Infectious Diseases

Introduction:

The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Medical Center is a 690-bed tertiary care academic medical center providing care for patients of Charleston and throughout the state of South Carolina. In addition to general medical and surgical services, MUSC offers a variety of specialty services including cardiothoracic, transplant and neurosurgery, a level I trauma center, digestive disease, psychiatry and level III neonatal intensive care. The medical center comprises four hospitals, Ashley River Tower, Children's Hospital, Institute of Psychiatry, and University Hospital. Outpatient facilities include the Hollings Cancer Center, Ashley River Tower Clinics, Rutledge Tower Clinics, Family Medicine Center and affiliated faculty practice ambulatory care centers.

The Department of Pharmacy Services provides service to patients on a 24 hour basis through multiple inpatient and ambulatory pharmacies to fulfill the department’s mission, vision, and goals of providing optimal pharmaceutical care to all patients.

The Infectious Diseases pharmacy residency at MUSC is a specialized residency consisting of 12 months of training and experience in various practice areas in infectious diseases including antimicrobial stewardship. The program allows sufficient flexibility to adapt to the interests and needs of the individual resident, yet provides the basic foundation for quality clinical practice in infectious diseases. The resident will have the opportunity to gain clinical, research, and teaching experience in infectious diseases. Upon completion of this comprehensive program, the resident will be prepared to enter a clinical practice position or a fellowship program.

Purpose:

The Postgraduate Year Two (PGY2) Infectious Diseases Pharmacy Residency Program is designed to develop accountability; practice patterns; habits; and expert knowledge, skills, attitudes, and abilities in the respective advanced area of pharmacy practice. The Infectious Diseases Pharmacy Residency Program builds upon the broad-based competencies achieved in a PGY1 residency, deepening the resident’s ability to provide care in the most complex of cases or in the support of care through practice leadership. Therefore, the Infectious Diseases Pharmacy Residency Program provides residents with opportunities to function independently as practitioners by conceptualizing and integrating accumulated experience and knowledge and transforming both into improved medication therapy for patients. A resident who successfully completes the PGY2 Infectious Diseases Pharmacy Residency Program should be prepared to enter into a clinical practice position in a hospital-based environment or a combination of academia and practice affiliated with a College of Pharmacy. They should also possess the competencies that enable attainment of board certification in the practice area (i.e., BCPS with added qualifications in Infectious Diseases).

Goals:

Specific residency goals and objectives will be established in the beginning of the residency modified according to the resident’s interests and previous experiences and advisor input. To meet the purpose of the residency, the resident will advance to achieve the following outcomes:

• Serve as an authoritative resource on the optimal use of medications in patients with infectious diseases.
• Optimize the outcomes of infections diseases patients by promoting and/or providing evidence-based medication therapy as an integral member of an interdisciplinary team in acute and ambulatory care settings.
• Optimizing clinical outcomes while minimizing unintended consequences of antimicrobial use through antimicrobial stewardship.
• Manage and improve the medication-use process in patients with known or suspected infectious diseases.
• Demonstrate leadership and practice management skills.
• Demonstrate excellence in the provision of training or educational activities about anti-infective agents for health care professionals and health care professionals in training.
• Conduct research and contribute to the medical literature in the infectious diseases arena.
• Contribute to formulary decisions regarding anti-infective agents and participate on the Antiinfective Subcommittee of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee.
• Demonstrate skills required to function in an academic setting.

The Residency Experience

The resident will have the opportunity to gain clinical, research, and teaching experience in infectious diseases. The breath of experience provided by this residency program will allow successful candidates to work in any facet of infectious diseases. The residency is designed to provide a diverse experience, while focusing on the needs of the individual resident. Residents may tailor elective rotations to meet their particular goals and career needs. Residents are provided with formal written evaluations following each monthly rotation in order to provide for an optimal experience. Residents will complete a quarterly selfevaluation to assure compliance with self-determined goals and the ASHP Residency Learning System. The resident must have previously completed a pharmacy practice residency or have an equivalent level of experience in hospital pharmacy practice prior to entering this specialized residency program. Required core rotations for 1 to 3 months are available in the following areas:

Learning Experiences:

*Electives include, but are not limited to, the following month long rotations:

• Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (including Heart Transplant Service)
• Hematology/Oncology
• Medical Intensive Care
• Pediatric Infectious Diseases Consults
• Pulmonary Medicine
• Solid Organ Transplant
• Surgical/Trauma Intensive Care
  

Preceptors:

On-site Interviews Will Be Required

Starting in 2012 the MUSC Pharmacy Program will be using the PhORCAS Application System through ASHP.  Please submit all application materials through the applicant portal on ASHP's website.  The deadline for receipt of a complete application packet is December 31^st.  Applicants can begin submitting materials through PhORCAS on November 19.  Complete applications include the following:

• Letter of intent (uploaded with application)
• Curriculum vitae (uploaded with application)
• Three letters of reference completed by health professionals who can attest to the applicant’s practice abilities and aptitudes (uploaded directly from the authors beginning on November 19)
• At least one letter must be from an immediate supervisor (if applicable - for PGY1 only)
• At least one letter must be from a clinical preceptor
• Official transcripts of all professional pharmacy education
• Class rank (in a sealed envelope from Dean's Office)
• List of Rotations completed.

The application, letter of intent and curriculum vitae should be submitted via the PhORCAS applicant portal.  Letters of reference should also be submitted via PhORCAS Reference Portal using the ASHP Reference Template no later than December 31 directly from the authors.  For further information, please contact Ms. Vanessa McNamara at the address below.

Vanessa McNamara
Administrative Assistant for Residency Programs
SCCP - MUSC Campus
150 Ashley Avenue, Room 614, MSC 584
Charleston, South Carolina 29425
Phone: (843) 792-7626
Fax: (843) 792-1549
E-mail: mcnamarv@musc.edu
For further information contact: