PGY-2 Pediatric Pharmacy Residency

Purpose

PGY2 pharmacy residency programs build on Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) education and PGY1 pharmacy residency programs to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists in specialized areas of practice. PGY2 residencies provide residents with opportunities to function independently as practitioners by conceptualizing and integrating accumulated experience and knowledge and incorporating both into the provision of patient care or other advanced practice settings. Residents who successfully complete an accredited PGY2 pharmacy residency are prepared for advanced patient care, academic, or other specialized positions, along with board certification, if available.

Additional Program Description

The PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy residency provides the resident with opportunities to function independently as a practitioner by conceptualizing and integrating accumulated experience and knowledge and incorporating both into the provision of patient care or other advanced practice functions. Residents also will continue to develop skills in patient- and family-centered care and pharmacy operational services. The residency program is designed to develop practice patterns, expert knowledge, skills, attitudes, and abilities in the area of pediatric pharmacy practice. The residency program builds on the broad-based competencies achieved in a PGY1 residency, transitioning the resident from generalist care to providing specialized care to children. It will equip the resident to participate as an integral member of an interdisciplinary team caring for children, assuming responsibility for the care of these patients. The residency provides opportunities to function independently as a practitioner by conceptualizing and integrating accumulated experience and knowledge and transforming both into improved drug therapy outcomes for children. The residency provides opportunities for teaching, research, and leadership. A resident who successfully completes this residency will possess competencies that enable success as a clinical pharmacist in any chosen area of clinical practice, success as a clinical faculty member with responsibilities for patient care and precepting pharmacy students and residents, and attainment of board certification in Pediatrics (BCPPS).

Program Design

The PGY-2 Pediatric Pharmacy Residency is a one-year program designed to build upon the resident's Doctor of Pharmacy education and PGY1 pharmacy residency program to contribute to the development of a clinical pharmacist specialized in the care of children in a variety of pediatric practice environments. The residency program incorporates each resident’s specific learning needs and goals. The training is provided through month-long clinical rotations and longitudinal experiences that extend throughout the year.

Required Learning Experience and Rotation Length

  • Orientation (July of each year) | 1 month
  • General Pediatrics | 1 month
  • Pediatric Surgery | 1 month
  • Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) | 2 months
  • Neonatal Intensive care Unit (NICU) | 2 months
  • Pediatric Cardiothoracic ICU (PCICU) | 1 month
  • Pediatric Hematology and Oncology | 1 month
  • Clinical Precepting/teaching | 1 month

Elective Learning Experiences and Rotation Length

  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine | 1 month
  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases | 1 month
  • Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant | 1 month
    *May repeat required learning experience as an elective rotation | 1 month

Required Longitudinal Learning Experiences

  • Pediatric On-call | Longitudinal
  • Operational Staffing | Longitudinal
  • Pediatric Journal Club | Longitudinal
  • Pediatric Code Refresher | Longitudinal
  • Research | Longitudinal
  • Seminar | Longitudinal
  • Hospital or Pharmacy Committee Involvement | Longitudinal

Elective Longitudinal Learning Experiences

  • Academic Preparation Program (APP) and Research Certificate | Longitudinal
  • Medication Use Evaluation | Longitudinal

Clinical Staffing Service

Residents will gain clinical experience providing service throughout the year as a clinical pharmacist. PGY2 residents staff 16 hours per month in Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital. Residents will be scheduled in a variety of central and decentralized roles so they gain experience providing a wide range of services. Activities include, but are not limited to, order verification, medication checking, emergency code participation, and providing education to the health care team.

Pediatric Clinical On-Call Service

Residents will participate in the Pediatric Clinical Pharmacy On-Call Service which provides 24-hour clinical pharmacy services. Residents will serve as the primary on-call provider with a clinical pharmacy specialist as back-up preceptor approximately one week per month. All clinical recommendations are reviewed with the back-up. On-call responsibilities include, but are not limited to, monitoring of patients receiving anticoagulants, aminoglycosides, and vancomycin; ordering parenteral nutrition; answering drug information questions; and monitoring complex patients.

Pediatric Ambulatory Care Clinic

Residents will participate in a specialized pediatric ambulatory care clinic approximately 16 hours per month. Activities include medication histories, medication and vaccination optimization, drug information, and medication counseling. Current clinic opportunities include Cystic Fibrosis, Solid Organ Transplant, and Oncology.

Research Project

Each resident will complete a major service or research project during the year. Project ideas will be generated by care team members of MUSC Health to address clinical and operational needs for Pharmacy Services and patients of the MUSC Children's Hospital. The resident will present the results of their project at a local, state, regional, or national meeting, and they must write a manuscript suitable for publication describing the results of the project. Residents will be provided one working day each month to work on the project.

Teaching/Presentation Experiences

Seminar

Each resident will present one ACPE-accredited seminar during the residency program. The goal of the seminar is to expand the resident’s communication skills, presentation techniques, and knowledge in a topic of their choosing.

Pediatric Journal Club

Each resident will rotate responsibilities for organizing and moderating pediatric pharmacy journal club on a monthly basis. Additionally, residents will participate in journal club through presentation and interacting with other learners.

Pediatric Code Refresher

Each resident will develop pediatric code refresher cases on a quarterly basis with supervision from an assigned preceptor. These interactive cases will be presented to fellow residents, students, and clinical pharmacists.

Core Preceptors

  • Wendy Bullington, PharmD, BCPS
  • Kathy Chessman, PharmD, FPPA, FCCP, BCPS, BCNSP
  • Sandra Garner, PharmD, FCCP, BCPS, BCPPS
  • Lauren Haney, PharmD; BCPS, BCPPS
  • Julie Heh, PharmD; BCPS, BCPPS
  • Liz LaScala, PharmD, BCPS
  • Katie Malloy, PharmD, BCPPS
  • Taylor Morrisette, PharmD, MPH
  • Jen Santamaria, PharmD
  • Meg Cummins See, PharmD, MPH
  • Megan Sell, PharmD, BCPS
  • Kathy Sprott, PharmD, BCPS; BCPPS
  • Jill Thompson, PharmD, BCPPS

Current Residents

PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy Residents