New Practitioner Network

When I first started out on my pharmacy journey, I had not considered doing a residency. I felt that it wasn't going to be something I would need or that I would be successful at pursuing at the time. However, throughout the completion of my P3 year, I found my passion in ambulatory care. I began considering what a PGY1 residency would mean and how it would help me achieve my goal of becoming a primary care pharmacist, which inevitably led to the consideration of pursuing a PGY2 specialized in Ambulatory Care.

I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to pursue a PGY2 after early committing to my program's Ambulatory Care PGY2. I would highly recommend incoming PGY1 residents to consider this opportunity if your institution provides it! There are several things to consider when determining if pursing a PGY2 is right for you. A PGY2 can offer significant clinical experiences that focus on the practice specialty of your interest. There are several specialty areas to choose from. Most PGY2 specialties fall into one of the 12 main clinical areas: (1) Critical Care, (2) Emergency Medicine, (3) Infectious Disease, (4) Oncology, (5) Pain Management/Palliative Care, (6) Solid Organ Transplant, (7) Ambulatory Care, (8) Psychiatry, (9) Cardiology, (10) Neurology, (11) Pediatrics, (12) Geriatrics. A PGY2 experience builds on the knowledge cultivated throughout the completion of a PGY1 residency and offers a more in-depth training experience to become a specialist in your practice area of interest.

Outside of gaining experience, continued post-graduate training impacts the timing to achieve board certification. For an example, according to the Board of Pharmacy Specialities, for someone who did not complete a residency and is hoping to become board certified in psychiatry, he or she will need to meet additional requirements such as having practice experience of 4 years after licensure including 50% or more time spent in the domains described in the psychiatric pharmacy content outline. For someone having completed a PGY1 with an active license, this timeframe is cut in half to 2 years. For a someone having completed a PYG2 in psychiatry holding an active license, no additional practice experience is required post PGY2 to apply for board certification. Additionally, having a PGY2 on your CV helps differentiate you from other candidates in the job application process as many pharmacist positions require a PGY2 or equivalent experience with a preference for board certification.

At the end of the day, the only one who can determine if you should pursue a PGY2 is…well, you! If it suits your career interests, provides you with the opportunities and learning experiences you desire, and is within a program that challenges yet supports your progress, a PGY2 residency is worth considering. I know that a PGY2 is the right choice for me, and I am excited to begin my PGY2 after the completion of my PGY1!

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Elizabeth Gallagher
Antioch TN
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When I first started out on my pharmacy journey, I had not considered doing a residency. I felt that it wasn't going to be something I would need or that I would be successful at pursuing at the time. However, throughout the completion of my P3 year, I found my passion in ambulatory care. I began considering what a PGY1 residency would mean and how it would help me achieve my goal of becoming a primary care pharmacist, which inevitably led to the consideration of pursuing a PGY2 specialized in Ambulatory Care.

I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to pursue a PGY2 after early committing to my program's Ambulatory Care PGY2. I would highly recommend incoming PGY1 residents to consider this opportunity if your institution provides it! There are several things to consider when determining if pursing a PGY2 is right for you. A PGY2 can offer significant clinical experiences that focus on the practice specialty of your interest. There are several specialty areas to choose from. Most PGY2 specialties fall into one of the 12 main clinical areas: (1) Critical Care, (2) Emergency Medicine, (3) Infectious Disease, (4) Oncology, (5) Pain Management/Palliative Care, (6) Solid Organ Transplant, (7) Ambulatory Care, (8) Psychiatry, (9) Cardiology, (10) Neurology, (11) Pediatrics, (12) Geriatrics. A PGY2 experience builds on the knowledge cultivated throughout the completion of a PGY1 residency and offers a more in-depth training experience to become a specialist in your practice area of interest.

Outside of gaining experience, continued post-graduate training impacts the timing to achieve board certification. For an example, according to the Board of Pharmacy Specialities, for someone who did not complete a residency and is hoping to become board certified in psychiatry, he or she will need to meet additional requirements such as having practice experience of 4 years after licensure including 50% or more time spent in the domains described in the psychiatric pharmacy content outline. For someone having completed a PGY1 with an active license, this timeframe is cut in half to 2 years. For a someone having completed a PYG2 in psychiatry holding an active license, no additional practice experience is required post PGY2 to apply for board certification. Additionally, having a PGY2 on your CV helps differentiate you from other candidates in the job application process as many pharmacist positions require a PGY2 or equivalent experience with a preference for board certification.

At the end of the day, the only one who can determine if you should pursue a PGY2 is…well, you! If it suits your career interests, provides you with the opportunities and learning experiences you desire, and is within a program that challenges yet supports your progress, a PGY2 residency is worth considering. I know that a PGY2 is the right choice for me, and I am excited to begin my PGY2 after the completion of my PGY1!

When I first started out on my pharmacy journey, I had not considered doing a residency. I felt that it wasn't going to be something I would need or that I would be successful at pursuing at the time. However, throughout the completion of my P3 year, I found my passion in ambulatory care. I began considering what a PGY1 residency would mean and how it would help me achieve my goal of becoming a primary care pharmacist, which inevitably led to the consideration of pursuing a PGY2 specialized in Ambulatory Care.

I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to pursue a PGY2 after early committing to my program's Ambulatory Care PGY2. I would highly recommend incoming PGY1 residents to consider this opportunity if your institution provides it! There are several things to consider when determining if pursing a PGY2 is right for you. A PGY2 can offer significant clinical experiences that focus on the practice specialty of your interest. There are several specialty areas to choose from. Most PGY2 specialties fall into one of the 12 main clinical areas: (1) Critical Care, (2) Emergency Medicine, (3) Infectious Disease, (4) Oncology, (5) Pain Management/Palliative Care, (6) Solid Organ Transplant, (7) Ambulatory Care, (8) Psychiatry, (9) Cardiology, (10) Neurology, (11) Pediatrics, (12) Geriatrics. A PGY2 experience builds on the knowledge cultivated throughout the completion of a PGY1 residency and offers a more in-depth training experience to become a specialist in your practice area of interest.

Outside of gaining experience, continued post-graduate training impacts the timing to achieve board certification. For an example, according to the Board of Pharmacy Specialities, for someone who did not complete a residency and is hoping to become board certified in psychiatry, he or she will need to meet additional requirements such as having practice experience of 4 years after licensure including 50% or more time spent in the domains described in the psychiatric pharmacy content outline. For someone having completed a PGY1 with an active license, this timeframe is cut in half to 2 years. For a someone having completed a PYG2 in psychiatry holding an active license, no additional practice experience is required post PGY2 to apply for board certification. Additionally, having a PGY2 on your CV helps differentiate you from other candidates in the job application process as many pharmacist positions require a PGY2 or equivalent experience with a preference for board certification.

At the end of the day, the only one who can determine if you should pursue a PGY2 is…well, you! If it suits your career interests, provides you with the opportunities and learning experiences you desire, and is within a program that challenges yet supports your progress, a PGY2 residency is worth considering. I know that a PGY2 is the right choice for me, and I am excited to begin my PGY2 after the completion of my PGY1!

When I first started out on my pharmacy journey, I had not considered doing a residency. I felt that it wasn't going to be something I would need or that I would be successful at pursuing at the time. However, throughout the completion of my P3 year, I found my passion in ambulatory care. I began considering what a PGY1 residency would mean and how it would help me achieve my goal of becoming a primary care pharmacist, which inevitably led to the consideration of pursuing a PGY2 specialized in Ambulatory Care.

I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to pursue a PGY2 after early committing to my program's Ambulatory Care PGY2. I would highly recommend incoming PGY1 residents to consider this opportunity if your institution provides it! There are several things to consider when determining if pursing a PGY2 is right for you. A PGY2 can offer significant clinical experiences that focus on the practice specialty of your interest. There are several specialty areas to choose from. Most PGY2 specialties fall into one of the 12 main clinical areas: (1) Critical Care, (2) Emergency Medicine, (3) Infectious Disease, (4) Oncology, (5) Pain Management/Palliative Care, (6) Solid Organ Transplant, (7) Ambulatory Care, (8) Psychiatry, (9) Cardiology, (10) Neurology, (11) Pediatrics, (12) Geriatrics. A PGY2 experience builds on the knowledge cultivated throughout the completion of a PGY1 residency and offers a more in-depth training experience to become a specialist in your practice area of interest.

Outside of gaining experience, continued post-graduate training impacts the timing to achieve board certification. For an example, according to the Board of Pharmacy Specialities, for someone who did not complete a residency and is hoping to become board certified in psychiatry, he or she will need to meet additional requirements such as having practice experience of 4 years after licensure including 50% or more time spent in the domains described in the psychiatric pharmacy content outline. For someone having completed a PGY1 with an active license, this timeframe is cut in half to 2 years. For a someone having completed a PYG2 in psychiatry holding an active license, no additional practice experience is required post PGY2 to apply for board certification. Additionally, having a PGY2 on your CV helps differentiate you from other candidates in the job application process as many pharmacist positions require a PGY2 or equivalent experience with a preference for board certification.

At the end of the day, the only one who can determine if you should pursue a PGY2 is…well, you! If it suits your career interests, provides you with the opportunities and learning experiences you desire, and is within a program that challenges yet supports your progress, a PGY2 residency is worth considering. I know that a PGY2 is the right choice for me, and I am excited to begin my PGY2 after the completion of my PGY1!

When I first started out on my pharmacy journey, I had not considered doing a residency. I felt that it wasn't going to be something I would need or that I would be successful at pursuing at the time. However, throughout the completion of my P3 year, I found my passion in ambulatory care. I began considering what a PGY1 residency would mean and how it would help me achieve my goal of becoming a primary care pharmacist, which inevitably led to the consideration of pursuing a PGY2 specialized in Ambulatory Care.

I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to pursue a PGY2 after early committing to my program's Ambulatory Care PGY2. I would highly recommend incoming PGY1 residents to consider this opportunity if your institution provides it! There are several things to consider when determining if pursing a PGY2 is right for you. A PGY2 can offer significant clinical experiences that focus on the practice specialty of your interest. There are several specialty areas to choose from. Most PGY2 specialties fall into one of the 12 main clinical areas: (1) Critical Care, (2) Emergency Medicine, (3) Infectious Disease, (4) Oncology, (5) Pain Management/Palliative Care, (6) Solid Organ Transplant, (7) Ambulatory Care, (8) Psychiatry, (9) Cardiology, (10) Neurology, (11) Pediatrics, (12) Geriatrics. A PGY2 experience builds on the knowledge cultivated throughout the completion of a PGY1 residency and offers a more in-depth training experience to become a specialist in your practice area of interest.

Outside of gaining experience, continued post-graduate training impacts the timing to achieve board certification. For an example, according to the Board of Pharmacy Specialities, for someone who did not complete a residency and is hoping to become board certified in psychiatry, he or she will need to meet additional requirements such as having practice experience of 4 years after licensure including 50% or more time spent in the domains described in the psychiatric pharmacy content outline. For someone having completed a PGY1 with an active license, this timeframe is cut in half to 2 years. For a someone having completed a PYG2 in psychiatry holding an active license, no additional practice experience is required post PGY2 to apply for board certification. Additionally, having a PGY2 on your CV helps differentiate you from other candidates in the job application process as many pharmacist positions require a PGY2 or equivalent experience with a preference for board certification.

At the end of the day, the only one who can determine if you should pursue a PGY2 is…well, you! If it suits your career interests, provides you with the opportunities and learning experiences you desire, and is within a program that challenges yet supports your progress, a PGY2 residency is worth considering. I know that a PGY2 is the right choice for me, and I am excited to begin my PGY2 after the completion of my PGY1!

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Elizabeth Gallagher
Antioch TN
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