Are residents assigned a mentor or advisor?
PGY1 & PGY2 residents are assigned a pharmacy director or manager who will act as the resident’s advisor during the year. Residents use advisors as sources of guidance, advice, and support.
Are residents involved in committees?
The residents attend and participate in meetings throughout the year. This provides residents the opportunity to witness how pharmacy personnel and leadership are involved in decision making processes throughout the hospital.
Does UAB Hospital provide funding for national and regional pharmacy meetings?
Financial support for conference attendance and travel by residents is subject to approval based on the budget limits of the department.
Does UAB have a teaching certificate program?
Yes. The Teaching Certificate Program is a longitudinal requirement for the PGY1 residents and is optional for PGY2 residents. This program consists of numerous teaching requirements that the resident will complete throughout the year. Teaching activities will include development of CPE programs, a formal lecture, journal clubs, inservices, student pharmacotherapy rounds, and co-precepting responsibilities. Additional requirements include the development of a teaching portfolio & teaching philosophy, attendance of pedagogy seminars, and laboratory or simulation teaching opportunities.
How are vacation days scheduled?
Residents have 180 hours (15 days) of personal time off that must be coordinated with the preceptor and approved by the Residency Program Director and/or Residency Program Coordinator. In addition, there is time around the holidays and professional conferences that residents will be assigned off. Time off from the residency program must not exceed maximum time as defined per ASHP Standards.
What does orientation include?
During the first four to six weeks of the program, the resident will complete orientation within the Department of Pharmacy. The Orientation is designed to involve the resident in many aspects of practice to build a foundation for the residency year. The general objective of this time period is for the resident to gain an overview of the pharmacy support units, a thorough knowledge of procedures in the central area to which he or she is assigned, including use of the Automated Medication Management System, and a unit pharmacist security clearance code for the IMPACT/Cerner system. Orientation activities will include the same didactic and area training that all new pharmacist hires receive. In addition, during the orientation period residents will be oriented to resident responsibilities and policies governing the residency. The initial customized training plan and resident schedule will also be completed during this time.
What is the staffing/practice coverage requirement?
Once orientation is completed, PGY1 and PGY2 residents are responsible for practice coverage every third weekend and a 4-hour weekday evening shift. Residents provide practice coverage with both staffing and clinical responsibilities. Residents are also responsible for practice coverage during the following times: Thanksgiving Day and the day after and one week around the Christmas or New Year holidays.
What projects are residents involved with?
Residents are involved with numerous projects throughout the year while on rotations. Two longitudinal projects that all PGY1 and PGY2 residents are responsible for include one Medication Utilization Evaluation (MUE) and one Major Project.
Medication-Use Evaluation (MUE) – The Department of Pharmacy, in conjunction with the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, develops and monitors the Hospital’s therapeutic policies and practices, particularly with regard to drug utilization within the institution. Each resident participates in this quality assurance activity by performing a medication-use evaluation (MUE) as a longitudinal activity.
Major Project – Early in the residency year, residents are presented with a list of potential topics from which the resident can choose his or her Major Project. Based on the topic, the resident is assigned a pharmacist who will act as the resident’s Project Director. The major project is presented at a state, regional or national professional conference.
