Join one of the largest community pharmacy residency programs in the country with the UT Health Science Center College of Pharmacy’s PGY-1 Community-Based Pharmacy Residency Program!
Enhance your skills, connect with a network of professionals, and significantly impact patient care. Apply before the December 31 deadline at https://www.uthsc.edu/pharmacy/dcpts/residency/community.php
Hear from our current residents on their experience below.
Andrew Beard, PharmD
UT Health Science Center College of Pharmacy Community Pharmacy Resident
I was interested in pursuing a community-based residency program as I am very passionate about building long-term relationships with patients, and this type of residency best allows me the chance to do just that.
During a typical day, I spend some time working on my projects and any meetings I may have, and then in the afternoon, I shift to work on my patient care activities. My day-to-day can vary based on the week. Sometimes, I may have meetings in the afternoon instead and patient care in the morning. Aside from my typical day-to-day, I spend one day a week at my dispensing and workflow experience site, where I act as the pharmacist on-duty.
Through this residency, I have seen a wide variety of conditions that currently affect Tennesseans, which has allowed me to gain a lot of experience managing them for these patients. I have become a better pharmacist with the guidance of my preceptors as they push me to embrace new challenges and experiences in patient care and other residency areas, such as precepting students, leading pharmacy teams, and communicating with other providers.
Grayson Rountree, PharmD
UT Health Science Center College of Pharmacy Community Pharmacy Resident
I was interested in the community pharmacy residency to gain valuable insights into pharmacy management and deepen my understanding of the business aspects of community pharmacy while also designing and executing a project to apply and expand my skills as a pharmacist.
What I like best about the residency is it allows me to practice at the fullest extent of my license to positively impact and enhance the lives of the patients I serve while gaining experience across multiple practice sites and working with diverse patient populations.
A typical day as a pharmacy resident begins with opening the pharmacy and attending to any necessary managerial duties to ensure smooth operations that day. Afterward, I check and respond to emails to address any immediate communication needs. The day often includes attending leadership meetings, where I collaborate with others on strategic initiatives and decision-making. Depending on the schedule, I then focus on either project development—advancing pharmacy practice—or engaging in patient clinical duties to provide high-quality care. The day concludes with staffing the pharmacy, directly supporting patients, and ensuring efficient workflows.
This experience has provided valuable insight into the numerous ways to advance community pharmacy practice, especially here in Tennessee. From fostering collaboration with providers to optimizing pharmacy management for greater efficiency, I have gained a deeper understanding of how these strategies collectively enable the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered care.
This residency has significantly enhanced my leadership skills by offering opportunities to precept students, lead and plan projects, and conduct research. Additionally, it has provided exposure to a wide range of clinical and management scenarios, allowing me to develop a well-rounded foundation of knowledge and experience.