The Post-Graduate Pharmacist

39

This episode is all about required versus elective learning experiences (LE). This is an important piece of the program evaluation and many may be wondering how you differentiate one programs LE from another. In this episode we break down what is a required experience, an elective experience, a longitudinal experience, and other important questions.

Questions we discuss:

1. What are required and elective LE and are there any requirements by ASHP for these experiences.
2. Does a LE have to be clinical?
3. What's unique about longitudinal LE?
4. What types of experiences would you expect for a general PGY1 program to have listed as required, elective, and longitudinal?
5. What SHOULDN"T you ask residents and RPDs about required and elective rotations
6. What SHOULD you ask residents and RPDs about required and elective rotations

This episode's take-aways:

1. Required LE: An experience you must complete in order to get a certificate of completion from the program. There is flexibility on when you complete these, but you will complete these by the end of the residency. Examples are Orientation and Internal Medicine.
2. Elective LE: Experiences that are available to the residents, but do not need to be completed in order to complete the residency. Residents are typically given a number of elective experiences they can choose from (2-4 on average). Examples are Transplant, Oncology, Infectious disease.
3. Longitudinal LE: Typically a day or so a week stretched across a 3-12 month window. A good example of this is your medicine safety rotation, or your major resident project (research or quality improvement project).
4. Don't ask what rotations do programs offer when it's clearly listed on their ASHP Directory program description or on their website.

What should you do now?

• Start evaluating programs and comparing rotation listings
• Think about what rotations are important to you and what type of experiences are must have's and must not have's.

What should you do later?

• Prepare some questions for residents and RPDs based on our discussion of what you should and shouldn't ask

Check out our website and sign-up to join the SASO (separate and stand out) squad. Check out our blog. If you like the show, support us by telling your friends or colleagues about it. You can also support us by clicking the coffee button on the website and buying us a cup of coffee or getting yourself some of our premium merch.

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This episode is all about Teaching and Learning Curriculum Programs, which are becoming more and more of a staple for the Post-Graduate Trainee. We are joined by Dr. Allison Chung, Faculty member at Auburn University, Harrison College of Pharmacy and Host of The Pediatric Pharmacy Review Podcast found on the Pharmacy Podcast Network.

Check out our website and sign-up to join the SASO (separate and stand out) squad. Check out our blog. If you like the show, support us by telling your friends or colleagues about it. You can also support us by clicking the coffee button on the website and buying us a cup of coffee or getting yourself some of our premium merch.

Follow us on twitter @PGPharmacist or on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn @ThePostGraduatePharmacist. What questions did we not answer? What did you think of the show?

Music | "Sweet" by LiQWYD

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Sorry we've been gone. We have to take a break in our alternate pathways series, but we have a great episode coming up down the line.

Check out our website and sign-up to join the SASO (separate and stand out) squad. Check out our blog. If you like the show, support us by telling your friends or colleagues about it. You can also support us by clicking the coffee button on the website and buying us a cup of coffee or getting yourself some of our premium merch.

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We continue our series on fellowships discussing ways to discover and connect with fellowship opportunities with a focus of online search tools.

Key Take-Aways:

1. ACCP Directory of Residencies, Fellowships & Graduate Programs has a search function to discover fellowships and other post-graduate training opportunities besides residencies. The focus of the fellowships in this tool tend to be academic or research-focused fellowships. Click the link HERE to learn more.
2. IPhO Fellowship Catalog also has a search function once you create a guest account to discover fellowship opportunities in industry. There are also many more features available if you become a full member. Click the link HERE to learn more.

Check out our website where you can search our episodes, blog, merchandise, and ways to join the SASO squad.

Follow us on twitter @PGPharmacist or on Facebook and Instagram @ThePostGraduatePharmacist and leave us your comments or questions that we did not answer.

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Resources:

1. American College of Clinical Pharmacy Directory of Residencies, Fellowships, & Graduate Programs: https://www.accp.com/resandfel/search.aspx
2. Industry Pharmacists Organization Fellowship Catalog: https://www.industrypharmacist.org/catalog_fellowship.php

We begin our series on fellowships discussing the fundamental differences between residencies and fellowships, introduce the basic types of fellowships, requirements of a fellowship and what you should do now if you are potentially interested in a fellowship.

Fellowships are highly individualized postgraduate programs that are designed to prepare the fellow to become an independent researcher. Thus, the majority of time spent during training is honing these research skills versus patient care skills that are more typical of a residency.

Key Take-Aways:

1. Fellowships may be 12-months long, but often are 2 or even 3 years of training.
2. Some fellowships will require residency training prior to entrance in the program as a pre-requisite, but some may not have a pre-requisite and may be completed right out of pharmacy school depending on the type of fellowship (industry vs academic)
3. Fellowships are highly variable and all offer very unique experiences, so it is important to do your due diligence up front to research the pre-requisites, activities, and outcomes for each individual fellowship

Check out our website where you can search our episodes, blog, merchandise, and ways to join the SASO squad.

Follow us on twitter @PGPharmacist or on Facebook and Instagram @ThePostGraduatePharmacist and leave us your comments or questions that we did not answer.

Music | "Sweet" by LiQWYD

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References:

1. American Society of Hospital Pharmacists. Definitions of pharmacy residencies and fellowships. Am J Hosp Pharm. 1987; 44:1142–4.
2. Albert E. Fellowships 101: Q&A with a Residency and Fellowship Director. Pharmacy Times. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/fellowships-101. Published 2015. Accessed June 10, 2022.

We invite Megan Smith, a faculty member and residency program director for one of the largest community pharmacy residencies in the united states, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Pharmacy PGY1 Community Pharmacy Residency, BACK for another episode to discuss the biggest questions surrounding community pharmacy residencies.

Community pharmacy residencies can be a spring board for multiple different career paths. One of those paths may involve more research and a fellowship is a perfect way to expand your research and scholarship skills to the next level. Another way may be specialized clinical training in a PGY2 program. In this episode, we explore one of the ways you can get into a specialized training and why you may consider pursing specialized training after PGY1 community-based pharmacy residency.

Questions we ask:

1. In your opinion, how common is it for PGY1 community pharmacy residents to go into community residency for the purpose of further training
2. Are there types of PGY2 training, or other post-graduate experiences that graduates are more qualified for?
3. Like-wise, are there specialties that are closed, or unavailable to PGY1 graduates, outside of obvious ones like critical care. 
4. If I was a candidate, what advice would you give me while pursing or actively completing a PGY1 if that’s what I wanted to do (i.e. fellowship)?
5. Are there certain fellowships or fellowship structures that compliment PGy1 community pharmacy resident graduates?

Key Take-Aways:

1. Think about what the NEXT BEST STEP is for you. You may not know where you want to end up, but based on what you like, determine what the next best step is and pursue that. Eventually you'll wind up where you need to be.
2. Completing a community-based PGY1 residency means you are eligible for any PGY2 program. The most common program pursued is an ambulatory care PGY2. Even though you are eligible for PGY2s in things like Critical Care and Emergency Medicine, it may be difficult to show the expertise needed to be successful in those types of programs.
3. The easiest thing to do if you are interested in additional training is to just go ahead an apply. There is a lot of imposter syndrome and candidates thinking they are not qualified enough when in fact they are.

Check out our website where you can search our episodes, blog, merchandise, and ways to join the SASO squad.

Follow us on twitter @PGPharmacist or on Facebook and Instagram @ThePostGraduatePharmacist and leave us your comments or questions that we did not answer.

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This episode looks at how to be a stand-out community pharmacy resident candidate. We are joined by Nataša Živak, a clinical pharmacist and residency program coordinator/residency director of The Centers for Families and Children's Community-Based PGY1 Pharmacy Residency.

Questions we discuss:

1. Are there specific things that a standout to programs when evaluating PGY1 community-based candidates?
2. What sort of leadership experience do you value in candidates?
3. Does business experience help, for example having an MBA or experience as an entrepreneur?
4. We learned in our first episode that a lot of graduates go on to create new positions. If you were like this, where you knew you wanted to do a community residency, and you had a broad idea of where you wanted to be in 5/10 years and knew this was the right choice to get you there, BUT you did not have specifics to exactly what you would walk out of residency doing, is there a way to explain that in your Letter of Intent?
5. What are some soft skills (example being self-awareness, communication, emotional intelligence) that are important to have in a candidate?

Key Take-aways:

1. Community volunteer experience can be very beneficial for your CV and application
2. If you are unsure what you plan to do after community residency then try to tailor your materials to the patient population you want to work with or are passionate about.
3. Time management and working with others well is necessary, especially in larger programs where your face-to-face time with the residency program director is not on a daily basis.

Check out our website and sign-up to join the SASO (separate and stand out) squad. Check out our blog. If you like the show, support us by telling your friends or colleagues about it. You can also support us by clicking the coffee button on the website and buying us a cup of coffee or getting yourself some of our premium merch.

Follow us on twitter @PGPharmacist or on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn @ThePostGraduatePharmacist. What questions did we not answer? What did you think of the show?

Music | "Sweet" by LiQWYD

Watch: https://youtu.be/eIYlaVPdNYM

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This episode explores a unique type of community-based pharmacy residency with a focus on psychiatric care. We are joined by Nataša Živak, a clinical pharmacist and residency program coordinator/residency director of The Centers for Families and Children's Community-Based PGY1 Pharmacy Residency.

Questions we discuss:

1. What does a non-retail pharmacy community-based residency program look like?
2. What learning experiences are available in a non-retail community residency?
3. What does an ideal candidate look like for a focused community-based pharmacy residency?
4. What are some of the careers residents pursue after community-based pharmacy residency?
5. Where do you see community-based pharmacy residency going in the next 5 years?

This episode's take-aways:

1. You don't have to have done experiences as a student that match directly to the program you are applying for. Showing a passion for the area of patient care is one of the most important things and if you know the program well you can align that passion.
2. Each program is going to have their secret sauce of what they are looking for. It's not always easy to tell, but looking at their patient population and specialties can help narrow in on what that is. Examples from this episode include underserved patients and demonstration of community service.
3. Saying you want to do something is not the same as showing it. Have examples from your life and experience the demonstrate a passion for unique areas of patient care like underserved communities or psychiatric care.
4. Community-based pharmacy residencies can open a lot of doors for future career paths!

What should you do now?

• Try some community outreach and volunteer work
• Highlight that you are passionate about your community and making a difference, especially as a pharmacist.
• Start researching different types of community pharmacy residencies

What should you do later?

•  If you feel community-based pharmacy residency may be right for you, you should highly consider applying.

Check out our website and sign-up to join the SASO (separate and stand out) squad. Check out our blog. If you like the show, support us by telling your friends or colleagues about it. You can also support us by clicking the coffee button on the website and buying us a cup of coffee or getting yourself some of our premium merch.

Follow us on twitter @PGPharmacist or on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn @ThePostGraduatePharmacist. What questions did we not answer? What did you think of the show?

Music | "Sweet" by LiQWYD

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We invite Megan Smith, a faculty member and residency program director for one of the largest community pharmacy residencies in the united states, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Pharmacy PGY1 Community Pharmacy Residency, to discuss the biggest questions surrounding community pharmacy residencies.

Community pharmacy residencies can either be accredited or unaccredited. We focus mainly on accredited programs in this episode. When a community pharmacy residency is accredited, it is jointly accredited by ASHP and APhA.

If you feel like you still need that structure and group of people pushing you to advance your skills, then community pharmacy PGY1 can provide that for you.

Key Take-Aways:

1. Like pharmacy practice PGY1's, community pharmacy residencies also pack 3-5 years of clinical experience into one year
2. Completing an accredited PGY1 community pharmacy residency makes you eligible for any PGY2 residency. Being eligible is not the same as being qualified, you may struggle going from community residency to a critical care PGY2, but there are still lots of PGY2's that you can explore, the most popular being ambulatory care.
3. Community pharmacy residencies are a great way to hone your skills and set yourself up for leadership positions or other specialized training
4. Each community pharmacy residency is designed differently, so be sure to research each one thoroughly to see what type of experiences you get.
5. Programs can be single site, multi-site, hospital based, specialty based, have ambulatory care components, different administration components, and much much more!
6. If you are interested in academia, community pharmacy residencies get you in front of students and in the classroom quickly when they are associated with a college of pharmacy.

Community Pharmacy PGY1's will still have a staffing component. This is going to be different based on the program, but generally it will be about 1 day a week and even though you are staffing you are still advancing your skills that you are learning outside of the staffing component.

Check out our website where you can search our episodes, blog, merchandise, and ways to join the SASO squad.

Follow us on twitter @PGPharmacist or on Facebook and Instagram @ThePostGraduatePharmacist and leave us your comments or questions that we did

not answer.

Music | "Sweet" by LiQWYD

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In this bonus episode we break down available positions left in the 2022 Post-Phase II Process or as it is traditionally called, the Scramble.

Check out a list of programs here: https://natmatch.com/ashprmp/

Don't hesitate to reach out some non-Pharmacotherapy programs as these are still accredited and can get you a PGY2 specialty position next year.