PGY2 Pharmacy Residency — Emergency Medicine

This program will not be offered for the 2026-2027 residency year.

The postgraduate year two (PGY2) Emergency Medicine Residency is a patient-focused comprehensive training program conducted at Iowa’s only adult and pediatric Level 1 trauma center and certified comprehensive stroke center. The 12-month program provides the necessary opportunities for highly motivated pharmacists to achieve their professional goals of becoming an emergency medicine (EM) clinical pharmacist. The PGY2 residency in emergency medicine pharmacy is designed to transition a PGY1 residency graduate from generalist practice to specialized practice focused on the care of patients in an emergency department (ED). The program will allow the resident to participate as an integral member of the interdisciplinary team caring for patients in the ED as well as be involved in improving patient outcomes by enhancing patient safety, preventing medication errors, and providing optimized pharmacotherapy regimens.

About the Program

The 45-bed Emergency Department cares for more than 60,000 patients annually. The residency program will enhance the expertise of the resident in the management of drug therapy for critically ill patients, prevention of medication errors, and participation in procedures and resuscitations that utilize high-risk medications. A further goal of the program is for residents to become well-integrated members of the multidisciplinary emergency medicine team. The resident pharmacist will serve as a valuable resource for information about medication therapy in the ED not only for faculty and resident physicians, but also patients who are receiving care during extremely stressful times. Elective time is available for individualizing the program to meet the resident’s interests and career needs.

Rotation Experiences

During the residency year, the resident will enhance their drug therapy skills during core rotations in the ED. In addition to the core rotations, the resident also will have elective rotations available to improve expertise in specific areas of interest. 

Required rotations include:

• Emergency Medicine: General I
• Emergency Medicine: General II
• Emergency Medicine: General III
• Emergency Medicine: Pediatrics
• Emergency Medicine: Community
• Adult Critical Care (Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, Surgical & Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit, or Medical Intensive Care Unit)
• Inpatient Pediatrics (Pediatric Critical Care or General Pediatrics)
• Toxicology
• Trauma Surgery

Elective Rotations include:

• Burn/Trauma
• Critical Care
• Infectious Diseases
• Inpatient Pediatrics
• Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Clinic
• Toxicology Rotation – Minnesota Poison Control Center; Minneapolis, MN (dependent on availability)

Longitudinal Rotations

• Advisor
• Research
• Scholarly Activities and Preceptorship

Research

The resident will be required to complete a clinical research project during the course of the residency year. The project will be a joint effort among the resident, program director and coordinator, and the Emergency Medicine research team. Residents will present their research project at a poster session during the Vizient™ meeting held in conjunction with the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear Clinical Meeting.

Teaching and Presentations

During the residency year, the resident will be required to participate in multiple teaching opportunities. The resident is appointed as an adjunct instructor at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy. The required experiences include:

• Emergency Medicine weekly conference (2 presentations)
• Didactic lectures at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy (2 presentations)
  • (1) Emergency Medicine Elective
  • (1) Additional didactic lecture completed in elective related to emergency medicine (Toxicology, Acute Care)

Residents also will have the option to complete a teaching certificate through the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy Educator Preparation Program for Residents (PEPPR).

Additional Presentations Required:

• Emergency Medicine Quality Improvement (1 presentation)
• Pharmacy Grand Rounds (1 presentation)

Staffing

The resident is required to fulfill the service commitment (staffing) designed to ensure they gain experience and can function independently as a competent emergency medicine clinical pharmacist. The staffing experience will primarily take place in the ED; on evening weekend shifts, the resident may also be responsible for the Surgical & Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit's orders.

Staffing Requirements:

• Minimum of 472 hours per year
• Hours are primarily accomplished through weekend and evening staffing
• One major holiday and two minor holidays
• Staffing requirements are subject to change

How to Apply

Candidates will need to complete an application through the Pharmacy Online Residency Centralized Application Service (PhORCAS).

Materials Required:

• PhORCAS Application form
• Letter of intent
• Three letters of recommendation
  • One letter of recommendation must be from a residency program director or coordinator
• Official college of pharmacy transcripts
• Curriculum vitae

Application materials must be received by January 2. An on-site interview is required and will be granted based on the review of application materials. Applicants must register for the ASHP matching program handled by National Matching Services, Inc. Rankings must be submitted by the deadline.

• PGY2 Emergency Medicine Residency NMS code: 766869

Candidate Qualifications

• Graduate of an ACPE-accredited Doctor of Pharmacy degree program or have equivalent education qualification as determined by the residency program director.
• Licensed or eligible for licensure in Iowa by the residency start date.  Please see the Iowa Board of Pharmacy website for complete qualifications.
• Completion of an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency.
• Adhere to the rules of the resident matching program process.
• Candidates who require a Visa will not be considered. Pharmacy Residency positions are not eligible for University sponsorship for employment authorization.

Contact Us

Elisabeth Carroll, PharmD, BCPS
Emergency Medicine Clinical Pharmacy Specialist
PGY2 Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency Program Director
[email protected]

Anne Zepeski, PharmD, BCPS
Emergency Medicine Clinical Pharmacist
PGY2 Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency Program Coordinator
[email protected]