Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Pre-Rotation #1: Hospital Pharmacy

Posted by Kristen Gardner at Wednesday, May 23, 2012


 It is the second day of our P4 orientation. We have just been released for our lunch break, and I am working by preparing this blog. Some things never change.

I wanted take the time to compose and share my thoughts about this new chapter of life! I am so excited to begin P4 year that it made the last few weeks of P3 year very difficult to get through! Most students ask, “Aren't you scared of P4 year or worried?” I can honestly say that I am not scared for the most part. I am confident in myself (this has come with years of pep talks with amazing mentors) and the preceptors to which I am assigned for my rotations. I know I have a lot of development ahead of me, but I find that exciting rather than fearful. Additionally, I know I have prepared well for rotations by appropriately focusing on school and even stretching myself to explore other educational opportunities on my own (which have proven very useful throughout the course of my pharmacy school education!). The only fear is the time crunch that comes with P4 year. Fore example, I know I can find the answer to X question, complete X project, or work up a patient case. However, can I work-up 8 patient cases in a night after one day of rotation? To be determined! On the bright side, I generally consider myself to be efficient and familiar with fundamental resources so this provides some relief for mild anxiety.

My focus throughout the past semester and the few short weeks of our break between P3 and P4 year was continuing to research residency programs, finishing up my Pharm.D. Investigations project, tying up loose ends with extracurricular activities, and thinking of time-management strategies for P4 year. For example, in addition to rotations, I need to derive a short list of residency programs and prepare for ASHP Midyear (by December), develop my Pharm.D. seminar presentation (date TBD), draft a manuscript for publication related to my Pharm.D. Investigations project (December), and participate as an active member of the College of Psychiatry and Neurologic Pharmacists (CPNP) Student Committee. These are all good things to keep in mind considering my rotation schedule is very difficult July-September! AH!

My first rotation is Hospital/Health Systems Pharmacy at the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS). Therefore, it would be very wise to be productive during this less intense rotation. The rotation schedule consists of being on-site from approximately 7am-3:30pm daily with additional work as needed for a project or patient case work-up here and there.

Here is my rotation schedule in case you would like to determine your interest level in following my blogs!
  • Rotation 1: Hospital Pharmacy (UMHS)
  • Rotation 2: Walgreens’ Specialty HIV/AIDS Clinic (Howard Brown Medical Center, Chicago, IL)
  • Rotation 3: Inpatient Psychiatry (National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD)
  •  Rotation 4: Inpatient Pediatrics/Infectious Diseases (UMHS)
  • Rotation 5: General Medicine (UMHS)
  • Rotation 6: OFF (Midyear Preparation and Residency Applications)
  • Rotation 7: Ambulatory Care Cardiology (VAMC, Ann Arbor, MI)
  • Rotation 8: Drug Information (UMHS)
  •  Rotation 9: Pharmacy Administration (UMHS)
·      GRADUATION! (Saturday, April 27th)

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