ASHP: Residency Match Program Continues to Grow Despite Pandemic Challenges

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists' (ASHP) Pharmacy Residency Match program continued its growth trend with nearly 5500 pharmacy students and residents paired with residency positions in 2021.

In phase 1, 5121 individuals matched with 2398 pharmacy residency programs in the US. Phase 2 of the program recently concluded with more than 300 additional positions being filled, bringing the total to 5467 individuals matched with 2654 pharmacy residency programs across the country.¹

"The 2021 match results demonstrate the resilience of our residency programs and applicants given the pandemic-related hardships that challenged the recruitment process this year," Janet A. Silvester, PharmD, MBA, FASHP, vice president of the ASHP Accreditation Services Office, said in a prepared statement. "We are pleased to see the sustained growth of these critically important training programs that equip pharmacists with the necessary skills to navigate today's challenging health care environment."¹

Over the last 5 years, postgraduate year 1 residency positions have grown by 27%, and postgraduate year 2 (PGY-2) positions have increased by 55%, with certain programs seeing explosive growth. Specifically, emergency medicine residencies grew by 108%, and pain management and palliative care residencies increased by 138%. Additionally, PGY-2 programs in ambulatory care residencies grew by 67%, infectious disease residencies by 67%, and critical care residencies by 35%.² Residency positions have increased by 33% over the same period of time.¹

"The 2021 match results for phase 1 demonstrate the sustained growth of residency programs and available positions," said Silvester. "The expansion in PGY-2 programs is particularly encouraging as these positions are critical to support the increasing demand for pharmacists with advanced training to fill medication expert roles on the patient care team."²

The 2-phase match process was initiated in 2016 and is a collaboration among ASHP, National Matching Services, and the Pharmacy Online Residency Centralized Application Service.¹ According to ASHP, Match Day is conducted in 2 phases to meet the needs of the rapidly growing number of pharmacists and student pharmacists seeking residencies, as well as residency programs seeking applicants.²

Fifty-three positions remain in the 2021 Post-Match Scramble, which opened for applications on April 15, 2021.¹

REFERENCES

1. ASHP Pharmacy Residency Match continues steady growth. News release. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. April 14, 2021. Accessed April 16, 2021. https://www.ashp.org/news/2021/04/14/ashp-pharmacy-residency-match-continues-steady-growth

2. ASHP 2021 Pharmacy Residency Match phase I sees growth in applicants, positions. News release. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. March 19, 2021. Accessed April 16, 2021. https://www.ashp.org/news/2021/03/19/ashp-2021-pharmacy-residency-match-phase-i-sees-growth-in-applicants-positions?loginreturnUrl=SSOCheckOnly