Mapping Pharmacy Deserts in North Carolina: A Geospatial Analysis and Its Implications for University of North Carolina Health's Catchment Population.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacy deserts represent areas where residents face significant challenges to accessing pharmacies. North Carolina (NC) presents an intriguing case study due to its diverse geographic landscape yet lacks extensive research regarding its pharmacy deserts. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to map pharmacy deserts in NC using pharmacy location and Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) data measured using the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and descriptively characterize healthcare utilization statistics for University of North Carolina (UNC) Health's catchment population. METHODS: Pharmacy location data was compiled from the NC Board of Pharmacy. Pharmacy deserts were defined based on SVI >0.75 and distance thresholds aligned to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) standards. Residential characteristics were retrieved from PolicyMap and Social Explorer databases. UNC Health patient utilization data were collected by UNC Pharmacy Data Analytics group for three NC counties. RESULTS: 2,002 NC pharmacies met inclusion criteria. 17.2% urban tracts (1.3M residents) and 4.25% rural tracts (0.14M residents) were identified as pharmacy deserts (adj. p<0.001). Those residing in deserts had significantly less internet access, annual medical cost per capita, and access to homeless relief services as well as significantly higher food insecurity rates and Medicare cost per capita (adj. p <0.001). UNC specific healthcare utilization statistics for the three assessed counties were all poorer in deserts compared to non-deserts within the same counties (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: A geospatial map with the location of pharmacy deserts in NC was created to highlight differences in patient healthcare utilization, affecting rural and urban areas. By incorporating SDOH predictors, this study provides a more nuanced map of NC pharmacy deserts compared to reviewing distance to pharmacies alone. Higher rates of emergency room and inpatient visits in counties with more residents in pharmacy deserts suggests potential health outcomes associated with limited pharmacy access.

Impact of a resident-driven wellbeing committee on resident-perceived wellbeing, burnout, and resilience.

BACKGROUND: Limited data exists to guide strategies that reduce risks of burnout amongst pharmacy residents. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this analysis was to characterize wellbeing, burnout, and resiliency among pharmacy residents. The secondary objective was to assess the impact of a resident-run wellbeing committee on wellbeing, burnout, and resiliency. PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: In 2018, a wellbeing committee was developed at an academic medical center with the aim of promoting wellbeing and resilience amongst pharmacy residents. PRACTICE INNOVATION: The wellbeing committee functions through 3 workgroups focused on resources, engagement, and advocacy. Collectively, these workgroups aim to facilitate wellbeing discussions, plan mindfulness events, and advocate for policies to enhance the wellbeing of residents. EVALUATION METHODS: Pharmacy residents were invited to participate in an electronic survey aimed at characterizing resident wellbeing and assessing the impact of a resident-led wellbeing committee on wellbeing, burnout, and resiliency. The Resident & Fellow Wellbeing Index (RFWI) and Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) were utilized to assess burnout and resiliency, respectively. Continuous and categorical endpoints were assessed utilizing student t tests and chi-square tests, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 16 of 38 residents participated in this analysis. Scores for RFWI and BRS remained stable throughout the 16-week period. RFWI scores demonstrated that up to 50% of residents scored as "at risk" at any point during the study period, while over 80% of respondents maintained high levels of resilience. More than 50% of respondents reported a positive impact of the wellbeing committee on their wellbeing, burnout, and resilience. CONCLUSION: A resident-led wellbeing committee demonstrated favorable impact on wellbeing, burnout, and resilience for majority of pharmacy residents. While this data suggests that such a committee may serve to protect residents from the negative impacts of burnout, future studies are necessary to further elucidate strategies to promote resident wellbeing.

Influence of Germline Genetics on Tacrolimus Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Patients.

Tacrolimus exhibits high inter-patient pharmacokinetics (PK) variability, as well as a narrow therapeutic index, and therefore requires therapeutic drug monitoring. Germline mutations in cytochrome P450 isoforms 4 and 5 genes (CYP3A4/5) and the ATP-binding cassette B1 gene (ABCB1) may contribute to interindividual tacrolimus PK variability, which may impact clinical outcomes among allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients. In this study, 252 adult patients who received tacrolimus for acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) prophylaxis after allogeneic HSCT were genotyped to evaluate if germline genetic variants associated with tacrolimus PK and pharmacodynamic (PD) variability. Significant associations were detected between germline variants in CYP3A4/5 and ABCB1 and PK endpoints (e.g., median steady-state tacrolimus concentrations and time to goal tacrolimus concentration). However, significant associations were not observed between CYP3A4/5 or ABCB1 germline variants and PD endpoints (e.g., aGVHD and treatment-emergent nephrotoxicity). Decreased age and CYP3A5*1/*1 genotype were independently associated with subtherapeutic tacrolimus trough concentrations while CYP3A5*1*3 or CYP3A5*3/*3 genotypes, myeloablative allogeneic HSCT conditioning regimen (MAC) and increased weight were independently associated with supratherapeutic tacrolimus trough concentrations. Future lines of prospective research inquiry are warranted to use both germline genetic and clinical data to develop precision dosing tools that will optimize both tacrolimus dosing and clinical outcomes among adult HSCT patients.

Evaluation of a Test Dose Strategy for Pharmacokinetically-Guided Busulfan Dosing for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Targeted busulfan dosing helps limit chemotherapy-related toxicity and optimize disease outcomes in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). The objective of this study was to evaluate busulfan exposure from a pharmacokinetic (PK)-guided dosing strategy using a test dose. This retrospective evaluation included adult patients who underwent HCT at our institution with busulfan-based myeloablative (>9 mg/kg) conditioning between January 2014 and October 2015. A weight-based test dose of 0.8 mg/kg was used with PK assessments to predict area under the curve (AUCpred) achieved with weight-based dosing, with a target AUC of 4800 µM*minute (AUCtarget). PK from the test dose was then used to calculate a PK-guided first myeloablative busulfan dose. PK assessments were also done after the first dose to assess if the goal area under the curve (AUC) had been achieved (AUCfirst). A PK-guided first dose resulted in achievement of target AUC with target ranges of ±10% in 50% of patients, ±15% in 75%, and ±20% in 94%. This was an improved rate of target achievement compared with the 33%, 44%, and 63% of patients who achieved the desired AUC for these respective target ranges when using weight-based dosing (P = .12, .004, and <.001, respectively). The PK-guided strategy also decreased the variability of AUC from 3.6-fold in AUCpred from the weight-based test doses (2700.8 to 9631 µM*minute; SD, 1211.6 µM*minute) to 1.8-fold in AUCfirst from the PK-guided first doses (3672.1 to 6609.8 µM*minute; SD, 574.7 µM*minute). This reflects a 2-fold improvement in AUC variability with a PK-guided dosing strategy. This is also improved from the 3-fold variability in AUC reported in other studies. Weight and body surface area were significantly associated with the likelihood of AUCfirst being within the ±10% target range (P = .04 for both associations). There was no significant association between AUCfirst and death, relapse, or a composite of the two. These results demonstrate a significant improvement in target AUC attainment and less interpatient variability with PK-guided dosing using a test dose strategy compared with weight-based dosing.

Phase I/II Trial of Dose-Escalated Busulfan Delivered by Prolonged Continuous Infusion in Allogeneic Transplant Patients.

Intensive chemotherapy or chemotherapy plus irradiation and allogeneic stem cell transplantation can be curative for patients with hematologic diseases. Reduced-intensity transplants can also achieve cure and result in less treatment-related mortality but higher relapse rates. Thus, optimizing the conditioning regimens used in allogeneic transplantation remains an important goal. We conducted a phase I/II trial to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) of a continuous infusion of busulfan over 90 hours in conjunction with fludarabine followed by allogeneic related or unrelated donor transplant. Fifty-four patients with advanced hematologic malignancies were enrolled on this study. The MTD was identified as a 24-hour area under the curve (AUC) of approximately 7095 µM/min, which represents a 43% increase over the standard total daily AUC dose of 4800 µM/min given by intermittent schedules. DLTs at doses over 8000 µM/min were identified by a desquamative skin rash and mucositis. No dose-related increase in hepatic, pulmonary, or other organ toxicities were seen, whereas efficacy appeared to be improved at higher dose levels. Continuous-infusion busulfan with intermittent fludarabine provides an alternative treatment strategy that is generally well tolerated and permits an increase in total busulfan dose with encouraging efficacy. (NCI study no. NCT00448357.).

Effectiveness of an algorithm-based approach to the utilization of plerixafor in patients undergoing chemotherapy-based stem cell mobilization.

Autologous stem cell transplantation remains a mainstay of therapy for diseases such as multiple myeloma and relapsed lymphoma. The use of plerixafor has been shown to augment the ability to collect adequate stem cells, but the optimal use of this agent when used with chemotherapy is not yet clear. We utilized an algorithm-based approach with the addition of plerixafor to 54 patients undergoing chemomobilization with reduced-dose etoposide who had a less than optimal preapheresis CD34(+) cell count. We used a CD34(+) precount of 20 cells/µL as a threshold to initiate stem cell apheresis. Ninety-four percent of patients were successfully collected and proceeded to transplantation. Fourteen of 51 (28%) patients who successfully collected required plerixafor to augment stem cell yield. Of the patients who successfully collected, 94% (89% of the entire population) were able to collect in 2 or fewer days. Compared with previous data from our institution, the rate of patients collecting > 4 × 10(6) CD34(+) cells/kg in a single collection was increased from 39% to 69%. The safety profile of this approach was acceptable. The use of this algorithm-based method to determine when and whether to add plerixafor to chemomobilization was shown to be a successful and cost-effective approach to stem cell collection.

Utilization of collaborative practice agreements between physicians and pharmacists as a mechanism to increase capacity to care for hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.

Survival after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has improved and the number of allogeneic HSCTs performed annually in the United States is expected to reach 10,000 by 2015. The National Marrow Donor Program created the System Capacity Initiative to formulate mechanisms to care for the growing number of HSCT recipients. One proposed method to increase capacity is utilization of pharmacists to manage drug therapy via collaborative practice agreements (CPAs). Pharmacists have managed drug therapy in oncology patients with CPAs for decades; however, there are limited HSCT centers that employ this practice. Engaging in collaborative practice and billing agreements with credentialed pharmacists to manage therapeutic drug monitoring, chronic medical conditions, and supportive care in HSCT recipients may be cost-effective and enable physicians to spend more time on new or more complex patients. The goal of this paper is to provide a framework for implementation of a CPA and address how it may improve HSCT program capacity.

Utilization of a "Diversity Index" to Assess Racial Diversity of US School of Pharmacy Graduates.

OBJECTIVE: Diversity in the training environment for health professionals is associated with improved abilities for graduates to care for diverse populations. Thus, a goal for health professional training programs, including pharmacy schools, should be to pursue representation among graduates that mirrors that of their communities. METHODS: We evaluate racial and ethnic diversity among graduates of Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs across the United States (US) over time. Using a "Diversity Index", we quantify the relative racial and ethnic representation of each program's graduates compared with that of college-age graduates nationally and within the geographic region of the respective pharmacy school. RESULTS: Over the past decade, the number of US PharmD graduates increased by 24%. During this time, the number of Black and Hispanic PharmD graduates significantly increased. Still, representation of minoritized populations among graduates continues to be significantly lower compared with US benchmark populations. Only 16% of PharmD programs had a Diversity Index that matched or exceeded their benchmark comparator Black or Hispanic populations. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the significant opportunity that exists to increase the diversity of graduates of US PharmD programs to better reflect the diversity of the US population.

The oncology pharmacy in cancer care delivery in a resource-constrained setting in western Kenya.

The movement to deliver cancer care in resource-limited settings is gaining momentum, with particular emphasis on the creation of cost-effective, rational algorithms utilizing affordable chemotherapeutics to treat curable disease. The delivery of cancer care in resource-replete settings is a concerted effort by a team of multidisciplinary care providers. The oncology pharmacy, which is now considered integral to cancer care in resourced medical practice, developed over the last several decades in an effort to limit healthcare provider exposure to workplace hazards and to limit risk to patients. In developing cancer care services in resource-constrained settings, creation of oncology pharmacies can help to both mitigate the risks to practitioners and patients, and also limit the costs of cancer care and the environmental impact of chemotherapeutics. This article describes the experience and lessons learned in establishing a chemotherapy pharmacy in western Kenya.

Healthcare Equity and Leadership: Implementation of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training for Pharmacy Residents.

BackgroundPharmacy training programs infrequently include formal training in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Hence, the purpose of this report is to offer perspectives gained from the delivery of a DEI curriculum within a pharmacy residency program aimed at expanding experiential learning focused on DEI and health equity. Program Implementation: Pharmacy residents at an academic medical center were invited to participate in a longitudinal DEI/equity seminar series that was thoughtfully and strategically developed by a team of residents and program leadership based on a six-step process. Residents were offered 9 individual seminars covering 4 major focus areas to facilitate enhanced awareness, learning, and vulnerability. Participants were invited to provide evaluations of each seminar and the overall series. Program Assessment: A total of 41 residents (100%) participated in at least one of the 9 seminars that were offered and approximately 50% completed the post-series survey. Resident-perceived benefit of each individual session was consistently favorable. Additionally, greater than 70% of participants responded favorably when asked about the impact of each session on their awareness, resources provided, and ability to apply the learnings to their practice. Conclusion: Our inaugural experience with the integration of a DEI seminar series into a pharmacy residency program suggests that there is a clear benefit to including DEI/health equity into pharmacy residency training. This data may suggest that adoption of DEI-focused experiential training may increase cultural awareness and the availability of resources to better equip pharmacy residents in applying concepts of DEI into their practice.

American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Guidelines for Fellowship Training in Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation and Immune Effector Cell Therapy.

Rapid advances in the field of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), as well as the advent of immune effector cell therapy (IEC), have resulted in an increasing number of patients undergoing these therapies and an increasing level of expertise required to manage them. Previous guidelines for the training of HCT physicians were last published in 2012. In recognition of the expanding knowledge base and increasing skill set essential to the delivery of these treatment modalities, the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Committee on Education has updated these guidelines to reflect nearly a decade of new knowledge in the field of HCT, as well as the evolution of IEC from an experimental modality to a widely used and mainstream therapy. The resulting document reflects the Committee on Education's recommended educational structure for programs engaged in the training, evaluation, and mentorship of HCT/IEC trainees.

Chemomobilization with Etoposide is Highly Effective in Patients with Multiple Myeloma and Overcomes the Effects of Age and Prior Therapy.

The optimal mobilization strategy prior to autologous stem cell transplantation for patients with multiple myeloma remains unclear. Mobilization with cytokines alone appears to yield suboptimal results in older patients as well as patients who have received prior lenalidomide. To avoid the marked cytopenias and risks of hemorrhagic cystitis associated with the administration of cyclophosphamide, we investigated the efficacy and safety of chemomobilization with an intermediate dose etoposide (VP-16; 375 mg/m(2) on days +1 and +2) and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) (5 µg/kg twice daily from day +3 through the final day of collection). We reviewed our institutional experience with 152 myeloma patients mobilized with this regimen. The addition of VP-16 to G-CSF resulted in successful mobilization in 100% of patients, including 143 (94%) who collected successfully in a single day. A total of 99% of patients, including those with prior XRT and/or prior lenalidomide or thalidomide therapy, collected at least 5 × 10(6) cells/kg in 1 or 2 days of apheresis, and the median total number of CD34(+) cells collected in the entire population was 12 × 10(6) cells/kg. Collection was predictable, with 61% of patients collecting on day +11, and the rest between days +7 and +13. There were no variables, including age, prior imid exposure, radiation therapy, or total amount of prior therapy that were associated with suboptimal mobilization. Adverse effects of the regimen included supportive transfusions required in 31 (20%) patients, and fevers requiring hospitalization or intravenous antibiotics in 26 (17%) patients. VP-16 and G-CSF appears to be a safe and effective mobilization regimen for patients with multiple myeloma undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation, producing excellent stem cell yield with the majority of patients requiring 1 day of apheresis.

Effectiveness and impact of a structured research approach for health-system pharmacy administration and leadership residents.

PURPOSE: Required competency areas, goals, and objectives for both postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) pharmacy residencies and postgraduate year 2 (PGY2) health-system pharmacy administration and leadership (HSPAL) residencies indicate the importance of research in the residency program by specifying it as a required part of the training process. Research is critical in the field of health-system pharmacy administration, which is built upon the principles of evaluation and assessment, ensuring that all activities implemented in an organization are evaluated through data collection and assessment to determine their impact. Additionally, the research structure provides residents the opportunity to share research broadly, and it also provides the platform for other institutions to implement successful ideas of interest to them. SUMMARY: This article describes the impact of having a structured, publication-focused research program in an HSPAL residency. The research process has provided follow-up projects (n = 7) and grant participation (n = 6). Additionally, the process has yielded a 66% publication rate, with 21 of 32 thesis substitutes published in various journals. The department of pharmacy at the residency site has noticed that the continued refinement, scoping, and robust methodologies of projects have been essential to their impact in the literature and in dissemination of the accumulated body of knowledge. CONCLUSION: A structured residency research program has provided direction to HSPAL residents and ensured successful scoping and completion of their research. Intentionality in this aspect has provided HSPAL residents with opportunities for publications, grants, and strong research experiences. Overall, the department of pharmacy has been positively impacted through implementation of services that were evaluated through a structured HSPAL pharmacy residency research program.

Plerixafor dosing and administration in a patient with dialysis-dependent renal failure.

OBJECTIVE: To report on the use of plerixafor in a patient with multiple myeloma and dialysis-dependent renal failure. CASE SUMMARY: A 38-year-old man with multiple myeloma and dialysis-dependent renal failure was evaluated for stem cell transplantation. Stem cell mobilization with 6 doses of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) 10 µg/kg/day yielded an inadequate maximum pre-apheresis CD34+ count of 5.6 cells/µL. The patient was treated with a postdialysis subcutaneous dose of plerixafor 160 µg/kg after 4 days of G-CSF therapy. After a single dose of plerixafor, the patient's pre-apheresis CD34+ count was 125.6 cells/µL. After 1 apheresis session, the stem cell collection yield was 5.33 x 106 CD34+ cells/kg. There were no observed plerixafor toxicities. The patient underwent successful autologous stem cell transplantation. Times to neutrophil and platelet engraftment were 12 and 15 days, respectively. At 100-day follow-up, the patient's myeloma was in remission and he met all criteria for durable engraftment. DISCUSSION: Renal impairment is a common comorbidity in patients with multiple myeloma. Plerixafor is a chemokine receptor 4 antagonist approved for use to mobilize stem cells for collection and subsequent autologous transplantation in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma. To date, there is limited information on safe and effective dosing and administration of plerixafor in patients who are dialysis-dependent. This report describes the use of plerixafor in a patient with multiple myeloma and dialysis-dependent renal failure. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our experience, we are instituting a policy to administer plerixafor at Food and Drug Administration-approved renal adjustment doses in patients on hemodialysis, with dialysis sessions scheduled prior to plerixafor administration and repeated as necessary after apheresis and prior to subsequent plerixafor doses. If clinically feasible, dialysis should be held during the days required to collect stem cells.

Maintaining Core Values in Postgraduate Programs During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The novel coronavirus identified in 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted pharmacy graduate and postgraduate education. This crisis has resulted in a cosmic shift in the administration of these programs to ensure core values are sustained. Adjustments may be needed at a minimum to ensure that postgraduate trainees complete program requirements while maintaining safety. Moving forward, additional issues may arise that will need to be addressed such as admissions and program onboarding, acclimating students to new training environments, and managing inadequate resources for distance education, distance practice, and remote versus in-person research opportunities.

Implementation of the flipped residency research model to enhance residency research training.

PURPOSE: The attainment of fundamental research skills to create and disseminate new knowledge is imperative for the advancement of pharmacy practice. Research training is an important component of postgraduate residency training; however, the traditional model of performing residency research has several limitations that have hindered the ability of residents to complete high-quality research projects. Therefore, our institution developed and implemented the flipped residency research model with the 2013-2014 pharmacy practice residency class. SUMMARY: The flipped residency research model modifies the research timeline to better align research activities with residents' abilities at specific time points during the year. In the 4 years following implementation of the flipped residency research model, our institution found improvements in a number of areas pertaining to the research process compared with an evaluation of the 7 years prior to implementation. A decrease in the number of reviews required from institutional review boards was observed, resulting in improved institutional review board efficiency. The flipped residency research model also addressed limitations surrounding manuscript development and submission, as demonstrated by an improved publication rate. Additionally, residents who participated in the flipped residency research model self-reported increased comfort with research-related abilities associated with study design, implementation, manuscript development and submission, and biostatistics. CONCLUSION: The modified research timeline of the flipped residency research model better aligns research activities with resident experiences and abilities. This realignment has translated to demonstrable impact in the success of residency projects and dissemination of results. Research is needed to investigate the impact of the flipped residency research model on longer term scholarly success.

Impact of an innovative partnership in patient care between an academic medical center department of pharmacy and a school of pharmacy.

PURPOSE: Pharmacy departments and schools of pharmacy have long held professional affiliations. However, the success of each entity is often not interdependent and aligned. In 2010, our institutions found ourselves in a position where the complementary motivations of each aligned to support a more meaningful and committed engagement, leading to the development of the Partnership in Patient Care. The impact of the partnership was evaluated 7 years postimplementation, and both the successes realized and the lessons learned are described. SUMMARY: The partnership provided many advantages to our pharmacy department and the school of pharmacy. This initial iteration of the partnership was a strong proof of concept that an intentional approach to the relationship between a school of pharmacy and a pharmacy department can lead to substantive improvements in a wide array of meaningful outcomes. We experienced an increase in the number of student rotation months completed, growth in the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists-accredited residency programs, and enhanced clinical services. However, the partnership was not without challenges. For instance, lack of a formalized tracking method made certain outcomes difficult to track. CONCLUSION: The purposeful establishment of the Partnership in Patient Care, built on the needs of a school of pharmacy and an academic medical center pharmacy department, allowed our institutions to develop an intertwined mission and vision. Over the initial years of the partnership, many successes were realized and lessons were learned. Both the successes and the challenges are serving as the foundation for future iterations of the partnership.

ReCAP: Pharmacists' Impact in Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation: Economic and Humanistic Outcomes.

PURPOSE: This study seeks to evaluate the impact of pharmacists' involvement in the care of patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation (BMT). METHODS: This was a three-phase study. In phase 1, inpatient and outpatient pharmacist encounters were totaled and services provided were translated to revenue generated from prescription revenue and billing charges. In phase 2, pharmacists' activities and interventions were associated with time savings estimated by providers. In phase 3, patients and providers were surveyed to assess their expectations, experiences, and value perceptions of pharmacists.A positive response rate of 80%for each survey item was set as the threshold for high expectations and successful service delivery. RESULTS: In phase 1, after 6 months of data collection, clinical services were provided to 170 inpatients and 290 outpatients. For inpatients, there was an average discharge prescription revenue of $990 per patient through the outpatient pharmacy. In the outpatient clinic, pharmacist visits generated an additional $23,000 in charges (approximately $80 per patient) and an annual prescription revenue of approximately $840,000 through the outpatient pharmacy. In phase 2, pharmacists' activities led to a total time savings of 122 hours. In phase 3, patients and providers met the predetermined 80% positive response rate for most survey items. The item for which patient and provider responses consistently did not meet this threshold related to pharmacists educating patients about their BMT. CONCLUSION: Pharmacists are valuable resources in the care of patients undergoing BMT, as their care translates to increased revenue, provider time savings, and positive perceptions from patients and providers.

Impact of Pharmacy Residency Research Training on Residents' Actual Versus Perceived Ability and Interest to Identify and Solve Practice-Related Problems.

PURPOSE: The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) requires that accredited residency programs provide pharmacy residents the opportunity to perform a practice-based project. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of pharmacy residency research training on residents' actual versus perceived ability to solve practice-related problems in their professional careers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study surveyed postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) pharmacy practice residents who completed training at a large academic medical center between 2007 and 2013. The survey consisted of 3 areas of assessment, that is, (1) general demographics, (2) perceived research abilities, and (3) self-reported research productivity. RESULTS: A total of 39 residents were eligible; of those, 27 completed the survey (69.2% response rate). Participants reported low perceived ability for conductance of some research activities including study design development, implementation, and publication. No association between perceived research ability and self-reported research productivity was found. Research experience prior to residency training strongly predicted for subsequent publication after completion of PGY1 residency training (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: New training mechanisms may be needed to optimize research training that will provide residents with greater emphasis on areas of perceived deficiency.