So exactly 62 days left until I finish my PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency and I seriously cannot wait!
A lot of you may be wondering, “well how was it…what can you tell us?” Let me just say I will get into that in another blog post. Currently I am finishing up my Emergency Department rotation, residency projects and building up my skillset before I start a clinical position.
Also I want to give a BIG CONGRATULATIONS to everyone that matched this year whether it was a PGY-1 or PGY-2 you all are amazing. It is not an easy process but it WILL be rewarding for your future career.
Reflecting the past 10 months of residency here are are some essential things to have or know before you begin residency.
BE ORGANIZED (Have a go to calendar)
You may think “oh this wont be a problem for me” as I thought, but I learned real quick. At first I was using a physical planner but then realized that after sometime I was forgetting to include deadlines and important events. Most of the time in residency you will be on the computer and using your email. I found the easiest way for me to be organized was to simply utilize the calendar on my computer and establish reminders a couple days before a date so that I would see it on my phone or Apple watch. I also get a lot of invites by email hence making it easier to simply add to my Apple calendar.
Have a GOOD Supply of Pens, Highlighters and Sticky Pads (That is not out in the open)
Reason I say not out in the open is because overtime these items will start to disappear if anyone knows you have them. Pens are a must for rounds, group journal clubs and when you have to write down a mental note for yourself especially when staffing. I also love using sticky pads at my desk for reminders or ideas discussed at a meeting. Highlighters are my go to when evaluating an article for a journal club or highlighting key points in a patient handout before giving it to a patient.
Invest in a reliable personal computer
When I started residency I had a very slow, annoying Lenovo laptop that honestly made it brutal to work on projects. Then I decided to invest in a MacBook and my whole world changed. I can now do multiple things at once at a super fast speed and I love being able to easily bring my laptop to work without having to worry about charging it. I also appreciate the ease of answering emails, iMessages and working on my calendar on the go. Trust me it makes a huge difference. Now I’m not saying go invest in a MacBook but please invest in a laptop that will be fast and will enable you to have multiple programs up without affecting its speed.
Be Proficient in Microsoft Excel if You Are Not
Microsoft Excel is a popular program that you will be utilizing a lot in residency, apart from Microsoft Word. Microsoft Excel is usually something I use for many projects that have loads of data that I have to interpret. Reason I say to be proficient in Microsoft Excel is that it will make your life 10 times easier if you know essential tricks to Excel such as creating Pivot tables, formulas for data analysis and more. There are some great books out there that can show you important basics or even YouTube videos.
Install the Lexicomp and UptoDate Application on Your Phone
If there is anything you take from this survival guide, please at least take this… get the Lexicomp and UptoDate application on your phone. These applications have been so helpful when I go on rounds and want to research certain information on medications. You cannot know EVERYTHING off the top of your head, so these resources are great for fast and quick information. I also love using the calculators on Lexicomp if I want to calculate a patients renal function or do a quick steroid conversion.
Try to order at least 2 White Coats
I have a hate/love relationship with white coats. Mainly with keeping them clean and pristine. During residency it is honestly hard to manage just 1 white coat. In fact I have 4 white coats. Reason I say have at least 2 white coats is so that you can wear one for a couple of days then switch to another and place the other one in the washer, so it looks like you are coming to work everyday with a fresh white coat.
Invest in professional comfortable shoes
During residency you still must try your best to look professional, some days are harder than most, trust me… but appearance is important. Most of the time I am on my feet as a resident so having comfortable shoes is super important. For the ladies my go to shoes are the Michael Kors flats.. They have some cushion at the bottom that does not make it unbearable when standing for long periods of time.
Buy a Clipboard for Rounds
My clipboard is my baby for rounds… I bought it from Walmart and it even has a spot to keep loose papers safe. Clipboards help keep your papers organized for rounds and I feel are an essential must. Beware there are some expensive ones out there, I highly recommend you go to Walmart… you are a resident after all.. money is tight.
Bookmark PDF files or websites that are essential for staffing
When I staff I start to see a common trend of questions being asked, many questions tend to be compatibility questions from nurses, converting between anticoagulants for physicians and renal dosing questions. I like to have a printout of the Thomasland Transition of Anticoagulants document for anticoagulant conversion questions and having the Lexicomp IV Compatibility page bookmarked for compatibility questions. For renal dosing questions I have my health systems protocols on renal dosing printed out for reference when I am staffing. Any physical papers I have bound in a small binder that I leave at my desk.
So those are some key tips to help you survive residency. On top of all I mentioned, stay motivated, stay hungry for knowledge and do not take any criticism or feedback to heart. Just remember you are doing a residency to make you the best clinician possible. Also do not be afraid to ask questions… as a resident you are allowed to ask as many questions as you want!
Good luck it wont be easy.. but it will be over quicker than you think!