Optimizing the customized residency plan.

Residents and residency program directors (RPDs) understand that the goal of the residency year is to earn a residency certificate through achievement of established goals and objectives. The customized residency plan provides a map for the resident and RPD to follow throughout the course of the residency year, helping to keep everyone on track to accomplish the established goals and objectives of the program. It also provides information that allows preceptors to take the individual resident's plan into consideration when customizing a learning experience. This article will focus on the process for developing a customized residency plan and implementing it over the course of the residency year.