PGY2 Pediatrics

Welcome

Positions for the 2024-2025 residency year have been filled through early commitment.

Purpose

The UCSF PGY2 residency program builds upon Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) education and PGY1 pharmacy residency training to develop pharmacist practitioners with knowledge, skills, and abilities as defined in the educational competency areas, goals, and objectives for advanced practice areas. Residents who successfully complete PGY2 residency programs are prepared for advanced patient care or other specialized positions, and board certification in the advanced practice area, if available.

Description

The pediatric residency is a one-year ASHP-accredited specialty residency that allows the opportunity for the pediatric resident to strengthen his/her clinical skills by focusing on providing pharmaceutical care to pediatric patients. UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital is a 189-bed children’s hospital and is part of UCSF Medical Center. The children’s hospital includes 58 neonatal ICU beds, 37 hematology/oncology/BMT beds, 28 general pediatric and surgical beds, 28 transitional care beds (transplant and cardiac step-down), 38 ICU beds, and 36 obstetrics and labor and delivery beds. The primary emphasis of the program is to provide in-depth clinical experience in a variety of areas within pediatric and neonatal medicine. The pharmacy resident will be a core member of the interdisciplinary medical team during the acute care rotations and will participate in patient care rounds on a daily basis. There is also a significant teaching component associated with this residency program and the resident will earn a teaching certificate. The UCSF Medical Center is closely affiliated with the UCSF School of Pharmacy, and the resident will have the opportunity to teach Doctor of Pharmacy students in two courses in the School of Pharmacy and precept Doctor of Pharmacy students throughout the year.

Learning Experiences

Rotations

Rotation Schedule

At a minimum, each resident will spend two thirds or more of their time involved in direct patient care activities. Residents must complete 5 core rotations which can be customized to accommodate for a longer experience and may be repeated to incorporate advanced learning experience elements. Multiple electives may be selected based on the amount of time available after initial customization of core rotations. Repeat rotation electives for additional clinical focus are variable in length with a minimum of 2 - 3 weeks.

Beginning with the 2024-2025 residency year, the pediatric critical care and pediatric oncology specialty pathways will be offered for interested residents. Please contact program leadership for more information.

Sequencing of Learning Experiences

Initial rotation sequencing based on resident rotation preferences. Sequencing and scheduled learning experiences are modified and customized during the year based on resident interest and performance. Final elective rotation at the end of the year can be decided upon later in the year based on resident preference.

Core Rotations

  • General Pediatrics (5-6 weeks)
  • Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery-ICN I (4 weeks)
  • Pediatric Intensive Care Unit-PICU I (4 weeks)
  • Cardiac Intensive Care Unit-CICU I (4 weeks)
  • Hematology/Oncology I (5-6 weeks)
  • Administration (4 weeks)

Longitudinal

  • Pharmacy Operations (48 weeks)
  • Education (48 weeks)
  • Research (48 weeks)
  • Leadership Projects (48 weeks)
  • Pediatric Longitudinal Clinics (Cystic Fibrosis, Renal Transplant) (12 weeks)

Elective Rotations

  • Bone Marrow Transplant I (4-5 weeks)
  • Infectious Disease I, II (4 weeks)
  • Solid Organ Transplant/Transitional Care - Kidney, Liver, Heart (4 weeks)
  • Emergency Medicine (5-6 weeks)
  • Labor & Delivery - Obstetrics (2-4 weeks)
  • Critical Care - PICU II, CICU II, ICN II
  • Oncology/BMT - Heme/Onc II, BMT II
  • Transitions of Care (3-4 weeks)

Staffing

Operational Training

All residents receive comprehensive training in each of the operational areas during orientation, including formalized training in sterile compounding and aseptic technique. At the beginning of the residency year, residents are paired with an experienced preceptor who will oversee their operational staffing learning experience through the year and provide residents with summative feedback.

Staffing Areas

Operational staffing occurs longitudinally and takes place approximately every third weekend spanning throughout the residency year for a total of 15 weekends. Residents staff in the main pharmacy. Residents interested in additional chemotherapy satellite training may be trained and can staff in this area in addition to the main pharmacy.

Research

Project Selection

The Residency Program Director collects project proposal submissions from clinical pharmacists for consideration as a resident research project on an annual basis in the Spring. Projects are reviewed for feasibility, appropriateness of timeline, potential value that may focus on clinical pharmacist services, quality improvement initiatives such as drug safety, optimal medication use, cost effective drug use, and efficient, safe and effective medication preparation, delivery and administration. The Residency Program Director will reach out to the residents in early summer to start discussion of project selection.

Research Training

PGY2 residents participate in the UCSF Research Certificate Program and will gain skills in: adhering to a research timeline, creating an appropriate study design and methodology, completing data collection and analysis and summarizing research findings. Residents are enrolled in the Designing Clinical Research course that is part of the Summer Clinical Research Workshop. This interprofessional curriculum within the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics guides residents through modification of their research proposal and creation of a version suitable for submission to the UCSF Institutional Review Board. For projects requiring more advanced statistics, residents also receive support to work with the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) in order to complete analysis. Residents will participate in a research certificate whereby they attend structured research sessions throughout the year in guiding the successful completion of the research project.

Poster & Platform Presentations

All projects are of a scope suitable for publication. Projects are presented as posters at the UCSF Department of Clinical Pharmacy Spring Research Poster Session. They are also presented as posters at the Vizient residency session that precedes the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting. The final presentation occurs in spring as a platform presentation at the PPAG National meeting and UC Collaborative Conference in California. Final research project write up should be in a format suitable journal submission.

Previous PGY2 Pediatrics Resident Research Projects

Jasmine Pare Evaluating Vancomycin Dosing in the Pediatric Patients in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit
Paige Ruffier Pediatric Dosing and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Isavuconazonium
Mai Le Evaluation of a Surgical Prophylaxis Guideline Implementation in Pediatric Cardiac Patients
Heather Wittkorn Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Assessing Antimicrobial Prescribing in the Emergency Department
Jimin Lee Evaluation of Initial Doses for Opioid and Benzodiazepine Wean in Critically Ill Pediatric Patients
Tran Nguyen Antithrombin III in Children with Congenital Heart Disease Surgeries with Chest Tubes
Erin Wilson Evaluation of pharmacokinetic models to optimize early tacrolimus dosing in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients
Ashley Wu Vancomycin Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients

Ferras Bashqoy

Prophylactic Antibiotics in Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Pediatric Patients
Nancy Koo Evaluation of a Delirium Risk Factor Screening Tool as a Predictor of Incidence of Delirium

Allyson Thrall

Retrospective comparison of calfactant versus poractant alfa in premature neonates

Jessica Zook

Evaluation of the impact of the Pediatric Critical Care Comfort Algorithm (CALM) sedation weaning protocol on medication use in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)

Sylvia Okrzesik

Utilization and Monitoring of Methadone in Pediatrics

Patricia Kuang

Impact of using population pharmacokinetic model-based dosing algorithm for initial dosing of busulfan in children less than 12 kilograms

Katya Kurdyukova

Utilization of QT prolonging medications in a tertiary children’s hospital

Melissa Rees

Retrospective investigation of busulfan pharmacokinetics and potential drug-interactions that impact drug exposure in pediatric patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Sylvia Stofella

Development and Implementation of the Withdrawal Evaluation of Analgesia for Neonates (WEAN) Protocol

Jane Hunh

Characterization of Tacrolimus levels in Pediatric Kidney Transplant Patients

Jon Cokley

Use of Vancomycin Continuous Mediastinal Irrigation in Pediatric Patients

Shirley Lee

A Prolonged Gentamicin Dosing Interval Achieves Target Drug Concentrations in Neonates with Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy Receiving Therapeutic Hypothermia

Dominique Bradford

Evaluation of New Valganciclovir Dosing Recommendations for Cytomegalovirus (CMV) in Pediatric Patients – A Monte Carlo Analysis

Teaching

Teaching Instruction

Teaching is a focus of the residency at UCSF, and residents receive a Teaching Certificate upon program completion if they complete the required elements of the program. The certificate recognizes the significant contributions and skills that are attained during the residency year. Residents receive training in teaching methodology, precepting and small group conference facilitation through a variety of educational seminars that are planned during the year.

Teaching Experiences

Teaching opportunities may include the following:

  • Precepting of PGY1, APPE, and IPPE students on clinical rotations and project-based work
  • Large group teaching
    • Pediatric Elective Lecture
    • Continuing Pharmacy Education, UCSF Health
  • Small group teaching
  • Interprofessional education to nursing & physician groups
  • Conference Leader for Pediatric Elective & Therapeutics courses
  • Roundtable teaching sessions

Code Response

Overview

PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy residents are integral members of the interprofessional emergency response care team. All PGY2 Pediatric Residents will become certified in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and receive hands-on pediatric & adult code training. Residents respond to Code White (Pediatric), Code Blue (Adult), Seizure Rescue and participate in adult and pediatric stroke response. During emergent response, residents ensure appropriate drug selection and administration, timeliness of medication retrieval and preparation, adjusting medication dosages and monitoring for response.

Simulation

PGY2 Pediatric Residents will participate in multidisciplinary mock codes throughout the year in both pediatric and adult clinical practice areas to practice their skills.

Salary & Benefits

Salary

$63,525 annually, paid biweekly

Insurance

Medical/Dental/Vision Plan and Professional Liability Insurance

Vacation / Professional / Sick leave

All residents will participate in the UCSF Health Paid Time Off (PTO) program. Residents accrue PTO and Extended Sick Time (EST) based on the appointment type, number of hours on pay status, and years of qualifying service. Residents will earn approximately 21 days of PTO per year and approximately six days of EST. Additionally, residents receive 10 days of paid professional leave which may be used to attend professional meetings or professional job interviews.

Travel Stipend

All residents are provided with a stipend to support travel, lodging, and registration fees for the purposes of professional conferences. The amount of the travel stipend is determined each year and may not cover all travel expenses.

Additional Benefits

Residents will be provided with a UCSF white coat, scrubs, personal pager, iPad and access to the resident office workspace. Meal cards are provided with a value determined by the number of staffing hours assigned.

Application

General Information

Appointment

Monday, July 8, 2024 to Friday, July 11, 2025 (53 weeks)

Positions available

All PGY2 Pediatrics positions have been filled for the 2024-2025 residency year.

Recruitment

The Residency Program Director and residents recruit potential residency applicants at the following events:

  • American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear Clinical Meeting
    • Residency Showcase
    • Personnel Placement Services (PPS)
      • Applicants are encouraged to participate in PPS if possible

Requirements

Requirements for Admission

Applicants must be a graduate of an ACPE-accredited college of pharmacy or otherwise be eligible for licensure in California. Additionally, applicants must be participating in, or have completed, an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency program or one in the ASHP accreditation process (i.e., one with candidate or preliminary accreditation status).

Non-US and US Citizens from Foreign Schools of Pharmacy

Non-US citizens must be eligible to work and live in the US by obtaining an appropriate visa and must be eligible to work as a licensed pharmacist in California. We do not sponsor visas for foreign pharmacy residency applicants. Non-US and US citizens who graduate from a foreign school of pharmacy must first be certified by examination before the process of licensure in the US can begin. The Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Committee ™ (FPGEC®) certificate program operates under the auspices of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy®. The NABP® provides the FPGEC Certification Program as a means of documenting the educational equivalency of a candidate's foreign education, as well as the license and or registration to practice pharmacy. More information about this entire process is provided in these NABP® links: nabp.pharmacy.

How to Apply

  1. Match: All applicants must register for The Match – ASHP Resident Matching Program.
  2. PhORCAS: Applications will be accepted through PhORCAS (Pharmacy Online Residency Centralized Application Service), a web-based pharmacy residency application system. The application deadline is Tuesday, January 2, 2024 at 9:00 PM PST.
  3. Cover Letter: A cover letter describing the elements of the program that most interest you and how each element relates to your personal goals is also required.
  4. Letters of Recommendation: We request a minimum of one (two is preferred) of your three references should come from a preceptor who you have worked with in a clinical setting, related to an APPE in acute or ambulatory care. The clinical preceptor should be able to comment on your scope of responsibility, total patient load, level of autonomy, clinical abilities, and organizational and time management skills. All 3-reference writers should use the standard PhORCAS template to submit their candidate recommendation. An uploaded letter of recommendation is optional and not required.
  5. Supplemental Application Materials: A response to the following essay statement is required for acceptance. The essay response should be no longer than one page in length. An application will not be reviewed if this statement is missing. Please note that the essay is separate from your cover letter. (NOTE: The essay response should be uploaded in the Supplemental Information section in PhORCAS. Space is limited to a max of 5 MB and must be provided in the following format: .pdf, .doc, .txt, .rtf.)

How did you decide to pursue specializing in the area of pediatric pharmacy? What UCSF PGY2 pediatric program elements interest you most and how do each of these relate to your personal goals?

Reflect on a challenging situation (personal or professional) that required you to question your values or assumptions. How did you deal with the situation? What did you learn from the experience?

Interviews

Application reviews

Each PGY2 applicant packet is screened and scored by members of the Pediatrics team. Screeners assess the following: communication skills, clinical experience (breadth, performance, scope of activity), personal/environmental factors (maturity, confidence, motivation, and adaptability), and work experience, aggregate letters of recommendation, leadership/initiative, teaching (interest and/or experience), research (interest and/or experience), extracurricular involvement and academic performance. The screening score is used to determine if an on-site interview will be extended.

Virtual Interviews

The virtual interview process is a full day which consists of a pediatric pharmacist panel interview as well as personal interviews with the Residency Program Director, pharmacy administrator, operational supervisor, medical faculty, and will receive a campus tour. Applicants are also asked to present a 20-min PowerPoint presentation as well as participate in a clinical question session.

PGY2 Pediatric interviews to be determined for the upcoming residency year.

Video

Learn more about our program!

Contact

Rebecca Deoras, PharmD, BCPPS

Pediatric Residency Programs Director
Pediatric Clinical Pharmacist, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital
Assistant Clinical Professor, UCSF School of Pharmacy

Education and post-graduate training

Doctor of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh (2007)
PGY1 Pharmacy Practice, Children's National Health System (2011)
PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy, Children's National Health System (2012)

Contact

1975 Fourth Street, Room C4411
San Francisco CA 94158
[email protected]

Mai Uyen Alissa Le, PharmD, BCPPS

Pediatric Residency Programs Coordinator
Pediatric Clinical Pharmacist, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital
Assistant Clinical Professor, UCSF School of Pharmacy

Education and post-graduate training

Doctor of Pharmacy, Temple University School of Pharmacy (2020)
PGY1 Pharmacy Practice, Mayo Eugenio Litta Children's Hospital (2021)
PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital (2022)

Contact

1975 Fourth Street, Room C4411
San Francisco CA 94158
[email protected]