UK College of Pharmacy, Bluegrass Community Health Partner for New Residency Program

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 10, 2017) — The University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy and Bluegrass Community Health Center have announced an expanding partnership to create a new pharmacy residency program located in Lexington.

The postgraduate year two Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Residency Program is jointly sponsored by UK College of Pharmacy and the Bluegrass Community Health Center. It is the first pharmacy residency program at Bluegrass Community Health Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center and National Committee for Quality Assurance Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home. 

Bluegrass Community Health Center, an authentic interprofessional practice, provides a diverse scope of primary care to patients. This model of primary care, by which physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, clinical pharmacists, licensed clinical social workers, and other medical professionals collaborate to provide and manage comprehensive care for patients, utilize a multidisciplinary team-based approach. The pharmacy residency program presents a unique opportunity in the Commonwealth to expand ambulatory pharmacy residencies.

At this ambulatory practice site, the resident will provide care to underserved, vulnerable and marginalized communities through the development of competencies in individual patient care, team-based care, community partnerships and empowerment, and advocacy at all levels. Through a longitudinal experience, the resident will train and care for diverse patient populations, along with diverse medical staff, through a model that emphasizes integrated behavioral health, population health, culturally-sensitive care and interprofessional practice.

The resident will complete the Teaching Certificate for Pharmacists through the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists in partnership with UK and will collaborate with UK College of Pharmacy faculty on practice-based research projects at the clinic. The resident will also have opportunities to teach and mentor UK College of Pharmacy student pharmacists through elective and advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) courses. Opportunities to provide didactic instruction in the College’s newly reformed and innovative curriculum will be provided as well.

Those interested in the program should contact Craig Martin at craig.martin@uky.edu. Applications for this advanced residency program will become available in early 2017.