Crouch, MA. Securing and Excelling in a Pharmacy Residency. Burlington, MA. Jones and Bartlett Learning; 2012, 204 pp, $43.95 (paperback), ISBN 978-1-4496-0483-7.

Securing and Excelling in a Pharmacy Residency is a handbook meant to guide students into pursuing a pharmacy residency, as well as provide current residents the tools to be successful throughout their residency. The author, Michael Crouch, has had previous leadership roles as residency program director and coordinator. Other contributors to the book have experience as residency program directors and coordinators, as well as faculty members of pharmacy education. As a 2020 initiative, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the American College of Clinical Pharmacy have adopted that all new pharmacy graduates complete an ASHP-accredited residency in order to provide direct patient care.1 As a response to this goal for the profession, colleges and schools of pharmacy advise current students regarding residency training. The authors achieve the handbook’s objectives through similarly formatted chapters that include questions to ponder, bolded text boxes, few tables and figures throughout, and key points at the end of each chapter to summarize. The book focuses on postgraduate training options for pharmacists, different types of residency programs, formatting of a curriculum vitae, advice for interviewing, and how to develop leadership styles and a personal mission statement during the year as a resident. The handbook is divided into 3 different sections: making a case for pharmacy residency, finding the right residency, and making the most of a pharmacy residency. The book consists of 23 chapters, 204 pages, and a complete index. Student pharmacists considering a residency should focus and refer to the first 2 sections of the book. Chapters 1 and 2 introduce postgraduate training for pharmacists and the value of a residency. Chapter 3 is specific for explaining a postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) pharmacy residency program and provides information unique to hospital/health-system pharmacy residency programs. Chapter 4 involves information regarding community PGY1 pharmacy residency programs. Chapters 5 and 6 describe aspects of managed care and ambulatory-based residencies, respectively. Chapter 7 consists of brief information regarding postgraduate year 2 (PGY2) pharmacy residency programs as far as options and securing a position. Chapter 8 explains nontraditional residency programs and provides benefits as well as limitations. Section II begins with a checklist that will aid in securing a residency and Web sites that could help prospective students find the right residency. Chapter 9 provides information regarding how to write a curriculum vitae and letters of intent. The chapter provides structures and formatting of both and stresses the importance of updating one’s curriculum vitae over time. A table of “do’s and don’ts” regarding curriculum vitae serves as a quick reference when preparing to write. Although chapter 9 explains 2 key aspects for obtaining a residency, students may require more examples and more in-depth explanations regarding their curriculum vitae and letters of intent. Chapter 10 describes the development of a portfolio, how to get started, and what content is necessary in a portfolio. Chapters 11 and 12 explain the search for residency programs and the residency showcase at the ASHP’s midyear clinical meeting, respectively. Chapter 12 delves into the Personal Placement Service and its usefulness for those transitioning from PGY1 to PGY2. Chapter 13 provides information regarding the application process and chapter 14 stresses the importance of the onsite interview for applicants. Table 14-1 lists questions commonly asked by interviewers and table 14-2 lists questions to ask during an onsite interview. Even though chapter 14 provides an example of what to expect during an interview and what to do after an interview, residency candidates should seek other resources for a more comprehensive preparation. Chapter 15 explains the importance of how to choose a residency that meets the expectations and needs of a student. A checklist is provided for the ability to compare whether the residency characteristics are a “fit” or “no fit.” The Residency Matching Program is described in chapter 16. The chapter gives an overview of the National Matching Service (NMS) as well as important dates for candidates to consider. While this resource provides information regarding the NMS and Scramble process, interested residency candidates should also consult the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists NMS Web site. Section III is helpful once a pharmacy residency has been obtained. The beginning of Section III provides a checklist for pharmacy residents to complete on a monthly basis to ensure success during a residency. Chapter 17 gives a brief overview of what to expect during the year of residency and some of the requirements that may be expected during the year. Chapter 18 gives residents tips to develop a leadership style and a personal mission statement. Chapter 19 explains the outcomes, goals, and objectives of ASHP-accredited residencies and the assessment and evaluation process. Chapters 20, 21, and 22 discuss clinical service, teaching, and scholarship responsibilities, respectively. Chapter 23 looks at how to achieve 5-, 10-, 15-year career goals, the need of lifelong learning, and the importance in networking and finding an effective mentor. The author suggests this book should be used in an elective course on professional development and postgraduate training that is offered to third-year pharmacy students who are interested in securing a PGY1 residency. Major assignments would include letters of intent, curriculum vitae, and an applicant portfolio. In the appendix portion of the syllabus, forms are provided for faculty members to evaluate student assignments. The syllabus suggests other readings in addition to this book that would be helpful when writing a curriculum vitae or preparing a letter of intent. Additional resources and their Web links are included in the syllabus. Overall, this handbook is an easy-to-read guide that provides a broad overview of the extensive process to obtain and succeed in a pharmacy residency. A strength of Securing and Excelling in a Pharmacy Residency is that this pocket-sized handbook is condensed with information that can easily be stored and referenced by student pharmacists and current residents. Third-year pharmacy students contemplating a residency after graduation can use this practical guide to aid them in taking the steps necessary to pursue a residency program. In addition, faculty advisors and mentors may find this handbook useful to encourage and direct their current students to further their pharmacy education. While this particular handbook appears to be concise in text, curious students and active faculty members may also adequately benefit from this resource. As a whole, this handbook gives a broad review of the entire residency process and first-year residency and currently is the only pocket-sized guide available.