Rotation Schedule

All residents receive orientation and training in July before embarking on clinical rotations. Rotation blocks are 4-5 weeks in duration, for a total of 10 blocks throughout the residency year. All residents will be assigned 9 core blocks and may select 1 elective learning experience. Longitudinal clinics are scheduled as two blocks that are approximately 12-14 weeks in length. Longitudinal administrative responsibilities and committee work extend throughout the year. Residents receive 9 calendar days for research, which are generally scheduled in late December. Residents receive 15 calendar days for administrative and quality improvement projects, which are scheduled throughout the year.

Sequencing of Learning Experiences

The PGY2 oncology resident receives orientation to oncology specific activities and operations in the first month of the program. Core rotational learning experiences are scheduled prior to elective courses. The oncology resident will be exposed to a broad range of supportive care topics, chemotherapy and immunotherapy, and other treatment modalities employed in the treatment of different malignancies. Elective rotations will supplement the residents’ professional interests. Longitudinal learning experiences in administration, research and teaching will fortify the resident’s understanding of different facets of oncology pharmacy seen within the healthcare system.

Core Rotations

• Orientation (4 weeks)
• Inpatient Malignant Hematology (5 weeks)
• Inpatient BMT/Cellular Therapy (5 weeks)
• Inpatient Medical Oncology (4 weeks)
• Ambulatory Hematology/BMT Clinic (5 weeks)
• Ambulatory Breast and Melanoma Oncology Clinics (4 weeks)
• Ambulatory Gastrointestinal and Gynecologic Oncology Clinics (5 weeks)
• Ambulatory Thoracic, Sarcoma, Genitourinary Oncology Clinics (4 weeks)
• Investigational Drug Services (3 weeks)

Longitudinal Experiences

• Oncology Operations
• Oncology Practice Administration & Quality Improvement
• (MUE, P&T monograph, QI project, Medication Safety Evaluation)
• Weekly Roundtable Topic Discussions (supportive care, disease states)
• Research
• Teaching

Longitudinal Clinical Rotations

• Oral Oncolytics/Specialty Pharmacy (1/2 day clinic for 12-14 weeks)
• Symptom Management Clinic (1/2 day clinic for 12-14 weeks)

Electives

• Immunocompromised Infectious Disease Service
• Pediatric BMT
• Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
• Symptom Management Clinic
• Any rotation offered as a required experience
• Off-site oncology practice 

Operational Training

All oncology residents receive comprehensive training in the inpatient chemotherapy and outpatient infusion center areas during the orientation block, including formalized training in sterile compounding, aseptic technique, and hazardous drug compounding.

Staffing

Operational staffing occurs longitudinally and takes place approximately every third weekend spanning throughout the residency year for a total of 16 weekends. This is inclusive of 1 major holiday and 2 minor holiday weekends. PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy residents staff in 2 areas – the inpatient chemotherapy pharmacy at Parnassus and the outpatient infusion center at Parnassus. 

Project Selection

All projects are of a scope suitable for publication. The oncology residents receive project proposal submissions from the oncology pharmacy preceptors and faculty for considerations as a research project. Projects are reviewed for feasibility and appropriateness of timeline for the resident research process by residency leadership. The list developed in this forum revolve around clinical outcomes in the management of hematology/oncology patients, the value of clinical pharmacist services, and/or focus on quality improvement initiatives such as drug safety, optimal medication uses and cost-effective drug use. The vetted projects are presented to the oncology residents during orientation for consideration. Residents rank the research projects based on interest prior to selection and assignment by the Residency Program Director.

Research Training

PGY2 oncology residents participate in the UCSF Research Certificate Program and will gain skills in adhering to a research timeline, creating an appropriate study design and methodology, completing data collection and analysis and summarizing research findings. Residents are enrolled in the Designing Clinical Research course that is part of the Summer Clinical Research Workshop. This interprofessional curriculum within the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics guides residents through modification of their research proposal and creation of a version suitable for submission to the UCSF Institutional Review Board. For projects requiring more advanced statistics, residents also receive support to work with the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) in order to complete analysis.

Poster & Platform Presentations

All projects are of a scope suitable for publication. Projects are presented as posters at the Vizient Pharmacy Network Poster session that precedes the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting, as well as the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association annual meeting. Residents will provide a platform presentation of their research in the spring at the Northern California Oncology Pharmacy Network Annual Residency Forum. Final project write-up should be in a format suitable for journal submission.

Resident Research Projects

Teaching Instruction

Teaching is a focus of the residency at UCSF, and residents receive a Teaching Certificate upon program completion if they complete the required elements of the program. The certificate recognizes the significant contributions and skills that are attained during the residency year. Residents receive training in teaching methodology, precepting and small group conference facilitation through a variety of educational seminars that are planned during the year.

Teaching Experiences

Teaching opportunities may include the following:

• Large group teaching
  • Oncology Therapeutics Lecture (School of Pharmacy)
  • Continuing Pharmacy Education, UCSF Health
  • Regional Journal Club/Case Presentation (California Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Network)
• Interprofessional education
  • Rotation based in-service presentations to nursing and provider staff
• Small group facilitation
  • Conference leader in the Oncology Therapeutics courses (School of Pharmacy)
• Conducting an OSCE exam (School of Pharmacy)
• Precepting IPPE and APPE students on clinical rotations and project-based work