Continuity of Specialty Pharmacy Practice: A Survey of PGY-2 Pharmacy Residency Graduates

Literature regarding career trajectory for postgraduate year 2 (PGY-2) pharmacy residency specialty-trained pharmacists is limited.

The objective of our study is to describe PGY-2 pharmacy residency training on career practice and satisfaction.

A cross-sectional study surveyed graduates of PGY-2 pharmacy residency programs. Respondents were identified by current PGY-2 residency program directors requesting participation from their program alumni. The primary outcome was whether PGY-2 residency-trained pharmacists continued working within their specialty or not. Secondary outcomes included alternative specialty areas, current satisfaction with their specialty, and the necessity of completing a PGY-2.

Among 647 respondents, 84% completed their program in the past 6 years. The top 3 represented pharmacy specialties were critical care (19%), ambulatory care (14%), and oncology (13%). Most respondents continue to practice in the same specialty as their PGY-2 residency program (n = 572, 87%) compared with pharmacists who currently practice in other clinical specialties or areas of pharmacy (n = 83, 13%). Critical care (n = 28, 33%) had the largest specialty response no longer practicing in their PGY-2 residency program specialty with 42% (n = 12) now practicing within the emergency medicine specialty. The average satisfaction for their current specialty was 4.7 ± 0.82 (Likert scale of 1 = extremely dissatisfied to 5 = extremely satisfied).

The vast majority PGY-2 pharmacy residency-trained pharmacists experienced training-practice concordance and are satisfied with their trained specialty. Among those with specialty training practice discordance, critical care training was most prevalent.