RxMatch: Delay =/= Denial

“You are not defined by a position, or by a title, or by your job – all of those things can change”

Kathy E. Monangai, PharmD, advisory team member of the #PharmGradWishlist interviews Chidinma Ahiarah, PharmD, current PGY-2 Oncology Pharmacy Resident at USCF Health. Dr. Ahiarah’s story illustrates that delay is not denial. She’s a current San Francisco, California transplant by way of Austin, Texas. Before moving out West, she completed her PharmD degree in 2021 at the Texas A&M College of Pharmacy and entered the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Pharmacy Resident Matching Program for the first time in the fall of 2020. Dr. Ahiarah walks us through her journey of not matching in her first attempt, the challenges of the experience, and matching at a top 10 hospital in the following cycle.

Dr. Ahiarah leads with her identity in all that she does and shares how she considered that during the Match process. “Being a resident is not the best thing to happen to you. The best thing to happen to you is the fact that you’re here, the fact that you have a story to tell, and that you’re able to contribute to the world” As a future clinical pharmacist, with interests in oncology, malignant hematology, critical care, and academia – she hopes to be a voice/advocate for future minority pharmacy residency hopefuls and support DEIB efforts at her future institutions. Learn more about PharmGradWishlist at https://linktr.ee/pharmgradwishlist