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PGY1 Pharmacy Residency

The VA St. Louis Health Care System PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program builds on the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) education and outcomes contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists responsible for medication-related care of patients with a wide range of conditions, eligible for board certification and eligible for post-graduate year two (PGY2) pharmacy residency training.

PGY1 Pharmacy Residency
NMS: 249513      ASHP Code: 64800 

VA Core Values:

VA’s five core values underscore the obligations inherent in VA’s mission: Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence. The core values define “who we are,” our culture, and how we care for Veterans and eligible beneficiaries. Our values are more than just words – they affect outcomes in our daily interactions with Veterans and eligible beneficiaries and with each other. Taking the first letter of each word—Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, Excellence—creates a powerful acronym, “I CARE,” that reminds each VA employee of the importance of their role in this Department. These core values come together as five promises we make as individuals and as an organization to those we serve.

Integrity: Act with high moral principle. Adhere to the highest professional standards. Maintain the trust and confidence of all with whom I engage.
Commitment: Work diligently to serve Veterans and other beneficiaries. Be driven by an earnest belief in VA’s mission. Fulfill my individual responsibilities and organizational responsibilities.
Advocacy: Be truly Veteran-centric by identifying, fully considering, and appropriately advancing the interests of Veterans and other beneficiaries.
Respect: Treat all those I serve and with whom I work with dignity and respect. Show respect to earn it.
Excellence: Strive for the highest quality and continuous improvement. Be thoughtful and decisive in leadership, accountable for my actions, willing to admit mistakes, and rigorous in correcting them.

Program Competency Areas (ASHP 2015 Standards)

The PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Program further builds knowledge and skills to meet the following program competency areas:

  • Patient care
  • Advancing practice and improving patient care
  • Leadership and management
  • Teaching, education, and dissemination of knowledge

For a complete list of the ASHP PGY-1 Residency competency areas, goals, objectives, and criteria  click here.

Requirements for Completion of Residency:

  • Successful progression through PGY1 Residency Rotations and longitudinal experiences
    • Residents must obtain at least an assessment of “3 = Functioning as an entry level resident (Intermediate)”, in at least 75% of each rotation’s ASHP Objectives to progress without remediation. Areas in which a resident is assessed as “1 = Functioning at the level of a pharmacy student (Fundamental Awareness)” or “2 = Functioning at the level of an advanced pharmacy student (Novice)” (depending on the time of year) will be reviewed by the Residency Program Director, rotation preceptor, and resident in order to develop a specific improvement plan.
  • Successful completion of longitudinal Ambulatory Care and Management Components
  • Successful completion of Research/Medication Use Evaluation, including manuscript
  • Successful completion and presentation of:
    • Two Formal Case Presentations
    • One Journal Club Presentation
    • Seminar Presentation
    • VA Continuing Education Day Presentation
    • Preceptor Development Presentation
    • Presentation of Research/MUE
    • Residents must obtain at least an assessment of “satisfactory progress” in at least 75% of each of the presentation’s objectives to progress without remediation.
  • Successful completion of Residency Education Academy
  • Successful fulfillment of VA Pharmacy Staffing Requirements
  • Residents must receive an assessment of “achieved for residency”, as determined by the RPD, in 75% of the ASHP Objectives (including all R1.1 objectives) in order to be awarded a PGY1 Residency Completion Certificate.

Rotations:

Required Rotations (5 weeks)

  • Orientation
  • Acute Care I
  • Acute Care II
  • Ambulatory Care I
  • Ambulatory Care II
  • Mental Health  (Inpatient or Outpatient)
  • General Elective I
  • General Elective II
  • General Elective III
  • General Elective IV

Longitudinal Ambulatory Experiences

  • Anticoagulation Clinic
  • Longitudinal Management

Elective Experiences (5 weeks)

  • Acute Care III (consults)
  • Acute Care III (precepting)
  • Critical Care I
  • Critical Care II
  • Diabetes Management
  • Extended Care and Rehabilitation
  • Geriatrics
  • Home-Based Primary Care
  • Infectious Diseases I
  • Infectious Diseases II
  • Management - Pharmacy Outcomes and Healthcare Analytics
  • Mental Health - Inpatient
  • Mental Health - Outpatient
  • Nephrology
  • Pain Management
  • Other Individual Primary Care Clinics

Teaching Requirements and Opportunities:

  • Completion of St. Louis College of Pharmacy Teaching Certificate Program
  • Required lecture to St. Louis College of Pharmacy students
  • VA St. Louis Clinical Pharmacist precept over 80 pharmacy students from multiple schools of pharmacy per year

Additional Program Requirements:

  • Two Formal Case Presentations
  • One Journal Club Presentation
  • Two CE presentations (Resident Seminar and VA CE Day)
  • Residency Education Academy Teaching Certificate Program
  • Research Project and MUE
    • Including results presentation and manuscript preparation
  • Staffing Requirements
    • Outpatient Pharmacy (at least 12 weekends)
    • Clinical Weekend (at least two weekends)
  • ASHP Clinical Midyear Attendance
  • Involvement in residency recruitment
    • Interviews

Salary and Benefits:

  • Stipend: $48,274 (as of July 2023)
  • Leave: see Residency Manual "Leave Policy"
    • Thirteen (13) days of annual leave accrued (4 hours every two weeks)
    • Thirteen (13) days of sick leave accrued (4 hours every two weeks)
  • Travel Stipend: Reimbursement for travel to ASHP Midyear Meeting. If funds for reimbursement cannot be guaranteed, meeting attendance will become optional.
  • Federal Holidays: Eleven (11) paid federal holidays
  • Centralized office work space with access to a personal computer

Positions:    4

Start Date: July 1, 2024 (Tentative)
 

Program Director
Jon McMahan, Pharm.D., BCCCP
PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Program Director
St. Louis VA Healthcare System, John Cochran Division
Pharmacy Service (JC 0119)
915 N. Grand Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63106
Phone:
Email: Jonathan.McMahan@va.gov
 

Contact Information for Program Coordinator:
Mike Lorenz, Pharm.D., BCPS
Program Coordinator
St. Louis VA Healthcare System, John Cochran Division
Pharmacy Service (JC 0119)
915 N. Grand Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63106
Phone:
Email: Michael.Lorenz@va.gov