Program Features

The residency program commences with a 5 week orientation period. The orientation period exposes residents to the various practice components of the Department, committees/teams, policies and procedures, computers/automation, etc. Residents are trained in the daily operations, distribution and staffing duties of the Department. Residents will also complete additional orientation and training (at other times throughout the year) for sterile product preparation.

Hospital Pharmacy Practice

Each resident is required to complete a pharmacy practice component of the residency program. This service component, often referred to as “staffing”, is crucial to the development of professional practice and distribution skills so as to provide safe and effective pharmaceutical care. Through this component of the residency, the resident will also develop insight into the operations, policies and procedures of acute care facilities.

The service component of the residency program is fulfilled by each resident staffing every other weekend and two hospital recognized holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Memorial Day) throughout the year. The program complies with Pharmacy specific Duty Hours Requirements, taking regular residency hours as well as service hours into consideration.

Project/Research

Each resident is responsible for the completion of a residency project. The topic must be selected by the resident and approved by the Residency Steering Committee by September 1st of the residency year. All projects will be assigned a preceptor to work with the resident. Residents are provided with a list of project ideas during the orientation period, but may propose original project ideas as well. Organizational and Departmental mission, values, and strategic initiatives are taken into account when selecting projects.

The typical resident’s project includes the following steps:

• Project selection
• Presentation of project to the Residency Steering Committee including background, hypothesis, methodology and timetable
• Approval by the Residency Steering Committee
• Full project development
• IRB submission and approval, if necessary
• Implementation
• Data collection
• Data analysis
• Oral presentation of results
• Final paper in an approved manuscript style

The resident will submit the project as a work in progress for poster presentation at the ASHP Midyear Meeting and as a completed project for podium presentation at the Eastern States Residency Conference in the spring.

Medication Use Evaluation

Each resident is required to participate in at least one Medication Use Evaluation (MUE). MUEs will be conducted in support of patient care at Reading Health System. Residents participating in MUEs will follow the policies and procedures determined by the IRB. Satisfactory performance as determined by the Residency Program Director or designee is required for successful completion of this requirement.

Participation on Teams and Committees

Each resident is required to participate in the Pharmacy and Therapeutic Committee, preparing formulary reviews or other relevant materials for distribution and discussion at the meetings and attending meetings whenever the rotation schedule permits.

Each resident is expected to play an active role on the Pharmacy Medication Safety Team. The objective of this participation is to provide the resident with the opportunity to better understand the QI process and how it impacts the functioning of the pharmacy department as well as patient care within Reading Health System.

Residents are expected to participate in Residency Steering Committee meetings except during executive session when performance is reviewed.

Teaching/Precepting

Each resident is expected to present a minimum of one in-service program to the Department of Pharmacy during the residency program. The goal of this requirement is to improve the resident’s communication skills, literature evaluation and presentation techniques.

Residents will assist and support preceptors to pharmacy students completing their Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience clinical rotations at Reading Health System. Each resident is expected to attend all student presentations.

Residents should also attend noon conferences, departmental grand rounds and other educational conferences offered throughout Reading Health System whenever the schedule permits.
Participation in Recruitment Efforts

Each resident will assist the department in recruiting new residents to the Program. Because each resident is a valuable source of information and advice for prospective candidates, time will be scheduled during the interview process for interviewees to interact with current residents. Each resident is also required to spend time providing information to potential candidates during the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting.

Assemble and Maintain Resident Portfolio

Each resident will compile a residency portfolio for the year to document activities completed during the residency year. A copy of the portfolio will remain at Reading Health System at the completion of the residency program. Copies of all documents generated over the course of the year including suggestions/edits/drafts/final copies as worked on between resident and preceptor or advisors should be included in the portfolio. Documents should be arranged in the following sections:

1. Curriculum Vitae
2. Initial assessment
3. Residency plan and updates
4. Schedule
5. Global assessments – quarterly longitudinal rotation evaluations, residency director’s progress reports, all rotation self-evaluations
6. Rotations – goals and objectives, projects, preceptor evaluation of resident, resident evaluation of preceptor
7. Teaching – in-services, cases, educational programs (handouts, outlines, slides)
8. Research – proposal, abstract, IRB application, etc.
9. Other - MUEs, monographs, reports, etc.