PGY1 Pharmacy

Purpose

The Post Graduate Year 1 (PGY1) Pharmacy Residency program at Massachusetts General Hospital builds on the Doctor of Pharmacy 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.

Description

The PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program is a directed experience in hospital practice and general pharmacotherapy. The MGH PGY1 program prepares residents to practice as clinical generalists or to pursue clinical specialty training through an array of PGY2 residencies. Our mission is to provide a dynamic, goal-oriented environment to develop well-rounded clinical experts, educators, and leaders. Our program assures that each resident is thoroughly trained in the provision of individualized direct patient care, clinical and didactic teaching, practice-based research, and patient-centric pharmacy leadership.

Our program reinforces the knowledge, thought processes, and confidence for residents to provide pharmaceutical care to various patient populations. Residents gain experience by working as autonomous pharmacists within the pharmacy operations team by providing longitudinal oversight of medication order review, verification, and preparation, all while delivering comprehensive clinical pharmacy services. Through a range of experiences, the PGY1 resident develops independent practice and pharmacy leadership skills.

We currently offer seven positions for the PGY1 Pharmacy Residency.

Note for International Applicants:

International applicants are welcome to apply to the PGY1 Pharmacy Residency if they are eligible to work in the US and will be considered based on the merits of his/her application. The Mass General Department of Pharmacy is not able to sponsor H1B Visas.

Program Goals

• In collaboration with the health care team, provide safe and effective patient care to a diverse range of patients, including those with multiple co-morbidities, high-risk medication regimens, and multiple medications following a consistent patient care process
• Ensure continuity of care during patient transitions between care settings
• Prepare, dispense, and manage medications to support safe and effective drug therapy for patients
• Demonstrate ability to manage formulary and medication-use processes, as applicable to the organization
• Demonstrate ability to evaluate and investigate practice, review data and assimilate scientific evidence to improve patient care and/or the medication-use system
• Demonstrate leadership skills
• Demonstrate management skills
• Provide effective medication and practice-related education to patients, caregivers, health care professionals, students, and the public (individuals and groups)
• Effectively employ appropriate preceptor roles when engaged in teaching students, pharmacy technicians or fellow health care professionals

Learning Experiences

Starting in mid-June, the first six weeks of the residency program are an orientation to the Department of Pharmacy, after a 2-day hospital orientation. Activities include competency lectures on basic clinical skills, training on the Mass General computerized order entry system, and side-by-side decentralized and operational training with pharmacy preceptors. Additionally, residents will understand the structure of the Residency Program Design and Conduct, which is the backbone of how residency training is put into action.

Required Learning Experiences (5):

• Orientation
• Pediatrics
• Internal Medicine
• Pharmacy Administration
• Pharmacy Practice and Research

Selective Learning Experiences (2):

Specialty medicine (1)

• Cardiology
• Medical Oncology
• Leukemia
• Neurology
• Solid Organ Transplantation (Abdominal or Cardiothoracic)

Critical care (1)

• Cardiac Intensive Care
• Cardiac Surgical Intensive Care
• Medical Intensive Care
• Neurosciences Intensive Care
• Surgical Intensive Care

Elective Learning Experiences (5):

• Any of the above Selective Learning Experiences are available as electives if not chosen as a Selective Learning Experience
• Advanced Internal Medicine
• Ambulatory Oncology
• Clinical Trials
• Drug Policy/Medication Safety
• Emergency Medicine
• Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
• Infectious Diseases
• Introduction to Pharmacy Operations
• Pediatric Critical Care
• Psychiatry (MGH or McLean Hospital)
• Neonatal Intensive Care

Longitudinal Experiences:

• Emergency Response (BLS/ACLS certification)
• Lunch and Learn Journal Club and Case Presentations
• Medication Safety
• Medication Use Evaluation 
• Pharmacy Grand Rounds Morbidity and Mortality Education Presentation
• Pharmacy and Therapeutics Formulary and Monograph
• Research Project
• Resident officer positions and committees
• Teaching and Learning Seminar at Northeastern University School of Pharmacy (optional)
  • MGH Institute of Health Professionals Research Certificate (optional)
• Pharmacy Practice (Staffing) Experience:
  • Weekday: Average of four hours per week in a central operational area
  • Weekend: One weekend every 3 weeks in decentralized order verification role
  • Holiday assignments (and corresponding weekends):
    • 1 major (Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s)
    • 2 minor (Labor Day, Columbus Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day,
      Memorial Day, Juneteenth)

Benefits

• Competitive stipend: PGY1: $57,000
• Health insurance options
• Vacation days, paid holidays and sick time
• Professional materials (laptop, pager, lab coat, office space, drug information resources, etc.)
• Travel reimbursement for approved conferences
• Massachusetts Society of Health-System Pharmacists membership
• Discounted subway/train passes
• Discounted health club membership
• “MGH Perks” for various activities in the New England area

How to Apply

Applicants for the PGY1 program must possess a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and be eligible for immediate licensure by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Pharmacy. Previous experience in pharmacy practice, a sound academic record and other scholarly and leadership activities are also key considerations.

Applications for all programs should be submitted via PhORCAS and must include:

• Completed application
• Formal Letter of Intent
• Curriculum Vitae
• Official pharmacy school transcripts and undergraduate transcripts (if applicable)
• Three standardized references completed via PhORCAS
• Two should be from someone who can comment on the candidate's ability to interact with patients/healthcare team. Candidates should encourage their references to provide as much commentary as possible, as this will weigh in the decision to offer an interview

The deadline for receipt of a completed PhORCAS application is December 31st. After applications are reviewed, qualified candidates will be contacted to schedule an interview. All of the Pharmacy Residency Programs at Mass General participate in the ASHP Resident Matching Program.

NMS Codes:

• PGY1 Pharmacy Residency: 180513

Contact Information

Lanting Fuh, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Emergency Medicine
Director, PGY1 Pharmacy Residency
LFuh@mgh.harvard.edu

Edmond Solomon, PharmD, BCPS, BCCP
Clinical Pharmacist, Cardiology
Coordinator, PGY1 Pharmacy Residency
EJSolomon@partners.org

Kayla Joyal, PharmD, BCTXP
Clinical Pharmacist, Transplant
Coordinator, PGY1 Pharmacy Residency
kjoyal@mgh.harvard.edu

Alexandra Sharpe, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS
Clinical Pharmacist, Pediatrics
Coordinator, PGY1 Pharmacy Residency
adsharpe@mgh.harvard.edu