Provision of direct patient care in the clinical setting is becoming increasingly prevalent in the pharmacy profession.  The development of clinical pharmacy practice settings necessitates the need for additional training specific to clinical pharmacy.  The completion of postgraduate year 1 (PGY-1) pharmacy practice residencies is often required for these positions, and acceptance into PGY-1 residencies in the United States is becoming progressively more competitive as there are less available positions than applicants.  Pharmacists in PGY-1 training are expected to have a strong clinical background, conduct clinical research, assist in pharmacy student education, and serve as leaders for the profession. 

The WVU School of Pharmacy will begin accepting applications for inclusion into the Area of Emphasis in Clinical Pharmacy Practice beginning Fall 2011.  The objectives of this area of emphasis are to provide student pharmacists with the content and skills necessary to successfully complete PGY-1 training and to enhance the clinical and professional development of student pharmacists as preparation for PGY-1 training

Following is an overview of the plan of study for earning an Area of Emphasis in Clinical Pharmacy Practice as part of the PharmD curriculum in the WVU School of Pharmacy.

Requirements:

  • Completion of one didactic elective course in each of the following areas: 1) professional development (e.g., Leadership and Advocacy); 2) clinical development (e.g., Acute Care Case Studies); and 3) either professional or clinical development.
  • Development and completion of an IRB approved research project with appropriate faculty mentorship. 
  • Submission of a research project at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear Clinical Meeting or another national meeting approved by the Residency Committee or submission of a full original research manuscript for publication in a journal.
  • Completion of four Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) rotations involving direct patient care that have been approved by the WVU School of Pharmacy Residency Committee.
  • Completion of one APPE rotation in drug information or poison control.
  • Completion of one APPE rotation in health-system management.
  • Completion of a portfolio for review by the Residency Committee.


Core Courses (Professional Development):

  • Introduction to Research (1 credit hour): Introduction to areas of research at the WVU School of Pharmacy, overview of the importance of research to the profession of pharmacy, introduction to research resources and problem solving skills.  (PHAR 792 Directed Studies)
  • Advocacy and Leadership (2 credit hours): This course focuses on developing the student’s leadership skills as an advocate for the profession of pharmacy. Students complete required readings, contribute to class discussions, and participate in site visits (e.g., Pharmacists Day at the WV Legislature, U.S. Capitol, Headquarters of the American Pharmacists Association) and special projects. (PHAR 793N Advocacy and Leadership)
  • Teaching (3 credit hours): Students learn the fundamentals of didactic and experiential teaching, feedback and assessment, and pharmacy faculty expectations.  Small group teaching experiences are included.  (PHAR 793O Teaching to Learning, Learning to Teach)
  • Other related courses – The Residency Committee in the School of Pharmacy will serve as the approving body for newly developed courses for inclusion as part of the core courses for development. The Residency Committee includes faculty and clinical pharmacy specialists from West Virginia University Hospitals who direct PGY-1 and specialty  (PGY-2) residencies or have other significant involvement in WVU pharmacy residency programs. 

Core Courses (Clinical Content):

  • Acute Care (2 credit hours): This course is designed to prepare participating students to provide pharmaceutical care to acute care patients utilizing a case based approach.  The student will utilize knowledge and skills obtained in other courses and apply these towards analyzing, defining, and optimizing specific drug and non-drug therapies.  Activities will include patient case studies which are designed to be cumulative in nature, group discussion of the cases, and facilitation of a group discussion.  (PHAR 748 Acute Care Case Studies)
  • Critical Care (2 credit hours): This course is designed for students with an interest in critical care pharmacy and will be highly useful for prospective hospital pharmacy residents.  This class will contain didactic lectures, case-based learning and simulation experiences.  The focus of the course is on active learning techniques and requires in-class participation.  Students will be expected to complete background readings provided by instructors and will be required to prepare and lead a discussion on a chosen topic.  The goal of this class is to enhance the clinical skills of students interested in critical care pharmacy, as well as those students interested in pursuing a pharmacy residency. (Approved by Curriculum Committee, temporary course number to be assigned Spring 2012)
  • Pediatrics (2 credit hours):  This course emphasizes common pharmacotherapy issues affecting the pediatric population. The objective of the course is to make students aware of the pharmacotherapeutic and unique aspects of pediatric care. Teaching methods include self-study, in-class discussion, a writing assignment, two patient simulations, didactic lecture, and one institutional site visit. (Phar 791H Pediatric Pharmacotherapy)
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology (2 Credit Hours): This course emphasizes the discussion of issues of importance in geriatrics for pharmacists. Teaching methods will include self-study, in-class guided discussions, visits to community settings, and writing assignments. The objective of the course is to sensitize students to the pharmacotherapeutic and social issues that confront seniors in our communities. (Phar 751 Geriatrics and Gerontology.)
  • Other related courses – The Residency Committee will review and approve newly developed courses for potential inclusion as part of the core courses for clinical content.

Research and presentation:

  • Each student will participate in a series of educational sessions developed by the Residency Committee to prepare for the development and completion of an IRB approved research project.  The education sessions will provide background in study design, the institutional review board (IRB) process, collection and analysis of data, and dissemination of research findings.
  • Each student will develop and conduct a research project with the assistance of an assigned faculty mentor. 
  • Following the conclusion of the research project, each student will be required to present the project in the form of a poster abstract at an ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting (or another approved national meeting) prior to graduation. Poster design and content will be approved by the assigned research mentor. 

APPE Rotations:

  • As part of the fourth year advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) program, students will be required to complete four of eight total rotations in designated direct patient care rotations.  In order to conform to the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Standards, at least one rotation will be in the ambulatory care setting and one will be in the acute care general medicine setting.  The other two rotations will be based on student interest and rotation availability.
  • Students will complete one rotation in drug information or poison control as part of the APPE program.  
  • Students will complete one rotation in health-system administration as part of the APPE program.  
  • Rotations in advanced community practice and hospital or health-system pharmacy will be completed to comply with ACPE standards.

Application Process

All PharmD students in good standing are eligible to apply for acceptance during the fall of the second year of the curriculum.

Applications will include:

1) a cover letter
2) an essay describing the applicant’s future career goals and what he or she expects to gain through completion of the Area of Emphasis
3) a current Curriculum Vitae
4) professional grade point average will be accessed through the Office of Student Services.

Five (5) students will be accepted each academic year.  Decisions for acceptance will be determined by the WVU School of Pharmacy Residency Committee.