A Community Pharmacy Practice Residency will assist practitioners in enhancing their skill level in the areas of patient care, ownership/ community pharmacy management, pharmacy education and project development.

The purpose of the NCPA/NACDS Community Pharmacy Practice Residency Guidelines is to identify and describe the structure, content and objectives of community pharmacy practice residency training.

The overall goals of the residency are to prepare pharmacists to provide pharmacist care in ways that meet the needs of patients, payors and other health care providers as partners in the delivery of cost-effective patient care services and to enhance ownership and community pharmacy management skills.

Background

It is well known that community pharmacy is one of the most accessible patient health care settings. However, it has been underused as a training site for Pharmacy Residents in the development of innovative patient care services and ownership/community pharmacy management skills. A variety of factors affecting community pharmacy, pharmacy education and the health care system indicate that a change in practice philosophy may be appropriate and inevitable.

With the advent of the doctor of pharmacy degree as the sole entry-level degree for pharmacy and the movement of patient care from the institutional to the ambulatory setting, opportunities for community pharmacists to provide pharmacist care to patients in the community setting are increasing.

Recent graduates will find that many community pharmacies are exploring ways to enhance their patient care services. Community Pharmacy Practice Residencies equip pharmacists with advanced skills beyond the core educational skills set to prepare them to practice at advanced levels in the community setting.

Download the NCPA/NACDS Community Pharmacy Practice Residency Guidelines in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF).

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