How to Start a Residency
Postgraduate year one (PGY1) of pharmacy residency training is an organized, directed, accredited program that builds upon knowledge, skills, attitudes, and abilities gained from an accredited professional pharmacy degree program. The first-year residency program enhances general competencies in managing medication-use systems and supports optimal medication therapy outcomes for patients with a broad range of disease states.
A residency should not be confused with an internship or a fellowship. Internships represent training programs designed to meet the licensure requirements of boards of pharmacy, and fellowships concentrate on the development of research skills. A residency is concerned with development of professional practice knowledge, skills, and competency beyond the legal requirements for licensure, which is oriented toward specific aspects of pharmacy practice.
A PGY1 managed care pharmacy residency program establishes criteria for systematic training of pharmacists for the purpose of achieving professional competence in the delivery of patient-centered care and in pharmacy operational services in managed care settings. Residents in PGY1 residency programs are provided the opportunity to accelerate their growth beyond entry-level professional competence in patient-centered care and in pharmacy operational services, and to further the development of leadership skills that can be applied in any position and in any practice setting.
PGY1 residents in managed care pharmacy are trained to deliver pharmaceutical care utilizing three practice models:
- Individual patient care in which the pharmacist communicates findings and recommendations to patients and those health care providers who provide care directly to the patient;
- Care provided to targeted groups of patients in which the pharmacist designs, conducts, monitors and evaluates the outcomes of organized and structured programs; and
- Population care management in which the pharmacist develops and implements medication-use policy.
PGY1 Managed Care Pharmacy Residency Standards:
Accreditation Standard for PGY1 Managed Care Pharmacy Residency Programs
Effective as of August 2024
Required Competency Areas, Goals, and Objectives for PGY1 Pharmacy, Community-based, and Managed Care Residency Programs, including Appendix for Managed Care Pharmacy Programs
Effective as of August 2024
Additional Materials:
Additional Resources for Managed Care Pharmacy Residency Programs
Required Competency Areas, Goals, and Objectives for PGY1 Pharmacy related documents.
Patient Care Activities Provided by Pharmacists in the Managed Care Setting
Activities performed by pharmacists with the intent of contributing to positive pharmacotherapeutic and health outcomes of patients.
How to Start a Residency in Managed Care Pharmacy
AMCP works with ASHP to develop the competencies, goals, and objectives for PGY1 residencies in managed care. This links to the ASHP site, where you can learn more about starting a residency at your organization.
