships. Admittedly, I didn’t know a lot about these opportunities and learned from this chapter about what they are and how to find out more about them. Chapter 10 gives some advice about what to do before starting the residency. It provides a nice summary of licensure as well as costs to consider during this time. Lastly, there is an appendix with a checklist as well as a comprehensive index. Overall, I was impressed with the examples provided of e-mails to residency program directors for requests for information as well as letters of intent. Many “Sidebars” can be used as guides on their own, particularly the various lists of questions. From the faculty perspective, this text may be useful to supplement mentorship of students looking to attain residency. Because the book provides basics about residency training, referring to the text may allow more time for faculty members to mentor students on the finer points of the process, or provide one-on-one guidance such as mock interviews and CV review. I agreed with the advice Miller gives to students in how to achieve a residency. Students have to take the advice to heart, as just reading the text won’t add leadership opportunities to the student’s CV. Students looking at residencies now have 4 similar texts to choose from. Get the Residency. ASHP’s Guide to Residency Interviews and Preparation was published February 2012.1,2 Similar in price, size, and scope, both offer students realistic advice and examples for attaining residency. I enjoyed the many tables and anecdotes in Millers text, while I enjoyed the frank advice and “Key Lessons” in Caballero’s text. Caballero’s text was more thoroughly referenced. Information that Miller placed within the chapter, Caballero placed in appendices. The ACCP Field Guide to Becoming a Standout Residency Candidate by Bauman and Sims was published in 2012.3 This text is similar in price and size as well. Both Miller and Bauman stay true to their titles. While Miller offers extensive background on residency programs and process, Bauman offers guidance on becoming a confident and competent resident candidate through personal development. A fourth book, Roadmap to Postgraduate Training in Pharmacy by Bookstaver and colleagues, was published in February 2013.4 It is 400 pages compared to 202 in the Miller text. There are 27 chapters, many of which cover specific types of residencies. Although more comprehensive, the Bookstaver text retails for $75. Any of these texts will serve as a useful guide to assist a student in achieving residency training. Generally, I found the advice and anecdotes to be effective and thoughtful. While the length and price of the APhA, ASHP, and ACCP books were the most reasonable, all 4 books should be considered to be purchased as reference materials to be kept in a pharmacy library as well as by the student organizations or faculty that promote residencies and mentor future residents.