Are you frustrated with the removal of ASHP's PGY1 Pharmacy Resdiency Exemption Program?

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 Is anyone else frustrated about ASHP's removal of the PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Exemption Program? I am filing this petition in efforts of reinstating this program.

ASHP used to have a PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Exemption program that allowed eligible participants to apply for a PGY2 program as long as they met the following criteria:

1. be licensed to practice as a pharmacist in the U.S. when applying to PGY2 programs in the U.S.; and, 

2. have practiced at least three years as a pharmacist (the equivalent of full-time employment) or must have completed a pharmacy training program in the U.S. you believe to be equivalent to an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency program.; and

3. provide a written document that addresses how your experience meets all the required PGY1 competency areas and each associated educational goal (these are the competencies required of all individuals who have completed a PGY1 pharmacy residency). https://www.ashp.org/-/media/assets/professional-development/residencies/docs/requiredcompetency-areas-goals-objectives

In March 2021, ASHP removed this program without much communication as to why. 

Personally, I applied for 13 PGY1 programs when I graduated pharmacy school in May 2017, but did not match. Luckily, one of my pharmacy preceptors saw my passion and talent for hospital pharmacy and she hired me as a PRN Clinical Pharmacist at her location. I worked this position for 3 months, then transferred to a full-time position as a Clinical Pharmacist. I will reach my 5-year mark as a Clinical Pharmacist working at several different hospital locations in July 2022.  I have always had a passion for oncology pharmacy, which is very difficult to gain experience in without experience or a PGY2.  In December 2020, I was eligible for the PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Exemption program as I hit my 3-year mark of experience. My application was approved by ASHP/Phorcas and I was able to apply for Yale New Haven Hospital's PGY2 in Oncology. However, my application did not get approved until December 20, 2020 and I found out that I was pregnant. Therefore, I decided that the residency year 2021-2022 was not the best year for me to complete a PGY2, so I planned to apply for the following year 2022-2023.  I found out a couple days after the deadline for the program that I miscarried.

I began working for Yale New Haven Hospital in March 2021 and I went through the process of submitting my information to Phorcas in hopes to apply for their PGY2 oncology program. I was then made aware that the program was no longer accepted and I would be required to complete a PGY1 if I wanted to be considered for a PGY2. So now Ive lost my baby and chances for a PGY2.

I am extremely frustrated by this change as I feel that it limits those in my same position. It discourages career growth in specializing and receiving further education.  It says that my 5-years (will be in July 2022) of clinical experience and my Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialty Certificate do not make me an good enough candidate to receive further specialized training with a PGY2 because I wasn't lucky enough to match with a PGY1 program.  I have trained and precepted more than 10 PGY1 and PGY2 residents in my years of practice, led/participated in several organizational committees, led several topic discussions, and presented many presentations.  

I thought that ASHP would want to encourage the best PGY2 candidates to apply, but it appears as they don't consider experience as an eligibility criteria.  Reinstatement of this program will help future pharmacists to specialize in areas of their passion, expand their knowledge and career goals, and create more well-rounded, experienced pharmacists in the work place to improve patient care.

Please help us gain support by clicking the following link for a petition to try to gain reinstatement through ASHP: https://chng.it/wrg44LX7sx