August 16, 2023
As one of the oldest and largest accredited postgraduate year one (PGY1) community-based pharmacy residency programs in the nation, the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy is expanding the program’s reach even farther with new residency sites in Eastern North Carolina.
The program will soon offer unique experiences in Wilmington, New Bern, Duplin County, Rocky Mount and Scotland Neck focused on serving rural and underserved communities. Data indicates that patients visit their local pharmacy 35 times per year, and this frequent contact provides an opportunity for individuals to receive high-quality care in the communities in which they live and work. This is especially critical for those living in rural and underserved areas, where access to members of the health care team may be more challenging.
“Training pharmacists to serve our rural communities is integral to our School’s commitment to serving the citizens of North Carolina,” said Macary Marciniak, Pharm.D., director of the PGY1 community-based pharmacy residency program and associate professor in the Division of Practice Advancement and Clinical Education. “Many take for granted that a health care provider or hospital is a short drive away or easily accessible. Seventy-eight out of the 100 counties in North Carolina are considered rural, and we believe that no matter a person’s zip code, our patients deserve the same access to high quality, patient centered pharmacy services.”
The School has a rich history in training leaders in community-based pharmacy since 2000 and offers innovative practice sites across the state, including independent pharmacies, chain, supermarket, college health, ambulatory care, outpatient health-system and specialty settings. The School’s residency program meets the contemporary needs of pharmacists while building advanced practice models for the future of health care.
“I am super excited that we are creating new residencies in rural and underserved areas in Eastern North Carolina with our outstanding partners,” said Betsy Sleath, Ph.D., Regional Associate Dean for Eastern North Carolina and George H. Cocolas Distinguished Professor in the Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy. “The School wants to expand training throughout the state with the hopes that pharmacists who complete residencies in Eastern North Carolina will then want to practice there. It helps to advance pharmacy practice in Eastern North Carolina.”
Cape Fear Clinic, Inc. in Wilmington is a free and charitable pharmacy offering affordable patient-centered health care to low-income individuals and families. Realo Drugs in New Bern is an independent pharmacy and offers a collaborative approach to managing patient care with a local accountable care organization and many other clinical service opportunities. Lastly, Rocky Mount Medical Park Pharmacy and McDowell’s Pharmacy in Rocky Mount and Scotland Neck are family-run independent pharmacies focused on primary care. These new locations in rural and underserved areas in eastern North Carolina are in addition to the existing sites across the state.
The residency program is 12 months long and will provide residents with the opportunity to learn first-hand what works and what areas could be improved upon in a community pharmacy, partner with experienced practitioners to initiate new programs and expand or enhance existing services and provide fresh perspectives and insights for the site staff.
“Residents will be integrated in our local communities, with mentorship provided by our School faculty and from established practitioners who are innovating how team-based care is provided. Our trainees will expand access to health and wellness services, truly making a positive impact on the lives of the patients they serve,” said Marciniak.
Residency will train pharmacists to provide direct patient care through a variety of services, such as immunization and medication administration, health and wellness screenings, point-of-care testing and monitoring, risk assessments, diabetes prevention programs, patient education classes, targeted medication reviews, comprehensive medication management services and pharmacist-prescribed medication therapy. These new residency sites will offer strong experience in rural and underserved communities to give residents the skills, confidence and leadership to be a clinical practitioner in these environments.
“The experiences at these sites will be outstanding because the residency preceptors are all our alumni who have advanced community practice sites. The residents will be able to use the skills they learned in pharmacy school to work with patients with a wide range of conditions to improve adherence and outcomes. They will be able to make a real difference in patients’ lives,” said Sleath.
The deadline to submit an application is January 2, 2024, and the programs will begin in the summer of 2024. You can find more information about the application process here.
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