The PGY1 pharmacy residency at UPMC Mercy provides training in health-system pharmacy, with the major emphasis on clinical pharmacy practice and the education and training of future pharmacists. Residents gain experience providing a wide range of pharmacotherapy and educational services to patients and health care practitioners. Residents participate in drug formulary evaluations, medication safety strategies, hospital pharmacy practice, and are members of hospital and system wide multidisciplinary initiatives.
Site/Location
UPMC Mercy, Pittsburgh, PA
Program Purpose
PGY1 pharmacy residency programs build on Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) education and outcomes to 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 postgraduate year two (PGY2) pharmacy residency training.
Mission
The Department of Pharmacy at UPMC Mercy strives to achieve the organization’s mission and core values through the provision of the highest quality, patient-focused pharmacy services. Through residency training, it is our mission to train clinical pharmacists who are leaders in patient care through:
- clinical decision-making and application of evidence-based medicine.
- education of patients and other health care professionals.
- contribution to knowledge of medication usage and innovative practice models.
- perseverance in patient advocacy.
- commitment to patient safety.
What makes us unique?
Our people! At UPMC Mercy, we care for complex, high acuity patients in a tertiary care academic medical center, yet if you ask anyone who has worked here, they will talk about how the hospital has a community feel to it. That unique combination is possible through our incredible team members who have fostered meaningful connections with physicians, nurses, and other healthcare team members.
Program Overview
- Required Core Learning Experiences
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- ICU3 (Medical-Surgical ICU)
- ICU8 (Medical ICU)
- Emergency Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Internal Medicine
- Medication Safety
- Management
- Orientation
- Project Block
- Required Longitudinal Learning Experiences
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(all longitudinal rotations are 45-week experiences)
- Direct Patient Care (Pharmacy Consult Services & Ambulatory Care)
- Development
- Staffing
- Residency Projects
- Elective Learning Experiences
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- Academia
- Ambulatory Care
- Hematology/Oncology
- Nephrology
- Nutrition Support
- Pharmacy Informatics
- Substance Use Disorders – Withdrawal Management Unit
- Transitions of Care – Internal Medicine
- Trauma/Burn
Residents may also electively enroll in the Mastery of Teaching program sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh
- Requirements for Program Completion
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- Obtain Pennsylvania pharmacist licensure within 120 days of the residency year start and practice two-thirds of the year as a licensed pharmacist.
- Complete all orientation materials including university and health-system training modules.
- Attain a rating of “Achieved for Residency” for 80% of the objectives established by the residency program.
- Complete the requirements of the individualized plans as developed by the program director.
- Complete all required learning experiences of the residency schedule.
- Complete all required weekend inpatient pharmacy staffing and clinical coverage assignments.
- Complete a major project and present the results at the University of Pittsburgh Resident Research Day.
- Prepare a manuscript based on the major residency project.
- Meet the residency presentation requirements: 2 formal presentations, 2 journal club presentations, and at least 1 interdisciplinary meeting presentation.
- Complete a drug class review/drug monograph/treatment guideline/treatment protocol and a medication use evaluation.
- Manual/Policy and Procedures
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Residency program manual and accompanying policies will be distributed upon invitation to interview.
Employment Information
Start Date: July 1
Term of Appointment: 52 weeks, concluding June 30
Stipend and Benefit Information
Yearly Stipend: $51,259
Paid Time Off: 20 days
Benefits: 2023 Benefit Highlights (upmc.com)
Travel: Travel stipend to ASHP Midyear covering registration, hotel, flight, meals
Application/Interview Information
UPMC Mercy Pharmacy residency programs will strive to promote diversity and inclusion in recruitment. Efforts to promote diversity during recruitment will be done under the advisement of the UPMC Residency Advisory Council Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Workgroup and in accordance with the ASHP Diversity Resource Guide (diversity-resource-guide.pdf (ashp.org))." All UPMC employees participate in mandatory diversity, equity, and inclusion training annually.
Submit completed application via PhORCAS by January 2. Interview is required (in-person or virtual).
Meet Our Team
Residency Program Director
Taylor Miller, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist
UPMC Mercy
Preceptors
- Emily Ankney PharmD, BCPS
- Josef Berletic, PharmD BCPS
- Abby Chiappelli, PharmD, BCCCP
- Steven Ganchuk, PharmD
- Pamela Gradisek, PharmD, BCPS
- Victoria Gray, PharmD, BCPS
- Pamela McCormick, PharmD, BCPS
- Taylor Miller, PharmD
- Brandon Nemecek, PharmD, BCPS
- Sandra Nickman, PharmD
- Bridget Ott, PharmD, BCPS
- Marci Pursglove, PharmD
- Abigail Steele, PharmD, BCPS
- Megan Wein, PharmD
- David Zimmerman, PharmD, BCPS
Current Residents
- Abigail Cochran, PharmD
- Maura Fleming, PharmD
- Samantha Hohmann, PharmD
- Mario Martinez, PharmD
- Maya Tsvetkova, PharmD
Past Residents and First Positions
2022-2023
- Sierra D’Ettorre, PharmD
- Danielle DiGiorgio, PharmD
- Sydney Dyne, PharmD
- Arienne Serniak, PharmD
- Brett Snyder, PharmD
2021-2022
- Lalah Ali-Syed, PharmD
- Abigail Bornstein, PharmD
- Stephen Lomax, PharmD
- Veronica Taylor, PharmD
- Allison Tempo, PharmD
