Matching in Phase II: Reframing residency rejection into professional growth
Pharmacy Match Day – the Wednesday in March when pharmacy residency candidates learn their matched residency program – is an exciting day for many. However, for those of us who do not match, it can be a kick in the gut. When I didn’t match into a PGY1 program in 2007, I experienced a tremendous amount of self-doubt and questioned nearly everything about who I was and who I thought I was going to become professionally.
I’ve since come to view my non-match as a gift from the universe, redirecting me on a trajectory that better fit me professionally and personally. I can’t predict how life would have been different had I matched into my preferred programs. However, I can identify all the ways my experience not matching provided an important course correction and taught me some needed humility. I feel my experience is still relatable for today’s candidates despite changes in the Phase II process.
When I moved past the initial shock of not matching, I discovered new focus and determination. Surprisingly, many of my external influences complicating my match process were gone, and the decision was fully mine. My choice was simple – pursue a residency, or not? In these simple terms, the value of an imperfect residency became worth the risk of no residency at all. This gave me a freedom to evaluate options in a way I had not realized I was missing previously.
I also quickly came to appreciate the candor in the conversations with potential unmatched programs. On the phone, residency directors asked and answered questions that would have been taboo and too direct during a formal interview. I realized RPDs and I were in the same boat. They had invested resources and time to this process, and like me, they had plans dependent on filling that residency spot. Like me, they wanted to get the best match for their program, preceptors, and invest wisely in a candidate worthy of their time.
The reality is that the pressure for both candidate and program to portray itself as excellent and capable of meeting the needs of the best candidate is exceedingly high. If Phase I is about performing perfection, Phase II and scramble are about being authentic.
Students who are left un-matched in Phase I may experience a wide range of emotions. My message to them is mute the voice that is feeling embarrassed or is mourning a loss of their ideal scenario. This is not the end!
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, lost, or unsure what to do next, here is my advice for students pursuing unmatched residency programs in Phase II or the scramble:
1) Re-assess your residency priorities and motivations for doing a residency. Do the reasons for pursuing residency hold up in these new circumstances, or were they conditional to the idea you had prior to the match results?
2) Reflect on your aptitude – ambition – commitment alignment. This is something I talk with my coaching clients about often. Think of this as a detailed version of the “Am I a competitive candidate?” question. You might be highly qualified candidate (aptitude), but if your ambitions and commitment don’t line-up, you may be sending signals that you’re not the person to invest in at a particular program. Example, if a program prides itself on creating academics and you have zero interests in teaching, there is misalignment that does not reflect your abilities as a candidate.
3) Chat with a trusted advisor or mentor. Explore the tough questions about pursuing a phase II match with a trusted colleague or mentor. These individuals may not be the reference writers you selected for political or strategic reasons. You’ll need to talk to your reference writers as well, and ensure they are still able to serve as references in this next phase – or recruit new references.
4) Identify what you are willing to sacrifice. Take stock of what is most important to you in a program, what you can live without, and what may be a deal-breaker. There is no such thing as a perfect or ideal program, trade-offs come with any match. At this point, it is important to be concrete about what you need in a program versus what you would like to have in a program.
5) Welcome professional growth. This is an important moment for professional growth, and your peers who matched won’t have this experience entering the job-market. Keep a growth mindset and stay optimistic about your career path. Setbacks happen, and your experience navigating this challenge will prepare you for future bumps in the road. Pay attention to how you feel, what motivates you, and why you are choosing to continue the residency path.
After years of interviewing and precepting residents, I worry more and more about residents matching into programs that don’t truly fit them. A poor or forced fit is a disservice to both candidate and program. In other words, not matching could be the best possible result for a variety of reasons.
I’m grateful my scrambling resulted in a program that was a better fit for me than any program I applied to during my primary search. Moreover, the risk I took taking a residency sight-unseen expanded my comfort zone, which prepared me to consider PGY2s across the country, move to Hawaii for a dream job, and continue taking risks for in my career.
It can be hard to find the silver lining while in the midst of a disappointing match result but trust me when I say there is one.