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The Unity Health Pharmacy Residency Program is proud to announce it has renewed its accreditation through the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. This accreditation verifies the education pharmacy graduates receive through the program and validates their clinical training and experience in pharmacy.

Graduates receiving their Doctor of Pharmacy degree are eligible through the pharmacy residency program to complete a one-year residency hosted at Unity Health – White County Medical Center in Searcy, Arkansas. The program employs four residents who seek to further their knowledge of pharmacy, and practice within a clinical setting. This academic opportunity offers residents a well-rounded approach to the therapy and treatment of patients throughout their hospital stay.

Since 2012, Unity Health’s Pharmacy Residency Program has been a leader in educating and equipping resident pharmacists. The Residency Program Director, Clinical Coordinator and Infectious Disease Pharmacist, Shawn Turner, PharmD., BCIDP, MBA and his assistant Lincoln Neal, PharmD., MBA, a graduate of the program, shared how the program enhances the knowledge of residents, following their Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

Through guidance and training from their preceptors, residents are able to study each area of medicine more comprehensively and collaborate with clinical teams to administer the best care for patients. Residents partner with teams in the areas of cardiology, infectious disease, internal medicine, nephrology, and critical care, offering them invaluable experience within these specialties.

“The program builds confidence in the residents as they transition from being a student to being a full, independent practitioner,” Turner said. “It bridges the gap and offers high-level training in a clinical setting, as well as exposing the residents to areas that most interest them.”

Through the program, resident schedules include flexibility to fit the interests of each resident. From one specialty to another, residents are able to determine what areas appeal to them and the program is customized to meet their preferences.

Pharmacists play a vital role in the process of patient care. Neal explained that pharmacists are responsible for ensuring patients do not receive duplicate medications, will not undergo adverse drug reactions or interactions, they help to select prescriptions that cause little to no side effects to the patient, and measure the appropriate dosage before administering chosen medications.

Accuracy and safety are paramount when the resident pharmacists are providing their expertise among their clinical teams. Not only do the pharmacists administer drugs, but they also help to compound special medications that are not pre-made. Through the various methods of providing medications, the overall goal of the pharmacist is to provide effective treatment and protect patients from harm.

The Unity Health Pharmacy Residency Program offers a wide array of opportunities both personally and professionally. Turner calls this program a privilege to have within the hospital for residents to learn and develop, while also seeking to improve overall patient care. The program offers unique inter-disciplinary collaboration among Unity Health’s fellow resident teams, including those of the state’s second-largest Graduate Medical Education program, and the Unity Health Registered Nursing Residency Program.

Turner says that the culture of Unity Health allows residents to easily form relationships, creating greater trust among colleagues and patients, and a sense of familiarity. Neal explains that each patient is a puzzle, and it takes teamwork to help find the best solutions for each individual. He finds joy in helping residents discover their full potential and reach their professional goals.

For more information on the Unity Health Pharmacy Residency Program, please visit: https://www.unity-health.org/residency-programs/pharmacy-residency-program/ or contact Shawn Turner at Shawn.Turner@unity-health.org.