PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Program at Norwalk Hospital
The purpose of the PGY1 Residency Program at Nuvance Health – Norwalk Hospital is to build on the 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 PGY2 pharmacy residency training.
This is a 12 month post-graduate training program aimed at cultivating and bringing forth highly skilled pharmaceutical care providers. Training is built in collaboration with the resident based on his/her interests combining required and elective learning experiences. The resident will be an integral part of the medication use process. The residency will serve to help the resident develop an in-depth understanding of the clinical, distributive, and administrative aspects of pharmacy practice. Through a variety of learning experiences, each resident will gain confidence to effectively function as a member of a multi-disciplinary team. The program will also serve to develop and refine the resident’s writing, presentation, teaching, research, and leadership skills.
Preceptors
2022-2023 Preceptors:
Dr. Timothy Conboy, PharmD, BCPS – Pharmacy Informatics
Dr. Mychal Dworet, PharmD, BCPS- Emergency Medicine
Dr. John Healey, PharmD, BCPS – Oncology
Dr. Hannah, Juma, PharmD, BCPS – Critical Care
Dr. Krista Katers, PharmD, BCPS – Health Systems Clinical Services
Ellen Konspore, RPh, MBA – Oncology
Dr. Christine Liberto, PharmD, MBA, BCSCP –USP 797/800
Dr. Izabela Malinowska, PharmD – Orientation,
Dr. Amina Ramic, PharmD – General Medicine
Lauren Restaino, BS, RPh, MPH – Ambulatory Care Clinic
Dr. Joseph Schuler, RPh, PharmD – Ambulatory Care Clinic
Dr. Rhett Sparkman, PharmD- Pharmacy Operations Management
Dr. Samuel Strong, PharmD – Staffing, USP 797/800
Residents
Our PGY-1 Residents for 2022-2023
Andre Antunes, PharmD
Andre.Antunes@nuvancehealth.org
Hometown: South Salem, NY
Pharmacy School: UC San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Professional Interests: My professional interests include critical care and emergency medicine.
Personal Interests: Outside of pharmacy, I enjoy going on hikes, watching/playing soccer, going to parks, and spending time with friends and family.
Why Norwalk Hospital? Norwalk Hospital was a perfect fit for me. It is a smaller community hospital, but equipped with state of the art technology and strong clinical preceptors. All of the pharmacists were very welcoming and kind during the interview process. Now that I am here, it really does feel like a family and an environment that fosters great learning opportunities. The city of Norwalk is also constantly growing and this area has a lot of diversity..
Advice to students interested in applying to a residency: My biggest advice would be ask as many questions as possible and apply to places you can see yourself being a part of long term. Make the most out of your rotations and ask for LORs early on to be adequately prepared. Be yourself during interviews and be ready for clinical questions, but don’t think you need to know everything. Research the curriculums and make sure they match your interests. Keep an open mind, most people end up enjoying areas of pharmacy they didn’t like initially.
Joshua Barlow, PharmD
Josh.Barlow@nuvancehealth.org
Hometown: Clifton Park, NY
Pharmacy School: Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Professional Interests: My professional interests include critical care and infectious disease.
Personal Interests: Outside of pharmacy, I love staying active by exercising, hiking, and playing sports with friends. I also enjoy dabbling in various hobbies such as playing piano, working on art projects, traveling to new places, and eating abnormally large quantities of sushi.
Why Norwalk Hospital? I was initially drawn to Norwalk Hospital’s program due to the opportunities they offered in my areas of interest including critical care and infectious disease. Additionally, the other aspects of the curriculum would provide new experiences and allow me to further develop my clinical knowledge. When I met the genuine and enthusiastic people on the pharmacy team during Mid-Year and throughout the interview process, I knew Norwalk was the best fit for me.
Advice to students interested in applying to a residency: Be proactive on your APPE rotations and learn what areas of pharmacy interest you. Consistently be updating your CV after each rotation and ask preceptors early for letters of recommendation. Make sure to do research on programs to ensure they have rotations you are interested in. Express interest with current residents and/or residency program directors. Most importantly, be genuine and honest about your interests and career goals during interviews.
Michael Gualano, BS, PharmD
Michael.Gualano@nuvancehealth.org
Hometown: Mamaroneck, NY
Pharmacy School: Touro College of Pharmacy
Professional Interests: My professional interests include ambulatory care and critical care.
Personal Interests: Outside of pharmacy, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, watching movies, cooking, and exploring new places.
Why Norwalk Hospital? Norwalk Hospital offers a unique and diverse PGY1 curriculum with a focus on acute care that aims to develop residents into well-rounded pharmacists. Despite interviews being virtual, I was drawn to the warm environment created by the RPD and preceptors at Norwalk Hospital who provided an intentional and personal interview process.
Advice to students interested in applying to a residency: Start early! Begin exploring programs early and determine what’s important to you when deciding where to apply. Keep a journal of impactful interventions you make on APPEs, unique patient cases you experience, and other unique moments that you can speak about in residency interviews. Lastly, ask for your letters of recommendations early to ensure your applications are submitted on time.
General Program Benefits
• Competitive Stipend
• Travel Reimbursement for professional meetings
• BLS and ACLS Certifications
• Paid Time Off
• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Free Parking
FAQ
Is the program accredited?
Yes, our PGY1 Residency Program is ASHP accredited
How many positions are there?
There are 3 PGY1 positions.
What is the stipend?
$50,000
How is the resident’s schedule determined?
The 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 resident’s participate in multi-disciplinary rounds?
Yes, you will participate in various multidisciplinary rounds such as ICU, internal medicine, and infectious disease.
Do residents participate in medical emergencies such as code blues?
Yes, residents are required to become ACLS/BLS certified. After certification, residents will participate in hospital codes.
Does Norwalk Hospital support travel to conferences?
Yes, residents will be reimbursed for travel to ASHP Midyear and to Eastern States Residency conference.
When do resident’s need to be licensed by?
Residents are required to be licensed pharmacists in CT within 90 days from the start of residency. However, we highly encourage our residents to be licensed well in advance of the 90 day requirement.
When is the application deadline?
1/6/2023 at 11:59 PM 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.