FAQ

How competitive is your PGY1 program?

We received about 300 applications for our PGY1 class. We have funding for 12 PGY1 residents.

 

How are residents selected for your program?

All applications are reviewed by the selection committee, which includes the RPD, residency coordinators, preceptors, and current residents. We review and score the letter of intent, curriculum vitae (CV), letters of recommendation, and pharmacy school academic performance (grades, class ranking, honors).

WE DO NOT REQUIRE FALL GRADES FOR THE APPLICATION. Don’t wat until Fall grades are posted to submit your transcripts! All applications are due on January 2nd.

Applicants from a School of Pharmacy that does not use a traditional grading system should make sure at least one of the three letters of recommendation can comment on their academic achievement (preceptors can also comment on applicant academic achievement, it does not have to be from a school faculty member). Also, if your school provides class ranking, please provide this information with your transcripts.

Following the review of all applications, we select applicants for a short virtual screening interview through Zoom. The screening interview allows applicants and representatives from the selection committee to determine if a full day interview is warranted. The screening interviews will be scheduled for 10-15 minute blocks with members of the selection committee. 

Following the short screening interview, applicants will be selected for a full day virtual interview.

 

I am not a U.S. citizen. Are you able to sponsor my visa?

We welcome applications from non-U.S. citizens who have a “green card” (permanent resident) or a current visa valid through the entire duration of the residency program. The University of Washington is NOT able to sponsor visas for pharmacy residents (PGY1 or PGY2). 

How many required and elective rotations does a resident do in a year?

Residents complete 12 monthly rotations. Please see the Residency Handbook for more details.

 

Can I do rotations at any of the 4 sites (UWMC-ML, UWMC-NW, HMC, and Fred Hutch)?

Yes!

 

Can I change my rotations over the course of the year?

Yes. We anticipate that many residents’ interests will change or become more focused over the course of the year, and thus, we encourage a flexible rotation schedule to optimize that growth. One of the benefits of UW Medicine is that we have multiple sites with a wide variety of rotation opportunities.

What are the staffing responsibilities?

All residents have an integrated service commitment of 32 hours per 4-week schedule period. Each resident will be assigned a location for that service (UWMC-ML, UWMC-NW, or HMC). The integrated service responsibilities include a combination of distribution shifts in central pharmacy and evening/weekend clinical shifts. 

What is pharmacy’s role within the medical centers?

Pharmacy is very well respected within the medical centers. The atmosphere is very collegial, and pharmacists are a valued member of the healthcare team. Pharmacists round with most of the medical and surgical teams in the hospital and are often leaders of major committees within the medical centers. In Washington State, pharmacists can prescribe medications under a collaborative practice agreement. Our clinic pharmacists have prescriptive authority and billed evaluation and management codes for their patient care.

What sort of teaching opportunities do your residents have?

We are affiliated with the University of Washington School of Pharmacy, and all residents receive an affiliate faculty appointment with the School of Pharmacy. Residents will have the opportunity to precept APPE students in their required acute care rotations with increasing student precepting responsibility over the course of the residency year. In addition, each program has additional didactic teaching responsibilities. PGY1 residents are required to participate in either a small group course (e.g. therapeutics lab or Student Scholar program) or provide a formal lecture in one of the various pharmacy courses. The UW also has other health professional schools such as nursing, medicine, dentistry, and residents may choose to teach in these programs as well. 

Do you offer a teaching certificate?

The UW School of Pharmacy offers a workshop-based Teaching Certificate in Pharmacy Education. The certificate runs from September through May.

What sorts of projects do residents do during their residency? Is additional time provided to complete these projects? 

PGY1 residents are allotted a project month in December (15 project days) and 5 additional project days that can be taken throughout the year (total of 20 project days).

The goal of the resident project is to expose residents to study design, IRB applications, data analysis and interpretation. The majority of the residents choose a project addressing a clinical question, but some choose projects evaluating a pharmacy service (e.g. critical care satellite/meds to beds) or teaching tools. To help residents select a project, a list of possible project ideas and preceptors is provided to the residents during orientation. This is not an all-inclusive list and residents can select other topics as well. To keep residents on target with the project, there are several intermediate deadlines where they check-in with their project preceptors.

Residents are also responsible for developing a project idea for the incoming residency class (known as the “Flip Project”). We feel this is an essential skill to be able to identify a question or problem within the medical system during the residency year, and develop a project that can answer a research question. 

Other project assignments: 

• Medication Utilization Evaluation (small in scope, provides useful experience for the main residency project) and/or P&T monographs/class reviews, presented at P&T or its sub- committees 
• 1 hour formal continuing education oral presentation on a clinical topic presented to pharmacists 

Do residents publish their projects? 

• We strongly encourage our residents to publish their residency projects, but we understand that it is difficult to take a project from beginning to publication in a single year. Prior to the completion of the residency, each resident submits a final manuscript in publication format to their project preceptor and Residency Director, and is given feedback and suggestions for submitting it for publication.

What sorts of positions do your residents take after completion of your program? 

Some residents continue their training with a PGY2 residency or fellowship. Many of our residents go on to pursue clinical specialist positions. The actual titles vary by geographic location, but the responsibilities are similar with direct patient care as the primary focus and teaching/research as secondary responsibilities. We have had some residents take tenure track faculty positions in pharmacy schools as well. 

Do you hire many of your residents after completion of your program? 

We love to hire our own residents! If you look at our current staff, you will see that we have been fortunate to retain a large number ofmany former residents. Bottom line is if you’re a great resident, we know you’ll be a great pharmacist here!