Geriatric pharmacy training requirements: A survey of residency programs

• Published in: American journal of health-system pharmacy Vol. 73; no. 4; pp. 229 - 234
• Main Authors: Niehoff, Kristina M, Jeffery, Sean M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Copyright American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved 15.02.2016; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Accreditation; Elderly patients; Geriatrics - organization & administration; Humans; Long-Term Care - organization & administration; Palliative Care - organization & administration; Patient care; Pharmacists; Pharmacists - organization & administration; Pharmacy Residencies - organization & administration; Pharmacy Residencies - statistics & numerical data; Pharmacy Service, Hospital - organization & administration; Societies, Pharmaceutical; Students, Pharmacy; Surveys; Surveys and Questionnaires; United States
• ISSN: 1079-2082; 1535-2900
• DOI: 10.2146/ajhp140871

PURPOSEResults of a survey assessing opportunities for geriatrics training currently available to pharmacy residents and residency directorsʼ views on the concept of a defined slate of required geriatrics rotations are reported. METHODSDirectors of postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) pharmacy residency programs (n = 368) and postgraduate year 2 (PGY2) geriatric pharmacy residencies (n = 13) were surveyed regarding current training opportunities in geriatrics. PGY2 residency directors were invited to participate in a follow-up survey to identify high-priority areas for possible standardization of residency requirements on clinical rotations in geriatric practice settings. RESULTSAbout 21% of the PGY1 residency directors who responded to the survey indicated that their program required a geriatrics rotation, and 47% reported elective geriatrics rotations. All 13 PGY2 geriatric pharmacy residencies represented in the survey offered a long-term care rotation, with 12 offering rotations in mental health and outpatient geriatrics, 11 offering a hospice/palliative care rotation, and 10 offering a rotation in inpatient geriatrics. All 11 PGY2 directors who responded to the follow-up survey supported requiring a long-term care rotation in future revisions of the ASHP accreditation standard for geriatric pharmacy residencies; 10 supported required rotations in inpatient and outpatient geriatrics, and 9 supported requiring a hospice/palliative care rotation. CONCLUSIONGeriatrics-oriented training in PGY1 pharmacy residencies is limited, with only about one in five programs requiring a geriatrics rotation. The survey results indicated broad support among PGY2 program heads for required rotations in various geriatric healthcare settings.