PGY2 Pediatrics
Welcome
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. 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)
- General Pediatrics (4-5 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)
- Hospital Administration & Medication Use Projects (7 weeks)
- Pediatric Ambulatory Care Clinics (Cystic Fibrosis, Renal Transplant, Liver Transplant, Neurology) (5 weeks)
Longitudinal
- Pharmacy Operations (52 weeks)
- Education (Teaching & Precepting) (52 weeks)
- Research (52 weeks)
- Leadership Excellence (52 weeks)
Elective Rotations
- Bone Marrow Transplant I (4-5 weeks)
- Infectious Disease I, II (3-4 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 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.
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 Spring PPA National meeting. Final research project write up should be in a format suitable journal submission.
Previous PGY2 Pediatrics Resident Research Projects
Celia Boone (2024) | Rapid vs. Standard Hydration Prior to Nephrotoxic Chemotherapy Agents in Pediatric Patients |
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Veronika Omori (2024) | Comparison of Two Dosing Strategies for Ganciclovir and Valganciclovir Prophylaxis and Treatment of Pediatric Cytomegalovirus |
Sophia Xue (2024) | Evaluation of Vibrating Mesh Nebulizer vs. Jet Nebulizer in the Treatment of Acute Asthma Exacerbation with Albuterol in Admitted Pediatric Patients |
Jasmine Pare (2023) | Evaluating Vancomycin Dosing in the Pediatric Patients in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit |
Paige Ruffier (2023) | Pediatric Dosing and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Isavuconazonium |
Mai Le-Madrigal, BCPPS (2022) | Evaluation of a Surgical Prophylaxis Guideline Implementation in Pediatric Cardiac Patients |
Heather Wittkorn (2022) | Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Assessing Antimicrobial Prescribing in the Emergency Department |
Jimin Lee (2021) | Evaluation of Initial Doses for Opioid and Benzodiazepine Wean in Critically Ill Pediatric Patients |
Tran Nguyen (2021) | Antithrombin III in Children with Congenital Heart Disease Surgeries with Chest Tubes |
Erin Wilson (2020) | Evaluation of pharmacokinetic models to optimize early tacrolimus dosing in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients |
Ashley Wu (2020) | Vancomycin Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients |
Ferras Bashqoy (2019) |
Prophylactic Antibiotics in Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Pediatric Patients |
Nancy Koo (2019) | Evaluation of a Delirium Risk Factor Screening Tool as a Predictor of Incidence of Delirium |
Allyson Thrall (2018) |
Retrospective comparison of calfactant versus poractant alfa in premature neonates |
Jessica Zook Frasher (2018) |
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 (2017) |
Utilization and Monitoring of Methadone in Pediatrics |
Patricia Kuang (2016) |
Impact of using population pharmacokinetic model-based dosing algorithm for initial dosing of busulfan in children less than 12 kilograms |
Katya Kurdyukova (2016) |
Utilization of QT prolonging medications in a tertiary children’s hospital |
Melissa Sandley (Rees) (2015) |
Retrospective investigation of busulfan pharmacokinetics and potential drug-interactions that impact drug exposure in pediatric patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation |
Sylvia Stofella (2014) |
Development and Implementation of the Withdrawal Evaluation of Analgesia for Neonates (WEAN) Protocol |
Jane Mauro (Huh) (2014) |
Characterization of Tacrolimus levels in Pediatric Kidney Transplant Patients |
Jon Cokley (2013) |
Use of Vancomycin Continuous Mediastinal Irrigation in Pediatric Patients |
Shirley Chen (Lee) (2012) |
A Prolonged Gentamicin Dosing Interval Achieves Target Drug Concentrations in Neonates with Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy Receiving Therapeutic Hypothermia |
Dominique Mark (Bradford) (2011) |
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
- Community outreach - Poison Prevention
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
$74,000 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 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
- You can find us at the UCSF Health booth (Booth #5356) at the Residency Showcase on Tuesday, December 10th (8 AM - 11 AM)
- Personnel Placement Services (PPS)
- Applicants are encouraged to participate in PPS if possible
- Residency Showcase
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 14th, 2024 from 3 - 4 PM (PST) |
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ZOOM |
Meeting ID: 988 1369 3138 Password: 166964 |
RSVP |
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
- 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 application deadline is Tuesday, January 2, 2025 at 9:00 PM PST.
- 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. An uploaded letter of recommendation is optional and not required.
- 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
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
Video
Learn more about our program!
Alumni
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital PGY2 Pediatrics Program Alumni
Celia Boone (2024) | UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital (San Francisco, CA) |
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Veronika Omori (2024) | UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital (San Francisco, CA) |
Sophia Xue (2024) |
UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital (Los Angeles, CA) |
Jasmine Pare (2023) | UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital (San Francisco, CA) |
Paige Ruffier, BCPPS (2023) | Children's National Hospital (Washington DC) |
Mai Le-Madrigal, BCPPS (2022) | UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital (San Francisco, CA) |
Heather Wittkorn, BCPPS (2022) | Children's National Hospital (Washington DC) |
Jimin Lee, BCPS (2021) | UCSF Medical Center (San Francisco, CA) |
Tran Nguyen, BCPPS (2021) | Phoenix Children's Hospital (Phoenix, AZ) |
Erin Wilson (2020) | Randall Children's Hospital & Pacific University School of Pharmacy (Portland, OR) |
Ashley Wu, BCPPS (2020) | UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital (San Francisco, CA) |
Ferras Bashqoy, BCPPS, BCCCP (2019) |
Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone Health (New York, NY) |
Nancy Koo, BCPPS (2019) | UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital (San Francisco, CA) |
Allyson Thrall, BCPPS (2018) |
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital (San Francisco, CA) |
Jessica Zook Frasher, BCPPS (2018) |
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA) |
Sylvia Okrzesik, BCPPS (2017) |
Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston, MA) |
Patricia Kuang, BCPS, BCPPS (2016) |
UCSF Medical Center (San Francisco, CA) |
Katya Kurdyukova, BCPPS (2016) |
Lucille Packard Children's Hospital Stanford (Palo Alto, CA) |
Melissa Sandley (Rees), BCPPS (2015) |
OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital (Portland, OR) |
Sylvia Stofella, BCPPS (2014) |
UCSF Medical Center (San Francisco, CA) |
Jane Mauro (Huh), BCPS, BCPPS (2014) |
Children's Mercy Hospital Kansas City (Kansas City, MO) |
Jon Cokley, BCPPS (2013) |
Texas Children's Hospital (Houston, TX) |
Shirley Chen (Lee), BCPS (2012) |
UCSF Medical Center (San Francisco, CA) |
Dominique Mark (Bradford), BCPS, BCPPS (2011) |
Seattle Children's Hospital (Seattle, WA) |
Contact
Sarah Scarpace Lucas, PharmD, MBA, BCPS, BCPPS
PGY2 Pediatric Residency Program Director
Director of Pharmacy, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals - UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay
Clinical Professor, UCSF School of Pharmacy
Education and post-graduate training
B.S. Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin (1999)
Doctor of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin (2000)
Pediatric Specialty Residency, St. Louis Children's Hospital (2001)
Pharmacy Leadership Academy, ASHP (2022)
Masters of Business Administration, New England College (2024)
Contact
1975 Fourth Street, Room A4585
San Francisco, CA 94158
[email protected]
Leigh Ann Witherspoon, PharmD, BCPPS
Pediatric Residency Programs Coordinator (West Bay)
Pediatric Clinical Specialist, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital
Assistant Clinical Professor, UCSF School of Pharmacy
Education and post-graduate training
Doctor of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2013)
PGY1 Pharmacy Practice, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2014)
PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2015)
Contact
1975 Fourth Street, Room C4411
San Francisco, CA 94158
[email protected]
Quang Bui, PharmD, APh, BCPS, RT-200
PGY1/2 Pediatric Residency Program Coordinator, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals (East Bay)
Lead Clinical Pharmacist, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, Oakland
Clinical Assistant Professor Volunteer, University of California, San Francisco
Education and post-graduate training
B.S. Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside (2006)
Doctor of Pharmacy, Touro University - College of Pharmacy, California (2010)
Pharmacoeconomics Fellowship, VA Northern California Health Care System/Touro University (2011)
Contact
747 52nd St
Oakland, CA 94609
[email protected]