Education

The Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) Department of Pharmacy offers the following postgraduate year one (PGY1 ) and postgraduate year two (PGY2) pharmacy residency programs that provide residents with the skills and knowledge required to become competent pharmacy practitioners. Each program is composed of a variety of required and elective rotations tailored for each resident:

• PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency Program
• PGY1 Community Pharmacy Practice Residency Program
• PGY2 Pharmacy Critical Care Residency Program
• PGY2 Pharmacy Oncology Residency Program
• PGY2 Pharmacy Ambulatory Care Residency Program
• PGY2 Infectious Disease Residency Program
• PGY1/PGY2 Pharmacy Management Residency Program/MPH 

PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency Program - 

David Pavlik, PharmD, PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program Director
Email: dpavlik@wpahs.org

Length of Program: 1 year
Number of Position(s): 5 positions

History
The PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program at Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) was first accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) in 1980 and most recently reaccredited in 2008. The program provides comprehensive training in all aspects of institutional practice with an emphasis on the delivery of pharmaceutical care and clinical services. The goal of the program is to develop the knowledge, skills, and philosophy required to pursue rational pharmacotherapy in a collaborative environment.

Rotations
This residency program provides residents with the skills and knowledge required to become competent pharmacy practitioners. The 12-month postgraduate training experience is composed of a variety of required and elective rotations tailored for each resident. The program is divided into monthly or bi-monthly rotation periods. Core rotations for this pharmacy residency program include the following:
• Cardiology (1 month)
• Critical Care (1 month)
• Hematology/Oncology (1 month)
• Infectious Diseases (1 month)
• InternalMedicine (2 months)
• PracticeManagement (1 month)
• Electives (4 months)
• Ambulatory Care (Longitudinal)
• Direct Patient Care, Drug Use&Policy Development (Longitudinal)
• Pharmacokinetics (Longitudinal)
• Staffing (Longitudinal)

The specific program for each resident varies based upon the resident’s goals, interests, and previous experience. However, all residents are required to complete the above core rotations. Various elective rotations are available to provide flexibility in pursuing individual goals. The resident may choose to complete an elective rotation in one or more of the core rotation practice areas or choose another practice area. Examples of other elective rotations include ambulatory care, HIV clinic, nephrology, nutrition support, pain management, cardiothoracic surgical ICU, neurosurgery/neurology ICU, medical ICU, trauma ICU, heart failure, practice management, and emergency medicine.

  PGY1 Community Pharmacy Practice Residency Program

Jennifer Davis, PharmD, MBA, Community Pharmacy Residency Program Director (PGY1)
Email: jdavis7@wpahs.org

Length of Program: 1 year
Number of Position(s): 2 positions

History
This program is a newly emerging residency that provides comprehensive training, experience, and education in drug therapy and disease management for patients in an ambulatory practice setting, with an emphasis on the delivery of pharmaceutical care and clinical services. The goal of the program is to that the resident develop the knowledge, skills, and philosophy required to pursue rational  pharmacotherapy in a collaborative environment. Pharmacists with specialized training provide expertise in advanced principles of ambulatory pharmaceutical care in numerous areas, including infectious diseases, cardiology, internal medicine, hematology, solid-organ transplantation, drug information, medication therapy management, and practice management. The program began in July 2012 and is not yet jointly accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the American Pharmaceutical Association (APhA).

Rotations
This program provides residents with the skills and knowledge required to become competent pharmacy practitioners. The 12-month postgraduate training experience is composed of a variety of required and elective rotations tailored for each resident. The program is divided into monthly or bi-monthly rotation periods. Core rotations for this pharmacy residency program include the following:
• Anticoagulation Clinic (Longitudinal)
• InternalMedicine Clinic (12 weeks longitudinal)
• Emergency Department (2 weeks)
• Employee HealthMedication TherapyManagement (Longitudinal)
• Asthma and Allergy Clinic (6 weeks)
• Advanced Heart Failure Clinic (10 weeks)
• Outpatient Oncology Clinic (6 weeks)
• Positive Health (HIV) Clinic (Longitudinal)
• PracticeManagement Outpatient Pharmacy Services (2 weeks and Longitudinal)
• Preventative andWellness Programs (immunizations and smoking cessation) (Longitudinal)
• SportsMedicine (in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Pirates) (2 weeks)

PGY2 Pharmacy Critical Care Residency Program

Edward Horn, PharmD, BCPS, Critical Care Program Director (PGY2)
Email: ehorn@wpahs.org

Length of Program: 1 year
Number of Position(s): 1 position

History
This program was established in 1996 and was most recently reaccredited by ASHP in 2008. The program emphasizes the integrated approach to the application of advanced clinical skills. The goal of the program is to refine the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to pursue rational  pharmacotherapy in a collaborative environment for a critically ill patient population.

Rotations
The core rotations for the PGY2 Critical Care Residency include the following:
•Medical ICU (2 months)
• Trauma ICU (1 month)
• Coronary ICU (1 month)
• Infectious Diseases (1 month)
• Cardiothoracic Surgical ICU/Transplantation (1 month)
• Neurosurgery/Neurology ICU (1 month)
• EmergencyMedicine (1 month)
• Electives (2 months)
• Pharmacokinetics (Longitudinal)
• Staffing (Longitudinal)

The specific program for each resident varies based upon the resident’s goals, interests, and previous experience. However, all residents are required to complete the above core rotations. Various elective rotations are available to provide flexibility in pursuing individual goals. The resident may choose to complete an elective rotation in one or more of the core rotation practice areas or choose another practice area. Examples of other elective rotations include further concentrated learning experiences in the core rotations or in nephrology, nutrition support, pain management, heart failure, practice  management, or emergency medicine.

PGY2 Pharmacy Oncology Residency Program 

Rick Miller, PharmD, BCPS, BCOP, Hematology-Oncology Program Director (PGY2)
Email: rmiller2@wpahs.org

Length of Program: 1 year
Number of Position(s): 1 position

History
This program was established in 2007 and was accredited by ASHP in 2009. The program provides an
environment to enhance pharmacotherapy skills in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings through
a health system with a clinical focus on hematological and oncological disorders. The primary objective of the program is to build problem-solving skills to enable the pharmacist to practice in a multitude of clinical environments. Another goal is to provide the educational background for a PGY2 resident to eventually become BCOP certified.

Rotations
The core rotations for the PGY2 Hematology-Oncology Residency include the following:
•Medical Oncology-Inpatient (2 months)
•Medical Oncology-Outpatient (2 months)
• Hematology (1 month)
• Blood andMarrow Transplant (1 month)
• Infectious Disease (1 month)
• Nutrition/PainManagement (1 month)
• Research (1 month)
• Oncology Administration (1 month)
• Electives (1-2 months)
• Pharmacokinetics (Longitudinal)

The specific program for each resident varies based upon the resident’s goals, interests, and previous experience. All residents are required to complete the above core rotations, unless clinical competence can be demonstrated in the specific learning experience. Elective rotations can include another month in each of the listed rotation learning experiences or in palliative care, hospice, pediatric oncology, benign hematology, or investigational drug services.

PGY2 Pharmacy Ambulatory Care Residency Program

Michael Korczynski, PharmD, CDE, Ambulatory Care Program Director (PGY2)
Email: mkorczyn@wpahs.org

Length of Program: 1 year
Number of Position(s): 1 position

History
The goal of the PGY2 Ambulatory Care Residency Program at AGH is for the resident to develop the knowledge, skills, and philosophy required to pursue a clinical pharmacy specialist position in the adult ambulatory setting. The residency has a comprehensive program to improve the resident’s knowledge base to prepare for BCPS and CDE certification. The resident should be able to practice as a clinical pharmacy specialist or clinical pharmacist in the area of adult ambulatory pharmacy.

The PGY2 Ambulatory Care Residency Program focuses on the outpatient experience and exposure to
diverse populations (clinical, social, and economic). The resident will gain experience in management of chronic disease states (for example, diabetes, heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, HIV, anticoagulation). The goal of the program is to expand the resident’s ability to practice in the ambulatory setting both independently and in collaboration with many different healthcare providers. The program was established in 2010. This program is not yet accredited by ASHP.

Rotations
The core rotations for the PGY2 Ambulatory Care Residency Program include the following:
• Adult InternalMedicine (3 months)
o Diabetes Education andManagement
oMedication TherapyManagement
o Patient Assistance
o Smoking Cessation
• Anticoagulation (Longitudinal)
• Pulmonary Hypertension/Heart Failure/Transplant/Ventricular Assisted Device (1 month)
• Infectious Diseases/HIV (1 month)
• Asthma/Allergy (1 month)
• Outpatient Pharmacy Staffing (Longitudinal)
•Management (Longitudinal)

The elective rotations include:
• Hematology/Oncology/PainManagement (1 month)
• EmergencyMedicine (1 month)
• Human Resources/Benefits (1 month)

PGY2 Infectious Disease Residency Program

Noreen H. Chan Tompkins, PharmD, Infectious Diseases Program Director (PGY2)
Email: ntompkin@wpahs.org

Length of Program: 1 year
Number of Position(s): 1 position

History
This program is a new residency that provides an environment to enhance pharmacotherapy skills in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings. Comprehensive training includes experiences with infectious diseases consultation services, multidisciplinary HIV clinic, antimicrobial stewardship program, pharmacokinetics service, and microbiology. The primary objective of the program is to build problem-solving skills to enable infectious diseases pharmacy practice in a multitude of clinical environments. The program began in July 2012 and is not yet accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).

Rotations
The core rotations for the PGY2 Infectious Diseases Residency include the following:
• Infectious Diseases (4 months)
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (4 months)
• BoneMarrow Transplant (1 month)
•Microbiology (½ month)
• Electives (2½ months, including Surgical Critical Care)
• Antimicrobial Stewardship (Longitudinal)
• Pharmacokinetics (Longitudinal)
• Staffing (Longitudinal)

The specific program for each resident varies based upon the resident’s goals, interests, and previous
experience. However, all residents are required to complete the above core rotations. Various elective
rotations are available to provide flexibility in pursuing individual goals. The resident may choose to
complete an elective rotation in one or more of the core rotation practice areas or choose another practice area. Elective rotations may include surgical critical care, which encompasses cardiothoracic surgical/transplant ICU, and transplantation.

PGY1/PGY2 Pharmacy Management Residency / MPH Program 

Laura K.Mark, MS, PharmD, FASHP, Health System Pharmacy Administration Residency Program Director
Matthew Eberts, PharmD,MBA, Program Contact, Email: meberts@wpahs.org

Length of Program: 2 years
Number of Position(s): 2 positions

History
West Penn Allegheny Health System (WPAHS) is excited to provide a 2-year residency in pharmacy
administration. This residency will consist of a PGY1 followed by a PGY2 in Pharmacy Administration.
The program will be combined with a master of public health (MPH) degree from the University of
Pittsburgh, Pitt Public Health. This combined pharmacy administration residency/ master’s degree
program is being created by an experienced leadership team atWPAHS. The program is designed to
provide opportunities for the resident to develop leadership and expert pharmacy management skills
in a variety of health system settings.WPAHS is an integrated delivery network (IDN) consisting of five
hospitals, including large academic medical centers and small community hospitals. Residents will develop a strong foundation in pharmacy services management through flexible rotations in health system and hospital pharmacy operations management, informatics, information technology, finance, asset management, drug use management, and medication safety. The resident will be integrally involved in daily leadership, gaining hands-on experience in preparation to assume leadership roles upon graduation, either in traditional clinical or operational leadership paths or in less traditional career paths in a variety of leadership and corporate roles. The program allows for flexibility and customization to match the evolving career aspirations of the residents. Upon graduation, each resident will receive a PGY1 and PGY2 certificate, as well as theMPH degree.

Rotations
Core rotations for the PGY1/PGY2 Pharmacy Administration Residency include the following:

Required Clinical Rotations
• Cardiology (1 month)
• Critical Care (1 month)
• Hematology/Oncology (1 month)
• Infectious Diseases (1 month)
• InternalMedicine (1 month)
• Point of Care (1 month)
• Staffing (Longitudinal)
• Pharmacokinetics (Longitudinal)
• Anticoagulation (Longitudinal)

Required Administrative Rotations
• Pharmacy OperationsManagement (1 month)
• Safety and Compliance (1 month)
• Ambulatory PharmacyManagement (1 month)
• Community PharmacyManagement (1 month)
• Clinical PharmacyManagement (1 month)
• Finance/Budgeting/InventoryManagement (1 month)
• System wide Clinical ServicesManagement (1 month)
• Pharmacy Informatics&Automation (1 month)
• GPO, Purchasing and Distribution (1 month)
• Advanced Pharmacy OperationsManagement (1 month)
• Corporate Pharmacy Leadership (1 month)
• Corporate Leadership (1 month)
• Electives (5 months)