Pharmacy

The mission of the Pharmacy Residency Program is to offer the opportunities, instruction, and guidance to instill superior skill and caring philosophy in graduates of ACPE accredited pharmacy schools.

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About

Pharmacy residents can expect to be part of a pharmacy team that provides high quality, safe, cost-effective patient care and improves medication use systems to support the mission of John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County.

PGY1 residency programs build upon Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) education and outcomes to develop pharmacist practitioners with knowledge, skills, and abilities as defined in the educational competency areas, goals, and objectives. Residents who successfully complete PGY1 residency programs will be skilled in diverse patient care, practice management, leadership, and education, and be prepared to provide patient care, seek board certification in pharmacotherapy (i.e., BCPS), and pursue advanced education and training opportunities including postgraduate year two (PGY2) residencies.

Upon program completion, the resident will be capable of practicing in a progressive health care organization and contribute to the promotion of contemporary pharmacy services based on total patient needs and organizational requirements and resources. We are proud of what the program has to offer and are seeking residents who are equally committed and excited about this next step in their professional development.

  • Residency Type: PGY1 
  • Duration: 12 months 
  • Number of Positions: 3 
  • Application Deadline: January 2nd 
  • Approximate Starting Date:  July 1
  • Estimated Stipend: competitive 
  • Interview Required: Yes; virtual
  • Interview Notification: Early February 
  • Benefits included 
  • ASHP Code: 41013

Application

General Requirements

General Requirements for application to the PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency program:

  • Doctor of Pharmacy degree or anticipated graduation with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from an ACPE-accredited College of Pharmacy
  • Eligibility for licensure in the state of Illinois
  • Personal and leadership qualifications for successful completion of a residency program
  • U.S. Citizenship or eligible for employment in the U.S.

Specific Requirements & Deadlines

To apply to the PGY-1 Pharmacy residency, application materials must be submitted by January 2nd.  This deadline is necessary for us to evaluate potential candidates in time for interviews before the match deadline.

The following must be submitted via PhORCAS:

  • Current Curriculum Vitae (include completed and anticipated rotations)
  • Letter of Interest stating why the applicant desires a residency at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County
  • Most recent official pharmacy school transcripts
  • Three (3) letters of reference;  clinical preceptors preferred

Interview invitations will be sent from late January to early February. Virtual interviews will take place in mid-February.

For additional questions, please contact Dr. Molly Rockstad, pharmacy residency coordinator: [email protected].

Clinical Schedule

Required Block Rotations

  • Orientation (3 weeks)
  • Medicine (5-6 weeks)
  • Critical Care – one of the following (5-6 weeks)
    • Medical ICU
    • Surgical ICU
    • Trauma ICU
    • Burn ICU
  • Administration (5-6 weeks)
  • Professional Development (2 weeks)
  • Service Commitment (3 weeks)

Required Longitudinal Rotations

  • Ambulatory Care – choose up to 2 (total of 12 months)
  • Leadership and Management (4 months each)
    • Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Committee
    • Drug Shortages Committee
    • Medication Safety and Drug Utilization Evaluation Service
  • Pharmacy Services (12 months)
  • Research (12 months)
  • Teaching and Learning (12 months)

Curriculum

The residency program consists of structured learning experiences coordinated by departmental professionals with expertise in providing comprehensive integrated pharmacy services. The resident’s learning experiences will assure an understanding of patient-oriented pharmacy services integrated with the overall delivery of care.

Learning experiences are designed as either block rotations, which will serve as the full-time practice area for the designated number of weeks, or longitudinal rotations, which consist of commitments spread over several months.

With few exceptions, scheduling of rotations is determined by resident request. For those wishing to pursue a PGY2, an effort will be made to schedule rotations of interest in the first half of the year.

Graduation Requirements

To be awarded a certificate of program completion, PGY1 residents must also complete the following activities/documents, which are those commonly required of practicing clinical pharmacists. Each activity is associated with a required longitudinal rotation as follows:

  • Research
    • Major Project
      • Proposal/Project Plan
      • Poster Presentation at ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting
      • Verbal Presentation at Great Lakes Pharmacy Resident Conference
      • Final Manuscript suitable for publication
    • Leadership & Management
      • Minor Projects
        • Medication Safety project or Drug Use Evaluation (min 1)
          • Proposal/Project Plan
          • Final Report (written or verbal)
        • Drug class review, monograph, treatment guideline, protocol, utilization management criteria, and/or order set (min 1)
      • Teaching and Learning
        • Verbal Education
          • 2 ACPE approved CPE presentations
          • Case Presentations or Journal Clubs (min 2)
        • Written Education
          • Pharmacy newsletters
        • Practical Training
          • Teaching Certificate

Staffing

Practicing as an independent licensed pharmacist is an integral component of your experience as a resident. PGY1s staff inpatient floors every third weekend, both Saturday and Sunday, throughout the residency year as part of the longitudinal Pharmacy Services rotation. Typical responsibilities include but are not limited to pharmacokinetic monitoring, anticoagulation monitoring, drug information consults, and patient counseling. The Pharmacy Services rotation also includes coverage of the non-formulary consult service and code response team on a rotating basis Monday-Friday. Residents will also gain experience staffing in central pharmacy and ambulatory services Monday-Friday during the block Service Commitment rotation.

Pharmacy
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