I know I sound crazy, but trust me, by doing a few things over the summer outside of rotations, you will make your next year a little easier. In pharmacy everything is connected and the same drugs are used for different conditions... so why not prepare yourself for more complex conditions. Besides lecture material, the evidence behind therapeutics is always changing and it is important to be up to date since you may not always be given a lecture to address the changes in practice. Other components to stay up to date on include; patient-centered care, insurance, regulations, etc. which change constantly.
Directed studies
If you are lucky enough to have the opportunity to do a directed studies, you 100% should. Depending on the topic, you either build to your previous knowledge or get to learn about a new condition. A directed studies will also teach you how to analyze literature and further patient care.
Podcasts
If you are short on time, add a podcast to your commute or morning routine. There are so many podcasts available that range from updates in therapeutics to patient care.
Videos and Continuing Education
Pharmacy Times offers free continuing education on various topics. All the lessons involve a pre and post "quiz" which allows you to test your knowledge and narrow down what you need to focus on. Videos are also available around discussions in therapeutics and what's new in pharmacy.
News: "What's New?"
If you want to stay up to date with everything pharmacy, the main page always has news for the field. Pharmacy Times also has a subscription service where you can get daily emails for what is in the news, new videos released, or the topic of the day.
Review
It is important to always review past notes, especially therapeutics, since in pharmacy you can't just "forget and move on". Every year, you will build onto your past knowledge and therapeutics will overlap as the conditions become more complex.
For the Grey's Anatomy fans- all drugs, doses, DTPs, ADRs: review and critique
Just watch and quiz yourself during the situation, or educate yourself on new drugs or conditions that come up...but obviously everything in Grey's is not 100% realistic.
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