PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program at Iowa Methodist Medical Center  

The resident's training will be conducted primarily at Iowa Methodist Medical Center. However, nearby clinics and hospitals (all in Des Moines) may serve as practice sites depending on the goals of the resident and the program. Travel to Drake University will be required for academic activities. 

Qualifications

1. Resident candidates must possess a Doctor of Pharmacy degree (or equivalent) from an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited degree program (or one in process of pursuing accreditation) or have a Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Committee (FPGEC) certificate from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP).
2. Resident candidates shall be licensed to practice pharmacy in the state of Iowa or be eligible to obtain licensure by August 1 of the residency year.
3. Resident candidates shall adhere to the rules of the resident matching program process.
4. Resident candidates shall meet all other pre-employment requirements for UnityPoint Health-Des Moines including, but not limited to, a pre-employment physical, drug screen and background check.

Application Requirements

The deadline for receipt of all application materials vis PhORCAS is January 1, 2021. To support public health efforts during the current pandemic, we will align with ASHP recommendations to conduct all interviews virtually. Virtual interviews will be scheduled in January or February. As a part of each interview, candidates will be required to present a 20-minute journal club.

Resident Matching Program

As an ASHP-Accredited site, this pharmacy practice residency program will participate in the ASHP residency matching process. Applicants must be enrolled in the match to be considered for this program. Our ASHP match number is: 153813. More information about the ASHP residency matching process may be obtained at: www.natmatch.com/ashprmp.

Practice Site Overview

UnityPoint Health - Des Moines 

UnityPoint Health – Des Moines is a community health system that incorporates four hospitals and more than 50 clinics to provide care for patients based in the Des Moines area. UnityPoint Health prioritizes coordinated, innovative health care while optimizing the patient experience. UnityPoint Health - Des Moines is comprised of Iowa Methodist Medical Center, Iowa Lutheran Hospital, Methodist West Hospital and Blank Children's Hospital.

Iowa Methodist Medical Center

Iowa Methodist Medical Center is a 450 bed comprehensive medical center and teaching hospital located in Des Moines, Iowa and is the primary teaching site for the residency program. It is the third largest hospital in Iowa. Some of Iowa Methodist's areas of specialization include cancer care, cardiovascular care and surgery, vascular services, critical care, pulmonary care, renal transplant, stroke care, general surgery, orthopedic surgery, physical rehabilitation, bariatric surgery, maternity care, women's services, emergency care, and is one of only two Level 1 trauma centers in the state. 

As a teaching hospital, Iowa Methodist Medical Center offers a variety of residency programs for new health care professionals including medical, pharmacy, podiatry and nursing residency programs.

Blank Children's Hospital 

Blank Children's Hospital is a stand-alone pediatric hospital located on the same campus as Iowa Methodist Medical Center. It offers neonatal and pediatric intensive care, pediatric hematology/oncology services as well as general pediatric care.

Iowa Lutheran Hospital

Iowa Lutheran Hospital is a community hospital located in Des Moines, Iowa. The hospital specializes in cardiovascular care, maternity and women's services, emergency treatment, chemical dependency treatment, behavioral medicine, general surgery, orthopedics, critical care and older adult services.

Methodist West Hospital 

Methodist West Hospital is a state-of-the-art community hospital featuring general medical, adult inpatient services, surgical services, emergency care, orthopedic services and maternity care. 

Department of Pharmacy - Iowa Methodist Medical Center 

Core Learning Experiences

• Hospital Pharmacy Practice (orientation for 4-6 weeks, then longitudinal throughout residency year) 
• General Pediatrics (4 weeks) 
• Infectious Disease (4 weeks) 
• Internal Medicine (6 weeks) 
• Medical Intensive Care (4 weeks) 
• Pharmacy Management (4 weeks) 
• Clinical Management (longitudinal - 4 months)
• Medication Safety (longitudinal - 4 months)
• Teaching (longitudinal - 4 months)
• Ambulatory Care (1 clinic [including diabetes, anticoagulation, and hypertension management], longitudinal throughout residency year, 8 hours/every third week) 

Elective Learning Experiences

• Ambulatory Care (2-4 weeks) 
• Cardiology (2-4 weeks) 
• Emergency Medicine (2-4 weeks) 
• Oncology (4 weeks)
• Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (2-4 weeks)
• Pediatric Infectious Disease (2-4 weeks)
• Pediatric Intensive Care (4 weeks) 
• Renal/Transplant (2-4 weeks)
• Surgery/Trauma (4 weeks) 
• Others as discussed

Staffing Responsibilities

During the residency year, residents will complete a longitudinal staffing rotation. Residents will be required to staff every third weekend on Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Residents will receive a free "comp" day to be used once a month as a day off for staffing weekends. Residents will also be required to work a half-shift in the evening from 3:30-9 p.m. once a week except the week following weekend staffing. Residents will also be required to staff a major holiday and one day surrounding a major holiday. While staffing, residents will be covering assigned floors and activities will include: order verification, clinical consults (vancomycin dosing, warfarin dosing, etc.), medication reconciliation and answering drug information questions from nurses and physicians. Residents will be thoroughly trained their first month of residency, so they feel fully confident staffing. Typically, residents will cover internal medicine and surgical floors with the option to staff more specialized areas later in the year. If desired, residents will also have the opportunity to pick up extra shifts moonlighting for additional pay later in the residency year.

Holidays

Each resident will staff one major holiday and one day either before/after that holiday. 

• Major holidays include: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
• Shift (day or evening) will be determined based on schedule needs.

Projects/Activities

• One clinical/practice research project to be presented at regional resident's conference 
• Medication usage evaluations
• Drug information projects: author or contribute to a formulary monograph and/or class review 
• Completion of one Pharmacy Grand Rounds presentation
• Completion of Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) Resident Course
• Various practice management projects
• Other activities as determined by the program and the resident
• Journal Club in conjunction with medical residents
• Completion of the teaching certificate program through Drake University's College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
• Eighty-five percent (85%) of goals and objectives scored as achieved for residency

PGY-1 Pharmacy Practice Residency Summary Information

• Accreditation: ASHP Accredited 
• Program Code: 61500 
• ASHP Match #: 153813 
• Number of Residents: 3 
• Hospital Size: 450 beds 
• Number of Preceptors: 15 
• Salary: $47,500
• Paid Vacation Days: 10 
• Health Benefits: Yes (medical and dental)
• Staffing: Two eight hour shifts every third weekend, ½ evening shift/week
• Other: Professional meeting attendance (ASHP Midyear and regional residency conference), convenient parking, paid holidays, reference material stipend and clinical appointment with Drake University.