Preparing for P4 Rotations

Posted by Melanie at Thursday, July 28, 2011

Summer has definitely flown by! There are some things I am doing now to help prepare myself better for rotations. First of all, I have been in contact with my preceptor for Rotation 1 so that I know what is expected of me on the first day. My first rotation is the Generalist Rotation at the University of Michigan. My preceptor gave me some pre-rotation materials to review for the first day. Some of the materials include pharmacokinetics, especially for aminoglycosides and vanco, so it is important to review those PK therapeutic notes and practice the examples. Another key point is anticoagulation. I am currently reviewing CHEST publications and UMHS guidelines to help prepare. Other tasks include re-familiarizing myself with TheraDoc and CareWeb.

My third rotation is my Admin rotation with Dr. Jim Stevenson, Director of Pharmacy at the University of Michigan. To help prepare myself for this rotation, I shadowed the Director of Pharmacy at Hayes Green Beach Memorial Hospital. I was able to attend several meetings, including a Quality and Risk Management meeting, learn about policy writing, and discover how the pharmacy department is linked with other departments in the hospital. This shadow experience gave me insight and helped to make me feel a little more comfortable about entering an Admin rotation.

The P4 orientation program has been very helpful in alleviating some of the fears and unknowns about rotations. The PGY2 residents from UM gave a lecture on what to expect and how to prepare for rotations. For example, they suggested that we carry a calculator, PDA/Smartphone, Blue Book, notepad/pen, patient monitoring forms, and a snack in our pockets. We also received a review on kinetics and were able to go through some practice problems with Dr. Kraft. Just seeing the problems again helped to jog my memory.

I have also learned that P4 year is a lot more self-guided and you have to have discipline. For example, you have to make sure that you are reviewing materials yourself because there is no exam that is making you study a particular section. In addition, it isn't about cramming to study for an exam anymore; it is about acquiring knowledge to become a better health care professional. One thing I learned today is that you should determine what you want to get out of each rotation and make sure that your preceptor is aware of your goals. This is a chance to learn with some very knowledgeable preceptors to help guide you! It is important to take advantage of these opportunities and get the most out of each rotation!

Rotation 1 - Here I Come!