Program Purpose
The UW Health PGY2 Medication-Use Safety & Policy residency is designed to transition PGY1 residency graduates from generalist practice to specialized roles as an organizational leader in the development of safe and effective medication-use processes and policies. The program is designed to develop residents into experts in analyzing, synthesizing, and disseminating medication-related information and stewards of evidence-based medication utilization across a health system. Graduates will possess the advanced facilitation skills to inform the organization’s policy-making bodies, influence their decision making, and participate in the management of the decision-making process. The superior communication skills developed in this residency enable a graduate to function as a leader for activities such as conducting mediation safety initiatives and drug information practice-related projects.
Program Goals
Residents will exit the program with knowledge and experience that identifies them as authoritative resources on medication-use safety and formulary management. Residents will gain a fundamental understanding of formulary evaluation processes, clinical decision-support, principles of human error and human factors engineering, medication-use safety nomenclature, and a culture of safety. They can critically interpret and synthesize information from a variety of sources to formulate recommendations for improvement and have a broad perspective of organizational dynamics. They are also trained to be highly effective communicators and project managers. They can employ this background to effectively represent the medication-use safety and policy perspective when the organization considers the design of its formulary processes, medication-use technology and automation systems.
The PGY2 Medication-Use Safety & Policy residency offers advanced training opportunities for residents to develop expertise in:
- Assessing Safe and Effective Medication-Use Systems and Policies
- Medication-Use Data Collection and Analysis
- Designing Safe and Effective Medication-Use Systems/Policies
- Drug Shortages and Supply Interruptions
- Medication-Use Technology
- Medication-Use Research
- Leadership and Management
- Teaching, Education, and Dissemination of Knowledge
Residency Structure
To achieve the goals of the program, the resident will work collaboratively with numerous multidisciplinary committees:
- Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and associated subcommittees
- UW Health Center for Clinical Knowledge Management
- Pharmacy and hospital administration
- Pharmacy Research Center (Investigational Drug Services)
- Antimicrobial Stewardship Program
- Anticoagulation Stewardship Program
- Pharmacy Informatics (Medication Management Team)
- Quartz Pharmacy Benefit Management Program
- University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy
- Clinical pharmacy teams
- Interdisciplinary teams (nursing, medicine, nutrition support, allied health)
The program is designed as a 12-month longitudinal experience in four core domains: Medication Use Policy, Safety, and Formulary Systems, Leadership and Practice Management, Drug Budgeting, Forecasting, and Supply Chain, and Research and Project Management. Residents may select up to 3 additional focused elective rotations based on practice interests and individualized goals.
| Rotation | Status | Description | Duration |
| Medication Use Policy, Safety, and Formulary Systems | Required | Residents will gain experience in the following: -Assessing Safe and Effective Medication-Use Systems and Policies -Designing Safe and Effective Medication-Use Systems/Policies -Medication-Use Technology -Teaching, Education, and Dissemination of Knowledge | Longitudinal (12 months) |
| Leadership and Practice Management | Required | Residents will gain experience in pharmacy and health-system leadership, clinical and administrative team management, and implementing change within an organization | Longitudinal (12 months) |
| Drug Budgeting, Forecasting, and Supply Chain | Required | Residents will gain experience in: -Researching, managing, and presenting practice-related projects -Medication-use data collection and analysis | Longitudinal (12 months) |
| Research and Project Management | Required | Residents will gain experience in: -Researching, managing, and presenting practice-related projects -Medication-use data collection and analysis | Longitudinal (12 months) |
| Pharmacy Informatics | Elective | Residents will gain practical experience in medication-use technology related to formulary management and the medication-use system | 4-6 weeks |
| Managed Care Pharmacy | Elective | Residents will gain practical experience in -Drug budget and drug price forecasting -Organizational decision-making for pharmaceutical contracts and pharmacy services -Cost containment and/or revenue capture enhancement activities | 4-6 weeks |
| Investigational Drugs | Elective | Residents will gain practical experience in the use of investigational drugs according to established protocols and the organization’s policies and procedures | 4-6 weeks |
| Medication Safety Intensive | Elective | Residents will have the opportunity to further concentrate on medication safety principles and practice within the health system | 4-6 weeks |
ASHP Midyear
Interested residents are encouraged to contact program director Philip Trapskin to set up a PPS interview to learn more about the program.
Program Contact
Philip Trapskin, PharmD, BCPS
Director, Medication Use Policy, Safety, Compliance, and Informatics
3185 Deming Way
Middleton, WI 53562
(608) 263-1328