Pharmacy Leaders Podcast: Career Interviews and Advice

In this multi-part series we're going to start looking at what makes residency applications stand out. One of the wow moments, is if you have your name as an author on a peer-reviewed publication, but there are other reasons to publish as well, including finding where your area of specialty is. Want to work with me one-on-one on your letter of intent, you can find some free resources here to get started. https://residency.teachable.com/   

The lack of urgency with preparing for the NAPLEX and MPJE always bothered me. It's like here's the one thing that if you don't pass, you don't work, and students are completing APPE requirements instead of getting deep into their preparation. In this episode, I talk about how NAPLEX pass rates which were in the high 90s in 2009 are now in the high 70s. Only 1554 students last year graduated from a school of pharmacy with a pass rate in the 90s. Make sure you prepare early and often for the NAPLEX. I reference a pharmacology review course here: https://residency.teachable.com/p/mobile and that TLDRPharmacy has some great MPJE materials.   

My wife and I matched in the old scramble (which is now more organized as Phase II) but 15 years later she is in an ambulatory care clinical position and I have been teaching in college for that same time, both jobs we love. In this episode, I talk about the importance of mentors and how those residencies available in the scramble can lead to an excellent career that is very work/life balance excellent as well.  Need help preparing for the NAPLEX, check out my online self paced pharmacology course here  https://residency.teachable.com/p/mobile  

Phase II is about speed. With over 700 unfilled PGY 1 positions and only a few hundred more than that who will put in applications, you do have a very good chance in Phase II. If you want my one-on-one help go to https://residency.teachable.com/p/phase2 My turnaround is around 24 hours.  The data show that you should have a better than 50% chance of matching in Phase II this  year with the number of available positions, even better if you are looking for a community pharmacy position.  Have questions, email me at tonythepharmacist@gmail.com 

The odds of matching to residency are very dependent on the school of pharmacy you are going to, while the top schools match above 90%, the lowest schools match at 20%, so it's still a good idea to start job hunting before the match because there are hundreds of pharmacists getting the news on the exact same day.  If you need my help in Phase II, you can find my website here, I expect there will be close to 700 open positions after Phase I.   https://residency.teachable.com/ Good luck! 

The biggest residency interview mistake is not focusing on being positively remembered as there are many applicants, and standing out takes the 5 Ps: People PGY-2 Professionalism Purpose Practice. With those in your tool belt, you can continue the conversation after the interview to ensure you are not forgotten. Need my help, check out https://residency.teachable.com/p/interview   

It's exciting and stress-relieving when that first interview offer comes in, but do you know what to do? In this episode, I've gone over the first steps and you can check out the course I have to see if it's something that you want help with your presentation PowerPoint and need email support. Sometimes you just don't want to ask your professors questions. Anyway, you can find the free Case Study document and link to the course here:  https://residency.teachable.com/  

One point of annual confusion is whether one should do a residency or fellowship. In this episode, I turn to Keaton Higgins, the executive fellow at the Tennessee Pharmacists Association and University of Iowa graduate for his insights on the fellowship experience. You can contact him here: https://www.tnpharm.org/about/tpa-executive-fellowship-in-association-management/ Need help with your LOI, sign up at https://residency.teachable.com/p/extremeloi   

You can find the free template here, just hit "Preview." You just need to scroll down some.  https://residency.teachable.com/p/extremeloi It's not your fault, but you can't say it's their fault, in this episode I help you walk the line to articulate you handle things as a professional. Got questions for me? tonythepharmacist@gmail.com 

In this episode, I go over the factors that will stand as the headwinds against your matching vs. some of the tailwinds that will help you get there and it depends a lot on where you go to school and where you apply. Some of these factors you can affect, some you can't, but the most important thing is to recognize where to spend your time over the next few weeks to get the very best chance. Need my one one-on-one help, go to https://residency.teachable.com/p/extremeloi where you can find the free template I talk about in the video. 

You just realized how many people you are competing against and how qualified they are. How in the world are you going to stand out? Start by worrying about the match rather than winning the "best applicant." Often the rubrics end up in multiple ties and it's the relationships that matter more than anything else. Need my one on one help, hit me up at https://residency.teachable.com/ 

If you're an introvert, you're likely dreading the interview. The key is to get out of your own head by becoming more interested in the other person than you are about trying to tell your own story. It may sound counter-intuitive, but if you put the other person first, you'll find yourself landing a residency in the fall. Here's the residency interview book: https://www.audible.com/pd/100-Strong-Residency-Interview-Questions-Answers-and-Rationales-Audiobook/B07M9S9DYS?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-137816&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_137816_rh_us  

Work one-on-one with me here: https://residency.teachable.com/ ASHP MidYear creates a ton of fear of missing out, but what happens is that students get there and find that they really missed an opportunity. The key is not to make the big 5 mistakes  Not recognize it is the RESIDENCY showcase (not future resident showcase) Miss the resident poster presentations on Wednesday  Apply for a prestige residency rather than focusing on the people  Use a generic letter of intent or cover letter, and not get to know yourelf Not take advantage of the opportunity to improve your interview skills 

Book Strong Residency Letter of Intent  https://www.audible.com/pd/B07ZL4Q7PX/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-169438&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_169438_rh_us Tool like ChatGPT can provide a letter of intent in just a few seconds. However, that generative AI comes from the examples ChatGPT found from others and can result in letters that are very similar to other applicants. Your biggest concern should be if you are forgotten in a sea of applications. By using generative AI properly, you can gain an advantage. By using it wrong, you might be labeled a cheater and not considered. In this episode, I help you walk the straight and narrow. 

We welcome Tae Kim to the Pharmacy Residency Podcast to give his tips on financial success and the step-by-step process to get to financial freedom.  This is Part 2 of 2.  Here is a link to his website:  https://www.youtube.com/c/taekimfinancialtortoise  

We welcome Tae Kim to the Pharmacy Residency Podcast to give his tips on financial success and the step by step process to get to financial freedom.  This is Part 1 of 2.  Here is a link to his website:  https://www.youtube.com/c/taekimfinancialtortoise  

We welcome Jim Dahle to the Pharmacy Residency Podcast to give his tips on financial success and the step by step process to get to financial freedom.  This is Part 2 of 2.  Here is a link to his book https://www.amazon.com/White-Coat-Investors-Financial-Boot/dp/B07T4KT9DQ/ 

We welcome Jim Dahle to the Pharmacy Residency Podcast to give his tips on financial success and the step by step process to get to financial freedom. Here is a link to his book https://www.amazon.com/White-Coat-Investors-Financial-Boot/dp/B07T4KT9DQ/ 

I've got a way that you can get a discount on this season's pharmacy residency letter of intent preparation, looking forward to taking this journey with you https://residency.teachable.com/p/extremeloi 

It can cost you thousands of dollars if you fail the MPJE or NAPLEX and while residents would not lose pay, they could lose their residency placement. In this episode, Jerri Sanger, a P4 at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy shares her advice regarding studying for the NAPLEX.  Want to check out a pharmacology review course, head to https://residency.teachable.com/ 

As student loans come back into student and resident's lives, I brought on an expert who can help you navigate the process. You can find him here: https://pharmdfp.com/ 

In this episode we talk to Joe Baker who wrote Baker's Dirty Dozen: Principles for Financial Independence. Selfishly, I wanted to know what to do to not only help my own kids with their financial futures, but how I can help pay for them. Joe goes through some of the decisions he made and is really entertaining with stories that stick. Here's a link to his book.  https://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Dirty-Principles-Financial-Independence-ebook/dp/B09SGN2S11/ 

NAPLEX Link: https://www.memorizingpharm.com/ MPJE Link: https://www.tldrpharmacy.com/mpje-resources Passing the NAPLEX and MPJE is often a situation where you wonder how the time passed so fast and if you are prepared. In this episode, I go over several tips to get you through the exams.

Unicorn Job Book: https://www.audible.com/pd/Finding-Your-Unicorn-Job-for-Pharmacists-Audiobook/B07RSDRQK6?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-151638&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_151638_rh_us It should only take ten years to earn a million, but how long does it take to keep a million? Twenty-seven years according to Dave Ramsey and the Money Guy. In this episode, I give you a different way to think about money and getting to a less daunting goal than 1 to 4 million in net worth. 

They say it's not what you make it's what you keep. Here's an interesting look at how much pharmacists keep. One thing that keeps you moving forward is being in a job you love, here's some jobs other pharmacists love https://www.audible.com/pd/Finding-Your-Unicorn-Job-for-Pharmacists-Audiobook/B07RSDRQK6?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-151638&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_151638_rh_us 

I predict around 600 matches for Phase II match day with around 75 spots left over for the scramble. I don't think there will be only 400 rejected applicants in Phase II leaving a lot of room for going after those 75 spots if you want them. If you just want to chat about your situation, email me at tonythepharmacist@gmail.com 

Check out the book here: https://www.audible.com/pd/How-to-Build-a-Pharmacy-Consulting-Business-Your-Rx-for-Finding-Freedom-and-Lo-Audiobook/B07L4B7BLC?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWU-BK-ACX0-135635&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_135635_pd_us 

Everyone's financial journey is different, but there are some tips that you can use to better navigate uncertainty.  Here's a link to the Unicorn Jobs book if you're looking for something outside the box to help you grow your finances.  https://www.audible.com/pd/Finding-Your-Unicorn-Job-for-Pharmacists-Audiobook/B07RSDRQK6?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-151638&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_151638_rh_us If you want to talk to Derek you can contact him at https://pharmdfp.com/podcast 

Pharmacology Course: https://residency.teachable.com/ NAPLEX Pass Rates start at 21% and average out at 80% and MPJE Pass Rates start at 25% and average out at 77%. While it may not be fair, RPDs would do well to at least ask how your NAPLEX and MPJE preparation is coming along and I make a recommendation that RPDs should bring their cohorts together in an MPJE group to learn the laws as failing either can be disastrous. If you are going to the VA, get licensed in Idaho so there is zero chance you will fail the MPJE. 

Conversations fly back and forth between RPDs and candidates way before the application window opens. Make sure you have a good email of interest to help build, sort, and qualify your final list to apply to. You can find the template here https://residency.teachable.com/ and if you want my one-on-one help with your LOI and emails, sign up for the Phase 2 course and email me at tonythepharmacist@gmail.com 

While the quality of residency applicants has gone down dramatically, residency sites are not lowering their standards and we have tremendous opportunities for good students to still get residencies. Check out https://residency.teachable.com/p/phase2 or contact me with questions! I'm so excited to help you guys turn this tough day into an April victory! 

I am introducing a pivot to the show in this episode, where it will become the Pharmacy Residency and Money podcast, where we will talk about career, health, and wealth related to residency. Residencies will be relatively easy to get, with an over 80% match rate in the near future and into the 90s over the next three years. My role has moved from helping applicants just get a residency to earning one that is better for their career, health, and wealth with better culture, hours, and pay.  Two books I've written include  Finding Your Unicorn Job  https://www.audible.com/pd/B07RSDRQK6/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-151638&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_151638_rh_us Debt-Free Pharmacy Student  https://www.audible.com/pd/B0BFKMMX1F/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-322749&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_322749_rh_us To start off, I recommend you also listen to another podcaster I follow and know, Derek John Delaney, a certified financial planner who has the PharmD Money Podcast, Episode 50, about retiring by 50 if you want to hear his thoughts on retiring at a somewhat early age.  https://pharmdfp.com/podcast  

What do you do while you are waiting for Match Day? In this episode, I go over some ways to calm your mind and look to the future. Need my help for Phase II, hit me up at https://residency.teachable.com/p/phase2 

Don't bother trying to game it. Put your honest 1st, 2nd, and 3rd picks in there and focus on those. I'm telling you, you're 91% likely to get one of those three. If you need my help for Phase II, go to https://residency.teachable.com/p/phase2. Your chances are good, it will still require a good application, but Phase II is a viable thing this year. Contact me at tonythepharmacist@gmail.com if you want my one-on-one help. 

Interview Course: https://residency.teachable.com/p/interview How many interviews DID you get? How many interviews SHOULD you get? knowing these answers helps predict whether you will get ranked by your favorite residency sites. The odds are in your favor, but a few thousand will still go without a residency. However, I predict Phase II will have many spots available if you still want to go after it. In this episode, I go through the data to get you some answers.  Need my help, email me at tonythepharmacist@gmail.com 

Interview Course: https://residency.teachable.com/p/interview I go through several recent Reddit posts to answer questions that are top of mind. The big thing is that if you didn't get an interview or only got a few, you need to figure out why. Here are the top reasons 1. Toxic Recommendations 2. Too many out-of-state applications 3. College has a poor match rate 4. LOI is generic  Need my help, email me at tonythepharmacist@gmail.com 

Would you like to be the applicant who has the spot-on answers for a clinical case or residency interview question? In this episode, I show you how to predict many of the questions and areas you'll be asked. You can find the free download here: https://residency.teachable.com/digital-products/enrolled/30479  

A great presentation starts with well-formatted slides. In this video, I go over three very simple tips to improve your residency or residency application presentation. If you want me actually to edit your slides go to: https://residency.teachable.com/p/interview where slide editing is part of the course bundle. 

As the Google doc fills up with screening interviews, days programs will send out interviews, and actual interviews, the big key for this first round is winning your cohort. Many times you don't have to beat everyone; you just have to be in the top couple of students in your group and the best way to do that is to know how you're scored and earn points. In this course, I go over that method which you can get for 25% off using the code PODCAST25OFF  https://residency.teachable.com/p/interview

Need same-day help with an LOI or supplemental essay, send it to me at tonythepharmacist@gmail.com You can get the free version of Phone Interview Survival Tips here on December 31st, January 1st, and January 2nd https://www.amazon.com/Phone-Interview-Survival-Tips-Introverts-ebook/dp/B07M76PMX5/ or the audiobook here  https://www.audible.com/pd/Phone-Interview-Survival-Quick-Tips-for-Introverts-and-Extroverts-Audiobook/B07NPXWXQF?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-142847&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_142847_rh_us      

The first interviews are going out, but don't expect most to come until the first weeks of January; however, with the anecdotal evidence we have a lower residency applicant volume, you might get your invitation a bit sooner and more of them.  You can find all the free resources I talk about here, including the link to the Google Doc: https://residency.teachable.com/p/interview  

Don't push submit because you're exhausted! I'm turning documents around in 24 hours; if you still need help with your LOI and/or supplemental essay, just sign up here https://residency.teachable.com/p/extremeloi I work through holidays, just getting up really early to do this stuff as I know how important it is. Questions? Hit me up at tonythepharmacist@gmail.com 

How do you communicate late recommendations as preceptors hit the holiday break? I have an email template for you here https://residency.teachable.com/p/extremeloi  I am turning around LOI revisions in about 24 hours for each one, so it can be pretty quick if you have a deadline approaching.   

How do you communicate late transcripts as colleges of pharmacy are closing? I have an email template for you here https://residency.teachable.com/p/extremeloi  I am turning around LOI revisions in about 24 hours for each one, so can be pretty quick if you have a deadline approaching. 

Derek Delaney is the founder and president of PharmD Financial Planning. PharmD FP is a fee-only, fully fiduciary financial planning firm that specializes in helping pharmacist families plan their tax-efficient retirement dream.   Derek holds multiple advanced designations and credentials, including the Certified Financial Planner certification and the IRS Enrolled Agent designation.   Derek has also been featured in several national publications, including the Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch, and Financial Planning magazine.   Derek is married to a pharmacist (Kortney) and has two kids. He lives at the same intersection of pharmacy, money, and life as other pharmacist families do throughout the country.   You can find him at https://pharmdfp.com/ 

If you want my one-on-one editing and help with supplemental essays, email me at tonythepharmacist@gmail.com I charge $25 per 250 words via Venmo or PayPal.  Answering supplemental essays is hard as you haven't written many narrative essays in pharmacy school. The best way to answer many of them is to use the STAR framework in behavioral question interviewing so that your answer has all the pieces it needs  S. Situation T. Task  A. Action R. Result  Here is what was on the Word Document in the Video  University Medical Center – New Orleans – Reflect on a challenging situation (personal or professional) that required you to question your values or assumptions and utilize your knowledge and reasoning. How did you deal with the situation? What did you learn from the experience?” STAR Interview UNC Health All candidates, please answer question 1 Describe an intervention, change, or contribution that made an impact on patient care and/or a pharmacy practice, and what you learned from the experience. STAR Interview All candidates, please answer 1 of the questions below: Describe a personal challenge you have faced, one which you feel has helped to shape you as a person. Examples include a moral or ethical dilemma, a situation of personal adversity, or a hurdle in your life that you worked hard to overcome. STAR Interview Describe the personal attribute that you are most proud of that would benefit your co-residents and colleagues at the UNC Medical Center (Humblebrag answer / STAR Interview) Situation – Introduce the Situation to set the scene and provide context In media res – in the middle of the story Descriptive detail – multiple senses, e.g., sound or smell – baby monitor screamed like an 18-wheeler's horn // food bank with a hungry man coming to help his family Time frame – 4 minutes without oxygen / one day left of food Task – Describe the task. What needed to be done and why? Clear the airway, call for help, administer CPR – get the child breathing again Get this person some food or some food Action – Explain the action you took. CPR – a mistake by just breathing into the mouth vs. nose and mouth / pyloric valve stenosis / only saw the feet of the first responders, which were the police and later the EMTs Talking to a supervisor to get them a day or two of food and then show them how the process works with a distribution center Result – Describe the result in terms of the benefits realized. Wrapping the story – surgery the correct and the success of the child now You would educate more people about the food issue and how they can resolve it

You can be sure that you're going to get strengths and weaknesses questions from your residency interview, but it's best to talk to your preceptor about where they see your strengths/weaknesses as well. You can check out 100 questions for that residency interview here: https://residency.teachable.com/p/interview  

You're probably looking for guidance on writing a letter of intent and finding a lot on the internet. This document from this college of pharmacy has good advice but a bad attached letter. In this episode, I show you how to make a bad letter into a good one, and a wordy letter into a concise one. What you're really trying to do is create a readily transferable story for the reader to give to the residency committee.  https://www.chapman.edu/PHARMACY/_files/career/documents/how-to-write-a-letter-of-intent.pdf If you need my one-on-one help, go to https://residency.teachable.com/ and sign up for the Extreme LOI makeover course.   

Midyear madness is upon us and those that keep their heads about them will do very well. The most important things to do at Midyear are Apply to the Right Places Meet the Right People Send the Right Materials In this episode, I review the best ways to accomplish this relationship-building in a genuine way that can help you earn the residency you want. If you're looking for my one-on-one help, go to https://residency.teachable.com/ 

Midyear will wake up your imposter syndrome as you start to think that all the other applicants are better qualified and prepared than you. In this episode, I talk about the importance of establishing your identity before you get there. You can get the free 12-minute LOI Prep video here https://residency.teachable.com/p/extremeloi   

In a recent LinkedIn post Saley Traore-Uwalaka, PharmD, BCPS mentioned that residents might be failing their NAPLEX / MPJE for other reasons than the NABP issue. In this episode, I talk about how to avoid this disastrous situation.  Join the email list here at  https://www.pharmacyresidencypodcast.com/