Postgraduate year 1 pharmacy residency equivalency—2023

Abstract

The American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) supports the completion of residency training as a prerequisite for direct patient care responsibilities. The current supply of pharmacy residency opportunities, however, does not match the demand, causing many graduates to enter the workforce directly after completing their pharmacy school training. Many pharmacists may then desire to transition into a clinical position leveraging the versatility of the Pharm.D. degree and the expanding opportunities in the profession. Without residency training, however, these candidates may be disadvantaged or find it difficult to justify their experience matches that of their residency-trained colleagues for a clinical pharmacist position. The college recognizes the usefulness of and potential need for a pharmacy residency equivalency to assist both pharmacists seeking further advancement and employers recruiting clinical pharmacists to provide direct patient care. The pharmacy residency equivalency should be standardized and demonstrate achievements in clinical pharmacist competency areas. This white paper from the ACCP Publications Committee provides updated considerations for components of a standardized pharmacy residency equivalency.