Christopher Bigness, PharmD, BCPS
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM), in collaboration with the Department of Pharmacy Services at the University of Michigan Health (UMH), is recruiting applicants for the PGY1 Managed Care Residency Program.
General Description
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s managed care residency program in collaboration with University of Michigan Health will provide residents with training in evidence-based clinical decision making and program design. Residents will learn and apply skills in the areas of drug information, formulary management, drug utilization review, benefit design, and clinical program implementation and assessment. Participation in research, manuscript preparation and teaching are required. Previous residents have successfully published their work in peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy.
Program Purpose
The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan managed care residency program in collaboration with University of Michigan Health prepares residents to be proficient in several areas of managed care pharmacy, including formulary management, pharmacy benefit design, clinical program development, drug use management and drug information communications. Residents completing this program will be qualified and confident to practice as a managed care clinical pharmacist in a variety of managed care practice settings, such as health plans, pharmacy benefit management organizations and physician groups.
Program Structure
Required Rotations
• Drug Information and Formulary Management
• Utilization Management
• Clinical Programs
• Specialty Pharmacy
• Fraud, Wast and Abuse
• Account Management and Business Development
Elective Rotations
N/A
Additional Longitudinal Activities
N/A
Longitudinal Experiences
• Practice Management and Leadership
• Medication Management
• Outcomes Research
• Writing Project
• Teaching
• Prior Authorization and Staffing
Example Schedule
- July = Orientation, Focus on Staffing
- August = Focus on Staffing, Drug Information & Formulary Management
- September = Drug Information & Formulary Management
- October = Drug Information & Formulary Management
- November = Utilization Management & Specialty Pharmacy
- December = Utilization Management & Specialty Pharmacy
- January = Open Block for Projects
- February = Account Management & Business Development
- March = Account Management & Business Development, Clinical Programs
- April = Clinical Programs
- May = Open Block for Projects
- June = Fraud, Waste & Abuse
Staffing Responsibility
- Every Monday
On Call Responsibility
- Every-other weekend (remote)
Research and Publications Opportunity
- Through the research and writing requirements of the program, the resident has the potential to produce at least two manuscripts suitable for peer-reviewed publication by the end of the residency.
Teaching Opportunity
- Residents will receive a faculty appointment as Adjunct Clinical Instructor with the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy. Experience in rotation-related precepting and in teaching of Pharm.D. students is widely available. In addition, the Resident will gain experience in didactic teaching of Doctor of Pharmacy students at the College of Pharmacy.
Residency Director Information
Christopher Bigness, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacist - Health Outcomes and Clinical Programs
600 E. Lafayette Blvd, MC 512C
Detroit, MI 48226
Email: [email protected]
Preceptors
Chris Bigness
Karen Carroll
Kelly DeJager
Kaylin Eberhard
James Gallagher
Barbara Klos
Christina Link
Millie Mo
Allison Olmsted
Kristen Patti
Trevor Pike
Trish Stievater
Program Assessment Strategy
- The program is structured in accordance with the ASHP Accreditation Standards and ASHP Educational Outcomes, Goals, and Objectives for a PGY1 Managed Care Pharmacy residency and utilizes the Residency Learning System model. This program has a four-part assessment strategy of learning experiences: resident evaluation of learning experience, resident evaluation of preceptor, resident self-evaluation, and preceptor evaluation of the resident’s performance during the learning experience.
Please check out the F.A.Q. for application deadlines and interview dates.