The University of Pittsburgh and Caremark offer an opportunity to practice in a dynamic PBM environment and gain a clinical and administrative perspective in managing pharmacy benefit plans for a wide variety of clients. The resident will be involved in multiple aspects of the PBM including clinical intervention activities, Drug Utilization Review (DUR) criteria development, disease state management, Pharmacy and Therapeutics committee activities and clinical information systems development.  In addition, the resident will also have an opportunity to obtain valuable insight about new business development, clinical account management, specialty pharmacy, and the proposals process.  Academic activities, such as contributions to internal newsletters and professional journals, are encouraged.  Furthermore, the resident will participate in undergraduate and graduate student instruction in conjunction with the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, as well as in the development of educational programs for the Caremark professional staff.

Pharmacists completing this residency will be competent and confident practitioners in a dynamic PBM environment. They will be accountable for understanding the role of a pharmacist in a PBM and the individual departments that operate within the PBM. In addition, they will be responsible for functioning independently as a member of the clinical team, but at the same time recognize the importance of teamwork. The resident will develop and demonstrate current and future job skills, including time- and project-management.  Finally, the residents will demonstrate professional maturity by following a personal philosophy of practice, monitoring their own performance and exhibiting commitment to the profession.  Intended outcomes of the residency are as follows:

1. Understand the role of a PBM in the dynamic healthcare environment
2. Understand the role of a pharmacist within a PBM
3. Understand the individual components of a PBM (i.e., sales, proposals, etc.)
4. Develop competence in the following areas of pharmacy practice: direct patient care, drug information, population-based pharmaceutical care, business administration/management activities, and practice management
5. Demonstrate time management and project management skills
6. Demonstrate good rapport and ability to work well with others
7. Display skills in self-monitoring and self-development

The training site for this residency program is the Clinical Operations Department of CVS Caremark, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  CVS Caremark is the nation’s premier integrated pharmacy services provider, combining one of the nation’s leading pharmaceutical services companies with the country’s largest pharmacy chain. The company fills or manages more than one billion prescriptions per year, more than any other pharmacy services provider. CVS Caremark drives value for pharmacy services customers by effectively managing pharmaceutical costs and improving healthcare outcomes through its 6,200 CVS/pharmacy stores; its pharmacy benefit management, mail order and specialty pharmacy division, Caremark Pharmacy Services; its retail-based health clinic subsidiary, Minute Clinic; and its online pharmacy, CVS.com

Program Director: Julie D. Legal, PharmD

Core Rotations

• Drug Utilization Review
• Plan Design/Prior Authorization
• Health Management
• Specialty Pharmacy
• Ambulatory Care
• Proposals
• Clinical Account Management
• Managed Care

Elective Rotations

• Medicare Part D
• Mail Service
• UPMC clinical rotation (based on availability)

Application Process

Prospective residency candidates should possess a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from an ACPE-accredited school or college of pharmacy, have a minimum QPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and be currently licensed or eligible for pharmacy licensure in the state of Pennsylvania.  In addition, candidates should have a strong interest in pursuing a career in managed care pharmacy, excellent oral and written presentation skills, and proficiency in the use of PC applications including word processing, spreadsheets and database management.

Application materials include: letter of intent, curriculum vitae, and a pharmacy school transcript. Additionally, three letters of reference should be submitted separately. An on-site interview is required. All application materials should be forwarded by January 7 to:

Julie D. Legal, Pharm.D.
Residency Program Coordinator
CVS Caremark/Caremark
620 Epsilon Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15238

Phone: (800) 814-6600 ext. 75492
Fax: 412-968-2704
E-mail: jdlegal@pharmacare.com

Residency Program

Duration/Type: 12 months
Number Positions: 1
Application Deadline: January 12
Starting Date: July 1
Estimated Stipend: $34,000
Benefits: Health, dental, eye care, life, and disability; 2 weeks vacation; minimum 1 week professional travel, travel support available
Interview Required: Yes
Training Site Type: Pharmacy Benefit Management Firm
Owner/Affiliates: PharmaCare Management Services, Inc.
Model (type): Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM)
Professional Staff: 16