Practical Things I Used During Residency!

Figuring out what to get to feel prepared for residency can take a lot of searching and each person is so different. By no means are any of these necessary to be a great pharmacy resident or a great pharmacist. These aren’t “Essentials for Residency,” these are things that I used on a regular basis that just made my life easier.

Most of these I purchased over time from the end of P4 year throughout residency, not all at once. I also have another post about Prepping for Residency specifically point #6 has examples of scrubs and moving things that you may want to buy as well so check it out!

So, let’s get started!

A WORK BAG

I’ve pretty much always preferred backpacks/book bags to carry my things!

Having a reliable work bag is so important. Purses, shoulder bags, totes…etc work well too of course. I knew I wanted a backpack that was ‘clean’ looking with minimal pockets and had good back support, shoulder support, and had a nice cushion for my laptop. I always liked the Herschel look so I went with that one. If you are not a fan of Herschel, then take a look at JanSport both of these companies have lifetime warranty which is a plus

• Backpack pictured (and the one I bought) is the Herschel Settlement Backpack ($70.00) Link is HERE (amazon) or HERE (their website). The ONLY thing I didn’t like about this bag, is that those cloth tie accessories that hang from the main zipper come off so easily!

A COMPUTER MONITOR

I got a monitor for my desk at home about halfway through residency year and let me tell you, it was a game-changer! When I was working on projects at the hospital, I had my two huge monitors and then when I came home working off of one tiny laptop screen was NOT cutting it. Once I got this one, I was so much more efficient. There are tons of monitors out there on Amazon and of course tech websites. I didn’t need a fancy one since I’m not using it for video games so I got an affordable one that came with an HDMI cord.

• Tips: find coupons online, wait for a Holiday, look out for sales (like Amazon Prime Day)
• The specific one I bought was Dell 24 Monitor – S2421H that I got during a sale, the Amazon link is HERE. Dell site also has it.
• Tips: Amazon has a large variety of monitors and good deals too! Many for <$100.00 so check there 1st!

TECH ACCESSORIES

Tech accessories definitely make life easier. My personal laptop is a Mac, my monitor, and my work laptop are both PCs so you know what that means…adapters galore! Other tech accessories like headphones and phone chargers were great! I also got a mouse for my home desk set-up.

• Adapter – This was for my home set-up. There are so many out there, this is the one that worked for me: USB C to HDMI Multiport Adapter Tuwejia USB 3.1 Gen 1 Thunderbolt 3 to HDMI ($20.00) Link is HERE and HERE (depending on what type of monitor/computer combo you have)
• A Mouse – this was for my home set-up. The one I bought doesn’t seem to be available anymore but here is something similar: Type C Wireless Mouse, Jelly Comb 2.4G Wireless Mouse USB C Computer Cordless Mice with USB and Type C Receiver, link is HERE
• Headphones – any type will work, as long as it’s reliable and you’re not replacing it every month because it breaks! I had the headphones that came with my phone (good for plugging into my computer for meetings) + I had a wireless pair of headphones too
• Extra Phone Charger that I kept at work, like this

ORGANIZING TOOL(S)

Organization during residency is so important and there are so many tools people use because organizing your day is so personal. I used a combination of a paper notebook (I’m never satisfied with pre-made planners) and also my Outlook calendar
• Paperage Notebook – They have packs of 3 and packs of 1 link is HERE
• Outlook Calendar – this is the platform my hospital used so it was free!

Stationery Items – highlighters, planners, pens, and to-do lists like THIS and THIS

• Tips – Stick to only a few organizing tools at a time or you’ll get lost and it’ll be counterproductive and check out my Reel on how I organize!

WATER BOTTLE & COFFEE MUG

Pretty self-explanatory! I’ve been through several and I mean several coffee mugs that claimed to be spill-proof but I found out the hard way that it wasn’t! I’ll never let go of my Contigo!
• Water bottle – I love this company because there are so many different tops to choose from. Iron Flask Sports Water Bottle – I have a 40 oz one at my place and a 32 oz one I leave at the hospital.
• Coffee Mug – Contigo 72952 Vacuum-Insulated Stainless Steel Travel Mug, 24oz, matte black and it does not spill!

AT-HOME WORKOUT EQUIPMENT

This saved me on multiple occasions – I started residency in 2020 (there was a pandemic) so everything was shut down! These small and inexpensive exercise accessories helped me unwind after work, especially in the cold winter if I didn’t want to go for a walk outside.
• Tips – If you’re not into working out, consider going on walks, or journaling!
• Exercise Bands – Fitness Resistance Bands that gave really me some really good workouts! Linked HERE

If you want more recommendations on fitness equipment I like and workout videos you can do at home or at the gym, check out this post all about it.

I would follow along with FREE youtube videos like THIS and THIS!
HASfit and HeatherRobertson are my go-to’s!

ASSORTED PACK OF THANK YOU AND BIRTHDAY CARDS

I didn’t buy this during residency but wish I had! Would save me trips to the store whenever I wanted to write someone a thank you or say Happy Birthday! An assorted pack is nice because you get a variety of designs
• These can be found anywhere but of course, Amazon has them as well

FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS

I think meal prep is amazing and we love a sturdy container! I have been on the meal prep wave since undergrad and it has always saved me so much money and time! I have a mix of plastic and glass containers that I got from Sam’s Club and Amazon.
• Tips – dishwasher safe containers would be best so you can save time in the event that you do have a dishwasher
• Glass containers – Member’s Mark 24-Piece Glass Food Storage Set by Glasslock, the Link is HERE I must say the downside to this is that I don’t put the lids in the dishwasher because I don’t want the lining to get flimsy (which a couple of the reviews said). Alternatives on Amazon are linked HERE
• Plastic – Rubbermaid 50-Piece Easy Find Lids Food Storage Set The Link is HERE and HERE (amazon link)

I wrote another post about prepping for residency and point #6 has examples of scrubs, moving things, and tech stuff that you may want to consider buying as well so check it out!

That’s it! I hope this was helpful. Let me know on Instagram or down below if you have any additions or questions!

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