Resident-preceptor retreat for re-evaluating a pharmacy residency program

The organization of a resident-preceptor retreat as one component of a process to re-evaluate a pharmacy residency program is described. Changes in the ASHP standards for residency training and recommendations from a recent reaccreditation survey as well as recent changes in the health-care environment prompted a re-evaluation of the existing 24-month residency and degree program at The Ohio State University Hospitals. Three task forces were created to evaluate issues in seven areas of residency training. Members of the task forces, which consisted of current residents and staff members with preceptorial responsibilities, discussed the issues assigned to them during a retreat at a state park. Recommendations made at the retreat were assigned to individual task force members for implementation. Within nine months of the retreat, 15 of 17 recommendations had been implemented. A retreat involving both residents and preceptors can be an effective forum for discussing and critically evaluating a pharmacy residency program.