Program Overview

A Hub of Learning and Collaboration:

At Riverside, learning never stops. As a pharmacy resident, you will have the unique opportunity to interact with over 70 medical residents practicing in various specialty areas. This fosters frequent interactions on rotations and offers unparalleled learning experiences. You will be incorporated into medical resident teaching opportunities, including Grand Rounds, lunch and learns, and academic research day.

Our goal is simple yet profound - to prepare resident pharmacists like you to become well-rounded, competent, and confident clinical pharmacists. After completing our program, you'll be ready to take on various community-based pharmacy roles or pursue advanced training opportunities, including Postgraduate Year Two (PGY2) residencies and professional certifications.

The Riverside Health System PGY-1 Community Based Residency program is currently under candidacy status by the American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists and the American Pharmacists Association. It is a one-year postgraduate training program with an emphasis on Community Based Pharmacy and Ambulatory Care.

RRMC hosts over 70 medical residents practicing in various specialty areas, allowing for frequent interaction on rotations. Pharmacy residents are incorporated into many of the medical resident teaching opportunities, including Grand Rounds, lunch and learns, and academic research day. Strong affiliations with pharmacy schools allow us to provide over 60 student rotations annually, and exposure to numerous journal clubs and student presentations.

Program Structure

Events and Activities:

• ASHP Midyear
• Pharmacy Residency Regional Conference
• VSHP Residency Day
• VCU Teaching and Learning Orientation
• Grand Rounds / Lunch & Learn
• Community service events
• CPR/BLS Training
• ACLS Training
• Legislative Day

Teaching and Learning Certificate

Riverside is partnered with the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy to offer an optional Teaching and Learning Certificate. If chosen, the Teaching and Learning Certificate Program will satisfy the required Teaching and Learning longitudinal experience. This program consists of live seminars, development and delivery of didactic lectures, journal clubs, and continuing education programs. Upon completion of the required elements, the resident will be issued a program certificate at the conclusion of the residency year.

Residency Project

All residents within the Riverside Health System are required to engage in research undertaking as part of their residency program, culminating in the presentation of their findings at ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and the Eastern States Residency Conference. Before starting their research project, each resident must diligently complete the mandatory training and certification process established by the Riverside Health System Institutional Review Board (IRB). After the successful completion of the research, the resident must summarize their findings in a scholarly manuscript, along with creating an abstract and a professionally crafted poster for formal submission.

Committee Assignments

The resident will engage in diverse committee endeavors, as directed by the RPD. The allocation of tasks will be contingent upon ongoing departmental undertakings. The resident's active participation in committees is designed to facilitate an enhanced understanding of the pharmacist's contributions in domains encompassing quality enhancement, medication safety, proper management of hazardous medications, formulation of guidelines, and the evaluation and integration of technological and automated systems within the institutional and pharmacy contexts.

Professional Development

The resident is advised to uphold an engaged position within pharmacy and esteemed professional associations. It is highly recommended for the resident to hold membership in the Virginia Pharmacists Association, Virginia Society of Health Systems Pharmacists, American Pharmacists Association, or the American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists. The institution may offer financial assistance and grant professional leave time to aid the resident's active involvement in professional development pursuits.

Pharmacy Department Staffing

The resident's obligation includes departmental service during weekend shifts. The resident will staff at least two shifts during a significant holiday (Memorial Day, July 4^th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s Day). These shifts will encompass a distribution between Pavilion Pharmacy and Transitions of Care services. A licensed pharmacist will collaborate with the resident, and on-call support from one will be accessible for backup purposes.

Required Certifications

As a member of the clinical team, the pharmacy resident must be equipped to assist during emergencies if needed. During the Orientation Learning Experience, the resident will be offered to update their Basic Cardiac Life Support certification (if their certification from school will expire during the residency year). If the resident expresses interest in pursuing a PGY-2 residency, Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification will be offered during the residency year.

Resident Portfolio

Every resident must uphold an electronic portfolio encompassing all documentation pertinent to the residency program's duration. This compilation will contain the following: delivered lectures, rotation projects, drug information responses, and the research project manuscript. All documents are to be uploaded digitally into the resident portfolio in PharmAcademic.