Life on the Pharm

Listen along for my experience in the Surgical ICU! I share what a day in the life looks like, what to expect, my take on critical care as well as some of the interesting cases I had the opportunity to see/manage.

Me talking too much about EM? Sounds about right; take a listen!

Welcome back everyone and happy 2022! Starting off the year with catching y'all up on my residency rotation experiences. First up we have my Antimicrobial Stewardship rotation in Sept 2021. I'll be sharing how the service is structure, why I chose this rotation, my day to day duties, and my tips for navigating infectious diseases!

Follow along to stay up to date with my Life on the Pharm!

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SHE'S ALIVE AND WELL! Welcome back to another episode of Life on the Pharm! In today's episode we'll be talking all about my month on my first rotation as a resident, Medication Safety. From my day to day, the projects I worked on, as well as the longitudinal and staffing experiences I had along the way, I'll be filling y'all in on my life as a PGY-1 acute care resident. 

Follow along to stay up to date with my Life on the Pharm!

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mehr.virk/

- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mehronthepharm

- Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0fkmFr0qbWdVDMxRmT5CTP?si=VLRKkHmDQXOlC0z-fbYqpQ&dl_branch=1

- Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifeonthepharmpodcast/

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mehr-virk/

This week we check in at the half way point of residency orientation! I shed some light on my day to day and walk you through some of the different aspects of our program. I spend time getting to know other members of the healthcare team and better understand how pharmacists fit into the bigger picture of patient centered care. I share big news (spoiler: I'm officially a pharmacist) and share my reflection on my CPJE and NAPLEX taking experiences. Be sure to listen along for all of the above and more!

Welcome to Season 2 of Life on the Pharm! We kick off the start of my PGY1 pharmacy residency experience by breaking down my first week of orientation. I meet my co-residents for the first time and learn the lay of the land from the outgoing residents. We had an overview of our year covering staffing, clinical rotations, the teaching certificate, our various longitudinal projects as well as what is to be expected for our orientation. Listen along as I continue my journey to become a pharmacist including my experience taking the CPJE!  

Welcome to the season 1 finale of the Life on the Pharm Podcast! On today's episode, I wrap up my APPE experience, talk about juggling licensure, studying, and residency prep as well as graduating as a Doctor of Pharmacy. Tune in if you're interested to hear my NAPLEX and CPJE study plan, how I've been spending my time between the end of pharmacy school and the start of residency, as well as what's exciting projects are coming in the near future!

We're back with another week in community pharmacy! This week I share with y'all my key takeaways about both verbal and written communication. As pharmacists, we are in the unique position to be accessible for questions and offer clarity and education to the multiple stakeholders that rely on our services. Be sure to tune in to hear my experiences and as well as some tricks/tips to talk the talk and ... write the write? It'll make more sense if you listen along I promise!

Welcome to the beginning of my LAST APPE EVER WOOOO! This week I talk y'all through my first few weeks on my last rotation at a discharge community pharmacy. I share how the pharmacy is set up, what the workflow is like, and which patient populations I've had the opportunity to interact with. I give a closer look at my day to day tasks and wrap up with some of the important interventions I've made and ways that I have truly felt like a pharmacist. Listen along for all the above and more as we take on another week living life on the pharm!

On the second episode this week we wrap up my Acute Care cardiology rotation. I talk about team dynamics and my ~personal~ growth as a student pharmacist. I also share my experience going into the OR! If you were ever wondering what an aortic valve ring annuloplasty ring is and how the left atrial appendage is clipped, this is the episode of you! Listen along as I do NOT miss a beat and say bye to my last inpatient rotation as a student!

Match Day for Phase I has come and gone and I am beyond grateful to announce that I'll be continuing my pharmacy journey at the University of California Davis as an Acute Care pharmacy resident! I knew I wanted to pursue a residency after shadowing a clinical pharmacist in high school but it was the experiences I had in all realms of pharmacy that brought me to where I am today. Listen along as I walk y'all through my journey and answer the question "Why Residency?".

Drake said it best but this week I'll give you my take on juggling a full cardiology service. I talk about my preparation, approach to rounding, and tricks I've picked up on how to become more efficient. I also touch upon navigating rotating interdisciplinary teams and the power of group texts in the workplace. Listen along as I share what life's been like on the pharm all the while waiting for Match results this Friday!

Happy International Women's Day! This week I am joined by a friend of mine, Dr. Emily Hollinghurst. Dr. Hollinghurst is a Board Certified Oncology Pharmacist who specializes in oral oncolytics at a large academic medical center in Southern California. She is a graduate from Loma Linda University School of Pharmacy, completed her post graduate residencies at Loma Linda University Medical Center and is licensed Advanced Practice Pharmacist. In addition to her current duties as a full-time clinical pharmacist, she precepts pharmacy residents and students and teaches Advanced Pharmacology to Nurse Practitioner students. She is a wife and mom of two beautiful children. She enjoys gardening, interior design, cycling, & spending time with family. Dr. Hollinghurst is also an advocate for clean and safe beauty standards and products.

Disclaimer: all views and opinions are Emily Hollinghurst's

This week I share with y'all what I was up to on Week 2 of my acute care cardiology rotation! I share some important skills I was able to reinforce as well as how they played into my residency interviews. I talk about how I integrate into new teams and strategies I employ to show from the get-go what I have to offer as the student pharmacist and how to build rapport with other providers. I also worked my first weekend shift and point out some of the key differences (mostly similarities) to my days inpatient during the week! Join me as we live the dream on another week at Life on the Pharm!

This week we kick off my acute care cardiology rotation! I talk about patient work ups, what rounding looks like, making interventions, and taking the stairs (just listen, it'll make more sense). I also share my experience balancing APPE rotations while partaking in residency interviews. Listen along to hear more about what this week held and how I stepped into the role of my team's pharmacist!

Ever wonder how to make a good impression on rotations? On this week's episode I share with you my tips and tricks for putting your best foot forward. I talk about emailing introductions, starting strong on the first day, and maintaining a good impression throughout the rotation. I talk about how to approach the last day, preceptor gifts, and networking for the future. Listen along as I share my insight and hopefully give you some ideas to carry into your future experiences! 

In this week's episode we talk about all things Ambulatory Care! I share my experience as an APPE student rotating through a primary care clinic and shed light on my daily responsibilities as well as some of the cool projects I have been able to work on. I talk about helping with a COVID vaccine clinic, taking initiative on rotations, and share how this particular rotation changed my view on pharmacy. Listen along as we take a walk through Amb Care!

In this week's episode we'll be talking about the considerations I kept in mind when picking a pharmacy school! Every school offers a unique experience to its students, so how does one decide? Listen along as I share the 10 factors I used to compare programs!

Happy New Year! Join me as we ring in 2021 with answers to Vogue's 73 questions about me, my life, and pharmacy!

Mehry Christmas y'all! On today's episode I'll be talking about navigating the first ~virtual~ ASHP Midyear, how my residency applications are going, the end of my industry rotation, welcoming grandlittles to our fraternity lineage, and my experience receiving the first dose of the Moderna COVID vaccine.

Welcome to the first of 3 holiday episodes of Life on the Pharm! On today's epsiode we'll be wrapping up my emergency medicine rotation, giving y'all some insight into my industry internship, and touching upon what it's like applying for residency. All of this and more as we catch up during this Thanksgiving special!

In today's episode, I'll be sharing with y'all what I was up to during my first week in the Emergency Department! I share with you what my first week was like at a new hospital, how I fit into the Emergency Medicine team, and became my own version of Mehr-idith Grey. This week I got to rock my Figs, attend traumas, sprint to my first code blue, take part in layered learning, get an introduction to RSI, have MANY conversations about antibiotics, set up medications, and so much more! Listen along as I take on ED Week 1!

In today's episode, I'll be sharing with y'all my last 2 weeks in the ICU! I go over preparing and presenting my final presentation in addition to current plans for research presentations at upcoming seminars and conferences. This week I share with you the last of my topic discussions, how to celebrate a birthday in the ICU, what I do between blocks, why goodbyes are the worst, and so much more! Listen along as I take on ICU Weeks 5 and 6!

In today's episode, I'll be sharing with y'all my fourth week of my ICU rotation! I share with you all my experience working in interdisciplinary teams as well as share some interesting disease states I've encountered. This week I made my way back into the ICU full time, jumped back into patient work ups and notes, presented my topic discussions to my preceptors and med student colleagues, watched my first bronchoscopy, gave a TED Talk about the Bachelor, and so much more! Listen along as I take on ICU Week 4!

In today's episode, I'll be sharing with y'all my third week of my ICU rotation which actually ended up taking me to both TOC and the cath lab! I share with you all my discharge counseling experience throughout the hospital and well as witnessing my first angioplasty. This week our cohort attended a conference about all things residency, I worked up my ICU team solely off the patient list, presented my journal club for my midpoint presentation, and so much more! Listen along as I take on ICU Week 3!

In today's episode, I'll be sharing with y'all my second week in the ICU plus a look into my shift in TOC! I share with you all my experience working autonomously in the ICU as well as offer more insight into what isn't taught in pharmacy school. This week I worked up the entire team on my own, gave my recommendations on rounds, was turned to by the physician with questions, evaluated my first imaging results, completed topic discussions galore and so much more! Listen along as I take on ICU Week 2!

In today's episode, I'll be sharing with y'all what I was up to during my week break as well as my first week in the ICU! I share with you all my experience attending a virtual residency showcase as well as an online emergency medicine seminar. This week I started my first direct patient care rotation in the ICU, take you through my daily schedule, talk about what disease states are prevalent, the importance of interprofessionalism, my thoughts about transitioning from being student in the classroom to student on rotations, and so much more! Listen along as I take on ICU Week 1!

In today's episode, I'll be taking y'all along on the last week of my Hospital Operations rotation! I wrapped up my first rotation working in Antimicrobial Stewardship and Medication Use and Safety as well as rounding in the ICU and TNI!  This week I gave my final presentation reviewing Actemra in the treatment of COVID-19, received my RxPrep book, worked with my first remote pharmacist, gave an impromptu presentation about UTIs on rounds, and so much more!  Listen along as I take on Hospital Operations Week 6!

In today's episode, I'll be taking y'all along as I complete med recs in the ED and try my hand at Transitions of Care! This week I was mistaken for a doctor, had my work station moved to the ambulance bay, had my most interesting phone call to date, did patient discharge counseling, and so much more!  Listen along as I take on Hospital Operations Week 5!

In today's episode, I'll be taking y'all along on my longest week yet! This week marks my first month of rotations officially being over! I wrote my first warfarin note, made IV bags on my own, spent time in the Emergency Department, made my first recommendation to a physician, and so much more!  Listen along as I take on Hospital Operations Week 4!

In today's episode, I'll be taking y'all along on my craziest week yet! This week I wrote my first vancomycin note, worked a technician shift on my own, attended a trauma call, presented my midpoint presentation, and so much more!  Listen along as I take on Hospital Operations Week 3!

In today's episode, I'll be taking y'all along on my week of 6AM starts! This week I worked with the pharmacists for the first time, got to practice working through a chemotherapy regimen on paper and in the IV room, attended my first Honor Walk, and realized how the kidneys are the way to a pharmacists heart!  Listen along as I take on Hospital Operations Week 2!

In today’s episode I’ll be talking about how I've spent my time during quarantine as well as how I’m preparing for my first day of rotations!