BVAHCS Pharmacy Residence
Overview of the PGY2 program
The PGY2 Pharmacy Pain Management and Palliative Care Residency is a sophomore specialty residency focused on developing the knowledge, attitude, and skills needed to become a clinical pharmacist with expertise in complex pain management treatments. The residency program includes advanced training in a variety of pain-related interprofessional areas within two different VA hospitals: Birmingham VA Healthcare System and Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center. The resident will be responsible for achieving optimal drug therapy outcomes by monitoring, evaluating, and refining the patient’s drug therapy independently and as part of an interprofessional team. By completing this comprehensive advanced training program, the resident is equipped with excellent leadership and clinical skills to practice as a skilled, well-rounded independent clinical pharmacy practitioner in a pain management, substance abuse and mental health/pain environment.
Statement of Purpose
PGY2 Pharmacy Residency programs build upon Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) education and PGY1 pharmacy residency programs to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists in specialized areas of practice. PGY2 residences provide residents with the opportunity to function independently as practitioners by conceptualizing and integrating the accumulated experience and knowledge and incorporating both into the delivery of patient care or other advanced practice settings. Residents who successfully complete an accredited PGY2 pharmacy residency will be prepared for advanced patient care, academic or other specialized positions, along with board certification where available.
Program goals and objectives
Provide comprehensive medication management to patients requiring pain management in a team-based setting
- Collaborate effectively with healthcare teams to manage medication therapy for patients in need of pain management and palliative care.
- Collaborate effectively with patients in need of pain treatment, their relatives and caregivers.
- Collect and analyze information on which to base safe and effective drug therapy for patients in need of pain management.
- Develop, implement, and document safe, effective pain therapeutic medication management plans for patients requiring pain management.
Provide a complete health approach to patients requiring pain management in a team-based setting
- Use motivational interviewing to drive patient behavior change and shared decision-making about pain management.
- Recognize and address co-morbid mental health conditions that may affect pain management by providing comprehensive medication management for low-complexity MD disorders or referral to specialist MD care.
- Understand the free and integrative health options (CIH) available in facilities and care for patient education and referrals.
- Identify comorbid substance use disorders in patients with pain and ensure appropriate management.
Provides pain management services to patients at high risk of opioid overdose or suicide
- Understand and use population management tools to identify patients at high risk for opioid overdose or suicide.
- Provide both drug management services and drug management recommendations to interdisciplinary teams managing high-risk patients.
- Understand and implement risk minimization strategies to minimize the risk of adverse outcomes in patients taking opioids or with a history of OUD.
- Collaborate within interdisciplinary teams and other healthcare teams to provide high-risk patients with seamless transitions between practice environments.
Effectively educate patients, clinicians, interns and the public on pain management issues in both individual and group situations
- Develop effective pain educational activities and materials.
- Use effective presentation and teaching skills to teach pain management in groups.
- Understand how to identify priority providers.
- Conduct effective academic detail visits on pain-related campaigns and assess the impact of visits.
- Effectively use the appropriate teacher roles when you are teaching pain management students, pharmacy technicians, or healthcare colleagues.
Demonstrate leadership and management skills
- Demonstrate personal, interpersonal and teamwork skills essential for effective leadership in pain management.
- Apply a process of continuous self-assessment and personal performance improvement in the care of patients with pain management.
Demonstrate the ability to undertake a quality improvement or research project
- Evaluate gaps in pain management care at both VA practice locations using data sources to identify opportunities to improve or start a new pharmacy service.
- Develop, present, implement and evaluate a proposal for an improved or new pharmacy service for pain management.
Program structure
This program is a twelve-month postgraduate training program that begins upon successful completion of a PGY1 Pharmacy Residency. The resident will rotate through the Birmingham VA Medical Center and the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center Central Alabama Healthcare System (54 miles away). The resident is expected to travel within the facilities for at least 12 weeks of the year of residence. Accommodation options are negotiable.
Annual longitudinal rotations of the core
Core Learning Experiences Required:
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- Orientation
- Interdisciplinary Pain Rehabilitation Program I
- Interdisciplinary Pain Rehabilitation Program II
- Behavioral Pain Treatment and Mental Health Outpatient Clinic
- Outpatient Pain Treatment
- Treatment Program for Acute Psychiatry and Residential Rehabilitation
- Palliative Care and Acute Pain Management
- Primary care pain management, opioid safety and health
- Addiction Medicine and Drug Treatment (MAT)
Elective course Learning experiences (1 elective course):
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R)
- Academic detail
Benefits:
- Estimated Allowance for PGY2: $47,252 per year
- Attendance at professional meetings:
- Eleven (11) paid holidays per year
- Thirteen (13) days of paid leave
- Thirteen (13) days paid sick leave
- Health/life insurance (optional)
- BLS and ACLS Certification