title: Geriatric pharmacy training requirements: A survey of residency programs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Results of a survey assessing opportunities for geriatrics training currently available to pharmacy residents and residency directors' views on the concept of a defined slate of required geriatrics rotations are reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  Directors of postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) pharmacy residency programs (n = 368) and postgraduate year 2 (PGY2) geriatric pharmacy residencies (n = 13) were surveyed regarding current training opportunities in geriatrics. PGY2 residency directors were invited to participate in a follow-up survey to identify high-priority areas for possible standardization of residency requirements on clinical rotations in geriatric practice settings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  About 21% of the PGY1 residency directors who responded to the survey indicated that their program required a geriatrics rotation, and 47% reported elective geriatrics rotations. All 13 PGY2 geriatric pharmacy residencies represented in the survey offered a long-term care rotation, with 12 offering rotations in mental health and outpatient geriatrics, 11 offering a hospice/palliative care rotation, and 10 offering a rotation in inpatient geriatrics. All 11 PGY2 directors who responded to the follow-up survey supported requiring a long-term care rotation in future revisions of the ASHP accreditation standard for geriatric pharmacy residencies; 10 supported required rotations in inpatient and outpatient geriatrics, and 9 supported requiring a hospice/palliative care rotation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Geriatrics-oriented training in PGY1 pharmacy residencies is limited, with only about one in five programs requiring a geriatrics rotation. The survey results indicated broad support among PGY2 program heads for required rotations in various geriatric healthcare settings.
authors: Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT. kristina.niehoff2@va.gov.
authors: Kristina M
authors: KM
authors: Niehoff
authors: University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy, Storrs, and Integrated Care Partners, Hartford Healthcare Group, Wethersfield, CT.
authors: Sean M
authors: SM
authors: Jeffery
mesh_terms: D000068:Accreditation; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000458:organization & administration; D064172:Pharmacy Residencies / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012957:Societies, Pharmaceutical; D013339:Students, Pharmacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States