ASHP pharmacy residency accreditation is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists' review of postgraduate (PGY1 and PGY2) pharmacy residency programs, moving from pre-candidate status to candidate status to an accreditation decision after a site survey. This page is for residency program directors and the pharmacy leaders who sponsor them. Integral Healthcare Solutions (IHS) coordinates the evidence and drafts program policies for ASHP residency accreditation; your program director owns learning design and assessment.
Last reviewed: October 2026.
What is ASHP residency accreditation?
ASHP frames it this way: "Residency accreditation is an important driver for excellence, serving as a bridge between education and practice" (ASHP, Residency Program Resources).
The governing texts, posted on ASHP's residency program resources page:
- "ASHP Accreditation Standard for Postgraduate Residency Programs - September 2026."
- "ASHP Regulations on Accreditation of Pharmacy Residencies - September 2026" (file dated 08-10-26).
- "PGY1 Competency Areas, Goals and Objectives" and "PGY2 Competency Areas, Goals and Objectives."
Source: ASHP, Residency Program Resources. The Regulations set the status steps. Pre-candidate is "the status that may be granted to a program that has submitted a completed application indicating intent to seek 'candidate' status" (ASHP Regulations, September 2026). This page does not summarize the Standard's content, including preceptor requirements; your program director works from the Standard itself.
Who needs it and what triggers it
The buyers are residency program directors and the health systems and practice sites that operate residencies. The triggers are dates in the Regulations:
- A first residency class. "Application for pre-candidate status should be submitted between May 1 and September 30 in the year prior to the initial residency class" (ASHP Regulations, September 2026).
- A first resident on site. "Application for accreditation (candidate status) may be made as soon as a resident has begun training, but not sooner" (ASHP Regulations, September 2026).
- A clock on pre-candidate status. "Programs may be in a pre-candidate status for no more than five iterations of the Resident Matching Program (RMP)" (ASHP Regulations, September 2026).
- A survey. "After acceptance of a program's application for accreditation (candidate status), an initial accreditation site survey will be scheduled" (ASHP Regulations, September 2026).
- A shorter term. "For accreditation duration decisions of less than eight years, programs will provide a progress report with an action plan and supporting documentation" (ASHP Regulations, September 2026).
How IHS helps
Your organization decides to seek accreditation, and your residency program director leads the program. IHS works alongside:
- A gap assessment of the residency against the September 2026 ASHP Standard and Regulations, using questionnaires on program structure, preceptors and assessment.
- Document and evidence mapping: a crosswalk from each requirement to the record that shows the program meets it.
- Drafting: program policies and organized document production, for the residency program director to review and approve.
- Coordination of the pre-survey evidence set against the crosswalk.
- A mock review of the evidence before the site survey, and drafting support for any progress report and action plan your program submits.
What you supply: the Standard, Regulations and competency areas, the program's learning design, preceptor files, resident assessments, and the residency program director.
The limit: learning design, preceptor qualification and resident assessment belong to the residency educators. IHS does not judge preceptor qualifications or assess residents, and does not submit anything to ASHP. Your organization does.
What to have ready
This is the list we would ask for first, each item tied to the September 2026 Regulations or ASHP's fee schedule.
- A target first residency class, with the pre-candidate application window (May 1 to September 30 of the prior year) on the calendar (ASHP Regulations, September 2026).
- Three signatures: the application "must be signed by the residency program director, the pharmacist executive of the practice site, and the Program Operator's administrator" (ASHP Regulations, September 2026).
- A plan for PharmAcademic and the Match: "Programs in pre-candidate status will receive access to PharmAcademic and The National Matching Service" (ASHP Regulations, September 2026).
- A count of Resident Matching Program iterations used, against the five-iteration limit on pre-candidate status (ASHP Regulations, September 2026).
- A start date for the first resident, the earliest point to apply for candidate status (ASHP Regulations, September 2026).
- Evidence ready for the initial site survey, which is scheduled after the candidate application is accepted (ASHP Regulations, September 2026).
- A check of any other residencies at the same sites. An organization operating an ASHP accredited or candidate-status program "is prohibited from operating any unaccredited pharmacy residency program of the same or similar type" (ASHP Regulations, September 2026).
- The current PGY1 or PGY2 Competency Areas, Goals and Objectives for your program type (ASHP).
- A budget for the application fee and the annual assessment per primary practice site (ASHP Residency Accreditation Fee Schedule).
If most of this is in place, the introductory call is the place to start.
How it compares
| Path | What the Regulations say |
|---|---|
| Pre-candidate status | Granted after a completed application indicating intent to seek candidate status; applied for May 1 to September 30 in the year before the first class; includes access to PharmAcademic and The National Matching Service; limited to five Resident Matching Program iterations (ASHP Regulations, September 2026). |
| Candidate status | Applied for once a resident has begun training, not sooner; acceptance leads to the initial accreditation site survey; if accreditation is granted it is retroactive to the date ASHP's Accreditation Services Office received and approved a valid and complete candidate application (ASHP Regulations, September 2026). |
| Unaccredited residency | An organization operating an ASHP accredited or candidate-status program is prohibited from operating an unaccredited residency of the same or similar type at the same sites (ASHP Regulations, September 2026). |
Which path fits depends on your timeline and sites. This page does not recommend one.
What it costs
ASHP publishes a "Residency Accreditation Fee Schedule," effective July 20, 2026 (ASHP Residency Accreditation Fee Schedule; linked from ASHP, Applying for Accreditation):
| Fee | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-candidate application fee | $1,600 | $1,650 |
| Pre-candidate annual fee | $4,025 | $4,150 |
| Initial application fee, per residency program | $1,600 | $1,650 |
| Annual assessment, 1 program per primary practice site | $5,000 | $5,150 |
| Annual assessment, 2 programs | $6,350 | $6,550 |
| Annual assessment, 20 programs | $13,700 | $14,000 |
The annual assessment applies to candidate, accredited and conditional programs. ASHP states: "Accreditation survey expenses are included in the annual assessment — there are no additional fees assessed during the year of a program's accreditation survey," and "Annual assessment fees and application fees are nonrefundable" (ASHP Residency Accreditation Fee Schedule). Verify current fees with ASHP.
IHS scopes each engagement after a free introductory call.
What this is not
- IHS is not an accrediting body and does not grant, influence or predict an ASHP decision.
- IHS does not submit applications, progress reports or action plans to ASHP or correspond with ASHP on your behalf. IHS drafts; your organization submits.
- This page is not legal or clinical advice. Learning design, preceptor qualification and resident assessment belong to your residency educators.
Frequently asked questions
How do we start an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency?
Under the September 2026 Regulations, a program can apply for pre-candidate status between May 1 and September 30 in the year before its first residency class. It applies for candidate status once a resident has begun training. Acceptance of the candidate application leads to an initial accreditation site survey.
What is the difference between pre-candidate status and candidate status?
Pre-candidate status may be granted to a program that has submitted a completed application indicating intent to seek candidate status, and it carries access to PharmAcademic and The National Matching Service. Candidate status is the application for accreditation itself, made once a resident has begun training. A site survey follows acceptance of the candidate application.
When can we apply for ASHP candidate status?
The Regulations state that application for accreditation (candidate status) may be made as soon as a resident has begun training, but not sooner.
How long can a program stay in pre-candidate status?
The Regulations state that programs may be in pre-candidate status for no more than five iterations of the Resident Matching Program.
Who has to sign the ASHP residency accreditation application?
The application must be signed by the residency program director, the pharmacist executive of the practice site, and the Program Operator's administrator.
How much does ASHP residency accreditation cost per year?
ASHP's fee schedule lists an annual assessment of $5,000 in 2026 and $5,150 in 2027 for one program at a primary practice site, rising with the number of programs. The initial application fee is $1,600 per program in 2026 and $1,650 in 2027. Survey expenses are included in the annual assessment, and fees are nonrefundable. Verify current fees with ASHP.
When does the ASHP accreditation site survey happen after we apply?
The Regulations state that an initial accreditation site survey is scheduled after ASHP accepts the program's application for candidate status. The pages we reviewed do not state the lead time between acceptance and the survey.
How long is an ASHP residency accreditation term?
The Regulations refer to accreditation duration decisions. For duration decisions of less than eight years, programs provide a progress report with an action plan and supporting documentation. If accreditation is granted, it is retroactive to the date ASHP's Accreditation Services Office received and approved a valid and complete candidate application.
Do we have to be accredited to participate in the residency Match?
The Regulations state that programs in pre-candidate status receive access to PharmAcademic and The National Matching Service. The Regulations also state that programs in pre-candidate, candidate, conditional accreditation or accredited status must participate in the Resident Matching Program conducted by ASHP for all residency positions unless exempted by the Commission on Credentialing, and must follow the ASHP Resident Matching Program Residency Agreement and Rules (ASHP Regulations, September 2026).