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Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists - Residencies

Residencies & Fellowships: The Next Step

Compiled by Ali McBride, Class of 2007 alumnus

There are many benefits to consider when taking part in a residency program, including enhancing patient care skills, developing managerial skills, improving teaching and leadership skills while precepting students, gaining a better perspective of research and, most importantly, developing skills needed for providing optimal patient care. Residents and fellows often develop confidence through their practitioner enhanced problem-solving skills, and come out of the experience with a stronger foundation for their next step in the development of the professional career.

In this section, there are several articles of information that are provided to give students a step up in developing strategies and research venues that were not provided in the classroom. Some of this information is a compilation of other Web sites, and articles that have been found over the years and put to use to provide students the best information for their post-graduation career goals. Good luck in your search, and your future career goals in pharmacy.

group of people

Guest Speakers: Residents from Fry's, University Medical Center and the veteran's affairs hospital introduced their areas of specialty at the 2009 SSHP residency forum.  From Left to right: Adam Biggs (UMC Critical Care, PGY2); Sarah Stahle (UMC, PGY1); Justin Gollon (UMC Nutritional Support); Chad Mellen (SAVAHCS, PGY1); Matt Wade (SAVAHCS, PGY1); Lauren Miller (Fry's Community Pharmacy, PGY1)

 

Residency Questions & Answers
This information is a compilation of questions addressed from inputs of past students and residents, and from other Web sites (University of Texas, ASHP, NCPA and APhA). The questions provided are not all inclusive, and there may be questions that you might need to address when meeting other pharmacy residents or residency directors. As an adjunct to this page, please visit the ASHP, APhA and AMCP residency Web site which also addresses residency questions and provides an online summary and contact information for each residency program by state.

Links:

Residency Resources for CV/resume writing
Tips for interviews

Glossary of Terms
ASHP Residency Directory lists all residencies in the accreditation pool: www.ashp.org
ACCP Directory lists residencies and fellowships conducted by ACCP members: www.accp.org
APhA website lists community residencies: www.aphanet.org

 

Why would I complete a pharmacy residency?
A pharmacy residency is often equated to two to three years of working and management experience. The goal of residency training is to develop the resident into a well-rounded practitioner with enhanced professional judgment, confidence, experience and communication skills.

What types of residencies are there?

What is a pharmacy fellowship?
The fellowship program in the clinical sciences is a minimum of one to two years in length, typically divided between research (80% of effort) and advanced practice experiences (20%). While fellows gain additional experience in the provision of pharmaceutical care services, the goal is to prepare the highly motivated participants to become independent researchers. There are opportunities to take graduate coursework and to participate in clinical and laboratory investigations with experienced clinical and basic science faculty and pharmaceutical divisions. Fellows participate in ongoing funded research as well as in the design and conduct of original research under the guidance of a preceptor.

Applicant requirements include the PharmD degree and one to two years of residency training or equivalent practice experience. Fellowships are designed as an advanced training program in the clinical, basic, and translational medical sciences for those with a PharmD degree and the clinical knowledge and skills commensurate with a specialty practice residency. Completion of this program prepares the trainee for tenure track academic and research scientist positions.

 

Does it matter if I choose an ASHP-accredited residency or not?
Non–accredited residency program does not necessarily mean that it is substandard. It is possible that the program is still new and is in a process of obtaining accreditation. Another possibility is that maybe the preceptor or pharmacy director chooses not to get the accreditation (such as the Indian Health Services Residency, Pharmacotherapy Residency Program in San Antonio, Internal Medicine Residency Program in Austin, etc.), but it still may provide valuable information as a residency program. It is up to you to do more research to evaluate the true quality of the residency program and if it will provide you with adequate education and experience.

Do I need to complete a pharmacy practice residency before going into a specialized pharmacy residency?
No, if you wish to pursue an advanced residency in pharmacy practice management or a specialized residency. It is recommended that you first complete a residency in pharmacy practice; however, if you have adequate pharmacy experience, you can apply for the specialized pharmacy residency directly. ASHP is currently changing some of these requirements, and denoting certain programs to be two-year programs that develop the students to specialize in certain areas of pharmacy after a general practice residency.

May I enroll in a graduate program in pharmacy while completing a pharmacy residency program?
This depends on the school and type of program you are enrolled in as a pharmacy resident. Please contact the residency director for more information.

Will I earn a salary? Are health benefits provided?
Yes, all residency programs provide the resident with a stipend. When comparing salaries, you also need to consider factors such as geographic location, value of any fringe benefits provided and whether or not it's academically affiliated. Another important factor to compare salary is "staffing requirement" or doing distributive pharmacy duties during residency. Positions with staffing requirements typically pay more, but set the schedule. Non-staffing positions pay less, but allow the resident to "moonlight" sometimes with higher pay or greater flexibility. Health benefits are dependent on specific programs, and may not be included in some of the packages. Outside sources of health care may need to addressed.

How should I schedule a residency timeline?
Timelines are usually set up for the fall. Fall is the time you will typically have your rotations set up. It is also wise to think about taking February off for your rotation cycle.. This is the month when most interviews are conducted, and planning interviews is easier if you are not coordinating them with a rotation schedule.

September-November

  • Research Programs
  • Update your CV
  • Attend meetings/exhibits
  • Initiate contact with programs of interest
  • Obtain Applications
  • Ask referees to write letters for you
  • Attend the SSHP Showcase

December

  • Attend the ASHP Midyear Meeting
  • Obtain one-on-one contact with residency directors and residents
  • Apply through the PharmCas

January - March

  • Applications become due in December and January
  • Apply for the Match program by early January
  • Interviews begin
  • Offers made for non-participants of match program
  • Match lists due in early March

May

  • Graduation (Freedom)


How do I search for residencies and how do I find out details about each residency?
You can find out information on residencies by going to ASHP's Residency Directory site for ASHP-accredited residency programs, or American Pharmacy Association or community pharmacy residency programs at APhA website, or go to ACCP Directory of Residencies and Fellowship. You can search by institution name, state, pharmacy practice residencies or specialized residency program to get a list of pharmacy residency programs. From there, you can select specific programs and obtain detailed information on the program you are interested in, including contact information, duration and type of program, number of residency positions offered, estimated stipend, application dateline, special features, fringe benefits, starting date and information on the institution offering the program, etc.

How do I select the residency program that is right for me?
Points to consider: program accreditation status, program quality/reputation, patient populations and services as compared to your interests, extent of required teaching commitment, service commitment/staffing expectations, work environment, residency projects, competition for getting into a program, choices of electives, timing, geography, cost of living vs. salary, future opportunities.

For more details on how to select the residency program that is right for you, go to
Career Pharm and Selecting a Residency


Why should I attend the Midyear Clinical Meeting?


Why should I attend the Residency Showcase?
Everyone should participate to take a look around and listen to what is offered at each residency program. The Residency Showcase provides opportunities to:

Advantages/Obstacles To Overcome?

Advantages

Obstacles To Overcome

 

What is the APhA Community Pharmacy Residency Program?
The Community Pharmacy Residency Program (CPRP) was established by the American Pharmacists Association in 1986 to foster the development of formal postgraduate education and training experiences for pharmacists in innovative community pharmacy practice settings. The program strives to develop creative and innovative pharmacy practice leaders equipped to meet the challenges presented by the rapidly changing health care system, the implementation of pharmaceutical care, the explosion of drug and therapeutics information, and the needs of society for improving patient care and monitoring of therapeutic outcomes. Key components of the residency experience are the advancement of the pharmacy profession and the discovery of new knowledge, which leads to improved patient care.

This program allows a practitioner resident to truly integrate themselves as part of the team at a community site. The resident not only gains experience but also becomes a valuable learning resource for the site and its staff through his/her fresh perspectives and insight.

Presently, there are community pharmacy residency programs in over 30 states. Residents practice at more than 80 sites across the country. Each site has a residency preceptor who oversees the training of the resident. Each residency consists of a minimum of 2,000 hours of education and training experience conducted over a 12-month period. Individual sites determine starting and ending dates for their respective residency programs as well as stipend and benefits.

The residency provides an opportunity for pharmacists to:

A listing of programs with contact information and descriptions is at the bottom of this page .


Why should I apply for a Community Pharmacy Residency?
Residencies provide a unique opportunity for a resident pharmacist to collaborate with an experienced practitioner. With guidance from the preceptor, the resident can be a partner in initiating new programs and can expand or enhance existing services in a community pharmacy environment. The program provides the resident with:

Pharmacies participating in the APhA Community Pharmacy Residency Program continue to advance the profession by increasing the level of teaching and practice-based research in the communities they serve. The synergies created by the preceptor-resident teams enable these sites to further develop into valuable community health resource centers.


How is a Community Pharmacy Residency different from an institutionally based residency?
The biggest difference between a community pharmacy residency and an institutional pharmacy residency obviously is the practice setting. At this time, all of the community pharmacy residency programs are linked to pharmacy schools, but few are affiliated with healthcare institutions. The type of patient care environment can vary greatly, but the majority of sites are centered around a community chain or independent pharmacy that focuses on the provision of pharmaceutical care and disease state management. Most residents are involved in designing and/or implementing a new pharmaceutical care service (i.e. hyperlipidemia, diabetes clinics/counseling). Some sites are different in that the resident spends a portion of his or her time working in a physician's office. Many sites include a teaching component at the affiliated school of pharmacy or within the community. The Community Practice Residencies provide residents with the skills to manage and/or execute clinical services in the community setting.

Are Community Pharmacy Residencies accredited?
Yes, there is a formal accreditation procedure for community pharmacy residency programs, administered jointly by APhA and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. The Accreditation Standard and Learning Objectives for Residency Training in Pharmacy Practice (with Emphasis in Community Care) provides guidance on the development of community pharmacy residency programs and is available from either organization. In addition, APhA also has the following resources available to assist in assuring quality and design: APhA Community Pharmacy Practice Residency Guidelines, Competency Evaluation Guidelines, and The Principles of Practice for Pharmaceutical Care.

Who can apply?
Qualified applicants are graduates of an accredited school or college of pharmacy who have a desire to apply their clinical skills in a community pharmacy setting. Residents are selected by the preceptor and will receive a stipend established and paid by the residency program site. Stipends are determined by the individual sites. Individual sites may have specific application criteria.

How do I apply?
Those individuals interested in applying for a Community Pharmacy Residency need to contact program directors for application materials specific to each program.

Community Pharmacy Residencies are NOT part of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Residency Matching Program. Programs, however, may choose to enter the match if they are accredited.


Where do I obtain more information?

Residency Programs and Contacts in Arizona