Residency Program Curriculum: Expectations, Requirements, and Progression

All Benefis Health System residents are expected to have a Montana pharmacist license by August 1st of the same calendar year of enrollment. If the resident does not obtain licensure by August 1st, the resident will be immediately placed into a corrective action plan. Failure to comply with the action plan may result in dismissal from the residency program. Resident(s) will be excused from the program if they are not licensed as a pharmacist in the state of Montana by November 1st of the same calendar year of enrollment. If there are extenuating circumstances outside of the resident’s control preventing completion of licensure, these situations will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

If the resident does not have a Montana Pharmacist License at the start of the program, a valid Montana Pharmacy Intern License must be obtained prior to their start date.

Resident Responsibilities/Expectations: Residency Program Checklist [PDF]

1. Become competent in management of the pharmacy distribution system in order to work independently in any position within the pharmacy.
2. Participate in committee activities, which may include Pharmacy & Therapeutics (P&T) Committee, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Medication Safety Committee, and others.
3. Active participation in clinical activities conducted by the pharmacy. This includes participation in protocol management, multidisciplinary rounds, and direct interaction with physicians, nurses and other healthcare workers. The resident is expected to develop the ability and confidence to independently practice in all clinical settings in the hospital.
4. Enhance communication skills required to become an integral component of the healthcare team.
5. Provision of drug information, both in written and oral form, for members of the pharmacy staff, as well as other healthcare workers and patients.
6. Active participation in the education of APPE and IPPE pharmacy students.
7. Completion of a project that will provide enhanced patient safety and promote the practice of pharmacy.
8. Working together with the Residency Advisory Committee (RAC) to improve the residency experience for future residents.

University of Montana Teaching Certificate: This certificate program was created for pharmacy residents interested in increasing their training as educators. It is designed to build upon the local residency requirements for teaching, presenting to professional audiences, and disseminating the results of residency projects. The program includes live and virtual meetings with university and clinical faculty, mentoring for teaching experiences required by the residency site, and preparation of an APPE rotation plan, a teaching portfolio, and a draft of a manuscript that will be developed by the resident during the year.

Residency research project: The resident must complete a longitudinal research project in order to graduate from the residency program. The following are essential elements of the project:

1. The resident, in collaboration with the RPD, Director of Pharmacy (DOP), and RAC, will identify a residency project based on the needs of the hospital with strong consideration of the resident’s interests.
2. The resident must submit a research project proposal to the RPD, DOP and research rotation preceptor(s) for approval.
3. The resident research project results shall be presented at resident conference(s) and/or meeting(s) as determined by the RPD.
4. The resident must submit an accompanying research project manuscript written in a format suitable for publication prior to graduation. A certificate of program completion will not be awarded until the resident has submitted a manuscript that the RPD deems completed.

Current Resident Projects

• Anthony Campbell: Implementation of a Beta-Lactam Allergy De-labeling Protocol
• Rebeka Jessee: Assess historical use of antipsychotics and anxiolytics in patients over the age of 65 years old for appropriate dosing, indication, usage, and safety