Insights on breaking into consulting pharmacy?

[pharmd009]

I'm currently a PGY-1 resident in a community teaching hospital in the NJ/NY/PA area. I am considering consulting pharmacy as a career path. I know that consulting positions require extensive LTC experience and knowledge. My LTC/geriatrics experience consists of a 6 week consulting pharmacy rotation as a student and 5 week geriatrics rotation as a resident. I am currently week 2/5 in the geriatrics rotation in which I shadow a physician in a LTC facility once a week. During one of my visits to a facility, I was able to shadow a consultant pharmacist. I plan on trying to shadow and network more with the consultant pharmacists in the facilities (if I can catch them the day I'm there).

My current questions:

• What are chances of breaking into the consulting pharmacy with experience as a resident in an inpatient setting? What steps can I take to make myself a better candidate?
• I don't anticipate consulting pharmacy to be the first job I get once I finish residency. Would it be a disadvantage to focus on obtaining inpatient positions versus LTC staffing positions? I'm conflicted because LTC staffing positions don't typically require residency, but I literally just did one. So in a way, I'd like to apply for positions that require my extra training.
• I would take BCGP to make myself more competitive, but it requires 2 years of practice and now >50% of time in practice in geriatrics. How would I get this experience unless I worked in a LTC facility?

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[mustang sally]

I don't view consulting as being something difficult to break into personally. I think you would be more than fine coming out of a residency to get that kind of job. I also wouldn't see it being a problem trying to transition from an inpatient job to consulting.

I'm inpatient staff and I have to do consulting on the side since we own several nursing homes. Maybe something similar would be an option for you to gain LTC experience while still using your residency training?