Novel Use of Text-Bot Automation for Residency Recruitment

• Main Authors: Emily Holm, Audrey Umbreit, Kelsey Mews, Garrett E. Schramm
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing 2021-07-01
• Series: INNOVATIONS in Pharmacy
• Subjects: automation, text-bot, residency, recruitment, pharmacy
• Online Access: https://pubs.lib.umn.edu/index.php/innovations/article/view/4029

Purpose. To describe the employment of an automated text messaging text-bot during the 2019 American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear Clinical Meeting Residency Showcase and its impact on the number of applications received for the postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) and postgraduate year 2 (PGY2) pharmacy residency programs at a medium-sized community hospital. Methods. Visitors at the residency showcase booth were asked to text a code word to a program number. The text-bot collected the visitor’s contact information and program of interest (PGY1 or PGY2). A series of automated messages were sent to all visitors following the showcase and up until the residency application deadline. Results. 71% (20/28) of visitors to the program’s showcase booth registered with the text-bot and of these, 65% (13/20) submitted applications to the residency program in phase I of the match. Both the PGY1 and PGY2 programs saw an increase in the amount of applications received compared to previous year. Conclusion. A text messaging text-bot may be a useful residency recruitment tool.