Virtual Midyear - What you need to know Part 1

The Post-Graduate Pharmacist

In this 2 part series, we discuss everything you need to know as an applicant about virtual Midyear and virtual showcases. We will discuss everything from etiquette, format, advice, and what to expect so you can feel prepared.

In part 1, we discuss student and resident perspectives of virtual Midyear. We are joined by Hannah Gipson (PGY2 critical care) and Erin Rountree (PGY1 pharmacy practice), both residents at Huntsville Hospital.

Information on open house

• Open houses have a more casual feel and may present candidates with more opportunities to talk with different people associated with the program.
• Not as many candidates as some larger showcases
• Increase exposure to different programs
• Find more information on social media (Twitter, Instagram, etc)

Different rooms within virtual midyear

• Specialized breakout rooms that consisted of RPD rooms, preceptor rooms, and variations of the residence rooms.
• Candidates are filtered based on their interests.

How should candidates prepare virtual midyear?

• Start researching and obtaining information on programs as soon as possible to figure out what programs you are interested in.
• Try and go to showcases/open houses for those programs.
• Have your questions ready
• Know what you’re looking for in programs
• Professional and personal needs
• Prioritize the programs you want to talk with / obtain more information from

Navigating large numbers of candidates for one program booth virtually

• Some booths had excessive amounts of candidates which made it harder to conversate
• The number of breakout rooms can help with the large number of candidates
• Smaller showcases are beneficial for more intimate conversations

Proper virtual etiquette

• Have a proper, non-distracting background
• Prepare your space – water, lighting, microphone, notes, etc
• Be yourself but stay professional
• Limit questions to top two or three
• Be courteous of other candidate’s time
• Do your research on specific programs

Links mentioned in this episode:

ASHP Residency Directory

ACCP Directory of Residencies, Fellowships, and Graduate Programs

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Music by: @LiQWYD