PGY2 Pediatrics

Rotation Schedule

At a minimum, each resident will spend two thirds or more of their time involved in direct patient care activities. PGY2 Pediatric residents must complete 5 core rotations which can be customized to accommodate for a longer experience and may be repeated as "Part II" 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.

Specialty pathway residents (Critical Care or Oncology) will spend at least 50% of their year focused in their specialty field and projects will be tailored (as possible) to focus on the specialty field.

• PGY2 Pediatrics with added Critical Care specialty pathway will include a minimum of 26 weeks in critical care areas including PICU, CICU, NICU (ICN) and Emergency Medicine as required rotations.  Additional required rotations include Gen Peds (3 weeks), Heme/Onc (3 weeks), Admin/Med Use Projects (7 weeks) with additional time for electives or rotation extension.
• PGY2 Pediatrics with added Oncology specialty pathway will include a minimum of 26 weeks in oncology areas including Heme/Onc I/II, BMT I, II, and Oncology Ambulatory Care as required rotations. Additional required rotations include Gen Peds (3 weeks), PICU (4 weeks), Admin/Med Use Projects (7 weeks) with additional time for electives or rotation extension.

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 (PGY2 Pediatrics)

Longitudinal

Elective Rotations

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 16 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.

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 Spring PPA National meeting. Final research project write up should be in a format suitable journal submission.

Previous PGY2 Pediatrics Resident Research Projects

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
• Community outreach - Poison Prevention

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.

Appointment

Monday, July 7, 2025 to Friday, July 10, 2025 (53 weeks)

Positions available (2)

PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy 

PGY2 Pediatric Specialty Pathway Options - Pediatric Critical Care, Pediatric Oncology

Recruitment

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

• Program takes part in UC and SWEC Early Commitment Program
• UCSF Open House Events (Virtual)
• 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

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.

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.

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, 2025 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?

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

All interviews will be conducted virtually via zoom.  The interview process is a full day which consists of a pediatric pharmacist panel interview +/- specialty panel interview (as applicable) as well as personal interviews with the Residency Program Director, pharmacy administrator, operational supervisor, medical faculty. Applicants are also asked to present a 20-min PowerPoint presentation as well as participate in a clinical question session.

PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy Residency Interviews 2025: 

• Tuesday, February 4, 2025
• Tuesday, February 11, 2025