The American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear Clinical Meeting is an annual conference and exhibition catering to pharmacy professionals. For many of you, this will be the first time attending Midyear and interviewing at PPS. With just over two weeks until Midyear begins, the Fellowship Team asked the members of our MFN Marketing & Recruitment Committee to put together some useful information for candidates to help prepare for Midyear.
Additionally, our Director, Dr. Amee Mistry, and one of her MCPHS University Honor Students, Jordan Haines, surveyed current fellows and industry professional on what makes an ideal candidate. They published an article summarizing their research on Pulses, a scholarly blog supported by Currents in Pharmacy Teaching & Learning. Their research highlights the top qualities our fellowship companies look for in a candidate. Be sure to check it out to find out about the types of skills and experiences to emphasize during your interview! For more information on their survey and its results, you can read their article here on the Pulses website. We hope you find this information useful, and we look forward to seeing everyone in Anaheim!
First Years’ Tips & Tricks
Preparing for Midyear:
- Keep a paper daily schedule organized in 30 min increments. This will help you plan out your day and space out your interviews
- Practice your elevator speech
- Prepare a list of possible questions you may be asked and practice answering in STAR method (Situation, Task, Action Result)
- Your CV should not exceed 4 pages maximum. Print on heavy paper, single sided, and paperclip it with a business card (never stapled)
At Midyear:
- ALWAYS BE PROFESSIONAL
- Carry a water bottle and protein bars to keep you going—the days can be long!
- Bring a light laptop/tablet to review company mission, TAs, relevant news, etc. right before going into the interview
- Smile, stay calm, exude confidence, and be friendly to everyone you meet at Midyear
- Focus on being yourself! Try not to worry about other candidates and what they are doing
- Ladies: bring flats for walking if you plan to wear heels at interviews. The convention center is huge and receptions can be far apart
- Give yourself time to de-stress at the end of the day. You don’t need to close yourself off to prepare for interviews! Regroup with your friends at the end of the day
Interviews:
- Take quick notes during your interview, especially during introductions
- Remember that you are interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you
- Be transparent about the entire process—where are you applying, what programs are you interested in, where do you have onsite interviews? Keep everyone in the loop throughout the process
- No matter what happens, you are guaranteed to learn about yourself and improve your interview skills
Second Years’ Ideal Candidate
“Passion, passion, passion for the role.” Our second years will be interviewing you along with their Directors, Industry Preceptors, and/or Faculty Preceptors. We asked the second years from the M&R Committee to share what they’re looking for in an ideal candidate:
An ideal candidate should know why they want the position and HOW to articulate why they want it. They should be able to show evidence of teamwork, creativity, and conflict management. There should also be demonstrated interest in the position role—this could be a specific APPE rotation or internship within a functional or therapeutic area. A good candidate will be adaptable to any situation. This person should be able to mesh well with their team, both in their work and their personality. Overall, the ideal candidate will be well rounded, balanced, and proactive.
MCPHS Biopharmaceutical Fellows' Network 