Frequency of and reasons for pharmacy residents breaching the National Matching Services applicant agreement.
OBJECTIVE
The frequency of and reasons for pharmacy residents breaching the National Matching Services (NMS) applicant agreement were evaluated.


METHODS
An electronic survey was sent via e-mail to residency program directors of ASHP-accredited postgraduate year 1 pharmacy residencies in the United States. The survey instrument was developed based on an initial pilot survey used to test the clarity and reliability of the questions. The primary objective of the survey was to determine the frequency with which pharmacy residents breach the NMS applicant agreement and fail to report to their assigned site. Characteristics of ASHP- accredited residency programs with residents who breached the NMS agreement and any punitive action taken on these individuals were also analyzed.


RESULTS
Of the 636 surveys sent to residency program directors, 302 complete surveys were returned, yielding a response rate of 47.5%. Twenty-six respondents (8.6%) indicated that within the past five years, they had matched candidates who failed to report to their assigned site. Of these respondents, 13 (50%) reported the candidate to ASHP; 11 (44%) took no action. Respondents indicated that they would be comfortable reporting all candidates who breach the NMS agreement to ASHP and placing the candidates' information on a list accessible electronically only to residency program directors.


CONCLUSIONS
Less than 10% of residency program directors reported having residency candidates who breached the NMS applicant agreement. The majority of these respondents indicated that these residents were not their first choices. The most common reason for candidate withdrawal was family obligation.
Arnold and Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY 11219, USA. vcohen@maimonidesmed.org
Victor
V
Cohen
Samantha P
SP
Jellinek
Michael
M
Blecker
Craig
C
Cocchio
Antonios
A
Likourezos
Bupendra
B
Shah
D032982:Contracts; D004514:Education, Pharmacy, Graduate; D034742:Electronic Mail; D004995:Ethics, Professional; D007397:Internship, Nonmedical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital; D010865:Pilot Projects; D028743:Professional Misconduct / Q000523:psychology*; D045808:Refusal to Participate; D012941:Social Responsibility; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States