Roisin Sabol, PharmD
Advanced Addiction Treatment Fellow, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System
Resident and New Practitioner Committee Member
Completion of a quality improvement or research project is a common requirement of all ASHP-accredited pharmacy residencies. While many residents seem to dread this aspect of postgraduate training for various reasons, it stood out as one of my favorite components. Over and over, my patient encounters energized me with ideas of innovations I could explore to improve the quality of psychiatric care. That excitement helped me realize my goal of integrating research into my career as a clinical psychiatric pharmacist. I leaned on my mentors to gain a better understanding of how to accomplish this and ultimately chose to pursue a research fellowship after finishing my PGY2 Psychiatric Pharmacy residency. I’m delighted to share some of the insight I learned along the way.
What is a Fellowship?
Postdoctoral fellowships offer highly individualized training, typically over the course of two or more years, to prepare the candidate for a career as an independent clinician-scientist. Fellows spend the majority of their time (at least 70-80%) developing proficiency in research methodology alongside an interprofessional team of dedicated mentors. Some programs also offer formal education through advanced degrees such as a Master of Clinical Science. The fellow’s Individualized Development Plan (IDP) will guide selection of specific experiences that best align with their unique career goals within their field of interest. Activities may include analysis of large datasets, development of pilot projects, publication in peer-reviewed journals, and presentation at scientific meetings. By the end of the program, a fellow may apply for a Career Development Award or other grant funding to support protected research time in the next stage of their career.
Direct patient care is not the primary focus of fellowship, but fellows spend up to 20-30% of their time in clinical settings that are relevant to their area of expertise or interest. Most fellows have already completed specialized residency training, so there is much less time dedicated to clinical supervision. Maintaining some degree of a clinical role complements the skills that were developed during residency and allows you to keep them up-to-date. Additionally, your clinical expertise lends itself to designing relevant, patient-focused research projects that truly have the potential to advance patient care.
How do I Find a Fellowship?
Fellowships are usually offered through academic medical centers, universities, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. Because they tend to be interprofessional in nature, they may be promoted to pharmacists, physicians, psychologists, and other doctoral-level health care professionals. It can be helpful to compare how recent projects among program faculty and staff align to your own interests to identify potential mentors. Programs with an emphasis on research in mental illness, addiction, opioid safety, or pain management may be of particular interest to psychiatric pharmacists.
What are the Application Requirements?
Most programs strongly prefer applicants to have completed specialty residency training already. Each individual program’s website will outline its specific application process, which usually includes a letter of intent, CV, and 2-3 letters of recommendation. Applicants may be invited for a series of interviews with program leadership to determine a mutual good fit. You may be asked to deliver a presentation as part of the interview process.
In summary, research fellowships support essential skill development for a career in a variety of areas, such as academia, government, and leadership. Psychiatric pharmacists who hope to integrate research into their careers may benefit from pursuing a fellowship after residency training.
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