I have seen a rise in administrative residencies. I have mentored pharmacists in these programs and have witnessed first- hand how they foster personal and professional growth and leadership. The graduates of these programs are usually fast tracked into management positions, often supervising pharmacists with years of experience. I imagine that it is difficult to come straight out of residency and manage people with years of experience. Yet, these pharmacists often do a great job because they gain the skills during their residencies to navigate such difficult situations.
I would like to start a conversation though about the clinicians, those working the “front lines.” With new graduates obtaining management positions, what type of career growth can a motivated clinician hope for? In the past, after years of experience, clinicians could often be promoted to management positions. I believe admin residencies developed because of the lack of pharmacy leadership as someone with ten plus years of experience does not always translate into a good manager. However, I wonder if anyone has taken a look at clinician morale with this newer model? Are teams of pharmacists being trained on how to approach the situation when a new graduate becomes their manager? And is there any place for seasoned pharmacists to move into management positions if they have not done an administrative residency? Ultimately, what does career growth look like for the clinical specialist?
I would be interested in hearing other thoughts on this topic.
Diana Isaacs, PharmD, BCPS, BC-ADM, CDE