Discovering Your Interests During PGY-1

Author: Madison Silvestri, PharmD, MPH, RPh

Views are my own and do not reflect my employer.

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One message that preceptors, former pharmacy residents, and professors often emphasized was that “PGY-1 is your time to explore your professional interests.” As someone who believed they knew exactly what field they wanted to specialize in, I did not anticipate my interests changing throughout my residency experience. As a student, I loved my critical care rotations, and as a resident, I still enjoyed them. However, I spent a lot of time reflecting on whether this was a setting in which I could thrive, build a long-term career, and leverage my strengths. 

I was fortunate to complete my PGY-1 residency at a program that offered flexibility in creating our schedules, allowing residents to explore areas of interest across a variety of fields beyond the required rotations. Because my longitudinal research project focused on psychiatry, I was eager to explore this specialty further, and I was thrilled that my preceptor was available and willing to precept me during my rotation when I didn’t originally have it on my schedule. I quickly developed a strong appreciation for the field and found the rotation to be very rewarding.

This experience not only deepened my interest in psychiatric pharmacy but also opened the door to new and exciting opportunities. My preceptor asked me if I would like to attend the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP) conference, where I would have the privilege of presenting the research project we had been working on together throughout the year. This was an amazing opportunity, and I was so grateful to have had the experience. 

My story exemplifies how remaining open to new opportunities during residency can uncover passions that may not have been apparent at the beginning of training. Here are a few pieces of advice I would share with incoming pharmacy residents: 

1. Keep an open mind during each rotation experience, as you never know what might spark your interest. Compared to your experiences as IPPE and APPE students, rotations as a resident are very different, especially in terms of autonomy, responsibilities, and expectations. It is often hard to know what you like until you are fully immersed in the field and gain a deeper understanding of a pharmacist's daily responsibilities. 

2. I would recommend that if you are passionate about a specialty area prior to starting residency, take that rotation as soon as you can, so you have time to pivot in the event you don’t see yourself pursuing a career/PGY2 in that field. 

3. Never be afraid to change your mind. Initially, I found it very challenging to change my mind about my future career path. To me, it almost felt like I was giving up on a dream I once had. But allowing myself to be open to new experiences and opportunities helped me find my true “niche”. 

4. Don’t be afraid to say yes to new opportunities. My co-residents and I ranked our research projects in order of preference, and I chose one I felt I knew little to nothing about. However, it is what sparked my interest in the field of psychiatry, connected me with my preceptor, who became a mentor to me throughout residency, and the opportunity to travel across the country to present my research, which I was so proud to share. 

5. Remember that everything happens for a reason, and it will all work out the way it is supposed to!