Pharmacy Residency Program Application
Applications for the 2023-2024 year will be accepted beginning in Fall 2023 using the Pharmacy Online Residency Centralized Application Service (PhORCAS) website. All applicants must register for ASHP Resident Matching Program as well as submit an application using the PhORCAS portal.
The deadline for applications and all specific requirements for acceptance is January 2. Interested applicants should have a PharmD or an MS/BS with clinical experience, be eligible for Louisiana licensure and a Louisiana intern license and submit the standardized application materials through PhORCAS.
Resident eligibility requirements
To be eligible for one of University Medical Center's residency positions, applicants must:
- Be a graduate of an ACPE accredited Doctor of Pharmacy degree program or graduate with Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy with Master’s degree or significant clinical practice experience (e.g. minimum of 3 years of clinical/direct patient care)
- Meet requirements for employment at University Medical Center New Orleans
- All applicants must provide proof of proper work authorization. Because of timeliness and competition, applicants for the PGY1 and PGY2 pharmacy residency programs are not eligible for VISA sponsorship.
- The pharmacy resident must be licensed as a registered pharmacist in the state of Louisiana either by examination or via reciprocity within 120 days of start of residency.
Application process and requirements for acceptance:
The materials that must be submitted to PhORCAS by January 2 include:
- Letter of intent that includes why you chose to apply to the residency program
- Curriculum vitae
- Three letters of recommendation – a minimum of one of your three references should come from a preceptor who you have worked with in a clinical setting, related to an APPE in acute or ambulatory care. The clinical preceptor should be able to comment on your scope of responsibility, total patient load, level of autonomy, clinical abilities, and organizational and time management skills. All 3 reference writers should use the standard PhORCAS template to submit their candidate recommendation and comment on a minimum of 7 of the 13 listed candidate characteristics.
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A response to the following essay statement is
required for acceptance. The essay response should be no longer than one page in
length. An application will not be reviewed if this statement is missing.
Please note that the essay is separate from your cover letter.
- “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?”
- Official pharmacy school transcripts
NOTE: The essay response should be uploaded in the Supplemental Information section in PhORCAS. Space is limited to a max of 5 MB and must be provided in the following format: .pdf, .doc, .txt, .rtf.
Selection process
Pre-interview: The selection process starts with the application process.
Residency candidates will be invited to an on-site interview based on their:
- Completion of all application requirements by the deadline (5 listed above)
- Letter of intent and whether the candidate’s interests match the University Medical Center residency goals and offerings
- Response to the question posed to applicants
- Letters of recommendations
On-site interview
Applicants should be prepared to assume the travel and lodging costs for the interview, as University Medical Center does not provide compensation for the interview process. Candidates will make airline and/or hotel arrangements and airport transportation on date scheduled by University Medical Center. The interview process entails meetings with clinical staff, administrative staff and a tour of the facilities.
A short case-presentation may be required and presented to the pharmacy staff during the interview. More information will be provided prior to the interview. Interviews are conducted in the months of January and February. If other arrangements are needed, the candidate must coordinate with the Residency Program Director (RPD).
Post-interview
The resident is selected by the Pharmacy Residency Advisory Committee (RAC) based on multiple factors including his/her past education and training, performance during the on-site interview, and overall match with the PGY1 Pharmacy Residency at University Medical Center. The RPD will then rank candidates through the ASHP Resident Matching Program. All residents are selected through the ASHP Resident Matching Program. The resident position is not offered in advance of the Resident Matching Program. The RPD will discuss the matching process during the on-site interview.
Once the Match is determined between program and candidate the University Medical Center RPD will send out an appointment letter/contract. The resident must return the signed contract/agreement within timeframe allowed by ASHP Match Website. Contact information will be given to matching resident at the time of the match to ensure receipt within the specific time period.
The residency start date will be communicated in the contract provided upon matching.
PGY1 Program Contacts
Residency Program Director
- Ethan Austin, PharmD, BCCCP
PGY1 Residency Program Coordinator
- Lillian Bellfi, PharmD, BCCCP