PGY2 Specialized Residency: Solid Organ Transplant

Welcome

 

Ashley Hua

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 PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant Pharmacy Residency is an American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) accredited residency program. Graduates of the PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant Pharmacy Residency are prepared to manage heart, lung, kidney, pancreas, and liver transplant recipients in inpatient and outpatient settings, as well as patients with viral hepatitis, opportunistic infections, and conduct clinical research. The resident will also have the opportunity to manage pediatric abdominal transplant recipients. Teaching is an integral component of the program, as UCSF Health is affiliated with the UCSF School of Pharmacy. The resident will also have the option to complete a teaching and research certificate program.

UCSF is home to one of the largest kidney and liver transplant programs in the nation. UCSF consistently has been one of the most active kidney transplant programs in the United States, performing over 400 kidney transplants annually. The liver transplant program has a one-year survival rate of 96%, which is above the national average of 92% even when adjusted for high-risk patients, and is also one of the largest, with about 200 liver transplants performed each year. UCSF also has a large living kidney and liver donor program, and is one of few centers that perform transplants in HIV positive individuals. UCSF also has one of the most successful lung transplant programs in the nation achieving significantly better than expected survival at both 1 year and 3 years following transplant, performing about 80 transplants each year. The heart transplant program is growing, performing about 50 heart transplants each year, including combined heart+kidney transplants. Adult transplant services are based at the Parnassus campus of UCSF Health and pediatric transplant services are performed at the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital.

Learning Experiences

Rotations

Rotation Schedule

Each resident will spend two thirds or more of their time involved in direct patient care activities. All residents receive orientation and training in July before embarking on clinical rotations. All residents will be assigned 7 core blocks, and may select 4 elective learning experiences. Core rotation blocks are approximately 4 weeks in duration. Longitudinal administrative responsibilities and committee work extend throughout the year.

Sequencing of Learning Experiences

The PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant Pharmacy Resident receives orientation to solid organ transplant specific activities and operations in the first three weeks of the program. Core rotational learning experiences are preferred prior to elective courses. Sequencing and scheduled experiences are modified during the year based on changes in resident interest and customization based on interests and/or performance.

Core Rotations

  • Orientation (3 weeks)
  • Heart Transplant I (4 weeks)
  • Lung Transplant (8 weeks)
  • Kidney Transplant I (4 weeks)
  • Liver Transplant I (4 weeks)
  • Outpatient Clinics (4 weeks)
  • Transplant Infectious Diseases (3 weeks)

Longitudinal

  • Longitudinal Research Project (approximately 11 months)
  • Longitudinal Quality Improvement (approximately 11 months)
  • Longitudinal Teaching (approximately 11 months)
  • Longitudinal Operations (approximately 11 months)

Electives

  • Heart Transplant II (4-6 weeks)
  • Kidney Transplant II (4-6 weeks)
  • Liver Transplant II (4-6 weeks)
  • Pediatrics (TCUP/DOTS) (4 weeks)
  • Adult Stem Cell Transplant and Cellular Therapy (4 weeks)

Staffing

Operational Training

The PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant pharmacy resident receives comprehensive training in each of the operational areas during orientation, including formalized training in sterile compounding and aseptic technique.

Staffing Blocks

Operational staffing occurs longitudinally and will consist of 15 weekends total. This is inclusive of 1 major holiday and 2 minor holiday weekends. Staffing shifts will encompass both operational and clinical responsibilities and may occur during the day or evening.

Research

Project Selection

The PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant Pharmacy Resident will receive project proposal submissions from the transplant pharmacy preceptors and faculty for considerations as a research project. Projects are rigorously reviewed for feasibility, and appropriateness of timeline for the resident research process by the Residency Advisory Committee for Solid Organ Transplant. The list developed in this forum focus on clinical outcomes in the management of solid organ transplant patients, the value of clinical pharmacist services, and/or focus on quality improvement initiatives. The vetted projects will be presented to the resident during orientation and selected by the resident based upon interest.

Research Training

PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant pharmacy residents have the option to 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 can enroll in the Designing Clinical Research (DCR) 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. Residents with research experience have the option of enrolling into the Introduction to Statistical Computing in Clinical Research Course for using STATA in lieu of the DCR course. 

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 Consortium Pharmacy Network Meeting that precedes the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting. Residents will also submit their research for consideration at a national transplant conference.

Resident Research Projects

Erik Henricksen

Polymorphisms in the KCNJ11 Gene are Associated with New Onset Diabetes After Lung Transplantation

Allison Barnes

Influence of Genetic Polymorphisms of Mycophenolate Mofetil Dose Tolerance in Lung Transplant Patients

Jose Lazo

Genotyping Predicts Osteoporosis Risk after Lung Transplant

Thu Le Tolerability of De Novo and Conversion Belatacept Regimen in Kidney Transplantation
Rachael Gordon Evaluation of Crushed Posaconazole Delayed Release Tablets in Lung Transplant Recipients
Mariam Ali Impact of Pre-Transplant Pharmacist Evaluations on Hepatitis B and Herpes Zoster Vaccination Rates
Ashley Hua Evaluating the influence of active cytomegalovirus infection on donor-derived cell-free DNA levels and gene expression profiling in heart transplant recipients

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:

  • Large group teaching
  • Interprofessional education
  • Small group facilitation
  • Precepting IPPE and APPE students on clinical rotations and project-based work

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 scrubs, 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, 2026 (53 weeks)

Positions available

PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant (NMS 748276) - 1 position

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)

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 2nd at 8:59 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.

Interviews

Application Reviews

Each PGY2 applicant packet is screened and scored by 2 members of the Solid Organ Transplant Pharmacy Team and the PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant Residency Program Director (RPD). Screeners assess the following: communication skills, clinical experience (breadth, performance, scope of activity), personal/environmental factors (maturity, confidence, motivation, and adaptability), and work experience, letters of recommendation, leadership/initiative, teaching (interest and/or experience), research (interest and/or experience), extracurricular involvement and academic performance. Invitations for an on-site interview will be sent out in January.

Virtual Interviews

The virtual interview process consists of a panel interview and a personal interview with the PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant Residency Program Director. Applicants are asked to prepare in advance a 15-20 minute presentation on a solid organ transplant topic.

Interviews will be held in late January to early February, 2024.

Contact

David Quan, PharmD, BCPS

Residency Program Director, PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant
Solid Organ Transplant Pharmacist Specialist, UCSF Medical Center
Health Sciences Clinical Professor of Pharmacy, UCSF School of Pharmacy

Education and post-graduate training

Doctor of Pharmacy, University of California, San Francisco (1991)
PGY1 Pharmacy Practice, UCSF Medical Center (1992)

Contact

UCSF Box 0622
505 Parnassus Ave
San Francisco CA 94143

tel: 415-353-9942
[email protected]