Curriculum

Successful candidates are asked to complete the Residency Entering Interest via ResiTrak prior to their arrival for the start of their residency. This will serve to aid residents in identifying their areas of strength, weakness, and interest. These forms are also utilized in developing the residents training schedule and the residency plan for each resident.

Customized Residency Plan

The plan is written and developed collaboratively by the resident, resident’s advisor, and Program Director during the first month of the residency. The plan includes the resident’s interests, areas for improvement, areas of strength, current and future goals, and the plan for training. This information is used to develop an individualized training schedule for the residents. The resident, the program Director, the resident’s advisor and members of the Residency Steering Committee develop the plan and schedule collaboratively. The Resident’s Plan is updated on a quarterly basis by the resident’s advisor and resident and adjusted according to the resident’s progress.

Residents develop, with guidance from the Residency Director and their advisor, an annual schedule. The schedule includes all required and elective experiences, research project, staffing requirements, travel, miscellaneous assignments, meetings, and time off.

Required and Elective Learning Experiences

Structured learning experiences spread throughout a 12 month period are utilized to facilitate the achievement of the Program outcomes. Within each structured experience, learning activities have been developed which allow the resident to meet the Program’s goals and objectives. There are 9 mandatory learning experiences (5 rotation blocks and 4 longitudinal) and 4-5 elective learning experiences. The program is flexible to meet individual needs of residents. Residents are encouraged to develop areas of interest and become involved in all pharmacy activities.

One week prior to each learning experience, the resident will provide a statement of their goals to the preceptor so as to provide an opportunity for the preceptor to evaluate and, if possible, to design specific activities to meet the resident’s goals. Activities and expectations to achieve the goals and objectives identified for each learning experience have been developed by each preceptor and are shared with the resident at the beginning of each experience.

Mandatory rotational learning experiences and their minimum lengths are:

• Adult Critical Care Medicine     - 5 weeks
• Adult Internal Medicine     - 5 weeks
• Antimicrobial Stewardship/Infectious Diseases   - 5 weeks
• Medication Management     - 5 weeks
• Pediatrics/Neonatal Intensive Care Medicine  - 5 weeks

Electives

Elective rotational learning experiences, usually a total of 5 months, are incorporated according to resident interest and preceptor availability. These may include, but are not limited to:

• Adult Critical Care Medicine
• Adult Internal Medicine
• Cardiology
• Emergency Medicine
• Heart Failure/Ambulatory Care
• Infectious Diseases
• Pharmacy Informatics
• Quality Improvement/Medication Safety
• Trauma

Required longitudinal learning experiences

The four mandatory longitudinal learning experiences are:
 
• Hospital Pharmacy Practice
• Project/Research
• Drug Use Policy
• Teaching/Precepting

Educational Outcomes

Educational outcomes are statements of broad categories of the residency graduates’ capabilities. The objectives required to achieve the educational outcomes and goals that follow are listed in ASHP’s document entitled: “Required and Elective Educational Outcomes, Goals, Objectives, and Instructional Objectives for Postgraduate Year One (PGY1) Pharmacy Residency Programs”, 2nd edition Appendix and serve as the measurable and observable behaviors, activities and accomplishments by which to assess and track the residents growth and progress toward attainment of the educational goals and outcomes.
 
Upon successful completion of the Program, the resident will have acquired the following outcome competencies, meeting the goals described:

Outcome R1: Manage and improve the medication-use process

 Goal R1.1   Identify opportunities for improvement of the organization’s medication-use system
 Goal R1.2   Design and implement quality improvement changes to the organization’s medication-use System
 Goal R1.3  Prepare and dispense medications following existing standards of practice and the Pharm - 4 organization’s policies and procedures
 Goal R1.4  Demonstrate ownership of and responsibility for the welfare of the patient by performing all necessary aspects of the medication-use system
 Goal R1.5  Provide concise, applicable, comprehensive, and timely responses to requests for drug information need by asking for appropriate additional information

Outcome R2: Provide evidence-based, patient-centered medication therapy management with interdisciplinary teams

 Goal R2.1:   As appropriate, establish collaborative professional relationships with members of the health care team
 Goal R2.2:  Place practice priority on the delivery of patient-centered care to patients
 Goal R2.3:  As appropriate, establish collaborative professional pharmacist-patient relationships
 Goal R2.4:  Collect and analyze patient information
 Goal R2.5:  When necessary, make and follow up on patient referrals
 Goal R2.6:  Design evidence-based therapeutic regimens
 Goal R2.7:  Design evidence-based monitoring plans
 Goal R2.8:  Recommend or communicate regimens and monitoring plans
 Goal R2.9:  Implement regimens and monitoring plans
 Goal R2.10: Evaluate patients’ progress and redesign regimens and monitoring plans
 Goal R2.11:  Communicate ongoing patient information
 Goal R2.12:  Document direct patient care activities appropriately

Outcome R3: Exercise leadership and practice management skills

 Goal R3.1:  Exhibit essential personal skills of a practice leader
 Goal R3.2:   Contribute to departmental leadership and management activities
 Goal R3.3:  Exercise practice leadership

Outcome R4: Demonstrate project management skills

 Goal R4.1:  Conduct a practice-related project using effective project management skills

Outcome R5: Provide medication and practice-related education/training

 Goal R5.1  Provide effective medication and practice-related education, training, or counseling to patients, caregivers, health care professionals and the public

Outcome R6: Utilize medical informatics

 Goal R6.1:  Use information technology to make decisions and reduce error

Objectives have been selected to assure the above outcomes and goals are achieved through structured learning experiences. Flexibility has been designed into the program to permit individualization of the program to meet the personal interests and goals of the resident while directing attention to areas identified for improvement.

Quality Improvement/Process Improvement

Residents are afforded numerous opportunities to be involved and gain direct experience in quality and process improvement initiatives through required experiences including the resident project, Medication Utilization Evaluation, Medication Management (Pharmacy Administration and Quality Improvement) Rotation and participation on the P&T Committee and the Pharmacy Medication Safety Team.  Additional opportunities exist to participate in departmental and institutional initiatives and to collaborate on Continuous Quality Improvement projects with medical residents.  Residents are also given the option to select an elective rotation in Medication Safety.