Accessibility of postgraduate training program information to graduates from US doctor of pharmacy programs holding F-1 visas

Abstract

Disclaimer In an effort to expedite the publication of articles , AJHP is posting manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time. Purpose To evaluate information provided by residency and fellowship programs to graduates of Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education–accredited doctor of pharmacy programs holding F-1 visas who are seeking postgraduate training opportunities. Methods A 2-phase review of all US-based postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) residency and fellowship programs was conducted. In phase 1, program eligibility criteria were reviewed from the residency and fellowship directories published by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP). In phase 2, the postgraduate programs’ official websites were reviewed for additional information. Each program was evaluated to determine the eligibility of international students with F-1 visa or Optional Practical Training (OPT) status, visa sponsorship and work authorization opportunities, and citizenship requirements. Programs were classified as eligible or noneligible to international students or as not providing sufficient information. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. Results A total of 1,455 ASHP PGY1 programs and 69 fellowship programs were included in our analysis. In phase 1, there were 3 eligible programs accepting applicants with F-1/OPT status and 377 noneligible programs. In phase 2, there were 10 eligible programs accepting applicants with F-1/OPT status or providing H-1B sponsorship and 410 noneligible programs. Over 70% of programs (phase 1, n = 1,075; phase 2, n = 1,035) were classified as providing no information. None of the fellowship programs were classified as eligible in our review. Conclusion Most residency and fellowship programs did not provide clear eligibility criteria for students with F-1/OPT status. Only a few programs clearly stated that they would accept applicants with F-1/OPT status or provide visa sponsorship to graduates holding F-1 visas.

Navigating obstacles: Perspectives of US pharmacy residency directors on non‐US candidates for PGY‐1 residencies: A survey‐based research

“…Programs outside of the US were also excluded because their recruitment policies have no impact on IPGs seeking postgraduate training within the United States. RPDs of ASHP‐accredited PGY‐2 programs were also excluded because OPT is a 12‐month work authorization in the United States, therefore, IPGs would need additional work authorization to complete PGY‐2 training 6,8 . However, the RPDs of combined PGY‐1/PGY‐2 programs were included because, under specific circumstances, OPT could be extended for an additional 24 months (also known as OPT extension) 16 .…”

“…To develop the survey content, multiple studies on immigration/visa policies in retaining the workforce in healthcare, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-related areas were reviewed. 6,8,[18][19][20][21] A novel survey instrument was developed by the research team, The final survey (Appendix A) included up to 16 items consisting of yes/no, multiple choice, and select all that apply questions, as well as a free text section for additional comments. Branch logic was employed to enable participants to skip questions based on their responses.…”

“…4,5 International pharmacy graduates (IPGs) have the opportunity to fulfill PGY-1 residency training by acquiring optional practical training (OPT) while maintaining active F-1 student visa status. [6][7][8] OPT does not require employer/visa sponsorship, unlike working visas (H-1B). Students are solely responsible for OPT applications, and there are no requirements or costs for the employers.…”

“…Pharmacy education and postgraduate training systems in the United States have a long‐standing reputation of quality, which often attracts international students seeking education at Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)‐accredited pharmacy schools 4,5 . International pharmacy graduates (IPGs) have the opportunity to fulfill PGY‐1 residency training by acquiring optional practical training (OPT) while maintaining active F‐1 student visa status 6–8 . OPT does not require employer/visa sponsorship, unlike working visas (H‐1B).…”

“…Students are solely responsible for OPT applications, and there are no requirements or costs for the employers. Previous research revealed that among 1455 PGY‐1 programs, only 10 (0.7%) programs specifically list eligibility for IPGs from ACPE‐accredited programs 6 . This considerably reduces opportunities for IPGs, as there were a total of 317 IPGs in the same year 9 .…”