Emory University Hospital Post-Graduate
Year One Pharmacy Residency

Emory University Hospital’s post-graduate year one (PGY-1) pharmacy residency prepares you to practice independently and excel in clinical service, teaching, and research. The program offers learning opportunities in general and specialized practice settings.

Residents will spend most of their time at the Emory University Hospital (EUH), the primary teaching site for Emory University and the flagship hospital of Emory Healthcare.  It is the seventh-highest volume solid organ transplant center in the nation and home to Winship Cancer Institute, Georgia's only NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center.

In addition, residents can complete rotations at other Emory Healthcare sites that are not offered at Emory University Hospital. Rotation schedules are flexible and designed to provide residents with a solid foundation of core experiences and ample opportunities for pursuing individual interests.

Goals

Residents develop a customized training plan at the beginning of the year. A residency advisor guides residents through the program and ensures identified goals are met.

During the PGY-1 program at EUH, residents will:

• 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

You will complete month-long rotations through various services at EUH. You may complete up to two rotations at another campus.

Required Learning Experiences (five months)

• Critical care (select one)
  • Medical Intensive Care Unit
  • Surgical Intensive Care Unit
• Immunocompromised (Oncology/Transplant)
• Infectious diseases
• Internal medicine
• Orientation
• Practice management Research

Elective Learning Experiences (six months)

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

On-call program: Residents participate in the clinical pharmacist on-call program on a rotating basis. PGY-1 residents will receive ACLS training and certification so they can respond to medical emergencies, including Code Blue and Code Strokes. They will also answer drug information questions and perform pharmacokinetics as part of their on-call responsibilities.

Drug Information: PGY-1 residents prepare drug therapy monographs, drug class review or treatment guideline protocol as part of their longitudinal drug information learning experience. Monographs are presented at Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee meetings. Other projects may also be presented at various hospital committees.

Quality Improvement Project: PGY-1 residents work together on a quality improvement project with a goal to improve patient care at EUH.

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 through the Atlanta Area Resident Journal Club (APRIE) every other month.

Staffing: Residents staff every third weekend.

Teaching: In addition to providing in-services while on rotations, residents assist in precepting fourth-year pharmacy students from Mercer University and the University of Georgia. Residents participate as facilitators for the introductory pharmacy practice experience for third-year pharmacy students. Additionally, residents complete a pharmacy teaching certificate program offered by Mercer University College of Pharmacy and receive the title of "Adjunct Clinical Instructor."

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.

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

ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting – Residents represent EUH 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.

Contact Info

For more information, please contact the program director or a coordinator.

Sara Gattis, PharmD
sara.gattis@emoryhealthcare.org

Kayla Lawlor, PharmD, BCCCP
kayla.lawlor@emoryhealthcare.org

Heather Synder, PharmD, BCTXPP
heather.snyder@emoryhealthcare.org