What to Expect In Your 4th Year

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What to Expect In Your 4th Year

• Presented by
• Jenni Hardesty, Pharm-D Candidate 2002

jhard001_at_umaryland.edu
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Overview

• Rotations
• Courses
• How do I decide what I like to do?
• Resume/CV
• What am I doing after graduation?
• Gradation/ Board Exam

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Rotations

• Phase 3 - Distributive
• Phase 4 - Clinical
• Phase 4A- 1 Clinic for each Phase 4
• Phase 5 - 20 DI questions/ each Phase 4
• Phase 6 - 8 credits from various disciplines

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How to Choose Rotations

• Specific Interests
• Talk to classmates/ previous grads
• Location
• Ease/difficulty
• If undecided, choose a wide variety of
  experiences.
• Example
• Phase 4 Community Hospital, Home Infusion, Ft.
  Meade Ambulatory Care, Wal-Mart.
• Phase 6 Cardiology, Geriatrics, Fred Lab,
  Thailand

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What to Expect on Rotation

• Preceptors
• Involvement in your rotation can vary
• May expect a lot or very little
• Duties while on rotation
• Usually shadow another pharmacist for first few
  days
• Participate in rounds, meetings, seminars, etc.
• Knowledge expectations
• Preceptors know you have a knowledge curve
• Bring several resources (DI handbook, baby
  DiPiro)
• Try to brush up on pertinent topics before
  starting rotation (i.e. antibiotic dosing)
• Dont make up answers, say I dont know

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What to Expect on Rotation

• Time Commitment
• Depends on type of rotation, but usually an 8
  hour day.
• CCU/ Internal Medicine rotations usually require
  a lot of time.
• Recitation is once every 2 weeks, and you can ask
  your preceptor for blocks of time to work on your
  Careplans and DI questions.
• Clinic is ½ day per week during Phase 4 may
  take longer.
• Helpful hints
• Palm-Pilot/PDA with drug info and treatment
  programs (Epocrates, Lexicomp, 5MCC, etc).
• Make a folder of important papers from school.
• Make a checklist for clinic.
• Have a Normal Values card or Maxwell Quick
  Medical Reference.

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Paperwork for Rotation

• Careplans
• 2 complete careplans for each Phase 4
• Some preceptors require more
• Some Phase 6 preceptors will require a modified
  careplan
• Take a lot of time! Lots of Criteria!
• DI Questions
• 20 per Phase 4
• Range in complexity from 5 min to 1 hour to
  research
• Other Assignments
• Presentations (at least 1)
• Clinic SOAP notes

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Recitation

• Only during Phase 4 months.
• Small groups with faculty leader.
• Must present a patient at least once,
• sometimes you have to present twice.
• Can be on-line through Blackboard, or in person.
• Every 2 weeks for ½ day if in person, stretched
  over 1 week if on-line.

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Networking/Contacts

• You will meet a LOT of pharmacists
• and other health-care professionals on
  rotation.
• Pharmacy is a VERY small community.
• Dont make any bad impressions, and try to
  resolve any issues/conflicts very amiably.
• Letters of Recommendation
• Name recognition on CV

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Coursework

• Law Class
• Starts mid-February
• Two mornings a week (TuTh)
• Senior Colloquium
• Everyone gives 1 PowerPoint presentation 15
  minutes long
• Any pharmacy related topic
• One to two mornings a week (TuTh)
• Electives
• Many electives are either TuTh afternoon, or
  later in the evening
• You will have time to take electives if you need
  to

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Deciding What You Like to Do

• Rotations- Likes and Dislikes
• GET A JOB!
• Talk to people
• Other classmates
• Preceptors/Staff while on rotation
• Faculty
• Residents
• Explore all avenues- you may be surprised!

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Curriculum Vitae Resume

• CV
• Used more for academia/residencies
• All-encompassing (coursework, rotations,
  publications, special projects, awards, etc.)
• Short and Long Form
• Resume
• More generalized
• Shorter

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CV / Resume

• When you will need CV / Resume
• Job Fair at school- November
• Midyear Meeting- early December
• Any other interview you have
• Start making notes now about
• Job experiences
• Special projects
• Presentations (even if in class)
• Papers/articles/publications
• Extra-curricular activities
• Very time-consuming process(10 hours!)

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Post-Graduate OptionsJob

• Make connections thru part-time job
• Make connections thru rotations
• Hear from a colleague
• Emails, internet, advertisements
• Headhunters
• Job Fair at School
• 40 companies have information booths set-up
• Sign up for later interviews
• Mini-interviews on campus

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Post-Graduate OptionsResidency

• General Pharmacy Practice Residency
• Usually hospital based, rotations thru different
  departments over 1 year
• Peds, CCU, GM, Administration, ID, ER, etc.
• Uses the Match
• Specialty Residency
• Many require a pharmacy practice residency before
  applying for specialty residency.
• More specific experience
• Oncology, geriatrics, ambulatory care, critical
  care, managed care, etc.for 1 year.
• Does not use the match

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The Match

• General Pharmacy Practice Residencies use a
  program to help match the students choices with
  the programs choices.
• Students individually interview with sites they
  are interested in, and rank their top choices.
• Residency directors rank their top choices, and a
  computer matches everyones choices in the best
  possible way over the entire country.
• Students must accept the program they are matched
  with.
• The Match is required with all general practice
  residencies, and costs 60.

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Residency Timeline

• September Nationwide listings for available
  residencies are available on the ASHP or ACCP
  websites.
• Early December ASHP Midyear Convention
• Mini-interviews from programs all over the
  country.
• Decide what programs you will apply to.
• Mid December Request applications from specific
  programs
• Early January (by Jan 15th usually) Deadline for
  applications (with CV, letters of recommendation,
  and transcripts)
• Mid January-February You are contacted if chosen
  for interview usually a full day interview.
• February- (For specialty residencies only) You
  are offered or denied the position
• March- General Pharmacy Practice Candidates must
  turn in their rank order forms
• Late March/April- The Match is performed and you
  are notified of your assignment or denial.

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Residency Hints

• Make contact with the director of the program you
  are interested in personally via email or phone
  as soon as you decide to apply to that program.
• If possible, take off the month of January
  especially if you are traveling to interviews.
  Sometimes you will only have 1-2 weeks notice
  before an interview.
• Budget for expenses of flight and hotel if
  traveling for interviews.
• Have other options in mind this doesnt work out!

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Other Post-Graduate Options

• Fellowship
• Usually 2 year commitment
• Research-oriented
• More School- PhD, MBA, Masters, etc
• Still Undecided?
• Make a short-term plan
• Explore as many options as possible before
  committing.

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Graduation

• YEAH!!!!
• End of May
• Expenses
• Cap and Gown 80
• Invitations 50 and up
• U of MD diploma frame 130
• Getting out of here Priceless!!!

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Board Exam

• Start the application process in January by
  calling the Board to request a packet.
• Three exams
• NAPLEX Drugs, therapeutics, kinetics, etc
• Computerized- Sylvan learning center
• Can take it in early spring, but most students
  wait until after graduation
• MJPE State and federal law
• Usually in June
• Computerized
• Wet Lab Compounding products
• Mid June
• Held in PLC
• English Competency Oral Exam

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Costs

• NAPLEX 360
• MJPE 130
• Wet Lab 100
• Must have weight set (50 if you need to buy)
• English Competency 30
• Review Course 80
• Review Books 70
• All Exam Fees Must Be Paid by Cashiers Check
  or Money Order- No Credit Cards!

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Total Costs

• Total cost of all graduation expenses and exam
  expenses
• All of these expenses occurred in February-April!

1080
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Conclusion

• You have a lot to think about!
• You will have to budget time and money, but
  overall is much better than being in school every
  day!
• You will change you mind many times, so be
  patient with yourself.
• Have a backup plan.
• Use your friends and family for support and
  advise.

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Questions?