Edwin Shamtob, PharmD, is a community-based pharmacy resident at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA; Angela Li, PharmD, is a community-based pharmacy resident at Albertsons Safeway in Centennial, CO; Jordan Rowe, PharmD, BCACP, BC-ADM, is a clinical assistant professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Pharmacy; and Paria Sanaty Zadeh, PharmD, is APhA associate director of practice and science programs in Washington, DC. This article was developed through the work of the 2021–2022 APhA–APPM Pharmacy Residency Standing Committee.
As a student pharmacist, it can be challenging to decide which career path is the best fit. APPE rotations and work experience can provide valuable exposure to different areas of pharmacy, but they don’t always offer a comprehensive picture of the available options. However, pharmacy postgraduate training programs are an opportunity to gain in-depth experiences and insight that can provide clarity on one’s career. These 1- to 3-year training programs provide an immersive experience often in a specific setting or focus area with a wealth of learning experiences.
Postgraduate training programs can vary from, but are not limited to, settings involving inpatient care, community pharmacy, ambulatory care, managed care, academia, and administration. With so many paths to choose from, we conducted interviews with University of Southern California (USC) PGY-1 pharmacy resident Samantha Wu, PharmD, and AbbVie/USC pharmacy fellow James Wise, PharmD, to gain insight into how they chose their professional path after pharmacy school.
Pharmacy residency spotlight: Samantha Wu, PharmD
Dr. Wu enjoys the challenge of residency. Working in an inpatient pharmacy setting at USC provides a balance of routine in reviewing patient charts and verifying provider medication orders, while also getting out of her comfort zone with exciting projects and new clinical cases. Some of her daily responsibilities include precepting pharmacy learners on rotation, presenting journal clubs on clinical studies, and leading topic discussions—while conducting daily interprofessional rounds; dosing heparin, warfarin, vancomycin, and aminoglycosides; and identifying and addressing medication-related problems for up to 30 patients per day. These daily tasks are coupled with longitudinal projects including her residency research project, educational presentations, and drug utilization reviews—all of which provide mentored practice in new skills.
“Residency training will test you and requires a tremendous amount of commitment, hard work, and passion for patient care and learning,” Dr. Wu said, “but it will also make you stronger.” Throughout her residency training, she has developed critical skills in time management, clinical decision-making, scientific writing, and delivering presentations. She takes pride in the progress that she has made in clinically evaluating patients and contributing her pharmacy knowledge within a collaborative health care team.
When considering the path of an inpatient clinical pharmacist, Dr. Wu suggests that student pharmacists become comfortable with participating in interprofessional rounds, counseling patients, and providing dosing recommendations for medications commonly used in the inpatient setting. Dr. Wu’s advice to students considering residency is to “envision your future calling and consider what motivates you. If improving patient care brings you joy and satisfaction, then residency will give you the clinical skills and knowledge to become a highly effective clinical pharmacist.”
If interacting with patients and working collaboratively within a health care team to optimize patient care interests you, consider pursuing residency training. If the idea of working in a highly individualized environment with an emphasis on industry, research, academia, and/or advocacy excites you, a fellowship may be a better fit and can set you up for a career in these areas.
Pharmacy fellowship spotlight: James Wise, PharmD
Dr. Wise’s favorite aspects of working in the pharmaceutical industry are the versatility in potential experiences and the wide array of job functions available after completion of his program. He was not completely sure of what he wanted to pursue after pharmacy school, but he knew that he wanted to use both his pharmacy knowledge and creative talent in his career.
As an AbbVie pharmaceutical industry fellow in medical affairs, Dr. Wise is able to leverage and apply his skills in a unique way. Marketing a new medication requires a deep understanding of not only a specific disease state, but also of clinician outlook and expected patient usage for a medication, which is when his pharmacy education makes him an especially beneficial addition to the team.
Dr. Wise works on new medication products in phase II and III clinical trials across many therapeutic areas. He is responsible for developing commercial strategy and ensuring successful medication launch following drug approvals. The ability to work on something unique and different almost every day has been the most rewarding part of his fellowship because it allows him to develop an array of skills.
Dr. Wise’s advice to student pharmacists exploring pharmacy careers is to identify professional passions and find colleagues to support you throughout the journey. Furthermore, “if you love versatility and the challenge of new and exciting opportunities, seek out pharmacy fellowship training as a potential career avenue.”
Looking ahead
Whether you choose to pursue postgraduate training through residency or fellowship opportunities ultimately depends on your personal and professional goals and values. The postgraduate paths featured in this piece are just two of the multitude of unique residency and fellowship opportunities available. Visit the APhA Postgraduate Opportunities webpage to learn more information about pharmacy residency and fellowship postgraduate training options.