All longitudinal learning experiences such as Drug Policy and Medication Safety, Medication Use Evaluation/Process Improvement Projects and Staffing Obligation; are required and run concurrently with monthly rotations and/or concentrated learning experiences. Additionally, learning experiences such as journal club, case presentation, primary preceptor and clinical controversies are assigned and completed concurrently with other learning experiences.

The residency is designed to focus on the core areas of practice specified in the ASHP Accreditation Standards. The program is 52 weeks in duration. The first 4-6 weeks is designed to orient the resident to the residency program and hospital environment and expose the resident to the general operations of the central pharmacy such as order evaluation and drug distribution. The resident is trained to enter orders, evaluate orders for correctness, compound IV admixtures, total parenteral nutrition formulas and compounding, and chemotherapy. In addition, the resident will be oriented to various learning experiences, strategies for maintaining well-being and resilience. Rotations vary in duration (see below). 

Resident schedules can be modified based on interests and availability of preceptors. Our goal for their learning is to ensure their residency year is diverse and provides opportunities that align with the residents’ interests while also completing all Competency Assessment Goals and Objectives for the residency. No schedule may consist of more than 25% of one specialty area and two-thirds of the residency year is required to be in patient care rotations.

Required Rotations and Experiences 

Elective Rotations

Our program offers a wide variety of elective rotations. A total of four elective rotations may be chosen to round out the schedule. However, in the event that both selective rotations are chosen, only three elective rotations may be chosen. Repeating Core rotations may also be an option depending on preceptor availability.

Selective Rotations

Our program offers two selective rotations. A total of one selective is required to complete the program. If desired, residents may elect to take both selective rotations listed below. Should residents opt for both selective rotations, they will chose three elective rotations to round out their residency schedule. 

The Soldier Recovery Unit is a 4-6 week elective, direct patient care learning experience. The Soldier Recovery Unit Pharmacist works with the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. The SRU is an Army unit that is used as the guide for the Navy and Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Battalion. The SRU Pharmacist’s role is to complete a comprehensive medication reconciliation with all intake, transitioning, and moderate to high risk SRU service members.

The SRU Pharmacist is a credentialed provider at the CPT Jennifer Moreno Primary Care Clinic in Fort Sam Houston and as such, can also assist with the management of chronic disease states such as depression, anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking cessation, alcohol use disorder, substance disorder, and chronic pain. The SRU Pharmacist will also see polypharmacy patients identified by the Department of Defense based on recent psychotropic and central nervous system depressant prescriptions.

Our program requires Code Blue Training such as: 

• Advanced Cardiac Life Support
• Advanced Trauma Life Support 
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support

The Pharmacy Leadership & Management rotation at Brooke Army Medical Center is a 2 to 4 week consolidated required rotation that will help pharmacy residents that are Armed Forces Officers become familiar with the key principles utilized in hospitals and health systems for leadership. The rotation is designed to expose the learner to leadership nomenclature, key principles, tools and available resources. The resident will participate in several activities designed to improve their working knowledge and experience with leadership concepts. The experience will enable the resident to apply knowledge in any pharmacy practice setting to improve leadership skills.

During this rotation, the resident will participate in a Leader Development Workshop. Additionally, they will gain perspective in identifying, resolving, and preventing actual/potential management-related problems. The resident may also have opportunities to engage in facilities design, human resources, culture of the organization, organizational political and decision-making structure, and be able to explain what factors impact departmental and strategic planning.

The Medication Use Evaluation and Process Improvement Project experiences are a required longitudinal learning experiences intended to be developed and closed out over the course of the 52-week program beginning in July of the residency year and closing out by June of the residency year.

The purpose of this LE is to develop the resident’s abilities to identify pharmaceutical challenges that affect patient care and work with Pharmacy Leadership and Clinical Preceptors to develop a plan to improve patient care based on the results. This LE will provide an opportunity to work with mentors in the clinical pharmacy specialties and have guidance through the IRB process. The resident receive experience of identifying patient population through a multitude of different electronic health records such as Carepoint, M2, MHS GENESIS, Joint Legacy Viewer, and other electronic health records.

Throughout this LE, the resident will enhance their research knowledge and gain a better understanding about the many data storage platforms, documentation, statistical analysis as well as broadening their leadership by working with Pharmacy and Medical leaders to make these improvements.

Process improvement projects are built into the longitudinal research project along with medication use evaluation.

Residents have the following professional development opportunities including:

• Presenting research at the Alcalde and San Antonio Military Health and Universities Research Forum Competition 
• Participate in a leadership development series provided by Pharmacy Leadership & Education Institute
• Earn a Teaching Certificate through University of the Incarnate Word Feik School of Pharmacy
• Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist exam preparation via rotation topics

• University of the Incarnate Word Feik School of Pharmacy
• Lincoln Center building in San Antonio, TX
• South Texas Veterans Health Care System

Eligibility 

Applicants must be eligible to apply through their respective military board, including: 

• Air Force: Air Force Institute of Technology - AFIT
• Army: Long Term Health Education Training - LTHET
• Navy: Duty Under Instruction - DUINS

Required Documentation

Additionally, applicants must provide the following documentation to the Residency Program Director: 

• Pharmacy School Transcripts
• Updated Curriculum Vitae
• Letter of Intent
• Two Letters of Recommendations that highlight their aptitude for clinical practice training

Interview and Selection Process

• Candidates must participate in an interview that consists of a patient case and interview panel.
• Candidates are then ranked or not ranked by the residency program selection committee and the ranked candidate applications are sent to the Office of the Surgeon General Pharmacy Consultants (Army, Air Force, and Navy) for concurrence.
• Concurrences are then sent to the respective Military Board to select for residency training.
• Candidates are then notified by their military boards regarding application status. 

Applicants are encouraged to contact the Residency Program Director for the most updated program manual to determine how our program fits your future goals.

Program graduates take the Board of Pharmacy Specialties exam, specifically the Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist exam. This exam is offered on a rolling basis and applicants are eligible to sit for the exam after successful graduation of an American Society for Health-Systems Pharmacist accredited residency program.

Residents are required to be the primary preceptor for a student pharmacist that involves creating schedules, coordinating learning opportunities for the student, completing topic discussions regarding preceptor development, and completing their evaluation feedback.

Our faculty meet the ASHP preceptor eligibility and qualification criteria in order to be a primary preceptor for our residency program. These criteria include being board certified in their specialty, privileged clinical pharmacy practitioners, actively engaged in the area they are precepting, a minimum of a PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency. Over half of our faculty have 5+ years of clinical practice experience. The Board of Pharmacy Specialties Pharmacists within our program consist of specialists in Ambulatory Care, Cardiology, Critical Care, Infectious Diseases, Geriatrics, Hematology/Oncology, Pharmacotherapy, Psychiatry, and Pediatrics.

All rotations and projects are assigned preceptors that mentor the resident through the rotation and projects.

Monthly and Quarterly check-ins with the resident and faculty members, 3 days or 6-half days away from training designated to mental health, socials, holiday celebrations and gatherings.