PGY1 Pharmacy Residency
Welcome
Purpose
The PGY1 Pharmacy residency program at UCSF Medical Center builds 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 the PGY1 Pharmacy residency program 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.
Description
The PGY1 Pharmacy residency is an American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)-accredited program. PGY1 residents take on the role of clinical pharmacists and provide care to patients in a variety of patient care settings under the guidance of skilled preceptors. A major strength of the program is the large number of clinical faculty members and instructors with many years of experience in various clinical specialties (e.g. oncology, infectious disease, pediatrics, transplant, critical care) and in the areas of management, health outcomes, medication use policy and teaching. Residents grow exponentially in their clinical skills and gain experience in teaching, research, pharmacy operations, and medication use policy and evaluation. The program places an emphasis on the provision of pharmaceutical care in many patient care areas, research and teaching of pharmacy students and health care practitioners.
Virtual Open House
An annual open house event is offered in the fall for interested applicants. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet and ask questions of current and former residents, preceptors and the Residency Program Director.
DATES |
Thursday, November 16th, 2023 from 5-6PM (PST) |
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ZOOM |
Meeting ID: 968 4246 2902 Password: 458124 |
RSVP | |
Recording | UCSF Open House Recording |
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. Rotation blocks are 5 to 6 weeks in duration, for a total of 8 blocks throughout the residency year. All residents will be assigned the 6 core blocks, and may select 2 elective learning experiences. For ambulatory care, residents may select up to 3 clinics for a 6 week block, with the option of an additional elective block of ambulatory care for a 12 week rotation.
Sequencing of Learning Experiences
Learning experiences are sequenced such that areas of possible PGY2 specialization occur prior to the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting. Sequencing and scheduled experiences are modified during the year based on changes in resident interest and customization based on interests and/or performance.
Sample Schedule

Core Rotations
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Orientation
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Ambulatory Care
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Critical Care (Medical, Surgical, Cardiac/Cardiothoracic, Neuro)
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General Medicine
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Medication Use & Outcomes
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Leadership & Management (Focus Area: Clinical Services, Operations or Informatics)
Ambulatory Care Clinics
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Anticoagulation
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Anticoagulation Administration
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Bariatric Surgery
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Cardiology
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Cystic Fibrosis
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Heart Transplant
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Hepatology
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HIV
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Multiple Sclerosis
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Oral Chemotherapy
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Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis
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Pediatric Renal Transplant
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Pre-Abdominal Transplant
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Rheumatology
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Transitions of Care
Electives
- Ambulatory Care (additional block)
- Cardiology
- Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery
- Emergency Medicine
- General Pediatrics
- General Surgery
- Heart & Lung Transplant
- Hematology/Oncology
- Infectious Diseases
- Investigational Drug Service
- Kidney Transplant
- Liver Transplant
- Neurological Surgery
- Neurology/Neurovascular
- Neurosurgery
- Orthosurgery
- Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Pediatric TCUP
- Poison Control
- Psychiatry
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 throughout the year and provide residents with summative feedback. Residents staff in conjunction with a clinical pharmacist until they are licensed at which point they will staff independently, typically starting in September. Residents receive focused operational training for their upcoming staffing area during orientation and before each transition in October and March.
Staffing Blocks
PGY1 Pharmacy residents staff in 3 different areas – oversight of sterile compounding/unit dose, serving as the Pharmacist-In-Charge (PIC) in the main pharmacy, and clinical order verification. Operational staffing occurs longitudinally and takes place approximately every third weekend spanning throughout the residency year for a total of 16 weekends. Additionally, the residents staff a 4-hour evening shift approximately every 2 to 3 weeks in the main pharmacy.
Role |
Weekends |
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Sterile compounding/ |
5-6 |
Pharmacist-in-charge |
5-6 |
Clinical order verification |
5-6 |
Clinical Pathways
Residents are able to select a clinical pathway for the order verification portion of their staffing. Available pathways include surgery/neurology or cardiology/solid organ transplant during which residents work closely with the clinical pharmacist to answer drug information questions and facilitate order approval.
Research
Project Selection
The Research Advisory Committee receive project proposal submissions from clinical pharmacists and faculty for consideration as a resident research project on an annual basis. Projects are rigorously reviewed for feasibility, and appropriateness of timeline for the resident research process. The list developed in this forum focus on projects that demonstrate the value of clinical pharmacist services, and/or focus on 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 Principal Investigators of the vetted projects present their proposals to the PGY1 Pharmacy residents during orientation for consideration. Residents rank the research projects based on interest prior to selection and assignment by the Residency Program Director.
Research Training
PGY1 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.
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 platform presentation occurs in spring at the UC Collaborative Conference in California.
2022-2023 PGY1 Pharmacy Resident Research Projects
Chidinma Ahiarah |
Is there a difference in time to analgesia/sedation in patients intubated with succinylcholine vs. rocuronium with pharmacist bedside presence? |
Celia Boone |
Identify correlated features to T1DM post covid infection to create a predictive model |
Emilie Chebat |
To compare the effect of alternative administration methods (“the marshmallow method”) vs dexamethasone mouth washes on the frequency of mucositis in patients on Everolimus |
Tony Duong |
Evaluate clinician interactions with Pharmacogenetic Clinical Decision Support (CDS) tools embedded in Apex and associated clinical actions |
Eric Flemings |
Attitudes and experiences of social needs screening among pharmacists from different practice settings |
Kathryn Jung |
Difference in NMBA reversal between higher doses of sugammadex (16 mg/kg) and lower doses of sugammadex (2, 4, 8 mg/kg) in adult and pediatric patients |
Jennifer La |
Does having a pharmacy-led and dedicated prior authorization (P/A) team improve specialty medication access through timely initiation of prior authorizations? |
Kelly Lam |
To evaluate the impact of pharmacist integration into the UCSF post-COVID/post-ICU clinic |
Victoria Nguyen |
Global Health |
Sara Strome |
What are factors that predict whether a patient who is newly initiated on Entresto during an HF hospitalization can be discharged on it? |
Hawi Tasissa |
Assessing the relationship between cellular tenofovir concentrations and anti-COVID-19 activity in kidney transplant patients with HIV. |
Julie Trinh |
Does a pharmacy led intervention care bundle compared with usual care reduce 30-day HF readmissions in newly diagnosed HFrEF patients >/= 65 years old? |
Kenneth Truong |
Does use of enteral omega-3 fatty acids decrease benzodiazepine use in patients with propofol induced hypertriglyceridemia? |
Sarah Zeidat | Evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated pharmacist clinic within UCSF Primary Care on hypertension control in African-American patients |
Teaching
Teaching Instruction
Teaching is a focus of the residency at UCSF, and residents participate in the UCSF Teaching Certificate 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:
- Large group teaching
- Interprofessional education
- Small group facilitation
- Precepting IPPE and APPE students on clinical rotations and project-based work
Code Response
Overview
PGY1 Pharmacy residents are integral members of the interprofessional emergency response care team. All PGY1 Pharmacy will become certified in Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), and receive hands-on code training by the Critical Care Pharmacy team. In addition, the PGY1 Pharmacy resident in the pediatric environment will become certified in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). Residents respond to Code Stroke, Code Sepsis and Code Blue to ensure appropriate drug selection and administration, timeliness of medication retrieval and preparation, adjusting medication dosages and monitoring for response.
Simulation
The UCSF Residency Training Program has developed and implemented a longitudinal simulation curriculum for PGY1 Pharmacy residents to increase confidence and competence during various emergent situations. The program utilizes the Kanbar Center for Simulation and Clinical Skills, a high-fidelity simulation center within UCSF. Throughout the residency year, residents participate in 4 simulation lab sessions, each covering 4 cases. The clinical case scenarios become increasingly complex as the residency year progresses, and is intended to meet the advancing skill set of the residents. A clinical pharmacist content experts are invited to the sessions to lead the residents through a debrief of the simulation session and allow for discussion of advanced clinical topics.
Salary & Benefits
Salary
$61,267 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.
The PGY1 Pharmacy residents will be expected to attend the following conferences to assist in recruitment events:
- California Society of Health-System Pharmacists (CSHP) Annual Seminar
- American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear Clinical Meeting
Residents will be expected to attend UC Pharmacy Collaborative Conference to present a platform presentation on research projects.
Additional Benefits
Residents will be provided with scrubs, access to the resident office workspace and a laptop. Meal cards are provided with a value determined by the number of staffing hours assigned.
Application
General Information
Appointment
June 26, 2023 to June 30, 2024
Positions Available
- PGY1 Pharmacy (NMS 176613) – 14 positions **2023-24 positions have been filled
Recruitment
The Residency Program Director and residents recruit potential residency applicants at the following events:
- California Society of Health-System Pharmacists (CSHP) Annual Seminar
- American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear Clinical Meeting
Requirements
Requirements for Admission
Applicants must be graduates or candidates for graduation of an accredited pharmacy 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). Applicants must be licensed or will be eligible for both intern and pharmacist licensure in California by the start of the residency program.
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
- Match: All applicants must register for The Match – ASHP Resident Matching Program.
- PhORCAS: Applications will be accepted through PhORCAS (Pharmacy Online Residency Centralized Application Service), a web-based pharmacy residency application system. The 2023 Phase I and Phase II application deadlines TBA.
- 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.
- 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 and comment on a minimum of 7 of the 13 listed candidate characteristics.
- 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.) NOT REQUIRED FOR PHASE II APPLICATIONS.
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 PGY1 applicant packet is screened and scored by a member of the Resident Selection Committee. Screeners assess the following: communication skills, clinical experience (breadth, performance, scope of activity), personal/environmental factors (maturity, confidence, motivation, and adaptability), 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 interview will be granted. Interviews are offered to approximately 80 applicants each year.
Virtual Interviews
Phase I
All interviews will be conducted virtually via Zoom. The interview process consists of two 45-minute panel interviews, and a personal interview with the Residency Program Director. Applicants are asked to prepare in advance a 10-minute presentation on a topic of their choice (not related to pharmacy or healthcare).
PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Interviews 2024:
- Thursday, January 25, 2024
- Thursday, February 1, 2024
- Thursday, February 8, 2024
- Thursday, February 15, 2024
- Thursday, February 22, 2024
Phase II
Phase II interviews will be conducted virtually via Zoom. The interview process consists of a 30-minute panel interview, a 30-minute personal interview with the Residency Program Director, and a 30-minute Q&A with a current PGY1 Pharmacy resident. A presentation is not expected for Phase II.
PGY1 Pharmacy Interviews 2024 (Phase II):
- TBA
Contact
Mandy Brown, PharmD, BCCCP, BCPS, DPLA
Residency Program Director, PGY1 Pharmacy
Critical Care Pharmacist, UCSF Medical Center
Associate Clinical Professor, UCSF School of Pharmacy
Education & Post-Graduate Training
Doctor of Pharmacy, Touro University (2012)
PGY1 Pharmacy, UCSF Medical Center (2013)
PGY2 Critical Care, University of Colorado (2014)
Contact
Dexter Wimer, PharmD, BCCCP
Critical Care Pharmacist, UCSF Medical Center
Assistant Clinical Professor, UCSF School of Pharmacy
Education & Post-Graduate Training
Doctor of Pharmacy, Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY (2017)
PGY1 Pharmacy, Stanford, CA (2018)
PGY2 Critical Care, UCSF Medical Center (2019)
Contact