Concordia University Wisconsin’s School of Pharmacy ranks within the top 25 percent of schools nationwide for its high percentage of students who have been matched with an accredited residency program, according to results released March 20 by the American Society of Health-system Pharmacist’s Accreditation Services Division.
This year, 34 pharmacy students from CUW’s Class of 2018 participated in the ASHP’s National Resident Matching Program, which provides an unbiased mechanism for matching applicants’ preferences with those of residency program directors across the country. Twenty-five students successfully matched to a residency program eclipsing the nationwide average of successful student matches by more than 9 percent. Sixteen of the residency programs matched to by CUW students are located in Wisconsin.
Additionally, five members of the CUW Class of 2017 successfully matched to a second year of more specialized residency education foran 83.3 percent successful match rate. That percentage also beats out the national average.
The results pay tribute to Concordia’s curriculum, says Andrew Traynor, PharmD, BCPS, chair and associate professor of pharmacy practice. CUW’s curriculum places emphasis on exposing students to the many types of pharmacy careers available to them, including residencies as a next step and the development needed to successfully pursue a career path that aligns with each student’s talents.
“Today’s results are a testament to our students’ efforts, our faculty’s teaching abilities, and our staff’s dedication to student development, as well as the experiences students have on campus and in the practice settings of the amazing pharmacist preceptors across the state, country, and world that work with our program,” says Traynor. “Our program is fortunate to be afforded the chance to deliberately and holistically develop students’ knowledge, skills, and professionalism. It takes considerable time and effort to devote this kind of attention to ensuring students find success in their next steps, but we believe this fulfills our ultimate goal of helping our students best serve patients and communities.”
Pharmacy residencies are optional educational experiences for licensed pharmacists that focus on the resident providing patient care and furthering their project, leadership, and teaching skills under the preceptorship of experienced pharmacists. Residencies take place in hospitals, ambulatory care settings, community pharmacies, and managed care organizations, and are fast becoming a requisite for obtaining a position in many settings where pharmacists are involved in direct patient care.
Residencies typically begin in late June to early July and last one year.
Learn more about Concordia’s School of Pharmacy by clicking here.
— This story is written by Kali Thiel, director of university communications for Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor. She may be reached at kali.thiel@cuw.edu or 262-243-2149.
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