Pharmacy Residency Program
PGY-1 Residency
Our ASHP-accredited PGY-1 program has been training residents since 1984. This one year program provides the opportunity to develop advanced pharmacy practice skills in a progressive community hospital setting.
Upon completion of this training program, residents are prepared to successfully assume clinical pharmacy roles within health-systems practice.
Virtual Open Houses 2022
November 15th, 2022: 9AM - 12PM
November 16th, 2022: 1PM - 4PM
Please join us for the ASHP Virtual Residency Showcase on December 15th, 2022 from 9AM - 3PM CST.
Purpose
Individuals who complete the PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency program at UnityPoint Health - Meriter will possess skills necessary to provide comprehensive pharmaceutical care to a diverse group of patients. These skills include communication, critical thinking and education about drug-related therapy to colleagues, other healthcare professionals, pharmacy students and patients. Residents will be responsible for providing clinical pharmacy services that achieve optimal health care outcomes for their patients. They will exercise leadership in healthcare by developing protocols that promote medication safety. You will demonstrate professional maturity by following a personal philosophy of practice that promotes self-directed learning, ethical integrity, respect for others, and commitment to the pharmacy profession.
As defined by ASHP PGY1 program purpose:
PGY1 pharmacy residency programs build on Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) education and outcomes to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists responsible for medication-related care of patients with a wide range of conditions, eligible for board certification, and eligible for postgraduate year two (PGY2) pharmacy residency training.
Rotations
Each Resident's rotation schedule is customized to meet his or her individual needs and interests. The rotations are available in the following practice areas with dedicated preceptors who have extensive clinical experience. Of note, many of the electives were originally created to meet a training desire.
Core Residency Rotations
Longitudinal
- Practice management
- Staffing
- Medication Safety
- Precepting
Required Block
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
- Cardiology
- Critical care
- Drug Policy
- Infectious diseases
- Internal medicine
- Nutrition support
- Orientation
- Pharmacotherapy lab
- Psychiatry
Elective Rotations
- Anticoagulation Stewardship
- Emergency Medicine
- Intermediate Care
- Neonatology
- Obstetrics
- Pain Management
- Perioperative Care
Feedback
One of our goals is to help you refine your self-assessment skills. Rotation based feedback will be facilitated by PharmAcademic. The program director will meet quarterly, at minimum, individually with the resident to assess their progress on rotation goals/objectives, longitudinal project/activity requirements, and career development and placement.
The UnityPoint Health - Meriter Advantage
Preceptors
The preceptors here are top-notch and bring clinical expertise to your training. They are actively involved within our organization to advance pharmacy practice and these efforts often extend to state and national professional organizations.
Learn more about the preceptors here.
Projects
The major projects Residents undertake have lasting impact within the department and organization. This yearlong endeavor matches you with a preceptor to assist in successfully completing this requirement. Topics of study depend on your interests and department and organization priorities. The Resident will design and conduct a practice related project. The objectives of which are to identify a topic, perform a literature search, design a study to include IRB approval and funding as applicable, implement the study, provide data analysis and present the findings. This will be shared within the department and also at the Great Lakes Pharmacy Residency Conference in the spring. Examples of major projects conducted include:
- Impact and implementation of a postsurgical blood glucose control team
- Impact of daily pharmacist-directed evaluation of continuous sedation in the intensive care unit
- Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis assessment using automated tools
- Procalcitonin as a laboratory marker of response to antibiotic therapy; a prospective observational study of the correlation between procalcitonin levels and clinical improvement
- Effect of maternal magnesium treatment on neonatal feeding tolerance
- Interprofessional process improvement to optimize medication regimens of psychiatric patients
- Ketamine and propofol versus propofol monotherapy for procedural sedation
Teaching
Transitioning from the classroom and rotations to a responsibility for education takes some preparation. During our program you will have opportunities to develop and refine your teaching skills by utilizing the following:
- UW Integrated Pharmacotherapy Skills Lab
- UW Teaching Certificate Program
- Experiential education of students (IPPE/APPE)
- Precepting rotation
How to Apply
Deadline for submission - December 26th
Interested Applicants Must:
- Be graduates of an ACPE-accredited College of Pharmacy
- Participate in the ASHP Resident Matching Program
- Be eligible for licensure to practice pharmacy in Wisconsin
- Participate in an interview in January or February
Submit the following materials through PhORCAS
Standard information
- Basic demographics
- Verified transcripts
- Curriculum vitae
- Extracurricular information
- Three letters of reference
- Personal statement/Letter of intent: please provide specific information about your practice goals and areas of interest; what interests you the most about our residency program and how doing a residency will help you accomplish your career goals.
Supplemental information
Please provide two projects that you have completed as a pharmacy student that represent your best work and will show the selection committee your capabilities as a resident.
Resources