Psych Pharmacy Residency Necessary?

[pharm B]

Hi all,

I was reading the BPS guide for the different specialties and noted that one of the requirements to take the BCPP examination seemed strange.

• Completion of four (4) years of practice with at least 50% of
time spent in psychiatric pharmacy activities (as defined by
the BPS Psychiatric Pharmacy Content Outline)
OR​

•

​

​

Completion of a specialty (PGY2) residency* in psychiatric​

pharmacy plus one (1) additional year of practice with at

least 50% of time spent in psychiatric pharmacy activities
(as defined by the BPS Psychiatric Pharmacy Content
Outline)​

​

​

​

My question is: is it worth it to take the pay hit to do a mandatory two years of residency, or would you recommend just working full-time for 4 years (aiming to get into a psych environment after 2)?

I know I'm early in the game on this, but the wife and I have been tossing around ideas about the future, and residency is one of the big random factors. ​

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[p-rog]

My question is: is it worth it to take the pay hit to do a mandatory two years of residency, or would you recommend just working full-time for 4 years (aiming to get into a psych environment after 2)

Maybe I'm misreading it but wouldn't 50% of each of the 4 years have to be spent dealing w/ pysch cases/pts?

 

[aboveliquidice]

Maybe I'm misreading it but wouldn't 50% of each of the 4 years have to be spent dealing w/ pysch cases/pts?

50% of 4 years = 2 yrs... This is a loosely enforced provision of the rule anyway.

From conversations with current residents and those working in the field - you either have the cert, or are working on getting the cert. You may be able to work your way into the position - At least, it is possible with the VA.

 

[xiphoid2010]

Hi all,

I was reading the BPS guide for the different specialties and noted that one of the requirements to take the BCPP examination seemed strange.

My question is: is it worth it to take the pay hit to do a mandatory two years of residency, or would you recommend just working full-time for 4 years (aiming to get into a psych environment after 2)?

I know I'm early in the game on this, but the wife and I have been tossing around ideas about the future, and residency is one of the big random factors. ​

The problem is practicality. If you don't go the residency route, you need 4 years with >50% of the time working on psych patients. But how many hospitals would let a new staff pharmacist focus working on psych patients? A few might, but even those might take a few years of staffing just to convince the management to let you do clinical work. And most major institutions will reserve that kind of clinical work for the clinical pharmacists and residents, so you might be stuck indefinitely.

Going for at least a PGY-1 residency (a) afford you some good clinical training, and (b) as a hedge against the future. With the increasing competitive nature of the job market, the last thing anyone need being laid off down the road and be at a disadvantage when competing with others with residency credentials. Having worked in the corporate environment before, I know what a glass ceiling feels like. Try hard to not to let your credential be your Achille's heel, or you might end up wasting a lot of years.

 

[pharm B]

I figured the residency would be the way to go, but wanted to bounce ideas off of you guys. Thanks!