A residency is an organized, directed postgraduate training program in a defined area of pharmacy practice.  It exists to provide knowledge, experience, and skills to function as a competent practitioner.

Residencies are divided into post-graduate year 1 (PGY1) programs or post-graduate year 2 (PGY2) programs. 

A PGY1 residency (previously termed Pharmacy Practice Residency) offers generalized training in a variety of practice settings.  The major outcomes of a PGY1 residency include:
   - manage and improve the medication use process
   - provide evidence-based, patient centered medication therapy management with
     interdisciplinary teams
   - exercise management and practice leadership skills
   - demonstrate project leadership skills
   - provide medication and practice based education/training
   - utilize medical informatics
   - other "elective" outcomes 

A PGY2 residency (previously termed Specialty Residency) offers more focused training in a specific area of pharmacy practice.  Persons looking to complete a PGY2 residency should have completed a PGY1 residency or equivalent experience (3-5 years of practice).  The major outcomes of a PGY2 residency include are specific to the area of practice, but will:
   - build upon what was learned in the PGY1 experience
   - apply skills learned in the PGY1 experience to a specific patient
     population/practice setting