Implementation of a pharmacy residency in a Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic

The implementation of an innovative ambulatory care pharmacy residency program at a Veterans Affairs (VA) outpatient clinic is described.

Community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) are a largely underutilized resource for pharmacy residency training. Through a collaboration of the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy in Athens and Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center in Augusta, a postgraduate year 2 (PGY2) pharmacy residency program was established at the CBOC in Athens. The program graduated its first resident in 2009; components of training included (1) disease state management at an anticoagulation clinic and a newly created disease state-focused pharmacotherapy clinic, (2) participation in the planning and implementation of a new lipid management service, (3) a variety of didactic, laboratory, and experiential teaching activities at the college of pharmacy, and (4) management experiences such as completing requests for nonformulary medications, management of drug shortages, adverse drug reaction reporting, and participation in meetings of local and regional VA pharmacy and therapeutics committees. The demonstrated value of the ongoing program led to position upgrades for two CBOC clinical pharmacists and the addition of a clinical faculty member, enabling the program to offer additional learning experiences and preceptorship opportunities.

A PGY2 ambulatory care residency program established in a CBOC provided a novel practice setting for the resident, helped improve patient care and pharmacy student education, and assisted in the professional development of preceptors and providers at the training site.