PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Program at VBMC
The purpose of the PGY-1 Residency Program at Nuvance Health – Vassar Brothers Medical Center is to build 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 PGY-2 pharmacy residency training.
This 12-month post-graduate year one pharmacy residency training program offers residents the opportunity to gain expertise in various areas of pharmacy practice and to cultivate necessary skills to become a highly skilled pharmaceutical care practitioner. The program consists of core and elective learning experiences that are tailored to each resident’s interests. The residency will serve to foster clinical, distributive, and administrative skills in pharmacy practice. Through a variety of learning experiences, residents will gain confidence to effectively educate patients and healthcare professionals while functioning as a member of a multi-disciplinary team. They will be an integral part of the medication use process. The program will also serve to develop and refine the resident’s writing, presentation, teaching, research, and leadership skills.
PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Curriculum
The Nuvance Health – Vassar Brothers Medical Center PGY-1 Pharmacy Practice Residency Program is a 12-month post-graduate training program. This program structure may be subject to change to meet individual goals of the resident as determined by the Residency Advisory Committee (RAC).
Required Core Learning Experiences (total 36 weeks):
- Hospital/Pharmacy Orientation
- Critical Care
- Infectious Diseases
- Internal Medicine
- Oncology
- Emergency Medicine
Required Longitudinal Learning Experiences:
- Ambulatory Care OR Antimicrobial Stewardship
- Pharmacy Practice Management
- Inpatient Pharmacy Operations (every third weekend)
- University of Connecticut Teaching and Learning Certificate
- Research Project
Elective Block Learning Experiences:
- Antimicrobial Stewardship
- Diabetes Management
- Medication Safety
- Pharmacy Informatics
- Academic Leadership
- Sterile Products
- Neurology
Preceptors
- Dr. Noble received her PharmD from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Pharmacy in Erie, PA. She completed her PGY-1 at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA and Infectious Diseases PGY-2 at the James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in the Bronx, NY. Dr.Noble is the Nuvance Health System Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist. Her clinical practice at Vassar Brothers Medical Center includes Antimicrobial Stewardship and Infectious Diseases. She is the residency program director and serves as preceptor for the Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Stewardship rotations.
- Dr. Kher received her PharmD from St. John’s University in Queens, New York. She is currently employed as the Critical Care Pharmacist at Vassar Brothers Medical Center. Previous experiences include geriatric care, specializing in Alzheimer’s/Dementia unit along with participation in the Adult Day Program MMRs at The New Jewish Home in NYC, inpatient experiences at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx and Queens Hospital in Jamaica. She has enjoyed various experiences throughout the healthcare system in her 11 years of practicing.
- She serves as a residency program preceptor for the Critical Care rotation.
- Dr. Choe is an advanced-practice clinical pharmacist in Oncology/Hematology. She received her B.S. from Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Science at LIU and her PharmD from the University of Florida. She has been board certified in Oncology Pharmacy since 2014 and is certified in anticoagulation therapy management. Her primary practice sites include the outpatient cancer infusion center and oncology care unit in an in-patient setting. She serves as a residency program preceptor for the oncology rotation.
- Dr. Wallin-Wais graduated from the University of California San Francisco School of Pharmacy and completed a Clinical Pharmacy Residency at Moses Cone Memorial Hospital in Greensboro, North Carolina. She worked as a clinical pharmacist in acute care, consultant pharmacy, transitional care, acute physical rehabilitation, and long-term acute care (LTAC) settings in Baltimore and precepted students attending the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, before relocating to the Mid-Hudson Valley region. She joined the pharmacy team at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in November 2021. Her interests include antimicrobial and anticoagulation stewardship. She earned a Certificate in Antimicrobial Stewardship from the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists.
- Dr. Montross received her PharmD from the University of Rhode Island and completed her PGY-1 residency at the US Department of Veterans Affairs in New Jersey. She is currently employed as the Primary Care Pharmacy Services Manager at Nuvance Health Medical Practices, and practices as a clinical pharmacist within their Primary Care offices across New York.
- Dr. Islam received her PharmD from the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy. She completed her PGY-1 at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, MD and PGY-2 in Medication Use Safety and Policy at Yale New Haven Hospital. She is also seeking a Master’s in Public Health at Yale University. Dr. Islam is the Nuvance Health System Professional Development Specialist and serves as the preceptor for the Teaching and Learning Certificate Program. Her interests include pharmacy education, clinical research, and population health.
- Dr. Pritchard received her PharmD from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in Boston, MA. She completed her PGY-1 at Sibley Memorial Hospital-Johns Hopkins Medicine in Washington, DC. Dr Pritchard is the Nuvance Health System Medication Safety Officer and chairs the System Medication Safety Subcommittee. She serves as a residency program preceptor for the Medication Safety rotation.
General Program Benefits
- Competitive Stipend
- Travel reimbursement for professional meetings
- BLS and ACLS Certifications
- Paid Time Off
- Medical, dental, vision insurance
- Free Parking
FAQ
Is the program accredited?
We are currently in the candidacy phase of accreditation through the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)
How many positions are there?
There are 2 PGY-1 positions.
What is the stipend?
$50,000
How is a resident’s schedule determined?
A resident’s schedule is built in discussion with the RPD. The finalized schedule is based on program requirements as well as the resident’s interests and goals.
Will the residents participate in multi-disciplinary rounds?
Yes, residents participate in various multidisciplinary rounds such as ICU, internal medicine, and infectious diseases.
Does Vassar Brothers Medical Center support travel to conferences?
Yes, residents will be reimbursed for travel to ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and a local, spring Residency Conference.
When do resident’s need to be licensed by?
Residents are required to sit for both the NAPLEX and MPJE by July 15. However, we highly encourage our residents to sit for their exams prior to the start of the program.
When is the application deadline?
1/5/2025 at 23:59 EST
Is an interview required?
Yes, interviews are required. Interviews consist of opportunities to meet and interact with the program director, preceptors, and current residents. Virtual interviews will be conducted; elective onsite tours may be available.