The West Palm Beach VA Medical Center’s Post Graduate Year 2 (PGY2) Pain Residency Program was accredited for 6 years by the American Society of Health–System Pharmacists (ASHP). ASHP has the option of accrediting the program for 1, 3, or 6 years. This is the first accredited Pharmacy Residency in Pain Management within the VA system and only one of two in the nation.

The PGY2 Pain Management & Palliative Care Residency Program is designed to provide the resident with advanced knowledge, expertise, common skills and abilities required to provide pain management and palliative care. In addition, the program provides exposure to the development of local and national level pain related policies within the Department of Veterans Affairs. The ultimate goal of the program is to enhance the resident’s competence and skills as a member of the Health Care Team and to obtain an in-depth working knowledge of pain management and palliative care in both the clinical and administrative areas of practice.

The Chronic Non-Malignant Pain Clinic consists of an interdisciplinary team with the following members: Anesthesiologist (Pain Clinic Director), Physiatrists, Clinical Pharmacist, Pharmacy Resident, Nursing Personnel, Pain Psychologist, Addiction Psychiatrist, Acupuncturist, Physical and Occupational Therapists, and Clerical Staff.

The Hospice/Palliative Care Program consists of an interdisciplinary team with the following members: Program Director, Medical Director, Chaplain, Social Workers, ARNP, Pharmacist, Nurse Manager, MDS Coordinator, Dietitian, Hospice Nurses and Nursing Assistants and Volunteers. The resident works as an active member of both of these teams gaining experience in all aspects of pain management and treatment modalities including the pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches to pain management and palliative care.

Rotations

The PGY2 program offers core rotations in pharmacy administration, chronic malignant and non-malignant pain, substance abuse, and pain procedures. Elective rotations include Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rheumatology, Cancer Pain Management at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, and an Inpatient Pain Service rotation at the Tampa VA.