Exploring shifts in resident recruitment during COVID-19: Initial perceptions from residents, preceptors, and residency program directors

Background The coronavirus pandemic significantly impacted pharmacy care and organizational practices. Residency program directors, students, and residents were required to adapt to these challenging environments to minimize the impact on learning, well-being, and clinical care. There is limited research on organizational changes related to pharmacy resident recruitment, interviewing, and selection processes. Objective To explore how resident recruitment practices changed to accommodate the pandemic from learner and educator reflections. Methods In May 2021, attendees of the virtual Research in Education and Practice Symposium were invited to a one-hour networking session that included individual reflections before small group discussions about recruitment process modifications in the past year. Participants submitted reflections in an electronic survey and anonymous responses were coded using thematic analysis in this exploratory, qualitative study. Reflection prompts asked about the changes made during the 2020 to 2021 recruitment cycle, what worked, what could be improved, and what should be retained. Results Forty-seven participants (33 residents, 5 preceptors, and 9 residency program directors) submitted complete reflections during the session. The most common change discussed was the transition to virtual interviews, recruitment events, and online national conferences. Participants highlighted benefits and challenges during the modifications. Benefits included less stressful experiences, more cost-effective practices, and more access to potential candidates. Challenges included a continuing lack of personal contact and technical issues with virtual environments. Participants reflected that future recruitment cycles should include hybrid experiences using both virtual and in-person opportunities and to continue virtual connection opportunities through social media, online forums, and virtual tours. Conclusion Resident recruitment practices changed during the pandemic and mostly included a transition to online and virtual interactions. Programs often reported positive experiences with these modifications and supported more hybrid-based experiences in the future to accommodate more candidates.