Emory University Hospital Midtown
Specialty Residency

PGY-1 Specialty Pharmacy Residency 

Emory University Hospital Midtown (EUHM)’s post-graduate year one (PGY-1) pharmacy residency with specialty pharmacy focus is a 12-month, multi-site program. It builds upon your Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) education and allows you to develop as a generalist clinical pharmacist responsible for medication-related care of patients with a wide range of conditions. In addition, this program emphasizes the navigation and management of the specialty medication approval process, patient education and specialty pharmacy operations.

At the completion of the residency, you will be eligible for board certification and postgraduate year two (PGY-2) pharmacy residency training.

Goals

During the PGY-1 specialty pharmacy residency program at EUHM, residents will:

  • Function effectively as the pharmacist on interdisciplinary health care teams
  • Utilize practice management skills to promote rational and safe use of medications
  • Identify, prevent and resolve medication-related problems
  • Master personal development skills for life-long learning and professional growth
  • Gain skills in, as well as contribute to, teaching and research
  • Perform the major functions of a specialty pharmacist, including facilitating optimal outcomes.

Learning Experiences and Rotations

You will complete month-long rotations through various services at EUHM. However, in December, you will complete your research and service requirements. You may not spend more than one-third of your residency in one clinical area (e.g., transplant, critical care, oncology), and you must spend at least two-thirds of the program in direct patient care.

Required Learning Experiences

  • Administration/practice management
  • Ambulatory care: hepatology
  • Ambulatory care: neuro or rheumatology
  • Ambulatory care: oncology
  • Critical care (MICU, CTSICU or SICU)
  • Internal medicine
  • Infectious diseases

Required Longitudinal Rotations

  • Formulary management
  • Inpatient staffing
  • Specialty pharmacy staffing

Elective Learning Experiences 

  • Administration: inpatient operations
  • Ambulatory care:
    • Cardiology
    • Dermatology
    • GI
    • Neurology
    • Pulmonology (PAH & CF)
    • Rheumatology
  • Ambulatory care oncology
    • Aerodigestive Breast
    • GI
    • GU (prostate, renal, bladder)
    • Lymphoma
    • Melanoma
    • Multiple myeloma
    • Medical oncology (head/neck)
    • Medical oncology (sarcoma/breast)
    • Community oncology
  • Cardiology
  • Critical care (MICU, CTSICU or SICU)
  • Drug information
  • Emergency medicine
  • Inpatient Oncology
    • BMT Leukemia
    • Medical oncology
  • Medication safety
  • Solid Organ Transplant
    • Kidney
    • Liver
    • Heart/Lung

Projects and Responsibilities

Research project: Residents design, develop and complete an original research project, including a final manuscript of research results. To expand their understanding of research requirements, residents complete an Emory IRB-certified module. Residents present their projects at the Southeastern Residency Conference in April of their residency year.

Grand Rounds presentation: Residents prepare a 60-minute presentation on an approved topic for Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) credit.

Journal club: Residents present journal articles monthly and interact with residents from other programs in the metro Atlanta area by participating in an Atlanta Area Resident Journal Club (APRIE) every other month.

Code response: Residents receive ACLS training and certification and respond to medical emergencies on a rotating basis and during their weekend staffing shifts.

Formulary monograph or class review: Residents develop and complete at least one formulary monograph or class review during the year and present their findings to the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee.

Quality improvement: Residents develop and complete a quality improvement project by the end of their residency year.

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM): Residents provide pharmacokinetic services throughout the year and are responsible for TDM of patients on their services and a designated floor.

On call: Residents participate in the specialty pharmacy and inpatient on-call program, rotating with other EUHM residents for one week at a time.

Staffing: Residents provide staffing coverage on some weekends and holidays in the central and specialty inpatient pharmacies

Teaching: Residents complete a pharmacy teaching certificate program offered by the Mercer University College of Pharmacy. Residents receive the title of "Adjunct Clinical Instructor" and assist in precepting APPE and IPPE student pharmacists from Mercer University, PCOM and the University of Georgia.

Licensure and Compensation

Licensure: Residents must obtain Georgia pharmacist licensure by Sept. 15.

Evaluations: Residents should complete all evaluations, including rotational evaluation and global evaluations, in a timely manner.

Compensation: Residents receive a $54,000/year salary plus medical, dental, vision and 401K benefits, $1,250 for travel to ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and accrual of one paid day off per two-week pay-period.

Other: Residents receive an early commitment option for any of Emory’s post-graduate year two pharmacy residency programs.

Professional Development 

Residents receive financial support to attend the following conferences as well as $75 towards professional organization dues:

ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting – Residents attend ASHP Midyear clinical meeting, residency showcase and PPS to represent and recruit for EUHM residency programs.

Vizient Poster Presentation Prior to ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting – Residents present their initial research project results.

Southeastern Residency Conference (SERC) - Held in late spring, SERC is one of the largest and oldest residency conferences in the country. Residents will present the results of their research projects at SERC.

Contact Info

For more information, please contact the program director.

Katherine Fuller, PharmD, BCACP, BCPS
550 Peachtree St
NE Atlanta, GA 30308
katherine.fuller@emoryhealthcare.org