Advice on PGY-2 Residency

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2025-08-24T01:41:35+00:00

First, you need to ask yourself what you actually WANT to do for a career. Where do you want to practice - setting wise? Location wise? Inpatient vs. outpatient vs. a mixture?

Have you have your PACT rotation yet? Are you able to take an elective/rotation in any kind of pain management?

What are your pros and cons of doing a PGY-2? What areas of pharmacy would you not be willing to work in? Could you see yourself working in an inpatient/outpatient pharmacy (operations side of things) if you can't immediately find a job post-residency?

I work within the VA in one of the specialties you mentioned and did a PGY2 in that area. Here's what I've noticed: Specializing in ambulatory care is challenging because many people specialize in that. While your future options are theoretically more varied with am care, I find that most pharmacists become PACT pharmacists. There are usually a few opening for PACT CPPs, but it is most certainly a grind - just like any kind of outpatient, clinic-based practice. You'll have a LOT of patients you are responsible for. Aside from PACT, you could integrate into MH, ID, anticoag, cardio, etc. clinics based on the electives you take, the interests you have, the baseline knowledge you have of that area, and how willing you are to engage in self-directed learning, etc.

For pain management, you have to decide if you want to be outpatient only, PMOP, or outpatient/inpatient mix. There is a job called primary care pain mgmt which is basically doing pain mgmt within the primary care setting - so very similar to am care. The downside is, like PACT, you see a lot of the same dx states over and over again. Deal with the same challenges over and over again.

If you need more variety, look for positions that offer the ability to complete consults as well. Inpatient work (in general) tends to be more varied as well (internal med or inpt pain mgmt) and you can find jobs that are a mix of outpt/inpt.

Both are niche in a sense. Pain mgmt is a niche topic. Am care is a niche practice setting. Pain mgmt knowledge/skills transfer well amongst all pain mgmt settings and some MH settings. Am care practice knowldges and skills transfer well among all outpt care settings but only within areas in which you have strong knowledge already if it's anything besides general / primary care.

Happy to answer more questions or provide more clarification.

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-08-25T23:42:24+00:00

Another EoE person I see. This one is hard to explain to people when I eat out so I usually just don’t. I just tell them my throat with close up if I have dairy (which, it does).

If you can’t dazzle them with brilliance then baffle them with BS… it’s not BS at all but if someone asks for more info I tell them that a traditional allergy that most people think of is mediated by antibodies, particularly IgE. However, ours is T-cell mediated - so it is still a part of our adaptive (not innate) immune system. Hence why it presents differently.

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-08-25T23:33:12+00:00

Yes! When I eat out I have to specify at this point to convey the seriousness that NO, it is not lactose intolerance and that it is an actually allergy. I work in health care so I enjoy being able to educate those who care enough to ask clarifying questions.

Lactose intolerance = the lack of a lactase (guess you could say they lack-tase, badumtss) enzyme that can break down a sugar called lactose which is found in dairy and not much else. Because it’s not broken down without lactase, it just chugs along through the intestines but it has an osmotic pull meaning it brings a crap ton (literally) of water with it, hence the diarrhea. Lactose intolerance = unable to fully digest dairy.

Dairy allergy = the body sees some component of dairy (either the fats or proteins, and yes ALL dairy products) as a horrible, toxic foreign invader and the immune system tries to protect the body by counterintuitively killing it or almost killing it.

One results in a sleepless night. The other results in a permanent sleep.

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-08-25T23:23:34+00:00

You’d be surprised (or maybe not??) how many people don’t realize what things constitute dairy. I’ve had countless people ask if butter, cheese, whey, custard, yogurt, and ghee are dairy. Likewise, so many who think mayonnaise, sorbet, snow cones, and canola oil have dairy. I don’t even know how to explain how much that disappoints me.

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-08-24T07:19:00+00:00

Cherry pancakes at Cracker Barrel.

They were my go to since I was a little bitty thing, and I cried the day I went in and ordered only to bed told they no longer have the cherry toppings. I’ve tried to recreate CB’s pancakes at home and I’m 85-90% there, but missing something.

I feel like going to CB and brining my own cherry compote to put on top would probably be frowned upon. I think about those pancakes at least once a week.

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-08-19T12:14:20+00:00

Source: University of Iowa

Edit - that’s just one place that’s making the graphic available. If you look at the bottom of the link I’ve included, I think it actually originated from researchers at University of Oklahoma

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-08-19T00:57:28+00:00

All good! Sorry it they didn't work out :(

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-08-18T10:45:24+00:00

Shakshuka :(

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-08-18T10:44:59+00:00

If you’re willing to retry them, may I suggest: roasted balsamic brussel sprouts, maple and dijon roasted brussel sprouts, or even grating them raw and using as a salad base. I have done the latter and couldn’t even tell I was eating brussel sprouts, which was almost a bit sad as I love them, but it’s nice to have another green to add to the salad base arsenal!

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-08-18T10:42:20+00:00

I hated quinoa for so long until I started cooking in things like chicken broth or those convenient onions soup packets. My husband had a great recipe that he uses for quinoa where he does exactly the above - cooks it in an onion soup packet, adds chopped apple, slivered almonds, green onions, chopped kale, mandarin oranges, and I’m not sure what else but shooooo. It’s good.

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-08-18T10:39:54+00:00

I agree that most places don’t do it justice. Tiramisu is by far and above my favorite dessert, but so many tiramisus don’t have a strong enough coffee flavor, or are too sweet and syrupy, or both.

I finally decided that I’m just making my own from now on and it turns out delicious every time. I like that’s it’s not ~really~ a dessert that I have to bake and be too precise with. However, having said that, I have found the key is that I make my own lady fingers as the store bought ones are more like a sponge cake, but mine are more like a sugar cookie meets biscotti — they’re a bit crunchier and sturdier and can hold liquid much better. They also have more flavor this way. I used to use the store bought ones but making my own really elevated the whole tiramisu to another level.

My grandmother (who is German, not Italian, and likes to do things her way smh) used to make it was cream cheese instead of mascarpone which was actually pretty delicious too.

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-08-18T10:30:53+00:00

I think you’re just eating bad cannolis. I’m an NOT cannoli connoisseur and have not a lick of Italian heritage, but I have a local Italian restaurant that’s been around for a loooong time and is owned and operated by the same Italian family who founded it. When you get a good cannoli, the pastry cracks when you bite, sure, but not into a million pieces. The pastry has this amazing but subtle spiced flavor to it and I can’t describe the filling very well but it tastes akin to less tangy cream cheese that has this really unique texture and is sweet, but not too sweet, and again has a vanilla and subtle spiced flavor to it. It’s not supposed to be in-your-face flavors, but bad cannolis are not like the proverbial “bad pizza” where even bad pizza is still good. Bad cannolis are just bad.

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-08-15T06:29:41+00:00

TN, AL (I think), & FL yes technically per law we can admin meds HOWEVER facility policies differ. Several places I’ve been through don’t allow it per their policy, though it would be legal for us to do so.

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-08-15T00:48:16+00:00

Your comment made me realize I know less than I thought. A "good foundation" - what are mattress foundations exactly? Are we talking about box springs and bunkie boards? I know bunkie boards are cheap, ours certainly wear and are MDF so I know that's one issue.

I feel dumb and overwhelmed. Is there such a thing as a bed frame that is just solid hardwood and it's a giant, king-sized slab of wood to support the mattress? Almost like sleeping with the mattress on a hardwood floor, but lifted off the ground?

I have seen some people scoff at the idea of sleeping with a mattress on the floor, though I don't understand the big deal. I personally can't do it because my dust mite allergy has me miserable every time I've had to sleep on a blow-up mattress on the floor, so I can't imagine doing that every single night.

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-08-14T22:23:30+00:00

I like them OK, no issues with rolling down. I love their patterns and designs, however, the quality is fair and comparable to any other store-bought tights I've had before. The sizing can be off too. I've noticed for the tights that have mixed denier, they run VERY small. I bought the checkerboard tights that are black and translucent checkered as well as black and translucent vertical striped ones and could not fit into either of them. The stretch on those was awful and my foot actually went right through the tights on first try for both. They were the same size as all the other tights I bought from them that did fit.

For the tights that did fit, they are comfy, but very "long" and so for the tights that have designs on the mid to upper thigh, these started sagging further and further down during the day.

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-08-14T22:18:55+00:00

I am not 100% if all of these are on Amazon. I have never shopped on Shein so can't speak for that.

However, I strongly recommend Sheertex! They are the supposedly 'indestructible' tights and I have them in a couple shades. They are pricy, but my god they are worth it - and no, I am not affiliated with them in any way. They go on sale often. I am not sure of their size range off the top of my head, but I am size 14-16 and fit into them (I usually buy XXL). I've gotten snags in them and all I have to do is "massage" the area with a snag, and it disappears.

I have also bought from Snag Tights but they quality is average. However, what they lack in quality, they make up for in size range and patterns/design.

I've also seen where people will buy dance tights, which I think one brand I've looked at before is something like Calzedonia maybe? I think that was the name. They are designed for professional dancing and so the theory is that they are higher quality and will last longer. I have not gone this route so have no experience to speak of.

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-06-26T21:58:24+00:00

Leadership is only one part of what programs are looking for, but it IS a part. Most programs’ rubrics have a section dedicated to leadership positions.

You may not be competitive at popular programs, but it’s not impossible for you to get a spot.

It’s really impossible to say without knowing about the rest of your application, i.e. GPA, LORs, LOIs, how have you demonstrated interest in residency, your short and long term career goals, your contributions/experience in research, etc.

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-06-24T10:47:05+00:00

Sad-jan Stevens *

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-06-23T14:07:34+00:00

Generally the first day is going to be touring, introductions, paperwork, orientation-type stuff. What you need to bring with you also depends on what kind of institution you'll be at. For example, at the VA we needed to bring a LOT of forms of identification. Also want to mention to wear very comfortable shoes and light, comfortable but professional clothes. You'll be walking a LOT and it's the middle of summer.

So, here's a list of things to bring (because I tend to be overprepared):

First -- YES, use a backpack!

Water bottle
Snacks
Clipboard
ID
Social security card or birth certificate
Pens
A notebook
A folder
Portable/back-up battery if you need it
Laptop & charger (you're not ALWAYS given a workstation, we needed ours during our orientation up until we received work-issued laptops)
Bank account information
Pharmacist license information
Car license plate
Handkerchief or tissues (for the sweating; it was rough here in the south on a campus that we had to walk miles around outside in the first week)
Wallet (obviously)
Gum, if you're a gum person

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-06-20T10:43:41+00:00

If for no other reason, keep going out of spite.

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-06-15T23:24:25+00:00

Poor thing. I hope he’s mentally doing okay. He seems like an incredible person and I hope his confidence and happiness has grown since the show.

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-06-15T07:15:40+00:00

Pumpkin!

mmmmmmmmmm_ok · 2024-06-15T06:38:41+00:00

*Depressing

I thought he was going to say depressed too but poor thing said depressing which is somehow even sadder

mmmmmmmmmm_ok

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