Benefits of a concentrated teaching rotation: Perspectives of pharmacy residents and faculty

The postgraduate pharmacy residency experience requires residents to develop the proper skillset to not only provide optimal therapeutic management to patients, but to effectively deliver their knowledge to trainees and other health care providers. Without specific recommendations for how to achieve these skills, residents may hone their communication, organizational, and teaching skills through a number of different venues currently offered by residency programs nationwide. Residency programs commonly offer a longitudinal experience in order for residents to obtain didactic teaching skills; less often do programs offer a concentrated rotation dedicated to academia. Residents can acquire a number of skills from a focused academic rotation including curriculum development, career growth, and preceptorship by following a schedule that more closely mimics that of a clinical faculty member. These skills are typically more difficult to develop with a longitudinal experience due to time constraints and other resident and faculty member commitments. Prior to implementing this experience, the impact on both the resident and faculty member should be taken into consideration.