Frequently Asked Questions – Pharmacy Residency at St. Charles Hospital
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a preference for in-state or out-of-state pharmacy school graduates?
There is no preference for in-state or out-of-state graduates. Each applicant is treated equally and is reviewed using the same criteria. Each applicant must be eligible for Ohio state licensure.
What is the start date for the PGY 1 pharmacy residency program?
Anticipated program start is the last Monday in June.
How frequently do I staff in the pharmacy? Will I be required to take home a pager or be on call?
PGY 1 residents will gain experience in order verification, centralized pharmacy operations, sterile technique and IV additives checking and preparation. Additionally, residents assume the pharmacist in charge role during staffing. PGY 1 residents are not required to carry a pager or take call. Residents are assigned to staff every other weekend. There are no holiday requirements of the resident.
How are research projects ideas determined? What sort of research skills will I gain and where is my research presented?
Annually, the residency preceptors develop a list of research projects for the residents to choose from. In addition, the resident is encouraged to bring any ideas for projects they may have developed on their own or seen during APPE/work experience. The list developed in this forum focuses on projects that demonstrate the value of clinical pharmacist services, and/or focus on quality improvement initiatives such as drug safety, optimal medication use, cost effective drug use and efficient, safe and effective medication preparation, delivery and administration. Primary research preceptors are assigned to the projects.
All projects are of a scope suitable for publication. Projects are presented as posters at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and Mercy Health Research Day. The final presentation occurs in spring and is a platform presentation at the Ohio Pharmacy Resident Conference.
What sort of guidance/mentorship will I receive?
Each resident spends time during the first few days of the residency with the outgoing residents, who will be able to answer any immediate questions before the program starts. While on service, residents are mentored by our clinical pharmacists and faculty. Preceptors orient the resident to their service and discuss the resident’s expectations. Preceptors meet regularly with the resident to discuss patient cases, topic discussions and clinical pearls. Preceptors also provide guidance on the resident’s approach to student precepting.
How is the resident’s progress monitored?
After the orientation period, each pharmacy resident will be evaluated by the primary preceptor(s) at midpoint and upon completion of each learning experience and quarterly for longitudinal learning experiences. The resident will also be evaluated quarterly by the residency program director. On-demand evaluations or feedback can occur at any time.
Where do residents go after completing a Mercy Health St. Charles PGY 1 pharmacy residency?
During the past five years, most graduates of the PGY 1 program have either pursued additional training PGY 2 or were hired into clinical pharmacist positions at teaching or non-teaching hospitals or organizations.
Will residents travel to any meetings?
Pharmacy residents will attend the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and The Ohio Pharmacy Resident Conference. Additionally, pharmacy residents are expected to showcase the residency program on the local level.
Is there a travel reimbursement policy for residents?
Travel/meeting expenses are built into the residency stipend. By increasing the stipend to account for expenses anticipated for ASHP Midyear and the Ohio Pharmacy Residency Conference the resident is given the ability to make their own decisions as to how to use the monies and the program does not risk lack of ability to fund due to travel freezes, etc. The increase in stipend is anticipated to cover meeting registration, hotel and airline costs.
This is a Catholic health system. Do I need to be Catholic or religious?
No. We welcome diversity and all learners with a desire to provide excellent care to all patients, especially the poor and underserved populations.