Cross-Sectional Survey of Critical Care Pharmacy Residency Programs: Post-Residency Positions Acquired and Job Market Perceptions

Introduction

Historically, there has been a perception that the critical care (CC) job market is saturated; however, there is no confirmation about whether the job market can support residency graduates.

Objectives

To characterize the Post Graduate Year Two (PGY2) CC residency program director (RPD) and resident graduate perceptions of the CC job market.

Methods

A survey was sent to United States-based PGY2 CC pharmacy residency graduates from 2018 to 2023. Demographics, PGY2 CC program data, and post-residency job and job market perceptions data were collected. A similar survey was sent to US-based RPDs. Demographics and job market perceptions data were collected. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. PGY2 CC resident graduate and RPD perceptions of the CC job market were compared. The Consensus-Based Checklist for Reporting of Survey Studies (CROSS) was utilized to ensure methodological rigor and comprehensive reporting of this survey-based study.

Results

Surveys were completed by 51 RPDs (29.7% response rate) and 138 residents (42.3% response rate). The majority of graduates secured full-time positions, with 111 respondents (80.4%) accepting their first-choice job. Residents identified practice specialty, geographic location, and schedule consistency as critical job selection factors. RPDs and residents reported a predominantly balanced or favorable CC job market, with perceptions aligning across groups. Although some residents faced challenges securing positions in preferred specialty areas or geographic locations, 120 residents (87%) reported their first job matched their residency training well or very well.

Conclusion

PGY2 CC pharmacy residents who graduated between 2018 and 2023 successfully secured positions within their specialty, with most accepting their preferred roles. These findings suggest a favorable job market and highlight opportunities for RPDs to guide residents in navigating job market realities effectively. Further studies could explore longitudinal job satisfaction and the impact of evolving market conditions.