Pediatric pharmacy is a highly specialized field of pharmacy focused on providing care for pediatric patients. The goal of a pediatric pharmacist is to understand the intricacies of the developing physiology of a child and select the proper pharmaceutical therapy for them.
“Children are not little adults,” explained Shirin Madzhidova, PharmD, an assistant professor at PCOM School of Pharmacy and a pediatric pharmacist. “Each child needs individualized care and medication selection.”
Each age, stage of development and condition has its own challenges and considerations that a pediatric pharmacist needs to be aware of and account for when selecting treatment for the patient, she added.
In addition to selecting appropriate pharmaceutical treatments, pediatric pharmacists have another important role according to Madzhidova.
“Pediatric pharmacists are advocates for their patients, educating other specialists—and especially parents—on the dangers of certain medications and their safe use,” she said.
Madzhidova first became interested in pursuing a career as a pediatric pharmacist while volunteering at a children’s hospital as an undergraduate student.
“Once in pharmacy school, I had the opportunity to take a pediatric elective and a few fourth-year rotations in the field, which further solidified my interest,” she added.
Madzhidova completed a PGY1 residency, while continuing to do pediatrics research. Staying connected with her mentor was another important aspect of her career development.
“Mentorship has been a huge factor in me pursuing this career and has led me to where I am today,” she said.
Madzhidova subsequently secured a two-year fellowship in pediatric pharmacotherapy, which focused on the clinical and academic aspects of the field. That training, she explained, prepared her for a role in academia while also maintaining a pediatric clinical practice.
There are several different avenues for becoming a pediatric pharmacist. Most pathways require either additional years of training, or experience in the field. The most common path, according to Madzhidova, is completing a PGY1 residency followed by a PGY2 residency in pediatric pharmacy.
“Another alternative is securing a pediatric-specific PGY1, which is much more rare and difficult to get into, but will provide enough training to enter the field directly,” she said.
Some individuals may choose to seek a pediatric fellowship. The challenge with pediatric fellowships, Madzhidova cautioned, is that there are very few pediatric fellowships available and they are very competitive. Additionally, in most cases, completion of a PGY1 prior to the fellowship is preferred.
Lastly, some pharmacists may choose to pursue the non-traditional route of obtaining experience working in the field without specialized training.
Pediatric pharmacists most commonly work in a pediatric hospital pharmacy either as a staff pharmacist or a clinical pharmacist. They may also work in academia or in specialized pediatric outpatient pharmacies.
“There are many opportunities for a pediatric pharmacist,” Madzhidova said. “There are also many specialized fields in pediatric pharmacy, which are usually in high demand.”
While pursuing postgraduate training in pediatric pharmacy is very important, Madzhidova emphasized there is more to becoming a pediatric pharmacist.
“My advice would be to keep an open mind and try to learn as much about the field as you can,” she said. “The best way to do that is to get connected to someone in the field, or ever better find a great mentor.”
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