PGY2 Internal Medicine

Purpose

The PGY2 internal medicine (IM) pharmacy residency program at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) builds on Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) education and PGY1 pharmacy residency programs to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists in advanced or specialized practice. PGY2 residency provides residents with opportunities to function independently as practitioners by conceptualizing and integrating accumulated experience and knowledge and incorporating both into provision of patient care that improves medication therapy. Residents who successfully complete the PGY2 IM pharmacy residency at MGH will possess competencies that qualify them for clinical pharmacist and/or faculty positions and position them to be eligible for attainment of board certification in the specialized practice area.

Description

This specialty residency offers trainees the opportunity to develop into Internal Medicine clinicians in a dynamic learning environment. The resident will work closely with primary services on the core internal medicine learning experiences – both with hospitalist teams as well as teaching teams made up of attending physicians, internal medicine residents and interns, and medical students from Harvard Medical School. Many elective rotations are available to the resident to gain knowledge and exposure to other specialty areas and further improve the care of internal medicine patients during future experiences. The resident will be involved in teaching pharmacy students and PGY1 residents throughout the residency year and will be able to serve as primary preceptor for a pharmacy student during the second half of the year. A formalized teaching certificate is available if the resident did not complete one during PGY1, as well as a research certificate, both optional experiences. The resident will also take part in administrative efforts related to internal medicine, including various medication safety initiatives and a position on one of our Pharmacy Department Collaborative Governance Committees.

We currently offer one position for the PGY2 IM Pharmacy Residency.

Program Goals

The resident will complete the following ASHP-established outcomes:

• In collaboration with the health care team, provide safe and effective patient care to internal medicine patients following a consistent patient care process
• Demonstrate ability to manage formulary and medication-use processes for internal medicine patients, as applicable to the organization
• Demonstrate leadership skills for successful self-development in the provision of care for internal medicine patients
• Provide effective medication and practice-related education to internal medicine patients, caregivers, health care professionals, students, and the public
• Effectively employ appropriate preceptor roles when engaged in teaching students, pharmacy technicians, or fellow health care professionals in internal medicine

Learning Experiences

The first month of residency is an orientation to the Department of Pharmacy, after a 1.5-day hospital orientation. Activities include competency lectures on basic clinical skills, training on the Mass General computerized order entry system, and side-by-side decentralized training with clinical pharmacy preceptors. Additionally, residents will understand the structure of the Residency Learning System, which is the backbone of how residency training is put into action.

Core Learning Experiences (one month):

• Orientation
• Administration/management
• Internal medicine I
• Internal medicine II
• Internal medicine III
• Internal medicine IV

Elective Learning Experiences (one month):

• Medical oncology
• Intensive care unit (choose one of the following: medical ICU, surgical ICU, neuro ICU, or cardiac ICU)
• Infectious diseases
• Psychiatry
• Neurology
• Solid organ transplant
• Cardiology

Longitudinal Experiences (one year unless otherwise noted):

• Teaching & Leadership
• Pharmacy Ground Rounds, one-hour ACPE-approved continuing education presentation
• Committee residency officer position
• Pharmacy practice experience
• Med/surg clinical staffing every third weekend, one weekday evening every other week
• Pharmacy and Therapeutics Drug Monograph
• Emergency response
• Research project
• Medication use evaluation (six months)
• Teaching certificate or research certificate (optional)

How to Apply

To be eligible to apply for the PGY2 Internal Medicine Pharmacy Residency Program, applicants must be graduates of an ACPE-accredited school of pharmacy with a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree and have completed or are in the process of completing an ASHP-accredited PGY1 residency program. Applications must be submitted via PhORCAS and include the following to be complete:

• Formal letter of intent
• Curriculum Vitae
• Official pharmacy school transcripts and undergraduate transcripts (if applicable)
• Three standardized references completed through PhORCAS

The deadline for receipt of a completed PhORCAS application is January 5th, 2024. Upon completion of applications review, qualified candidates will be contacted regarding interviews. The PGY2 Internal Medicine Pharmacy Residency Program participates in the ASHP Resident Matching Program.

NMS Code:

• PGY2 Internal Medicine: 657556

Contact Information

Alexandra Whiddon Tatara, PharmD, BCPS
Advanced Clinical Pharmacist, Internal Medicine
Director, PGY2 Internal Medicine Pharmacy Residency
awtatara@mgh.harvard.edu