Hospital pharmacy departments that have successfully launched non-traditional residency programs for staff pharmacists say that the programs are a win for everyone involved. “I’m surprised more sites aren’t doing this,” said Melanie K. Kuester, residency programs coordinator at the Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in Indianapolis. The Roudebush VAMC launched its nontraditional pharmacy postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) residency in 2009. Participants spend two years alternating between month-long rotations as residents and month-long stints at their regular job. Kuester said in March that two pharmacists have completed the nontraditional program and four are currently enrolled, with two scheduled to complete their final rotation this summer. Two more staff members are expected to begin the training in July. “Ideally, we would love all our pharmacy staff to do a residency,” Kuester said. She explained that residency training enhances pharmacists’ critical thinking skills and boosts their confidence as hands-on practitioners.