Professional Practice Experiences

Pharmacy Practice Experience

  • Weekday acute care clinical staffing around 1 evening shift per week (4 hours each)
  • Weekend Emergency Department/evening ICU clinical staffing around 1 in every 3 weekends (17 total)
  • Weekday adult Code Blue coverage (shared responsibility with other PGY2 residents)

Presentations & Conferences

Written and verbal communication skill development is emphasized throughout the program. Some of the presentation experiences include:

  • ACPE-accredited Continuing Education presentation
  • Lecture(s) to the Wake Forest School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program
  • Noon Conference presentation to medical residents
  • Critical Care Grand Rounds presentation to ICU house staff
  • Disease state topic discussions
  • Journal clubs (at least 6 formal presentations throughout the year)
  • Opportunities for poster/platform presentations at national and international meetings

Precepting

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist has a large PGY1 pharmacy residency class and is a rotation site for students from Campbell University, Wingate University and High Point University Schools of Pharmacy. Numerous opportunities exist for the PGY2 resident to develop precepting skills by serving as co-preceptor or primary preceptor to pharmacy students and PGY1 residents. The resident will have at least one dedicated primary preceptor learning experience during their second Medical Intensive Care Unit rotation. The PGY2 resident will also serve as a preceptor for fellow residents when responding to Code Blue events.

Research and Medication Use Evaluation/Quality Improvement

The PGY2 Critical Care Pharmacy Resident will complete an independent research project, with mentorship from their RPD and research team from project development to completion. The resident will work through the formation of a research protocol, present methods to the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Research Committee, submit the IRB, complete data collection and analysis and write a manuscript suitable for publication prior to graduation.

The resident will also complete either a medication use evaluation or quality improvement project aimed at improving medication use practices in the critical care setting. The resident will work with the RPD and project mentors to develop the project idea and complete all necessary steps for project completion. The results of the project will be presented by the resident to the most appropriate audience, based on the project topic and findings.

CREW (Code Response Education Workshop)

The PGY2 Critical Care Pharmacy Resident will work with the pharmacist in charge of CREW to develop and lead didactic and hands-on sessions related to code blue response. The CREW sessions are offered to all pharmacy residents to ensure ongoing competency and comfort when responding to acute patient bedside events. These sessions include mock codes, drug manipulation and discussion of topics related to code blue response (for example post-arrest management, cardiac arrest in patients with mechanical circulatory support devices, second victim training).

Interdisciplinary/Departmental Committee Involvement

The PGY2 Critical Care Pharmacy Resident will have at least one assigned longitudinal committee for the duration of the residency year. Committee selection will vary based on resident interest areas and RPD input on which experience would be most beneficial to the resident. The resident will attend committee meetings and assist with any projects or work that is assigned based on committee agenda items and priorities.

Teaching Certificate

At the beginning of the year, residents have the opportunity to enroll in a teaching certificate program sponsored by the department of pharmacy. This program is intended to develop the resident’s knowledge, skills and abilities to teach effectively in a variety of settings. The certificate program also aims to enhance the ability of the resident to provide constructive evaluations, as well as incorporate feedback into their own teaching. Many of the presentations already required for the residency year qualify as experiences towards completion of the certificate program.