PGY1: Pharmacy - UPMC St Margaret


UPMC St. Margaret offers both two-year Pharmacy Residency programs specializing in ambulatory care or geriatrics. The PGY1 year for both specialty programs is the same as a general pharmacy practice experiential year. After building a strong foundation the first year, the resident will establish an independent practice during the second year. UPMC St. Margaret's two-year experience offers the benefit of continuity of learning environment and opportunities.


Site/Location

UPMC St. Margaret, 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 purpose of the residency is to train highly motivated, team-oriented pharmacy residents on advanced patient medication management skills, teaching techniques, and practice-based research methods, preparing them to be leaders of change in the medical/academic community. 

What makes us unique?

Residents at UPMC St. Margaret also complete a two-year Faculty Development Fellowship. This program is a longitudinal curriculum in which family medicine physicians and pharmacy residents collaboratively learn teaching strategies, leadership, mentorship, and research design. In addition to the core faculty at UPMC St. Margaret, fellowship sessions are led by local experts in communication and teaching design from Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh, along with national figures in health system advocacy and leadership. Additionally, as part of the University of Pittsburgh Pharmacy Residency Program, residents at UPMC St. Margaret participate in resident group seminars with pharmacy residents in other training programs. They have numerous opportunities to give formal and informal presentations to healthcare professionals, precept pharmacy students, and teach at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy. 

Program Overview

Patient Care and Pharmacy Experiences

Clinical Weekend Staffing  

Required  

Critical Care  

Required  

Faculty Development Fellowship  

Required  

Global Health  

Elective  

Infectious Diseases  

Required  

Inpatient Cardiology  

Elective  

Inpatient Medicine - Family Medicine  

Required  

Inpatient Medicine - Geriatrics  

Required  

Inpatient Pharmacy Orientation/ Faculty Development Summer Series  

Required  

Inpatient Psychiatry 

Elective  

Inpatient Staffing  

Required  

Practice Management  

Required  

Oncology  

Elective  

Outpatient Cardiology  

Elective  

Outpatient Family Medicine  

Required  

Outpatient Geriatrics  

Required  

Outpatient Psychiatry  

Elective  

Palliative Care  

Elective  

Transition to PGY2 Practice Site  

Required  

Transplant UPMC Presby  

Elective  

Teaching Experiences 

Faculty Development Fellowship- Required 

View more details

Research/Quality Improvement Experiences

Drug Utilization Evaluation (DUE)        Required
Research Project                                     Required

Professional Development/Leadership Experiences

Practice Management          Required
Coach/Advisor Meetings      Required

Requirements for Program Completion
  • Copy of Updated Curriculum Vitae as of May 30
  • Submit a resident portfolio including a breakdown of and examples of clinical, teaching, and research efforts throughout the academic year.  
  • Research project (copy of protocol, IRB/AI documents, data, analysis)
  • Develop a drug class review, monograph, treatment guideline, or protocol (e.g. Materia Medica)
  • Participate in medication use evaluation (copy of protocol, presentation to local Pharmacy and Therapeutics meeting, implementation of next steps)
  • Manuscript completed and provided to Residency Program Director by June 30th with the hope to submit to a peer-reviewed journal
  • Create a poster pertaining to research project
  • Research project presentation (at least 2)
  • Complete all tasks associated with Learning experiences and residency documentation in PharmAcademic
  • Complete one presentation at a regional or national conference
  • Achieve objective benchmarks set for residency progression (Q1= 0-25%; Q2 26-50%; Q3 51-75%; Q4 80-100%)
  • Achieve 80% of all residency goals and objectives by the end of the residency year
Manual/Policy and Procedures

Will be provided by the program

Employment Information

Start Date: Varies by year, typically third week of June
Term of Appointment: Start date through June 30 of following year

Stipend and Benefit Information

                Yearly Stipend: https://www.upmc.com/careers/gme/about/benefits
               
Paid Time Off: 20 days
               
Benefits: https://stmargarets.familymedicine.pitt.edu/residencies/pharmacy-residency-program/salary-and-benefits
               
Travel: Residents typically travel to a conference in the fall and the STFM Annual Conference in the spring!

Application/Interview Information

Eligible candidates will be graduating or have graduated from an accredited school of pharmacy. Candidates must register for the Match – ASHP Residency Matching Program - and submit an application requirement via PhORCAS by December 31. Select candidates will be invited for an interview. All interviews will be conducted virtually for the upcoming recruitment season.  

PGY2 ambulatory care and geriatric residency candidates are identified in the ASHP Residency Matching Program prior to their PGY1 year. Candidates will follow Early Commitment Process in their PGY1 year to confirm acceptance into the PGY2 specialty residency program. 

This residency site agrees that no person at this site will solicit, accept, or use any ranking-related information from any residency candidate. 

Meet Our Team

Residency Program Director

Alexandria Taylor

Residency Program Coordinator

Jennifer Crupie

Preceptors

  • Megan Baumgartner, PharmD, BCPS
  • Alison Dittmer, PharmD, BCCCP
  • Roberta Farrah, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP
  • Amy Grimes, PharmD, BCPS, BCGP
  • Ly Hong, RPh
  • Marianne Koenig, PharmD, BCPS
  • Brianna Ordons, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
  • Aaron Pickering, PharmD, BCPS
  • Candice Pilarski, BSPharm, RPh
  • Heather Sakely, PharmD, BCPS, BCGP
  • Gretchen Shelesky, MD, MS, FAAFP
  • Alexandria Taylor, PharmD, BCPS

Current Residents

  • Maddie Dillen, PharmD
  • Jason Fine, PharmD
  • Eva Stachler, PharmD
  • Maddie Stanko, PharmD
  • Lexi Wardoclip, PharmD
  • Madison Abbs, PharmD
  • Elisabeth Marker, PharmD
  • Drake Meaney, PharmD
  • Abby Reigh, PharmD
  • Taylor Thompson, PharmD

Past Residents and First Positions

21-23

  • Grace Kim, PharmD- Clinical Pharmacist, Internal Medicine, Luminant Health, Maryland

  • Habib Rahman, PharmD, BCPS- Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Primary Care, Great Lakes Integrated Network, New York

  • Joe Rizkalla, PharmD, BCPS- Clinical Pharmacist Specialist, Family Medicine, UPMC Department of Family Medicine, Pennsylvania

  • Lauren Sittard, PharmD, BCPS- Clinical Pharmacist, Rheumatology, Yale New Haven Health

  • Arianna Sprando, PharmD, BCPS- Clinical Pharmacist Specialist, Ambulatory Care, Allegheny Health Network, Pennsylvania

20-22

  • William Beathard, PharmD, BCPS- Clinical Pharmacist, Ambulatory Care and Geriatrics, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
     
  • Lauren Della Grotta, PharmD, BCPS- Clinical Pharmacist, Transitions of Care and Emergency Medicine, St. Clair Hospital, Pittsburgh
     
  • Alicia Faggioli, PharmD, BCPS- Clinical Pharmacist, Primary Care, Cleveland Clinic, Ohio
     
  • Courtney Simpkins, PharmD, BCPS- Clinical Ambulatory Care Pharmacist, Specialty Pharmacy, St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Kentucky
     
  • Alexandria Taylor, PharmD, BCPS- Clinical Pharmacist, Inpatient Family Medicine, UPMC St. Margaret, Pennsylvania

19-20

  • Sam DeMarco, PharmD, BCPS- Clinical Pharmacist, Pain Medicine, University of Maryland St. Joseph’s Medical Center, Maryland

  • Kristel Chatellier, PharmD, BCPS- Clinical Pharmacist, Internal Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Rhode Island

  • Amisha Mehta, PharmD, BCPS- Clinical Assistant Professor, Fairleigh Dickinson School of Pharmacy Ambulatory Care Clinical Pharmacist, Morristown Medical Center, New Jersey

  • Nolan Schmitz, PharmD, BCPS- Ambulatory Clinical Pharmacist, Primary Care, The University of Kansas Health System, Kansas

  • Cassidy Williams, PharmD, BCPS- Clinical Pharmacist Specialist, Primary Care, St. Tammany Health System, Louisiana