Positions accepted by the 1990 graduates of pharmacy residency and fellowship programs

Graduate of pharmacy residency and fellowship programs are actively recruited through national advertisements and personnel placement services. Little current information is available about the types of positions accepted by this group of highly trained pharmacists. Understanding the job characteristics that influence an applicant's acceptance of a particular position would enable employers to more effectively recruit pharmacists with advanced training to their institution. A questionnaire was mailed to the 1990 graduates of the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists - accredited clinical and specialized residencies and of fellowships offered by members of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy. The information requested on the survey included demographics, education and work history, geographic mobility, and future plans including positions accepted. Respondents were asked to rate the importance of 25 job characteristics in selecting an ideal job and to identify and rank the 5 characteristics most important in selecting their actual position. The data were analyzed to compare the responses of 107 clinical residents, 50 specialized residents and 38 fellows. The respondents were desiring positions that would be interesting, challenging, personally rewarding, encourage the use of professional knowledge and allow for professional development. Of the survey respondents, 115 had accepted a job at the time of the survey. Seventy-five percent of the residents took positions either with a hospital or as a faculty member with hospital obligations. The jobs were primarily clinical; only 25% of clinical residents and 10% of specialized residents expected to have a distributive component to their job. Half of the fellows accepted faculty positions. Other fellows took positions in hospitals or drug research programs. In ranking the job characteristics that actually determined acceptance of jobs. It is apparent applications are taking jobs that are perceived to be interesting, challenging, personally rewarding and offer the opportunity to use professional knowledge and to be creative and innovative. Consistency with personal goals and opportunity for personal development are also important. Emphasis on these aspects of available positions may results in more effective recruiting efforts. Factors such as salary, benefits and work environment were not identified as determining acceptance of positions.