Emory University Hospital Midtown
Specialty Residency

Program Purpose

The PGY1 pharmacy residency programs at Emory University Hospital Midtown builds on Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) 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. 

General Info

The PGY1 Pharmacy Residency in Specialty Pharmacy at Emory University Hospital Midtown is a 12-month program designed to build upon the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) education to develop the resident as a generalist clinical pharmacist responsible for medication-related care of patients with a wide range of conditions. This includes being eligible for board certification and postgraduate year two (PGY2) pharmacy residency training upon completion of the residency. 

The primary emphasis of the residency is to train the pharmacist to function as an integral member of the multidisciplinary patient care team while using evidence-based medicine to optimize medication use in patients with various disease states and aid in coordination of care. In addition, emphasis will also be placed on navigating and managing the specialty medication approval process, patient education, and specialty pharmacy operations. The staffing component includes time in specialty pharmacy and inpatient pharmacy. 

Goals

The PGY1 residency program of EUHM utilizes the collective assets of the Emory Hospitals to train and educate residents in contemporary pharmacy practice in a health system so that the resident may: 

• Function effectively as the pharmacist on multidisciplinary healthcare teams;
• Utilize practice management skills to promote rational and safe use of medications;
• Identify, prevent and resolve medication-related problems for patients in acute healthcare settings;
• Master personal development skills for life-long learning and professional growth;
• Gain skills in and contribute to teaching and research.

Program Design

PGY1 residency rotations are a calendar month in duration. December will be dedicated to ASHP Midyear and to the residents fulfilling their research, QI project requirements, and/or staffing. 

PGY1 residents may not spend more than one-third of their residency in one area (e.g., transplant, critical care, or oncology). PGY1 residents must spend two thirds (8 rotations) or more of the program in direct patient care. 

Residents are encouraged to choose rotations to ensure exposure to a broad range of disease states (critical care, oncology, cardiology, internal medicine, infectious diseases) and sites of care including inpatient and ambulatory settings. 

Required Rotations (duration: 1 calendar month)

Elective Rotations (duration: 1 calendar month)

Recommended Electives by PGY1 Program:

PGY1 Pharmacy: Emergency Medicine
Specialty Pharmacy: Ambulatory Care - Hepatology, Formulary Stewardship
Health System Pharmacy Administration: Administration (2 within first year), Internal Medicine (Hospitalist Services), Medication Safety (Longitudinal), Emergency Medicine

Required Activities (One Time Evaluation)

• Journal Club (2 week) 
• Patient Case Presentation (2 week) 
• Grand Rounds (4 weeks) 
• Formulary Management (2 weeks) 

Required Longitudinal Learning Experiences

• Emergency Response (11 months – code blue 1 calendar month at a time in rotation with other PGY1 residents for a total of around 3 months per resident spread throughout the year) 
• Specialty Pharmacy On call (6 months- minimum of 5 weeks for patient calls between 5pm-8am) 
• Pharmacy Service Commitment (11 months- minimum of 400 hours) 
• Quality Improvement (11 months- dedicated 1 research/project day per month) 
• Research (11 months- dedicated 1 research day per month) 
• Teaching Certificate (11 months – average of 8 hours per month including learning sessions, facilitations, and lectures) 

Expectations of the PGY1 Pharmacy Resident 

• Participation in Professional Engagement Activities 
  • Atlanta Pharmacy Resident Information Exchange (APRIE) 
    • Metro-Atlanta area residents meet 6 times a year to present journal articles and review statistics
  • Professional Development Series 
  • EUHM Leadership Series 
  • Grand Rounds attendance 
  • Serve in selected resident leadership role for residency class 
    • Resident leadership roles: 
      • Chief Pharmacy Resident 
      • Recruitment Coordinator 
      • On Call Coordinator 
      • Travel Coordinator 
      • Research Coordinator 
      • Grands Rounds/Case Conference Coordinator 
      • Professional Development Coordinator 
      • Public Relations Coordinator 
      • Wellness/Social Chair 

• Complete all learning experiences and evaluations
  • Pharmacy Service Commitments
    • Staffing
      • Inpatient: Every 3^rd weekend and 1 evening shift per pay period or equivalent for a minimum of 400 staffing hours
      • Holidays: 1 major and 1 minor holiday (New Year's Eve and Day (2 days), Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving (2 days), and Christmas (2 days))
  • Specialty Pharmacy On-Call
    •  Residents will participate in the Specialty Pharmacy at home on-call program, rotating with other EUHM residents for one week at a time for a minimum of 5 weeks
  • Research Project
    • Residents are required to design, develop, and complete an original research project.  Residents are required to complete the following: 
      • Research Project Manuscript in publishable format 
      • Research Platform Project Presentation at a conference 
  • Quality Improvement Project 
    • Residents are expected to develop and complete a quality improvement project by the end of the residency year.   
    • Residents will present a poster at a conference. 
  • Medication Use Evaluation (MUE) 
    • Residents are required to complete one MUE and present it to a committee. 
  • ACPE Accredited Grand Rounds Presentation  
    • Residents are required to prepare one 60-minute presentation for ACPE credit on approved topics, complete with PowerPoint presentations and knowledge assessment questions. 
  • Patient Case Presentation 
    • Residents are required to present one patient case to the pharmacy department 
  • Journal Club  
    • Residents are required to present at least one journal article during the year. 
  • Formulary Management 
    • Residents are required to complete one of the following: 
      • Drug monograph 
      • Class Review 
      • Treatment Guideline 
      • Protocol 
  • Residency Portfolio 
  • Teaching Certificate  
    • Residents are required to complete a pharmacy teaching certificate program. In addition, residents will assist in precepting APPE and IPPE Student Pharmacists from area Colleges of Pharmacies. 
  • Achieve >80% of required objectives for the residency 
• Other 
  • Option to apply for early commitment to any of the Emory PGY-2 programs: oncology, infectious diseases, critical care, solid organ transplant, and internal medicine 
  • EUHM PGY2 ambulatory care – early commit determined annually 

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

ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting – Residents represent EUHM at the Residency Showcase and present their initial research project findings.

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

Stipend & Benefits

• PGY1 Annual Salary: $54,000 
• Benefits include PTO, paid holidays, health/dental/life/liability insurance

Contact Info

For more information, please contact the program director.

Program Director

Katherine Fuller, PharmD, BCACP, BCPS
Emory University Hospital Midtown 
Pharmaceutical Services 
550 Peachtree St NE
Atlanta, GA 30308
katherine.fuller@emoryhealthcare.org

Program Coordinator 

Marley L. Watson, PharmD, BCOP
Email: marley.watson@emoryhealthcare.org