Development of a novel longitudinal postgraduate year 1 residency training model

A longitudinal program design for a postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) pharmacy residency that has enhanced residents' ability to adapt to decentralized pharmacy practice roles is described.

Historically, like most 12-month PGY1 residency programs, the program at Baptist Health Lexington, a 383-bed community hospital in Kentucky, offered month-long rotational learning experiences across the various service lines within the institution. As the core philosophy of the program matured, the focus of the residency program's preceptor group moved toward maximizing a facilitated learning experience for residents. Beginning in 2015, the program structure was redesigned to implement a longitudinal structure for all learning experiences. Residents now cycle through experiences every 2 weeks for the duration of the program. These shorter and more frequently varied learning experiences allow residents to focus on completing meaningful work in the pharmacy department and develop independent practice skills as they learn how to manage the daily tasks and workflow of a decentralized pharmacist within the institution. The change from a rotational model to a longitudinal design has allowed earlier realization of resident independence, allowing trainees to focus on their individual professional growth. The revised program structure has allowed integration of the PGY1 program into departmental activities.

Changing a PGY1 program design from a rotational model to a longitudinal design has aligned resident development with departmental goals and accelerated achievement of resident independence.