What is a Residency?

Pharmacy Residency is a period of time during which a pharmacy intern or licensed pharmacist engages in organized, supervised, advanced training in the delivery of pharmacy services.

In Canada, pharmacy residency programs are practice-based and voluntary. They are usually full-time programs of 10-14 months duration. Through structured rotations in pharmacy practice, education, research and administration, residency programs aim to prepare pharmacists for challenging and innovative advanced practice roles.

"Residency training programs have been a well-spring of leadership for innovation and change in professional pharmacy practice . . ."

- Paul G. Pierapoli, AJHP 1990; 47: 113

"One definition of residency is the period of formal education designed to facilitate the transition from [graduate] to practicing professional…Residency is a dynamic process of education as well as of professional and personal growth that is experienced differently from person to person and across time."

- John Campbell, Canadian Family Physician, Sept 2003

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