August 22, 2014

PhORCAS is the Pharmacy Online Residency Centralized Application Service, a web-based tool that brings
the residency application materials and tools to manage the application process together in one location. This
system has an application portal, a selection portal (for programs), and a reference portal.
PhORCAS will go live for all participants on November 3, 2014 for the 2015 match. All portals will have new
links that apply to the current match year. These new links will be posted to the ASHP web site by November
3, 2014. If you bookmarked last year’s PhORCAS link, you will need to update this each year. Be careful if you
use Google search for PhORCAS, the applicant portal is the widest used, if you are a program or reference
writer your sign on is for a different portal, do not use the applicant portal. Check the ASHP website for the
correct link.
The standardized application material and process in PhORCAS is the same for all programs; however,
PhORCAS allows programs to customize their application date, supplemental materials, and/or specifics
required in the personal statement/letter of intent. Applicants can customize all information to each program.
Reference writers will use the available template in PhORCAS to submit their recommendations. Changes
have been made in PhORCAS 3.0 so no program specific letter uploads or text boxes will be used for
Reference Writers. The reference form will allow for a BRIEF one paragraph program specific note to be
provided, if desired.
All programs registered in the ASHP Resident Matching Program [with a unique National Matching Services
(NMS) code] will be uploaded automatically into PhORCAS unless the program director selects the “Opt out”
selection on the Resident Matching Program – Residency Agreement Form from NMS. The program’s name
and application deadline submitted to NMS is what will appear in PhORCAS. The new application deadline will
be uploaded from NMS to ASHP’s on line residency directory in October.
There is NO fee for residency programs to participate. Centralized application service costs are passed on to
the applicants ($100 for the first four applications, each additional application is $35). All transmitted and stored
information is securely protected in the PhORCAS application.
Residency program directors (RPD) are the contacts for accessing their program’s WebAdMIT for PhORCAS
portal for the first time and have special privileges. However, they can grant WebAdMIT for PhORCAS access
to program affiliated associates. Individuals given access in previous years will NOT be able to sign in for this
year and will need to be reentered by the RPD. If you are a new RPD since last recruitment season, contact
PhORCAS customer service to obtain RPD privileges after November 3. You will need to be listed on the
ASHP on-line directory as the RPD.
Application materials everyone will receive for each applicant in PhORCAS:
1. Basic Demographics: address, phone, email, citizenship, military status, academic history at the college
level, college of pharmacy from which they received their pharmacy degree, GPA
2. Verified Transcripts: One set is sent to PhORCAS Transcripts Department. Following verification,
transcripts are uploaded to the candidate’s application (only pharmacy school transcripts are required in
PhORCAS 3.0 for the applicant’s file to be considered complete).
3. Personal Statement/Letter of Intent: A description of why the applicant wants to do a residency and
specifically why your residency program.
4. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
5. Three references will be provided, using the standardized reference template in PhORCAS (see attached
at the end of this document). The system requires 3 references, and can accept a maximum of 4 references.
6. Extracurricular Information: Applicants must enter the following extracurricular activities: work experience,
publications, presentations, professional awards, leadership roles, and volunteer/community service (if
applicable). This allows programs to sort for individuals who have completed some of these types of activities.
7. Supplemental Information - optional: Anything your program requires in addition to what is listed above.
These can be uploaded into PhORCAS 3.0 with new software that handles uploads. PhORCAS 3.0 can handle
all uploads except for dynamic PDFs and 3rd party PDFs that are password protected. Applicants should group
all their supplemental data required by one program into one PDF document when they upload their
supplemental materials to an individual program. There is a space limitation of 5MB for supplemental data.
What you need to do if you plan to use
PhORCAS does NOT list customized program specific application requirements. Each residency
program director must state their program specific application requirements in their marketing
materials, website, and on the ASHP on-line Residency Directory. There is a link in PhORCAS to the
ASHP on-line directory.
1. All data entering PhORCAS will come from your NMS Resident Matching Program –
Resident Agreement Form (program name and application deadline date). Please enter your
application deadline date and return the agreement promptly to NMS.
2. All programs with a unique NMS code will be uploaded automatically in PhORCAS, unless
they select “opt out” on the NMS Resident Agreement Form.
3. Identify if there are any additional supplemental requirements for your program beyond
standardized information provided in PhORCAS.
4. If you require supplemental information identify what it is and if it can be sent electronically to
applicants, completed, and uploaded by applicants. Make sure applicants are informed that
you will require supplemental information to be uploaded into PhORCAS.
5. Identify if you have special questions for reference writers, beyond the form available in
PhORCAS. They will respond to these special questions in the field unique to your program.
6. Update your programs marketing information, program websites, and ASHP online
Residency Directory with any program specific application requirements. Changes to the
ASHP online directory should be sent to [email protected], please label as ”new information for
online directory” (Note: no need to update your application deadline date, that will come from
your NMS agreement form. If you extend your application date to a later date, there is no need
to update ASHP online directory – just do it the PhORCAS selection portal).
Standardized Reference available in PhORCAS
This is the information that the recommender will complete online in the PhORCAS reference portal.
I have known the candidate for approximately ______ (months).
The relative hours per week of our interaction during that time_____ (hours).
My relationship to the candidate was (or is) in the following capacity:
Faculty
preceptor
employer
professional organization
other (please specify) __________
Please rate this applicant for each of the following characteristics.
Exceeds = the candidate exceeds what is expected to enter a residency program;
Appropriate = the candidate performs appropriately for what is expected to enter a residency program;
Fails to Meet = the candidate fails to meet the level expected to enter a residency program, and
N/A = not applicable or not observed.
CHARACTERISTICS
EVALUATED
Exceeds
Writing skills (clinical,
email, and assigned
writings)
Oral communication
skills
Leadership/mentoring
skills
Assertiveness
Ability to organize and
manage time
Ability to work with
peers and
communicate
effectively
Clinical Problem
Solving Skills
Effective patient
interactions
Dependability
Independence and
resourcefulness
Willingness to accept
constructive criticism
Emotional stability and
maturity
Professionalism
(professional attire and
professional demeanor)
`
Appropriate
Fails
to
Meet
N/A
Comments
(Please address at least 3 fields below)
Narrative comments (optional)
1. Please describe the nature of your interactions with the candidate. Under a period of normal workload or
abnormal? Frequency or number of directly observed clinical activities of the candidate? The degree of
independence the candidate was given? Was that independence reduced or increased over the duration of a
rotation? How did the candidate’s skills compare with (in order of preference) concurrent residents, peer students
or students from other colleges ?
2. Please provide 2 strengths of this candidate and how you believe these strengths will be beneficial to his/her
success in a residency program.
3. Please provide 2 areas for improvement of this candidate and how you believe a residency program will be able
to work with the candidate’s noted areas for improvement.
4.
5.
Please feel free to address any other characteristics or observances of the candidate not mentioned previously.
FOR PGY2 CANDIDATES ONLY
Please comment on how the candidate’s skills compare with concurrent residents? Describe his/her degree of
independence to date? Has the resident been able to assume more independence as the year progressed?
Recommendation concerning the applicant (select one)
I highly recommend this candidate
I recommend this candidate
I recommend this candidate, but with some reservation/s
I do not recommend this candidate
Please use this space to enter in a BRIEF program specific comment – Optional – 1,000 Character Maximum.
PhORCAS is a partnership between ASHP and Liaison International. This application was developed by a diverse group
of ASHP members, preceptors, residency program directors, ASHP accreditation staff and Liaison International staff.
Enhancements occur each year based on feedback from our users. A special thank you to all of you who participated in
year one and provided feedback to improve this product. We look forward to a much improved year two!
For more information:
You Tube tutorials and information, including a more detailed PhORCAS FAQ will be updated by November 3, 2014 at the
ASHP accreditation web site under PhORCAS: http://www.ashp.org/phorcas
PhORCAS Customer Service 617-612-2868 or [email protected] starting November 3, 2014.

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