Program Director Contact Information

Brian Kopcza, PharmD, BCACP, CDE
Clinical Specialist, Ambulatory Care – Family Medicine Clinic
Director, PGY2 Ambulatory Care
 

 

 

 

For general residency questions, please email brian.kopcza@bmc.org.

The PGY2 Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Residency at Boston Medical Center has received additional funding to allow for a second PGY2 ambulatory care resident in the 2021-2022 residency year. Applications for Phase II of the ASHP Match are now being accepted and should be submitted through PhORCAS by Sunday, March 28, 2021 at 11:59 PM EST.

Program Description

The PGY2 Ambulatory Care residency program is ASHP-accredited and provides advanced clinical training to prepare the resident to become a skilled practitioner that is able to work as part of a multi-disciplinary healthcare team.

This program will offer the resident the opportunity for a longitudinal primary care experience within our Family Medicine Clinic. In addition, the resident will have the opportunity to rotate through specialty clinics as listed under learning experiences. The resident will work under a collaborative drug therapy management agreement with direct patient visits and collaborate with physicians, nurses, social workers, and other clinical staff. A focus will be on developing and refining skills to manage complex chronic medical conditions, patient-centered care, motivational interviewing, and primary literature evaluation.

Teaching experience is gained by serving as a co-preceptor for pharmacy students and residents on rotation, participating as a facilitator for therapeutics seminar and/or pharmaceutical care lab at Northeastern University. Additionally, the resident has the opportunity to participate in a Resident Teaching Certificate program.

Learn more about Boston Medical Center's Primary Care Services

Purpose

PGY2 pharmacy residency programs build on Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) education and PGY1 pharmacy residency programs to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists in advanced or specialized practice. PGY2 residencies provide residents with opportunities to function independently as practitioners by conceptualizing and integrating accumulated experience and knowledge and incorporating both into the provision of patient care that improves medication therapy. Residents who successfully complete an accredited PGY2 pharmacy residency should possess competencies that qualify them for clinical pharmacist and/or faculty positions and position them to be eligible for attainment of board certification in that practice area (when board certification for the practice area exists).

Program Outcomes

  1. Establish a collaborative interdisciplinary practice
  2. In a collaborative interdisciplinary ambulatory practice provide efficient, effective, evidence-based, patient-centered treatment for chronic and/or acute illnesses in all degrees of complexity
  3. Demonstrate leadership and practice management skills
  4. Promote health improvement, wellness, and disease prevention
  5. Demonstrate excellence in the provision of training or educational activities for health care professionals and health care professionals in training
  6. Serve as an authoritative resource on the optimal use of medications

Core Rotations (6 weeks)

  • Orientation 
  • Ambulatory Care Administration
  • Cardiology
  • Center for Infectious Diseases (HIV)
  • Complex Care Management
  • Specialty Clinic Choice (Digestive Disorders, Renal Transplant, or Rheumatology)

Elective Rotations (6 weeks - choice of 2)

  • Academia (Northeastern University)
  • Center for Digestive Disorders (IBD, HCV)
  • Endocrinology
  • General Internal Medicine 
  • Geriatrics
  • Renal Transplant/Anemia
  • Rheumatology

Longitudinal Responsibilities

  • IHI quality improvement project supported by the scholarship committee
    • Receive an IHI Basic Certificate in Quality and Safety
    • Final manuscript submission
  • Drug monograph
  • Hospital/pharmacy committee involvement
  • Participation in a BMC residency committee

Teaching Responsibilities

  • 1 Resident case conference
  • 1 Multidisciplinary lecture (Grand Rounds)
  • 1 MA Board Certified Continuing Education (CE) lecture
  • Monthly ambulatory care group clinical pearls
  • In-services
  • Co-precepting APPE pharmacy students and PGY1 residents

Additional Opportunities

  • Resident Teaching Certificate: monthly resident teaching seminar with all MA pharmacy residents 
  • Facilitate Pharmaceutical Care Lab (Northeastern University)
  • Resiliency training
  • Chief Resident opportunity

Pharmacy Practice (Staffing) Responsibilities

  • Primary Care Clinic (Family Medicine) 
    • 1 day per week
  • Anticoagulation 
    • 1/2 day per week
    • Every third weekend cover anticoagulation pager

Benefits

  • Estimated Salary: $53,000
  • Insurance Benefits: health, dental, vision, disability, accidental death and dismemberment, life insurance
  • Vacation time: 12 days
  • Office space with computer
  • Travel/CE allowance ($2,300/year): ASHP Midyear Meeting, opportunities for additional national specialty meetings