Best Foot Forward

SSHP’s Residency Bootcamp Led by The Houston Program Receives National Recognition from ASHP

April 23 – The University of Houston College of Pharmacy chapter of the Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists (SSHP) has been recognized as a 2023-24 American Society of Health-System Pharmacy Outstanding Professional Development Award recipient for its Residency Bootcamp.

The UHCOP Chapter of SSHP was one of 20 nationwide to receive the honor from the ASHP Pharmacy Student Forum, which recognizes exceptional projects based on content/information, creativity/resourcefulness, service/outreach/impact, and overall impression.

Recently completing its eighth year, the Residency Bootcamp is presented by students/residents of The Houston Program. Designed to train the next generation of leaders in health-system pharmacy, The Houston Program (THP) is a two-year concurrent M.S. in Pharmacy Leadership and Administration from UHCOP and PGY1/PGY2 Health System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership residency program from one of seven partnerning Houston-area health systems.

Filling a Need

The bootcamp was conceived while THP alumna Claire Latiolais, Pharm.D., M.S. (’17), who now serves as Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - Formulary Management & Informatics at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, was on an academic rotation with UHCOP Clinical Professor Matthew Wanat, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCCCP, FCCM.

"We recognized a need for another avenue to teach students how to strengthen their residency candidacies and stand out among their peers," said Wanat, who also serves as faculty co-advisor to SSHP.

The bootcamp concept seemed like a perfect match for both THP residents and SSHP students, Latiolais recalled.

"With the plethora of residents in the Houston region we figured, why not create a class that is led and taught by residents and is free to students?" Latiolais said. "That’s exactly what we created."

7-Part Series

SSHP’s Residency Bootcamp is an intensive seven-part program in which third-year Pharm.D. students have their resumes reviewed, engage in mock interviews, and participate in an open-forum Q&A session with current residents.

Pharm.D. candidate and SSHP member Adam Siddique, a graduate of the bootcamp and member of THP’s 2024-26 entering class, nominated the chapter and THP for the recognition.

"Hearing first-hand accounts from residents that have just gone through this process gives P3s crucial insights into how to navigate the many nuances of matching with a pharmacy residency program," Siddique said. "It’s a roadmap to being successful not only when pursuing residency but also being successful once residency is acquired."

Mentorship Match

Divya Varkey, Pharm.D., M.S., UHCOP clinical associate professor and the M.S. graduate program director for THP, said the bootcamp program adds another layer in the residents' development as pharmacy leaders. 

"The residents have an opportunity to pay it forward and mentor students in similar ways that were critical to their own personal success," said Varkey, who also serves as a faculty co-advisor of the SSHP chapter. "The residents leverage their network within the world’s largest medical center to connect students with their co-residents showcasing the breadth and depth of residency training options."

Latiolais said she was gratified that the program has endured and continues to help position students for success in their residency aspirations.

"Eight years later, I love that the program still continues to provide great information and mentorship for P3s interested in residency," Latiolais said.