Residency Program Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What positions have your residents taken following residency?
2. How are your residents evaluated?
3. How many elective rotations are available?
4. Is a Research Project required?
5. What is the On-Call Program?
6. What is the staffing requirement?
7. Are there teaching opportunities available?
8. Do you have early commitment for your PGY2 programs?
9. Are foreign students eligible to apply for BMC programs?
10. Is attendance at the ASHP Midyear Meeting required?
11. Does BMC participate in ASHP's Personal Placement Service (PPS)?
12. What are the housing options for residents?
13. Am I required to obtain a Massachusetts pharmacist license?
1. What positions have your residents taken following residency?
Over the past 5 years, 50 pharmacists have graduated from our PGY1 and PGY2 programs. Thirteen of our PGY1 residents have gone on to pursue PGY2 training with more than half of those staying on in BMC PGY2 programs. Over this time, about 40% of our graduates have taken clinical specialist positions and 10% have obtained faculty positions. Residents have also taken clinical pharmacist positions at BMC, other teaching hospitals, or in ambulatory care positions. Nearly all of our residents have secured their positions prior the end of the residency year. In many cases, this has enabled us to rearrange rotations to provide additional experience in their last months of training.
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2. How are your residents evaluated?
Residents are evaluated according to the standards of the ASHP Residency Learning System. Informal feedback is provided throughout each rotation. A written midpoint and endpoint evaluation of each rotation is required. Residents also evaluate the preceptor and the rotation experience at the end of each rotation. For CEs and case conferences, all preceptors and residents in attendance fill out an evaluation form. Residents are encouraged to participate in the evaluation to help develop skill in delivering constructive feedback. Residents’ progress towards the program goals are evaluated globally on a quarterly basis.
In the PGY1 program, each resident is assigned an individual residency advisor. The advisor works closely with the program director to ensure the resident’s program is tailored to meet their needs.
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3. How many elective rotations are available?
Each program offers a different complement of required and elective rotations. For PGY1 residents, all rotations are 5 weeks long and there are 5 elective rotations. The core rotations in PGY2 programs tend to be of longer duration. Off-site rotations are not available for PGY1 residents. The availability of off-site rotations for PGY2 residents varies from year to year with each program.
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4. Is a Research Project required?
All residents (PGY1 & 2) must design, conduct, and present a year-long residency research project. Each project has one or two preceptors who help guide the resident through the research process. Preceptors peer review new residency project ideas for feasibility prior to the class beginning on July 1. Residents are encouraged to offer their own ideas for projects as well.
Once projects are selected, a structured timeline for completion of each aspect of the project is set in place. All projects must be submitted for IRB approval in the fall. Residents present their residency project as a poster at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting in December. Each resident has the opportunity to give and receive critique of the posters prior to presentation at the meeting. Data collection and analysis typically take place in the winter months. All PGY1 residents present their final projects as a platform presentation at the Eastern States Regional Residency conference in May. PGY2 residents may present final projects also at Eastern States or at an alternative specialty meeting. Final results are written up in manuscript format and must be completed in order to receive the residency certificate. Residents' performance with the residency project is evaluated quarterly.
This year's residency project posters will be presented on Saturday, Dec 4th during the UHC Resident Poster session, held from 5:30-7:30 pm. 2010-11 Project List
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5. What is the On-Call Program?
All residents (PGY1 & 2) take part in the department’s clinical on-call program. Two residents per week are on-call with a clinical specialist back-up, resulting in on-call assignment approximately every 4th week. On-call responsibilities include managing our pharmacist-run aminoglycoside dosing and direct thrombin inhibitor dosing protocols, monitoring phenytoin dosing for selected patients, and responding to 24/7 clinical on-call pager for non-formulary requests, drug information, and clinical pharmacy questions. Residents are available by pager in the off-hours; we do not have in-house overnight call.
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6. What is the staffing requirement?
The staffing experience is designed to develop skills necessary to successfully practice as a pharmacist in the hospital setting. PGY1 residents spend the first half of the year staffing in a central distribution model one evening per week (8 hr shift). After residents achieve proficiency in the central pharmacy, they move on to one decentralized day shift per week (8 hr shift). PGY1 residents also staff every 3rd weekend (Sat & Sun, 8 hr shifts). PGY2 staffing requirements differ by program; residents should contact the individual program directors.
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7. Are there teaching opportunities available?
All residents (PGY1 & 2) lead and participate in weekly Resident Case Conferences. They each prepare and present two MA Board of Pharmacy-Accredited Continuing Education lectures for BMC pharmacy staff. All residents also participate in a monthly Resident Teaching Seminar program from which a certificate is earned upon completion.
Depending on the level of interest, BMC residents can gain additional teaching experience by precepting pharmacy clerkship students while on rotations, participating as facilitators for Northeastern University's Therapeutics Seminar for 5th year pharmacy students, and when available, giving lectures to students in other allied health programs.
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8. Do you have early commitment for your PGY2 programs?
Yes. The deadline for declaring early commitment at BMC is the first week of November. In the event more than one resident is interested in pursuing early commitment for the same program, interviews will take place for each candidate.
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9. Are foreign students eligible to apply for BMC residency programs?
Does BMC provide sponsorship for foreign visas?
Candidates for BMC residency programs must be U.S. citizens or carry a U.S. permanent resident visa (i.e. a U.S. "Green Card"). In addition, candidates must be a graduate of a fully ACPE-accredited school of pharmacy and be eligible to take the Massachusetts licensure exam by the start of residency. Individuals who require visa sponsorship are not eligible candidates for the BMC pharmacy residency programs.
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10. Is attendance at the ASHP Midyear Meeting required?
No, attendance at ASHP Midyear Meeting or any other local residency showcase is not required for you to apply to our programs. The Residency Showcase is a forum for you to gain more information about our programs and to meet our preceptors and residents in person to "get a feel for the program". You can also accomplish this by contacting the program directors.
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11. Does BMC participate in PPS?
BMC does not participate in ASHP's Personal Placement Service (PPS) for the PGY1 program. In 2010, BMC will not be participating in PPS for PGY2 programs either. Interested PGY2 candidates should contact program directors prior to the Midyear meeting to make arrangements to meet outside of PPS.
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12. What are the housing options for residents?
There are many housing options in Boston. Here are a few to help start your search:
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