Postgraduate Year Two Pediatric Pharmacy Residency

The Postgraduate Year Two (PGY2) Pediatric Residency is a patient-focused, comprehensive training program conducted at Iowa's only nationally ranked children's hospital. This 12-month program provides the necessary opportunities for highly motivated pharmacists to achieve their professional goals of becoming a pediatric clinical pharmacist. The residency is designed to expand skills developed during postgraduate year one (PGY1) to solve complex pediatric medication-related problems presented in today's health care environment.

Upon completion of the program, residents will be proficient clinical pharmacy specialists qualified for clinical practice in a pediatric health care system and for adjunct or non-tenure track faculty appointments associated with a health science college. Early commitment to the PGY2 Pediatric Residency may be an option for those completing a PGY1 Pharmacy Residency at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics.

About the Program

The 209-bed University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital provides care for children from birth to young adulthood. It is the only academic medical center in the state of Iowa and serves as a level IV NICU. Rotations enhance the expertise of the residents in the management of drug therapy for acute and ambulatory pediatric patients, answering and disseminating drug information questions, evaluation of population based drug therapy through a residency project, and the development and management of pharmacy services. Elective time is available for individualizing the program to meet the residents' interest and career goals.

During the PGY2 Pediatric Residency rotations, the resident will participate in all aspects of patient medication use therapy including selection, assessment, monitoring, reconciliation, safety, adherence, and discharge counseling while working as part of the multidisciplinary team advising physicians, nurses, students, and patients on appropriate medication use. Activities include, but are not limited to, attending rounds; providing lectures on drug therapy to medical, pharmacy, and nursing staff; and keeping current on pharmacy issues in the pediatric population.

Rotation Experiences

During rotations, the resident will have the opportunity to gain expertise in a number of core pediatric patient care settings. The resident will also have elective rotations to enhance their experience in specific areas of interest where the resident has already completed rotation time.

Core Rotations Include (four to six weeks each):

• General pediatrics
• Pediatric intensive care
• Neonatal intensive care
• Pediatric hematology/oncology/BMT

Additional Required Rotations Include:

• Newborn nursery
• Pediatric infectious disease
• Pediatric nephrology
• Pediatric specialty outpatient clinic

Elective Rotation Opportunities:

• Pediatric cardiology
• Emergency medicine
• Pediatric endocrine
• Pediatric neurology
• Palliative care
• Pharmacy clinical management
• Pediatric gastrointestinal diseases
• Pediatric operations management
• Pediatric psychiatry

Longitudinal Clinical Experience

Experiences include a medication use evaluation project, completion of a drug monograph for formulary review, and reviewing pediatric policies and procedures for Pharmacy and Therapeutics Subcommittee.

Research

Research experience will involve the completion of a major clinical project during the course of the residency year. Selection of the project is a joint effort between the resident, program director, and residency preceptors. The residency project is identified early in the year and a final manuscript is required prior to residency graduation. The project will be presented at the Vizient™ meeting held in conjunction with the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear Clinical Meeting and at the spring Pediatric Pharmacy Association (PPA) meeting.

Teaching

The resident is provided with multiple opportunities to develop and enhance their teaching and presentation skills. The resident is appointed to adjunct instructor at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy. The resident will participate in precepting pharmacy students during introductory and advanced pharmacy practice experiences as well as PGY1 residents. The resident will also be expected to prepare and give a lecture at the College of Pharmacy as well as presentations to medical, pharmacy, or nursing colleagues as part of each rotation experience. Additionally, the resident will also have the opportunity to complete the Pharmacy Educator Preparation Program for Residents Teaching program offered through the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy.

Staffing

The resident is required to fulfill the service commitment (staffing) desired to ensure they gain experience and can function as a competent clinical practitioner. The staffing experience includes providing services in either a distributive role in the pediatric central pharmacy or in a clinical role as a decentralized pharmacist covering the pediatric intensive care unit, neonatal intensive care unit, general pediatrics, pediatric hematology/oncology, labor and delivery, and newborn nursery services.

Staffing Requirements are as Follows:

• The resident will staff every third weekend on a rotating basis upon completion of orientation
• The resident will work one major holiday and two minor holidays as designated by the chosen holiday block schedule
• The resident will be required to work six evening shifts per year along with additional days during the week of the University of Iowa spring break
• 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 pharmacy school transcripts
• Curriculum vitae

Application materials must be received by January 2. An interview is required and will be granted based on the review of application materials.

Applicants must register for the ASHP matching program handled by the National Matching Services, Inc. Rankings must be submitted by the deadline.

• PGY2 Pediatric Residency NMS code: 669261

Candidate Qualifications

• Graduate of an ACPE-accredited Doctor of Pharmacy degree program or have equivalent educational qualification as determined by the residency program director.
• Licensed 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

Lauryn Smelser, PharmD, BCPPS
Pediatric Clinical Pharmacist
Director, PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy Residency
[email protected]

Ethan Sabers, PharmD
Pediatric Clinical Pharmacist
Program Coordinator, PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy Residency
[email protected]