Program Overview

The Clinical Pharmacy Residency Program is one of the graduate studies programs held at the Medical City of King Saud University, which is a comprehensive healthcare educational facility with extensive experience in various medical and administrative fields. It aims to change the concept of healthcare management by enhancing educational, training, and research processes and providing healthcare at all levels.

The Clinical Pharmacy Residency Program provides a learning environment designed to develop the pharmaceutical practice for graduates of the College of Pharmacy. The program includes: the general residency in clinical pharmacy and the specialized residency in clinical pharmacy.

The General Clinical Pharmacy Residency Program builds on the sciences and outcomes of graduates of the College of Pharmacy to contribute to the development of pharmacists in professional and clinical practice. It provides opportunities to enhance the knowledge and skills of the pharmacy resident in providing direct patient healthcare in various fields, including critical care, primary care, education, and research. Additionally, it offers the necessary guidance and mentorship from supervisors to develop the leadership skills that serve graduates in dealing with diversity and integration into the healthcare system, making them qualified to complete the board certification or join the specialized residency program in clinical pharmacy. The General Clinical Pharmacy Residency Program at the College of Pharmacy and Medical City of King Saud University is accredited by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, in addition to the accreditation by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).

The Specialized Clinical Pharmacy Residency Program provides intensive training in specialized areas and offers opportunities to integrate acquired knowledge and skills to work independently in delivering specialized pharmaceutical care to patients

. By the end of the program, the resident pharmacist becomes a specialist in their field, providing optimal care for patients and participating in research, education, and community service to support the profession of pharmacy. The specialized residency programs in clinical pharmacy at the College of Pharmacy and Medical City of King Saud University are accredited by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.

Pathways

1- General Clinical Pharmacy Residency PGY-1

The program duration is 24 months, divided into two sections; each part lasts 12 months and starts on the first day of October each year.

The program provides the following key experiences:

1. Pharmacy practice management.
2. Drug information policy and medication use.
3. Clinical services and practice management.
4. Research project.

All pharmacy residents are required to pass all mandatory training courses in the essential fields necessary for clinical pharmacy practice, including internal medicine, infectious diseases, cardiology, and critical care courses. On the other hand, a wide range of elective courses are available for pharmacy residents to pursue individual goals and interests.

2- Specialized Clinical Pharmacy Residency PGY-2

The program duration is 12 months and aims to:

1. Provide advanced training in the subspecialty to increase the number of qualified practitioners in the specialty field.
2. Provide the necessary experience to develop clinical pharmacy practice in various subspecialty areas.

There are seven specializations in the program including: cardiology, internal medicine, critical care, primary care, infectious diseases, oncology, and parenteral nutrition.

Admission Requirements for the Program

Pharmacists or pharmacy students wishing to apply for the residency program must complete the required documents and submit their application electronically through the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties application matching system.

Required Documents

Applicants can view the requirements and conditions before applying to the residency program on the website of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.

Admission to the residency program through the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties occurs in two phases:

Phase One: Application Screening

1. During the application period, applicants must rank their preferences based on priority in specified cities offering the program.
2. All qualified applicants who have submitted their preference lists are evaluated by a selection committee.
3. At the end of the evaluation, each candidate will receive a score out of 100, the "Total Score." This score is based on three elements: cumulative GPA, Saudi Pharmacists Licensure Examination score, and curriculum vitae (CV).
4. The selection process depends on the total score, the applicant list from the commission, and the available seats in the specified program.

At the end of Phase One, qualified applicants are shortlisted.

Phase Two: Matching Phase

After screening, candidates will interview at all training centers and cities they have matched for. The centers evaluate all candidates through personal interviews and create a ranked list. Candidates will also rank all training centers according to their preferences.

Qualifications Required from the Applicant:

1. Must be a Saudi national or hold a permanent residency visa.
2. The candidate must have a Bachelor’s degree in General Pharmacy, Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), or Master’s in Clinical Pharmacy from a college accredited by the Ministry of Education.
3. The applicant must be eligible to obtain a practicing pharmacist license from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.
4. The candidate must submit an application, including a training motivation letter, CV, and three letters of recommendation to be shortlisted for a personal interview.
5. The residency program management committee will submit a ranked list of candidates to the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties for selection purposes.

Study System

Full-time, committed attendance. Training takes place at the Medical City of King Saud University and the College of Pharmacy.

Study System in the General Clinical Pharmacy Residency Program

The program duration is 24 months, divided into two sections; each part lasts 12 months and begins on the first day of October each year.

Structure of the first year (12 months): It consists of nine full-time training rotations; each rotation lasts five weeks. The pharmacy resident must provide comprehensive pharmaceutical services in coordination and collaboration with administrative and support staff, in accordance with the policies and procedures of management and clinical practice, and meet all the requirements and commitments of the pharmacy services staff.

Structure of the second year (12 months): It consists of nine full-time training rotations; each rotation lasts five weeks. The pharmacy resident is required to participate in training activities, including medical team meetings, medical rounds, and other interdisciplinary activities and conferences conducted during the training rotation.

Study System in the Specialized Clinical Pharmacy Residency Program

The program duration is 12 months.

Structure of the third year (12 months): It consists of nine full-time training rotations; each rotation lasts five weeks and is divided into six core rotations and three elective rotations. The types of core and elective rotations differ based on specialization. Elective rotations are developed based on the interests and goals of the pharmacy resident and desired career path. The resident may also choose to repeat core training rotations based on individual objectives and interests.

Curriculum Plan

Pathway One: General Residency Program

First Year:

Second Year:

Pathway Two: Specialized Residency Program

Critical Care Program:

The program aims to enhance the knowledge, competencies, and clinical skills of pharmacy residents in delivering pharmacotherapy to critically ill patients, in addition to participating in research and education. It is designed to provide intensive training focusing on the subspecialties of critical care so that the pharmacy resident gains the specialized knowledge base and clinical skills necessary to qualify for pharmaceutical care for critically ill patients.

Cardiology Program:

The program aims to enhance the knowledge, competencies, and clinical skills of pharmacy residents in providing pharmacotherapy for cardiac patients, in addition to participating in research and education. It is designed to provide intensive training focusing on subspecialties within cardiology so that the pharmacy resident gains the specialized knowledge base and clinical skills necessary to qualify for pharmaceutical care of cardiac patients.

Oncology and Hematology Program:

The program aims to transition residency graduates from general practice to specialized practice and prepare them to be part of multidisciplinary medical teams in the care of cancer patients; with responsibilities in pharmaceutical care. It is designed to provide intensive training that focuses on subspecialties in oncology and hematology so that the pharmacy resident gains the specialized knowledge base and clinical skills necessary to qualify for pharmaceutical care for cancer patients.

Infectious Diseases Program:

The program aims to enhance the knowledge, competencies, and clinical skills of pharmacy residents in providing pharmacotherapy to patients with infectious diseases, in addition to participating in research and education. It is designed to provide intensive training focusing on subspecialties in infectious diseases so that the pharmacy resident gains the specialized knowledge base and clinical skills necessary to qualify for pharmaceutical care of patients with infectious diseases.

Internal Medicine Program:

The program aims to enhance the knowledge, competencies, and clinical skills of pharmacy residents in providing pharmacotherapy to internal medicine patients, in addition to participating in research and education. It is designed to provide intensive training that focuses on subspecialties in internal medicine so that the pharmacy resident gains the specialized knowledge base and clinical skills necessary to qualify for pharmaceutical care of internal medicine patients.

Primary Care Program:

The program aims to enhance the knowledge, competencies, and clinical skills of pharmacy residents in providing pharmacotherapy to primary care patients, in addition to participating in research and education. It is designed to provide intensive training focusing on subspecialties in primary care so that the pharmacy resident gains the specialized knowledge base and clinical skills necessary to qualify for pharmaceutical care for primary care patients.

Parenteral Nutrition Program:

The program aims to enhance the knowledge, competencies, and clinical skills of pharmacy residents in providing parenteral nutrition to patients, in addition to participating in research and education. It is designed to provide intensive training that focuses on subspecialties within parenteral nutrition so that the pharmacy resident gains the specialized knowledge base and clinical skills necessary to qualify for providing parenteral nutrition to patients.