PGY-1 Pharmacy at Vassar Brothers Medical Center
The purpose of the PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Program at Vassar Brothers Medical Center, a part of Nuvance Health, 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 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 31 weeks):
- Hospital/Pharmacy Orientation
- Critical Care
- Infectious Diseases
- Internal Medicine
- Oncology
Required Longitudinal Learning Experiences:
- 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 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 director and precepts the Critical Care rotation.
Dr. Mikyung Choe, PharmD, BCOP, PhC, CPS
- 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 and precision medicine: oncology genomics. 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. 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.
- Dr. Joshi received her PharmD from University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, PA. Her clinical area of expertise include cardiology and internal medicine, with a focus on heart failure and anticoagulation. Dr Joshi also has prior experience as a transitions of care clinical pharmacist for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, and diabetes. She serves as a residency program preceptor for the internal medicine/cardiology rotation and longitudinal COPD transitions of care rotation.
- Dr. Philipps received his PharmD from the University at Buffalo in Buffalo, NY. He is currently employed as the Operations Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at Vassar Brothers Medical Center. Previous experiences include twenty plus years of working as a technician and pharmacist at multiple hospitals across Western NY and NY’s Hudson Valley regions. As a Clinical Pharmacy Operations Specialist, Dr. Philipps is at the intersection of direct patient care and operational management. His passion for enhancing patient care through optimized pharmacy workflows, technology, and systems helps the pharmacy team at VBMC leverage their deep pharmaceutical expertise with process improvement strategies to ensure medication safety, regulatory compliance, and operation efficiency. He enjoys working closely with interdisciplinary teams, from hospital leadership to frontline staff, to analyze data, resolve complex issues and drive continuous improvement while delivering high-quality pharmaceutical services.
- Dr. Lewis received her PharmD from the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. She completed her PGY-1 residency at Westchester Medical Centerand is currently employed as the Ambulatory Care Clinical Pharmacist a Nuvance Health Medical Practices. Dr. Lewis runs the pharmacy diabetes management program and has expanded into metabolic and cardiology offices.
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 ASHP accredited.
How many positions are there?
There are 2 PGY-1 positions.
What is the stipend?
$61,000
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?
1/7/2026 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.