Professional development series in postgraduate pharmacy residency training: Experiences and opportunities.

INTRODUCTION

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) identifies competency areas that categorize clinical and non-clinical skills to develop during postgraduate residency training. To address the competency areas related to non-clinical skills, some residencies have developed programs to focus on interpersonal, leadership, and other professional skills. There is limited guidance in the literature regarding the development or impact of these programs.

PERSPECTIVE

Professional development series have been implemented at two academic institutions to support the development of non-clinical skills during postgraduate residency training. While these programs address many of the non-clinical skills described in the competency areas, barriers such as program support, logistics, and need for assessment may impede the creation, growth, and success of similar programs.

IMPLICATIONS

With the continued increase in the number of residency programs and trainees, scalability and sustainability are vital components for the success of professional development programs. Assessment of the impact of current programs and further guidance from pharmacy organizations regarding important aspects of professional development would help standardize this process.