To do or not to do a residency; that is the question

[starsweet]

So this is my first time working in the retail setting (first time in the pharmacy ever, actually) and I'm not liking it at all. This doesn't surprise me since I was always more interested in hospital. I've heard that nowadays residences are extremely recommended if you want to do any sort of hospital job. My school keeps pushing this and I was wondering how true it is and is there a difference in salary between someone who has an entry-level job at the hospital and someone who has just completed a residency? We were told that a first year residency is recommended (PGY1) but not the PGY2 as much because that makes you more specialized, and ironically, less positions are open to you because you are more specialized. So what kinds of things do you do as a PGY1? And to get a residency, what do you need to do in school (i.e. what sort of qualifications do you need)?

In school we were told that the salaries for retail stay in rather straight line without really sloping up because the salary doesn't grow much whereas with hospital you might start out lower than retail, but the line slopes upward more sharply, meaning your salary grows at a much higher rate than retail does. So is this with doing a residency or not doing one?

And lastly, what is the difference between BPS certification and a residency? Are they related at all? Sorry for all the questions.

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[denalirx]

There have been many threads about residency training so you will probably want to use the search function to see what others have to say..
I wouldn't think about residency as 100% hospital vs retail opportunities...it is a year to spend the majority of your time on direct patient care rather than dispensing. PGY1 Residencies are available in primarily acute care (i.e. hospital), primarily community/ambulatory care (i.e. retail or out-patient clinics), managed care, etc. If you prefer working in the hospital, the types of positions and time breakdown between dispensing and non-dispensing activities will vary by institution. Some hospitals will offer "blended" or "clinical-staff" positions to pharmacists without a residency but from what I have seen, most would prefer residency training for new graduates. As for doing a PGY2, it depends on your interests..I wouldn't worry about "over specializing", just do what you love.
During the residency, you will spend most of your time working directly with patients rather than focusing on checking meds, etc. You will rotate through many specialized areas and may have a few longitudinal rotations depending on the program you choose. The difference between this and your last year of school is that you have a license and have more responsibility and are able to learn more by doing even though you still have preceptors. You also get to see how many different pharmacists do things and figure out what you like best for yourself.
As for salary, residency won't likely make a difference. But doing one will open doors quicker to non-dispensing positions at most institutions if that is what you are interested in.
BPS certification is board certification in a specialty area (pharmacotherapy, oncology, nutrition support, psychiatry) and requires you pass an exam and either complete special CEs or re-take the exam after 7 years. Pharmacists have to have a certain number of years experience to take the exams and residency training can allow you to qualify to sit earlier than people who have not completed a residency.

 

[twester]

If you want to specialize or want a lot of experience in a compressed period of time, then do a residency. If you just want to work in a hospital, then don't do one. That probably depends on the area of the country you're in, but the hospital pharmacists I've talked with all share the same information with me.

If I were 15 years younger, I'd jump on the residency bandwagon, but I've simply got to start earning a living again before social security kicks in.

 

[sdn1977]

There have been many threads about residency training so you will probably want to use the search function to see what others have to say..
I wouldn't think about residency as 100% hospital vs retail opportunities...it is a year to spend the majority of your time on direct patient care rather than dispensing. PGY1 Residencies are available in primarily acute care (i.e. hospital), primarily community/ambulatory care (i.e. retail or out-patient clinics), managed care, etc. If you prefer working in the hospital, the types of positions and time breakdown between dispensing and non-dispensing activities will vary by institution. Some hospitals will offer "blended" or "clinical-staff" positions to pharmacists without a residency but from what I have seen, most would prefer residency training for new graduates. As for doing a PGY2, it depends on your interests..I wouldn't worry about "over specializing", just do what you love.
During the residency, you will spend most of your time working directly with patients rather than focusing on checking meds, etc. You will rotate through many specialized areas and may have a few longitudinal rotations depending on the program you choose. The difference between this and your last year of school is that you have a license and have more responsibility and are able to learn more by doing even though you still have preceptors. You also get to see how many different pharmacists do things and figure out what you like best for yourself.
As for salary, residency won't likely make a difference. But doing one will open doors quicker to non-dispensing positions at most institutions if that is what you are interested in.
BPS certification is board certification in a specialty area (pharmacotherapy, oncology, nutrition support, psychiatry) and requires you pass an exam and either complete special CEs or re-take the exam after 7 years. Pharmacists have to have a certain number of years experience to take the exams and residency training can allow you to qualify to sit earlier than people who have not completed a residency.

I pretty much agree with most everything in this post!

I think the learning curve is steeper with retail or ambulatory care than with acute medicine because you have fewer places in which you can observe/learn/adapt in retail/amb than in hospital positions.

So...haven done (& still do!) both......it will take you much, much longer to become independent in any one task in retail/amb care than in hospital work.

I'd also have to say...again...because I've been both - your salary in both instances will level off very fast - usually over 5-6 years. It will then increase by cost of living unless you go into a higher position. To be honest - there really aren't that many higher positions to go unless you're qualified for them.

For example...if you're a pediatric pharmacy specialist, you may become inpt supervisor in a peds hospital or clinical manager (depends on the "title" the institution employs)....but, you won't get to asst director or dop unless you have experience in that field. But....given that, your salary still goes up - as your need & cost of living increases (within the framework of your local economics).

There is nothing - absolutely nothing which will replace experience. You need to get experience in working - with institutions, people, professionals, a day-in/day-out environment. So...if you're a new grad with a 2 yr residency who is being evaluated against another applicant who has 10 or more years experience in the field without a residency - you may or may not obtain the job.....so many variables come into play.

I hope you have your questions answered. Come back & ask if not because you have lots of good info here!!!!

 

[bananaface]

Mvoing to the Residency subforum for best response.

 

[starsweet]

Thanks a lot for the help guys.. so just to confirm, BPS has nothing to do with a residency? Cuz I was thinking of going into hospital and just doing the BPS certification.. do people do that?

 

[denalirx]

This is correct...having a residency does not guarantee BPS certification but you do not need one to achieve it. This link outlines the reqs to sit for the most common BPS certification--pharmacotherapy: http://www.bpsweb.org/03_Specialties_Current_Pharmacotherapy_Requirements.html

Thanks a lot for the help guys.. so just to confirm, BPS has nothing to do with a residency? Cuz I was thinking of going into hospital and just doing the BPS certification.. do people do that?

 

[Thida]

They are interesting questions! (similar to Shakespeare questions ^_^ )