Education
General Information
Orientation
All AGH residents complete a standard orientation during the first month of their program. The program
director will orient residents to the program’s purpose, applicable accreditation standards, designated learning experiences, and evaluation strategy. In addition, residents will be introduced to the various operational areas of the AGH Pharmacy Department and gain experience under the guidance of a full-time staff pharmacist.
Residents will also attend a general hospital orientation.
Residency Projects
Pharmacists enrolled in an Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) Pharmacy Residency Program are required to complete various residency-related projects throughout the year.
Residents will be provided numerous opportunities to enhance their verbal and written communication skills in a variety of settings. Residents will provide both formal and informal presentations.
Formal Presentations
The required formal presentations include:
- Resident Seminar
- Research Project Proposal
- Journal Club
- Resident-Student Teaching Conference
- Pharmacist Continuing Education Program
- Eastern States practice sessions and final presentation
To more fully engage in quality improvement learning activities and to facilitate writing and literature evaluation skills, residents will complete both a formulary (or class) review and a medication-use evaluation.
In addition, residents will prepare a manuscript of their research project suitable for contribution to a peer-reviewed journal.
Informal Presentations
Residents will also engage in several less formal case presentations and inservices throughout the year as determined by the rotation preceptors.
Clinical and Administrative On-Call
Pharmacy residents participate in an on-call service, which provides first-hand experience in developing
problem-solving skills through exposure to various clinical and administrative situations. Residents will
participate in a rotating on-call schedule for coverage of these services. Residents will be assigned a preceptor as the “back-up” for any questions or issues. A comprehensive overview of these services will occur during orientation.
Staffing Obligations
To provide residents with model pharmacy practice experience, residents will be assigned staffing duties on a rotating basis, as follows:
| Program | Obligation |
| PGY1 Pharmacy | One (8-hour) and two (12-hour) shifts per 3 week period |
| PGY1 Community Pharmacy | One (8-hour) shift per 1 week period |
| PGY1 Pharmacy Administration | Two (8-hour) shifts per 2 week period |
| PGY2 Critical Care, Oncology and Administration | Two (12-hour) shifts per 3 week period |
| PGY2 Ambulatory Care and Infectious Diseases | One (4-hour) shift per 1 week period |
