Lindsey B Amerine1, John M Valgus2, Joseph D Moore3, Justin R Arnall4, Scott W Savage5. 1. University of North Carolina Medical Center, Division of PACE, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, 101 Manning Dr., CB #7600, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, United States. Electronic address: lindsey.amerine@unchealth.unc.edu. 2. University of North Carolina Medical Center, Division of PACE, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, 101 Manning Dr., CB #7600, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, United States. Electronic address: john.valgus@unchealth.unc.edu. 3. University of North Carolina Medical Center, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Scripts Rx Pharmacy, United States. Electronic address: jdm8286@gmail.com. 4. University of North Carolina Medical Center, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Carolinas HealthCare System, 888 North Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28262, United States. Electronic address: jarnall87@gmail.com. 5. University of North Carolina Medical Center and Chatham Hospital, Division of PACE, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, 101 Manning Dr., CB #7600, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, United States. Electronic address: scott.savage@unchealth.unc.edu.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The initiation, implementation, and benefits of a longitudinal early immersion student pharmacist health system internship are described. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY: A two-year longitudinal internship experience was implemented to provide exposure into distributional operations, direct patient care activities, and health-system pharmacy administration. The intent of the program was to create an opportunity for student pharmacists to enhance the quality of their education with practical experience by immersing them early in their careers within the healthcare system. Early in their academic training the student interns were exposed to a broad range of services and programs while contributing longitudinally to the service line through quality improvement projects and distributional operations. The first year primarily focuses on distributional operations with direct patient care shadowing, while the second year targets intern involvement in hematology/oncology direct patient care activities. In this role, they are able to serve as pharmacist extenders. SUMMARY: Our comprehensive, longitudinal two-year health-system pharmacy internship program offers student pharmacists a unique early immersion experience that builds upon itself throughout their didactic training but is outside of the academic requirements. Students are exposed to distributional operations, direct patient care activities, and health system pharmacy administration prior to APPE rotations.
PURPOSE: The initiation, implementation, and benefits of a longitudinal early immersion student pharmacist health system internship are described. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY: A two-year longitudinal internship experience was implemented to provide exposure into distributional operations, direct patient care activities, and health-system pharmacy administration. The intent of the program was to create an opportunity for student pharmacists to enhance the quality of their education with practical experience by immersing them early in their careers within the healthcare system. Early in their academic training the student interns were exposed to a broad range of services and programs while contributing longitudinally to the service line through quality improvement projects and distributional operations. The first year primarily focuses on distributional operations with direct patient care shadowing, while the second year targets intern involvement in hematology/oncology direct patient care activities. In this role, they are able to serve as pharmacist extenders. SUMMARY: Our comprehensive, longitudinal two-year health-system pharmacy internship program offers student pharmacists a unique early immersion experience that builds upon itself throughout their didactic training but is outside of the academic requirements. Students are exposed to distributional operations, direct patient care activities, and health system pharmacy administration prior to APPE rotations.