The Write Stuff: The Development of a Medical Writing Pharmacy Residency Elective

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy education
• Medical writing skills

Background:

• Medical writing is crucial for pharmacists, encompassing data interpretation, literature evaluation, communication, and leadership.
• The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists identifies these as key educational objectives for residents.
• Residents and preceptors often encounter difficulties in achieving proficiency and confidence in medical writing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a structured yet individualized medical writing elective for PGY2 pharmacy residents.
• To assess the program's effectiveness in developing critical scholarly skills.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal elective learning experience was designed for post-graduate year two (PGY2) pharmacy residents.
• The program included structured modules on idea creation, peer review, manuscript preparation, and team management.
• The elective was offered as an optional learning experience.

Main Results:

• Resident feedback on the elective learning experience was overwhelmingly positive.
• Two participating residents successfully produced manuscripts that were subsequently published.
• The program facilitated the development of practical medical writing skills.

Conclusions:

• This longitudinally designed elective shows promise for enhancing residents' scholarly endeavors.
• Potential benefits and implementation barriers should be considered for future iterations.
• The program offers a valuable opportunity for residents and preceptors to develop critical medical writing and scholarly skills.