What to Expect In Your 4 th Year

1. What to Expect In Your 4th Year Presented by Jenni Hardesty, Pharm-D Candidate 2002 jhard001@umaryland.edu

2. Overview • Rotations • Courses • How do I decide what I like to do? • Resume/CV • What am I doing after graduation? • Gradation/ Board Exam

3. Rotations • Phase 3 - Distributive • Phase 4 - Clinical • Phase 4A- 1 Clinic for each Phase 4 • Phase 5 - 20 DI questions/ each Phase 4 • Phase 6 - 8 credits from various disciplines

4. How to Choose Rotations • Specific Interests • Talk to classmates/ previous grads • Location • Ease/difficulty • If undecided, choose a wide variety of experiences. • Example: • Phase 4: Community Hospital, Home Infusion, Ft. Meade Ambulatory Care, Wal-Mart. • Phase 6: Cardiology, Geriatrics, Fred Lab, Thailand

5. What to Expect on Rotation • Preceptors • Involvement in your rotation can vary • May expect a lot or very little • Duties while on rotation • Usually shadow another pharmacist for first few days • Participate in rounds, meetings, seminars, etc. • Knowledge expectations • Preceptors know you have a knowledge curve • Bring several resources (DI handbook, baby DiPiro) • Try to brush up on pertinent topics before starting rotation (i.e. antibiotic dosing) • Don’t make up answers, say “I don’t know”

6. What to Expect on Rotation • Time Commitment • Depends on type of rotation, but usually an~ 8 hour day. • CCU/ Internal Medicine rotations usually require a lot of time. • Recitation is once every 2 weeks, and you can ask your preceptor for blocks of time to work on your Careplans and DI questions. • Clinic is ½ day per week during Phase 4; may take longer. • Helpful hints • Palm-Pilot/PDA with drug info and treatment programs (Epocrates, Lexicomp, 5MCC, etc). • Make a folder of important papers from school. • Make a checklist for clinic. • Have a Normal Values card or Maxwell Quick Medical Reference.

7. Paperwork for Rotation • Careplans • 2 complete careplans for each Phase 4 • Some preceptors require more • Some Phase 6 preceptors will require a modified careplan • Take a lot of time! Lots of Criteria! • DI Questions • 20 per Phase 4 • Range in complexity from 5 min to 1 hour to research • Other Assignments • Presentations (at least 1) • Clinic SOAP notes

8. Recitation • Only during Phase 4 months. • Small groups with faculty leader. • Must present a patient at least once, sometimes you have to present twice. • Can be on-line through Blackboard, or in person. • Every 2 weeks for ½ day if in person, stretched over 1 week if on-line.

9. Networking/Contacts • You will meet a LOT of pharmacists and other health-care professionals on rotation. • Pharmacy is a VERY small community. • Don’t make any bad impressions, and try to resolve any issues/conflicts very amiably. • Letters of Recommendation • Name recognition on CV

10. Coursework • Law Class • Starts mid-February • Two mornings a week (TuTh) • Senior Colloquium • Everyone gives 1 PowerPoint presentation ~15 minutes long • Any pharmacy related topic • One to two mornings a week (TuTh) • Electives • Many electives are either TuTh afternoon, or later in the evening • You will have time to take electives if you need to

11. Deciding What You Like to Do • Rotations- Likes and Dislikes • GET A JOB! • Talk to people • Other classmates • Preceptors/Staff while on rotation • Faculty • Residents • Explore all avenues- you may be surprised!

12. Curriculum Vitae & Resume • CV • Used more for academia/residencies • All-encompassing (coursework, rotations, publications, special projects, awards, etc.) • Short and Long Form • Resume • More generalized • Shorter

13. CV / Resume • When you will need CV / Resume: • Job Fair at school- November • Midyear Meeting- early December • Any other interview you have • Start making notes now about: • Job experiences • Special projects • Presentations (even if in class) • Papers/articles/publications • Extra-curricular activities • Very time-consuming process(~10 hours!)

14. Post-Graduate Options:Job • Make connections thru part-time job • Make connections thru rotations • Hear from a colleague • Emails, internet, advertisements • Headhunters • Job Fair at School • ~40 companies have information booths set-up • Sign up for later interviews • Mini-interviews on campus

15. Post-Graduate Options:Residency • General Pharmacy Practice Residency • Usually hospital based, rotations thru different departments over 1 year • Peds, CCU, GM, Administration, ID, ER, etc. • Uses the “Match” • Specialty Residency • Many require a pharmacy practice residency before applying for specialty residency. • More specific experience • Oncology, geriatrics, ambulatory care, critical care, managed care, etc.;for 1 year. • Does not use the “match”

16. The Match • General Pharmacy Practice Residencies use a program to help match the student’s choices with the program’s choices. • Students individually interview with sites they are interested in, and rank their top choices. • Residency directors rank their top choices, and a computer matches everyone’s choices in the best possible way over the entire country. • Students must accept the program they are matched with. • The Match is required with all general practice residencies, and costs ~ 60$.

17. Residency Timeline • September: Nationwide listings for available residencies are available on the ASHP or ACCP websites. • Early December: ASHP Midyear Convention • Mini-interviews from programs all over the country. • Decide what programs you will apply to. • Mid December: Request applications from specific programs • Early January (by Jan 15th usually): Deadline for applications (with CV, letters of recommendation, and transcripts) • Mid January-February: You are contacted if chosen for interview; usually a full day interview. • February- (For specialty residencies only) You are offered or denied the position • March- General Pharmacy Practice Candidates must turn in their rank order forms • Late March/April- The Match is performed and you are notified of your assignment or denial.

18. Residency Hints • Make contact with the director of the program you are interested in personally via email or phone as soon as you decide to apply to that program. • If possible, take off the month of January; especially if you are traveling to interviews. Sometimes you will only have 1-2 weeks notice before an interview. • Budget for expenses of flight and hotel if traveling for interviews. • Have other options in mind this doesn’t work out!

19. Other Post-Graduate Options • Fellowship • Usually 2 year commitment • Research-oriented • More School- PhD, MBA, Masters, etc… • Still Undecided? • Make a short-term plan • Explore as many options as possible before committing.

20. Graduation • YEAH!!!! • End of May • Expenses: • Cap and Gown: $80 • Invitations: $50 and up • U of MD diploma frame: $130 • Getting out of here: Priceless!!!

21. Board Exam • Start the application process in January by calling the Board to request a packet. • Three exams: • NAPLEX : Drugs, therapeutics, kinetics, etc • Computerized- Sylvan learning center • Can take it in early spring, but most students wait until after graduation • MJPE : State and federal law • Usually in June • Computerized • Wet Lab: Compounding products • Mid June • Held in PLC • English Competency Oral Exam

22. Costs • NAPLEX: $ 360* • MJPE: $130* • Wet Lab: $100* • Must have weight set ($50 if you need to buy) • English Competency: $30 • Review Course: $80 • Review Books: $70 *All Exam Fees Must Be Paid by Cashier’s Check or Money Order- No Credit Cards!

23. Total Costs • Total cost of all graduation expenses and exam expenses = • All of these expenses occurred in February-April! $1080

24. Conclusion • You have a lot to think about! • You will have to budget time and money, but overall is much better than being in school every day! • You will change you mind many times, so be patient with yourself. • Have a backup plan. • Use your friends and family for support and advise.

25. Questions?