title: Characteristics That Define a Successful Pharmacy Resident as Perceived by Residency Programs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the subjective and objective characteristics that pharmacy residency programs use to define a successful resident and to determine what percentage of their 2009-2010 residency class they felt were successful.
  
  
  METHODS
  An electronic survey was sent via e-mail to all residency program directors (RPDs) of postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) and postgraduate year 2 (PGY2) pharmacy residency programs in the United States. A 3-part survey instrument was developed following validation of questions for clarity and reliability using a pilot survey. Respondents were asked to rank the importance of 20 subjective characteristics for a resident to possess in order to be considered successful and the importance of different objective measurements of accomplishment in the definition of a "successful" resident using a Likert scale where 1 =not at all important, 2 =some importance, 3 =very important, and 4 =critical.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 1,081 surveys sent to RPDs, 473 respondents answered at least one question, yielding a response rate of 43.8%. The most critically important subjective characteristics in defining a successful resident as ranked among PGY1 residency programs are dependability, professionalism, self-motivation/initiative, and work ethic. PGY2 programs ranked clinical knowledge and skills, critical thinking, and dependability as the most important. The most critically important objective characteristic in defining a successful resident as ranked among both PGY1 and PGY2 programs is obtaining a clinical position. The majority of PGY1 and PGY2 respondents felt that 76% to 100% of their 2009-2010 residency class was successful based on the characteristics they rated most important.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Identification of the characteristics that pharmacy residency programs use to define success will allow them to identify predictors of success and optimal methods of selecting residents who possess these characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Clinical Professor, St. John's University, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Queens, New York; Emergency Medicine Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Samantha P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Jellinek-Cohen
authors.affiliation: Corporate Clinical Director of Pharmacy Services and Assistant Vice President, Medical and Professional Affairs/Health Care Improvement Department , New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: Academic Supervisor for Pharmacy Students, Maimonides Medical Center , Brooklyn, New York.
authors.forename: Saba
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rab
authors.affiliation: Research Manager, Maimonides Medical Center , Brooklyn, New York .
authors.forename: Antonios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Likourezos
keywords: pharmacy; postgraduate; predictors; residency programs; resident