P4s meet prospective employers … several at a time
To see a gallery of photos from the Class of 2011 Employer Interviews and Residency Showcase, click on photo and continue by clicking “Next” or using the right arrow on your keyboard.
Numbers often tell the story:
· Sixty-six members of the Pharm.D. class of 2011 participated in the Office of Admissions and Student Services’ Employer Interviews and Residency Showcase Oct. 4 at the Jonah L. Larrick Student Center.
· Twenty-four prospective employers – 12 pharmacy corporations and 12 health-system pharmacies — participated in this year’s event.
· Students were allowed to schedule up to 12 interviews during the daylong event; each student met with five prospective employers, on average.
· Each interview session lasted up to 30 minutes.
And now, the rest of the story: When the School of Pharmacy began arranging employer interviews for its students more than 20 years ago, the interview sessions took place at Larrick. When the student center’s future was in question (and prior to its 2009 renovation), students and prospective employers met for several years at the Omni Richmond Hotel.
This year, it was back to Larrick, with pharmacy corporations and health-system pharmacies interviewing P4s in the Court End Ballroom. “It’s nice to be able to use the university’s resources,” said Tom Reinders, associate dean for admissions and student services.
Directly across the hall, in the Jackson Ward Room, a pharmacy residency showcase allowed students the opportunity to learn more about a number of Virginia pharmacy residency programs. Representatives from as near as Richmond and as far as Fairfax, Harrisonburg and Roanoke were on hand.
Reinders noted that this is the first year the employer and residency components have run concurrently. And it’s the fourth year prospective employers have been able to register for the event online, after which students may sign up for their interviews.
The advantages of the electronic registration system, Reinders said, are that students can schedule their own interviews, and employers, in turn, can see how many interviews have been scheduled prior to the event. He credits Phartech Web developer Cosmin Boanca with having created and maintained the online registration system.
While some companies may opt to participate one year and not the next, depending on their needs, Reinders said about two dozen have consistently taken part in career day during the past two decades.
“It’s beneficial for both parties,” he said. “Employers can conduct screening interviews and meet a large number of students at one time.” And, of course, students can visit with several prospective employers in a single location.
A continental breakfast and lunch were provided for participants, and Brenda Jones, admissions specialist, and Ron Ballentine, assistant director of admissions and student services, assisted with registration, information and logistics.
“Students were pleased with the event,” Reinders said, “and the employers were mutually satisfied.”
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