Clinical pharmacy in the family practice residency programs

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Medical Education
• Family Medicine Residencies

Background:

• Clinical pharmacists' roles have expanded beyond traditional practice settings.
• The integration of pharmacy expertise into residency training is a growing area of interest.
• Understanding the current landscape of pharmacist involvement in medical education is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the extent and nature of teaching involvement by clinical pharmacists in US family practice residency programs.
• To characterize the demographic and professional profiles of pharmacists engaged in residency teaching.
• To assess the perceived value of clinical pharmacists' contributions to residency education.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive study design was employed.
• Data were collected from a significant portion of family practice residencies across the United States.
• Surveys or interviews likely targeted residency directors to gather information on pharmacist involvement.

Main Results:

• Pharmacist teaching involvement was present in 29% of surveyed residency programs.
• A majority of these pharmacists (two-thirds) held academic appointments.
• Half of the involved pharmacists possessed a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, and 75% were under 36 years old.

Conclusions:

• Clinical pharmacists are actively participating in the education of residents in family practice settings.
• The demographic profile suggests a younger, highly educated group of pharmacists contributing to teaching.
• Residency directors generally view the inclusion of clinical pharmacy in teaching programs as beneficial.