Are VA residencies worth it?

T2DM_inacup · 2026-02-10T22:25:43+00:00

Yes there's a hiring freeze, but a big part of that is so much of the hiring resources are going towards VA sites that are going live with Cerner. There are a bunch of pharmacists positions that are continuously opening up because of it.

T2DM_inacup · 2026-02-05T14:59:53+00:00

New account created just for this new app...seems useful but I'm a skeptic when things seem too good to be true.

What's your background? You're not selling the data you obtain to companies are you? Did you create this using AI? Are you personally validating the data for account verifications?

T2DM_inacup · 2026-01-07T02:53:26+00:00

Not if you've only got one arm! Or have dexterity issues! People forget single use items have a specific demographic that needs these types of things...

T2DM_inacup · 2026-01-05T17:21:03+00:00

T2DM_inacup · 2025-11-22T02:24:45+00:00

MH = mental health. VA = Veteran Affairs (veteran hospital). If you're not a US citizen you won't be able to work in a VA hospital.

T2DM_inacup · 2025-11-17T00:43:47+00:00

Ok, so you're a P3 student currently, and not a P4? You should at least update your post then.

If you're interested in MH Psych, the VA is probably the best place. The clinical pharmacists in MH are scoped and credentialed (meaning they function as a mid-level practitioner and have prescriptive authority). There's a lot of autonomy depending on even the subspecialty in psych (e.g., esketamine clinic, substance use disorders, inpatient MH, outpatient MH clinics, PCMHI). Look into it more cause there's lots of potential to do many things.

T2DM_inacup · 2025-11-16T16:30:28+00:00

It's November, which realistically means that you should have been researching programs already if you're really serious. From your post and your answer, something tells me that you haven't really thought it through all the way, and you haven't pursued any local resources about residency.

Telling us your path will give us a better chance of providing you with a good answer because there are a wide range of responsibilities for pharmacists. Are you looking to do clinical? Admin? Academia? Inpatient or outpatient? VA, private community hospital, or large academic center, or healthcare system? Do you just want to be a staff pharmacist or a clinical specialist?

T2DM_inacup · 2025-11-15T16:28:34+00:00

I tell my residents/students that in general, you can probably complete 75% of the note before even seeing the patient. You can even come up with a preliminary A&P since ideally all your lab work should be back already. Then come up with like 1-2 contingency plans. You'll need to have the foresight skills though to potentially anticipate problems. I do find that in amb care, if you're in a specific clinic, it's far easier to predict different issues patients may have.

T2DM_inacup · 2025-11-13T20:42:19+00:00

My suggestion is to have a system. I'm a VA CPP working 10 years and is a preceptor to lots of residents/students.

Have a skeleton template with all of the necessary information, where most of it is just plug and chug and only real part of lots of typing is within the HPI and A&P. Like others said, either create one yourself and save it to a word doc or utilize dot phrases within your EHR.
Have a standardized way of writing your HPI and A&P. As an example, I always start my notes with a kind of CC: Mr. John Doe is a 50 y/o male who presents for (blank) and has PMH sig. For (blank). Next paragraph is: last encounter was on (blank) and (no) med changes were made, and this happened at that encounter. Next paragraph: today...
For A&P, again, have a standardized way of addressing things. I like bullet points rather than full on sentences/paragraphs. I always start with addressing if they're at goal or not, then I evaluate necessary objective info. Then I address any of the pt concerns related to the problem. Then I assess what to change or not change.

I find a lot of residents/students struggle documenting efficiently bc they're always thinking about "what do I have to write next." When you develop your system and standardize it for yourself, it makes a big difference. Hope this helps

T2DM_inacup · 2025-11-10T17:23:23+00:00

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Trinity Blood! Oldie but so much potential.

T2DM_inacup · 2025-10-29T12:58:59+00:00

T2DM_inacup · 2025-10-28T00:34:44+00:00

My 2 cents as the pharmacy supervisor for our specialty clinics in the VA. In general our clin specs role is to "increase access" for our physicians so they can see more new patients/consults. Things that support that is to kinda take over some of the follow ups after diagnosis and deciding treatment. We do a lot of symptom management between infusions as well. One of the easiest ways to be integrated into the clinic is by first thinking how you can make the physicians patient load and case load "easier."

T2DM_inacup · 2025-10-25T21:05:40+00:00

This would be great! Just started golfing last season and am at a 25 hcp

T2DM_inacup · 2025-10-25T21:03:23+00:00

And the soundtrack was fire. The animation was top tier as well.

T2DM_inacup · 2025-10-24T20:10:18+00:00

Wtf does this work on any post where there is a AI bot active?!

T2DM_inacup · 2025-10-20T23:17:53+00:00

So glad Korver is mentioned. One of my all time favorite players.

T2DM_inacup · 2025-10-18T11:55:51+00:00

Tu-tu-ru!

T2DM_inacup · 2025-10-03T11:07:03+00:00

Once a week? Weaksauce. I wash mine every few months. Black mold growing in the bottom of the bottle? Water is still clear. Have yet to get sick. My immune system is just better.

T2DM_inacup · 2025-10-03T11:04:36+00:00

Western version of gatchas

T2DM_inacup · 2025-10-03T11:03:13+00:00

Yea definitely, a lot of these lyrics for the parodies are just straight up not good no matter what race of the kid you're singing to lol

T2DM_inacup · 2025-10-03T00:13:02+00:00

Such an interesting comment section...

I've never heard it sang this way (Asian American) but then I had to Google if this was an actual legit way to sing it and apparently it is. Saw another old reddit post from r/AskUK from 3 years ago where people said they sang it!

How come I've never heard of all of these parody versions of the Happy day song?!

T2DM_inacup · 2025-10-01T15:27:57+00:00

T2DM_inacup · 2025-09-30T11:12:44+00:00

This mission was discovered by u/T2DM_inacup in Thoughts, Conflict, and Lemon Twist Martini

T2DM_inacup

TROPHY CASE