SOP Hosts Orientation for New and Returning Residents and Fellows

Informative, fun-filled program introduces new residents and fellows to the School and offers those returning an opportunity to network with new peers.

By Malissa Carroll
July 16, 2014

Faculty, staff, and preceptors from institutional pharmacies across the state of Maryland welcomed new and returning pharmacy residents and fellows to the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy during a day-long orientation on July 2. The event, which provided residents and fellows with valuable information about curriculum and professional development and other available services, offered residents and fellows an opportunity to network with each other and establish expectations for the upcoming training year.

“It is always a pleasure to welcome residents and fellows to the School of Pharmacy,” says Magaly Rodriguez de Bittner, PharmD, BCPS, CDE, FAPhA, professor and chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science (PPS). “These individuals bring a lot of energy to our program and contribute tremendously to the training of our Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students, not only in the classroom, but also by serving as role models at our students’ rotation sites.”

A partnership between the School and the University of Maryland Medical Center, the University of Maryland Residency and Fellowship Program offers residency and fellowship programs in 16 different specialties. These programs provide innovative educational, research, and practice settings in which residents and fellows can gain the knowledge and skills they need to become successful practicing pharmacists.

“Pharmacists who are interested in pursuing careers as clinical pharmacists or careers in academia, particularly those who have a specialty practice interest such as cardiology or pediatrics, are encouraged to pursue residency training as a way to refine and expand their skills,” says Kristin Watson, PharmD, BCPS, AQ Cardiology, associate professor in PPS and coordinator of the University of Maryland Residency and Fellowship Program. “For most positions with clinical pharmacist responsibilities, many employers now require one or two years of residency training.”

Following a number of orientation sessions in the morning, residents and fellows were treated to lunch in Pharmacy Hall, where they had an opportunity to interact and network with faculty, staff, preceptors, and each other. Afternoon sessions were designed specifically for new residents and fellows, and offered an overview of the program’s curriculum, available teaching opportunities, pharmacotherapy rounds, and other professional development activities.

As a new resident who joined the School of Pharmacy from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS University), Benjamin Laliberte, PharmD, PGY-1 pharmacy practice resident, found these sessions particularly helpful.

“I first learned about the University of Maryland Residency and Fellowship Program through one of my professors at MCPHS University,” says Laliberte. “As soon as I reviewed the program’s website, I knew that I wanted to apply. It offers everything that I could want in a residency program, including diverse inpatient rotation experiences, a transitions of care program, longitudinal ambulatory care experiences, and a plethora of teaching opportunities. Orientation has also proved very insightful. Not only have I been able to meet all of my co-residents, but I have also learned essential information about many of the program’s opportunities, including our research project, teaching certificate, and pharmacotherapy rounds. What has struck me most is the obvious cohesiveness that is present among School of Pharmacy faculty, preceptors, and residents.”

Preceptors from more than a dozen institutional pharmacies across the state of Maryland also attended orientation to meet the residents and fellow with whom they would be working this year. Institutions represented included Howard County General Hospital, Union Memorial Hospital, the Johns Hopkins Hospital, Frederick Memorial Hospital, Holy Cross Hospital, Carroll Hospital Center, Suburban Hospital, the University of Maryland Medical Center, and the Baltimore VA Medical Center.

The day concluded with a fun-filled scavenger hunt across campus and the local Baltimore community, during which residents like Adrienne Kowcz, PharmD, PGY-1 community pharmacy practice resident, had the opportunity to begin building relationships with other residents and fellows in the program.

“As a new resident at the School of Pharmacy, I am excited to have the chance to implement new patient care programs in an independent pharmacy, teach students, and take advantage of the numerous electives offered, such as ambulatory care,” says Kowcz, who joined the program after completing her PharmD at Northeastern University in Boston, Mass. “Orientation offered a great opportunity for me to learn about the program’s structure as well as set expectations for the coming year. Team-building activities, such as the scavenger hunt, also showed me the importance of forming relationships with other residents. The program is large, with many residents spread across different areas of pharmacy. It was great to meet everyone and gain a sense about the type of projects on which they will be working this year.”

Related News Stories

More Stories About: Kristin Watson PPS