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PGY-2 Oncology Residency Pharmacy

Purpose

PGY2 residency programs build 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.

Additional Program Description

A resident who successfully completes this PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy Residency Program should possess knowledge and competencies that enable attainment of board certification in the practice area (i.e. BCOP) and exhibit the skills and attitudes to successfully enter clinical practice as a pharmacy specialist in the inpatient and or outpatient setting, or assume a faculty role within a college of pharmacy.

Program Design

The PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy Residency at MUSC is a one-year post-graduate training program designed to develop essential knowledge and skills for contemporary health-system pharmacy practice at a major academic medical center, community-based hospital, or in academia. The residency program provides the flexibility to adapt to the resident's specific learning needs and goals. The training is provided through concentrated clinical and longitudinal experiences as listed below:

Required Rotations:

Orientation -- 1 month

Inpatient Malignant Hematology - 1 month

Outpatient Malignant Hematology - 1 month

*Outpatient Oncology I, II, III, IV, V - each 1 month in length (see description below)

Palliative Care - 1-2 weeks

Outpatient BMT & Cellular Therapy Clinic - 1 month

Project month - 1 month (December)

*The sequence of these is based on preceptor availability and resident preference and encompass the following clinics: breast cancer, gastrointestinal cancers, genitourinary cancers with head and neck cancer, gynecologic cancers, sarcoma and melanoma clinics, thoracic clinic. One of these clinics will be use as the longitudinal capstone rotation listed below

Elective Rotations (choice of 1-2 with repeat experiences from required rotations allowed):

Infectious Diseases – 1 month

Pediatric Oncology – 1 month

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy (inpatient/outpatient) – 1 month

Inpatient malignant hematology – 1 month

Outpatient malignant hematology – 1 month

Oncology solid tumor generalist – 1 month

Other elective experiences may be developed based on resident interest and preceptor availability

Clinical Staffing Experience

Residents will gain oncology staffing experiences through inpatient staffing on the oncology unit at Ashley River Tower one weekend per month (10-hour shifts on Saturday and Sunday). Training during orientation will consist of 2 weekends in July (8-hour shifts on Saturday and Sunday every other weekend in July only). Inpatient staffing consists of checking chemotherapy orders, discharge counseling, verifying orders, and cross-covering orders from other units as required by the shift.

Outpatient staffing at the Hollings Cancer Center’s infusion center at least 1 day per month (8-hour shifts). Outpatient infusion staffing consists of verifying chemotherapy orders, checking preparation of chemotherapy, and exposure to compounding chemotherapy through closed system transfer devices. Residents are expected to communicate with nursing staff, clinic/hospital staff, and clinical specialist pharmacy staff to answer questions and ensure safe preparation, dispensing and administration of chemotherapy..

Longitudinal Experiences

  • Major Research Project: a project selected by the resident in July after they have been presented with all options by the specialist pharmacists. This will be an ongoing project throughout the residency year, and will be presented at HOPA or other oncology meeting, in the spring. A manuscript will be written by the end of the residency year, with the intent on submitting for publication. Completion of the research certificate program through the MUSC College of Pharmacy is highly encouraged.
  • Medication Use Evaluation: a project selected by preceptors, with the residents interests in mind, that will greatly benefit patients and staff at MUSC. The timeline/completion of this project will be based on the individual project needs.
  • Topic Discussions: This longitudinal experience is more heavily focused during the first quarter of the residency year to prepare residents for staffing and rotations. Throughout the remainder of the year, specific disease-state/supportive care topics will be addressed with direct patient care activities or individual topic discussions with the preceptor. For any ASHP-required disease-states or topics not specifically covered during a monthly rotation, these will be addressed during the remaining group/longitudinal topic discussions. An outline of all disease-states and supportive care topics to be covered throughout the year will be given to the residents during their orientation (July).
  • Journal Club: Journal club is held monthly, and the PGY2 resident is expected to present/lead at least 2 journal club discussions throughout the year, and complete an evaluation for all journal club presentations they attend. Additional learners on rotation within Hollings Cancer Center, including other PGY2 residents, PGY1 residents, and students will also be expected to participate in this activity.
  • Case Presentations: Residents will choose and present 2 patient cases throughout the year. These should be rare or interesting cases they have encountered on rotation.
  • Capstone Solid Tumor Rotation: To be selected by the resident from the list above of solid tumor rotations. As a longitudinal rotation, beginning in October, the resident will go to that rotation 1 day per week, and this will continue for ~6 months (quarter 2 and quarter 3). During quarter 4, the resident can change to any rotation they choose in preparation for their future employment.
  • Investigational Drug Services: IDS experience will be provided in several different learning opportunities. During orientation, the resident will spend time learning trial protocols, where to find information and how to dispense investigational drugs for trial patients. Throughout the year, the resident will review trial protocols for appropriate medication use, counsel patients, monitor for adverse events, and perform any other trial-related tasks assigned by the preceptor. During outpatient infusion staffing, the resident will be encouraged to verify and participate in the dispensing of investigational drugs that occur during their shift. The resident will also participate in topic discussions focused on IDS, and they will assist with preparing a template for the EPIC/Beacon treatment plan build for a new trial opening at MUSC. They may also be asked to participate in the protocol validation, site initiation visit, and other learning opportunities as available in a longitudinal fashion.
  • Oncology Practice Management: This experience will include a monthly meeting with a member of the management team to review a list of pertinent and relevant topics to help prepare the resident for BCOP and managerial tasks they will likely participate in throughout their practice. Residents are encouraged to suggest additional topics/questions for the management team that can be added and scheduled as needed. Topics to be covered will include interviewing, CV review, employment benefits, and other pertinent information to help prepare residents for future employment interviews.

Precepting/Teaching Experiences

  • Seminar: Each resident will complete a 1-hour seminar presentation during the year. This will be presented to the pharmacy department as an ACPE-accredited continuing education activity.
  • Precepting: Each resident will precept at least 1 student on rotation each year. If desired, more experiences can be offered based on availability.
  • Didactic Lecture: Residents will teach at least 1 lecture to 3rd year pharmacy students at MUSC College of Pharmacy in the Spring Semester. Other opportunities may be offered based on desire and availability.
  • APP: See general landing page for more information. This is an optional activity but highly encouraged for each resident to complete.

Core Preceptors

Jennifer MacDonald, PharmD, BCOP
Clinical Oncology Specialist, Gynecologic Oncology

Anastasia Graham, PharmD, BCOP
Clinical Oncology Specialist, Neurologic Oncology

Jagoda Misniakiewicz, PharmD
Clinical Oncology Specialist, Gastrointestinal Oncology

Kasey Jackson, PharmD, BCOP
Clinical Oncology Specialist, Breast Oncology

Sherry Vogt, PharmD, BCOP
Clinical Oncology Specialist, Genitourinary and Head/Neck Oncology

Andy Maldonado, PharmD, BCOP
Clinical Oncology Specialist, Faculty MUSC College of Pharmacy, Sarcoma, Melanoma and Skin Cancers

Christina Hoppe, PharmD, BCOP
Clinical Oncology Specialist, Thoracic Oncology

James Davis, PharmD, BCOP
Clinical Oncology Specialist, Malignant Hematology (Outpatient)

Deidra Smith, PharmD
Clinical Oncology Specialist, Malignant Hematology (Outpatient)

Kelly Gaffney, PharmD, BCOP
Clinical Oncology Specialist, BMT/Cellular Therapy and Malignant Hematology (Inpatient)

Mary McGann, PharmD, BCOP
Clinical Oncology Specialist, BMT/Cellular Therapy (Outpatient)

Julie Heh, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS
Clinical Pediatric Specialist, Pediatric Oncology

Jennifer Carter, PharmD, BCPS
Director, MUSC Specialty Pharmacy

Leslie Person, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacist, Inpatient Oncology

Krutika Hornback, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP
Clinical Infectious Diseases Specialist

Lauren Blackwell, PharmD
Clinical Oncology Specialist, Thoracic Oncology

Alyssa Cendagorta, PharmD
Clinical Oncology Specialist, BMT/Cellular Therapy and Malignant Hematology (Inpatient)

Current Residents

PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy Residents