Tips to Nail Your Pharmacy Residency Interviews

[@leeamaya7432]

This was very helpful! Thank you so much for sharing this advice. I will definitely try to implement all the tips you both went over on my upcoming interviews over the next month! This whole process has been very stressful, but exciting as well.

[@briankfung]

Hey Lee! Big congrats on your interviews! I’m glad you found the videos helpful and yes! The whole residency process is extremely stressful. Best of luck as you progress through it all! It’s very rewarding!

[@rowdymoose7676]

I’m applying for residency next month and I’m so excited and nervous! I’m watching any and all advice on KZbin 😂

[@briankfung]

That's awesome! The whole residency process can be a bit stressful, but preparation can certainly ease some of that. Best of luck on your applications!

[@chelseameade9078]

Accepted my first interview last week!!! Eeek! Thank you for posting!

[@briankfung]

Congrats!!! Im super excited for you! Getting an interview is pretty awesome considering how competitive it is! Best of luck! Let me know how it goes!

[@mimiwin412]

I think I'm a few years too early .. send this to me when I hit you up during PGY1 interviews 😂😂 My hospital internship interview was a panel type and all the questions were all situational which I wasn't used to in comparison to pharmacy school/tech job interviews. Super helpful video!

[@briankfung]

You’re going to be an expert by then considering how inquisitive and ambitious you are! I’ve always been introverted so it’s been harder for me to answer those situational and behavior type questions. Keep me updated on your interests!

[@queeninternationalgroup1813]

Mimi Win did u start your pgy1

[@AyooLinda]

This was helpful but I kept staring at the tv and wishing it wasn’t blank haha. The music and the content was very fitting. Perhaps something on the tv so the room doesn’t seem blank

[@briankfung]

Oh no! Thanks for the feedback on that! The screen is certainly a bit distracting and I’ll keep that in mind for the future!

[@mimiwin412]

Watching again 3 years later prepping for mock interviews ^_^

[@briankfung]

You got this! Good luck on interviews!!

[@ekeneag]

Thanks for the video! How much does GPA matter in the beginning of the process? Especially, if you have tons of leadership, work experience, presentations, but an average gpa. Do they care to look beyond that and take the person as a whole?

[@briankfung]

Thanks for watching! Gpa is one of many factors that is typically used to evaluate candidates for interview invites - some programs have cutoffs for exclusions though if your gpa is too low (eg < 2.5-3). So in response to your question, if your other areas are strong, you could still get an invite for sure - just kind of depends on each individual program and how they weigh each area. Hope that helps!

[@cs-qi8en]

What recommendations do you have for an escape room activity planned during interview?

[@briankfung]

Be yourself :). Social activities during residency interviews usually help the program determine if you're actually someone they want to work with for an entire year. Of course, be professional as much as possible as weeding out of candidates can sometimes offer if you do certain things (e.g. getting drunk, being rude, etc).

[@surigirl2187]

My first interview is in a few days! Thanks!

[@briankfung]

Good luck!!! You'll do awesome - let me know how it goes!

[@husseinawjama6034]

Hi Brian, One of my programs did not send me anything like if I'm giving a presentation or journal club, do I have just be ready. They just sent me the link of the interview since the interview is virtual.

[@briankfung]

That’s a great question. Did they at least tell you how long the interview would be and with who? If they don’t give you any of that in advance, there likely aren’t any of those things to be expected. Just a normal interview.

[@husseinawjama6034]

@@briankfung I think there will 3 people that will interview me. The interview will last 2 hours and 30 mins and its virtual.

[@briankfung]

Gotcha. It probably is your typical interviews then. Situational/behavioral questions, patient cases, etc. good luck mann

[@husseinawjama6034]

@@briankfung Thank very much. I appreciate🙏

[@briankfung]

@@husseinawjama6034 np!

[@brittneypeak7278]

If programs do not provide you a list of interviewers is it appropriate to ask?

[@briankfung]

Hi Brittney - I don't think it's inappropriate to ask and I think it's an entirely fair question. Conversely, I imagine some programs may say that they might not know who some of the preceptors may be until the day of as it takes a lot of effort and time on the program's part to block time to interview candidates. The benefits vs. risks of asking seems to favor asking IMO.

[@shahedatassi2613]

Can i ask them what do they think of me from my interview?

[@briankfung]

Hi Shahed - that's a fair question, but I don't think that's usually a great one to ask during the interview. After the matching process is over, I think that'd be fair to ask though.

[@alysajanemartin3267]

Question: Do these “stories” have to be about pharmacy specific? Can they be life events or non-pharmacy extracurricular examples?

[@briankfung]

Hi Alysa! They certainly do not. Many interviews, especially for residency, are situational & behavioral questions. They gauge your soft skills and how you handled difficult situations, mainly conflicts, and overcame various obstacles. So questions may come in the form of, “tell me about a team project that failed...”. It can be about a science fair project in high school or a group project in college. Pick examples that highlight your positive character traits and how you learned from those experiences. Hope that helps - great question!