Pharmacy Residency (VA - Fort Meade, SD - VA Black Hills Health Care System)

Required
Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) – L 

Specialty-PACT - L
Anticoagulation (AC) - L
Community Living Center (CLC) - L
Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) - L
Inpatient Clinical Pharmacy (ICP) - R
Internal Medicine (IM) - R
Pain Management (Pain) - R
Orientation (Orient) - R
Practice Management (PM) - R
Residency Project (Proj) - L
Medication Use Process (MUP) - L
Professional Development (PD) - L
Practice Coverage (PC) - L

 

• Elective
  Teaching Certificate (TC) - L
  Antimicrobial Stewardship (ASP) - R
  Compounded Sterile Preparation (CSP) - R
  R = rotational; L = longitudinal

See  learning schedule and an example schedule in the Resources section.  Elective experiences are customized based on residents’ interests and future plans. Experiences may vary from the examples listed above and may also include an extension of a required learning experience.

Applicants interested in the VA Black Hills PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency are required to submit applications to the ASHP PhORCAS portal (https://portal.phorcas.org) by January 10th. Our program NMS code number is: 137921.

The following materials are required:

• Letter of intent
• Curriculum vitae
• Official copy of college transcripts
• Three references (via PhORCAS reference request)

Additional requirements:

• Pharm.D. from an accredited College of Pharmacy
• U.S. citizenship
• Ability to participate in an on-site interview (if selected)
• Candidates will be notified of interview status no later than February 15th.

Joe Berendse, Pharm.D., BCACP

Clinical Pharmacy Faculty
Dr. Berendse received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from South Dakota State University in 2015. He completed both his PGY-1 pharmacy residency and PGY-2 ambulatory care residency at the Boise VA Medical Center in Boise, ID. He is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice for South Dakota State University. He precepts the Residency Project and Specialty-PACT rotations. He also serves as a member of the Residency Advisory Committee.

Abigail Cole, Pharm.D., BCPS

Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner 

Dr. Cole attended pharmacy school at the University of North Texas System College of Pharmacy and graduated in 2020. She completed her PGY-1 pharmacy residency at the VA Black Hills Health Care System. She works as a clinical pharmacist for the Pain team and precepts residents on the Pain rotation. 

Amy Doten, Pharm.D.

Chief of Pharmacy
Dr. Doten received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from The University of New Mexico in 2002. She completed a PGY-1 pharmacy residency at HealthPartners in Minneapolis, MN. She precepts the Practice Management rotation and serves as a member of the Residency Advisory Committee.

Anna Delzer, Pharm.D., BCACP

Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner 
Dr. Delzer attended pharmacy school at South Dakota State University and graduated in 2014. She completed a PGY-1 pharmacy residency at the VA Black Hills Health Care System. She precepts residents on the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) rotation.

Emily Ertz, Pharm.D., BCACP

Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner 

Dr. Ertz received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from The University of Minnesota in 2015. She completed her rural health/ambulatory care PGY-1 residency at the Minneapolis VA Health Care system. Dr. Ertz precepts residents on the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) rotation. 

Ashley Hyde, Pharm.D., BCPS, CACP

Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner 
Dr. Hyde received her Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from South Dakota State University in 2016. She completed her PGY-1 pharmacy residency at the VA Black Hills Health Care System, and now precepts the Anticoagulation rotation for the residency program. 

Kathleen Haivala, Pharm.D.

Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner 

Dr. Haivala received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from North Dakota State University in 2006. She worked as an inpatient hospital pharmacist for 17 years before coming to work at the VA Black Hills Health Care System in 2023.  She works primarily in the areas of inpatient, internal medicine, and outpatient pharmacy.  She assists with the Inpatient Clinical Pharmacy rotation.

Cole Kling, Pharm.D., BCPS, CACP

Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner 
Dr. Kling received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from South Dakota State University in 2010, after which he began his career with the VA Black Hills Health Care System. He works primarily in the areas of internal medicine, anticoagulation, and geriatrics. He precepts the Practice Coverage and Inpatient Clinical Pharmacy rotations and assists with the Anticoagulation rotation.

Sarah Kling, Pharm.D.

Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner 
Dr. Kling received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from South Dakota State University in 2015. She then completed a PGY-1 pharmacy residency at the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System in Sioux Falls, SD. Dr. Kling precepts the Anticoagulation rotation.

Maggie Kruschel, Pharm.D.

Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner 
Dr. Kruschel received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from South Dakota State University in 2015. She completed a PGY-1 pharmacy residency at Nebraska-Western Iowa VA Health Care System—Lincoln Division. She works as a clinical pharmacist for the Home-Based Primary Care team and precepts the Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) rotation.

Mike Lemon, Pharm.D.

Clinical Pharmacy Faculty
Dr. Lemon received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Kansas in 1994. He completed his PGY-1 pharmacy residency at the VA Medical Center in Little Rock, AK. He is a Professor of Pharmacy Practice for South Dakota State University. He works primarily in the areas of inpatient care and antimicrobial stewardship (ASP), serving both at the local facility level and with VISN 23 ASP. Dr. Lemon precepts the Internal Medicine and Antimicrobial Stewardship rotations.

Lindsay McFarland, Pharm.D.

Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner 

Dr. McFarland received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from South Dakota State University in 2021. She completed a PGY-1 pharmacy residency at the VA Black Hills Health Care System and was hired on as a pharmacist shortly after. She is the lead Community Living Center (CLC) pharmacist and is the preceptor for the CLC rotation. 

Jessica Mitchell, Pharm.D.

Residency Program Director / Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner 
Dr. Mitchell graduated from the University of Wyoming School of Pharmacy in 2008. She then completed a PGY-1 pharmacy residency at the VA Black Hills Health Care System (as the program's first resident). She works as the Residency Program Director; precepts the Orientation, Professional Development, and Medication Use Process rotations; and serves as a member of the Residency Advisory Committee.

Rachel Mitchell, Pharm.D., BCPS

Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner 

Dr. Mitchell received her Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from South Dakota State University in 2020. She completed her PGY-1 pharmacy residency at the VA Black Hills Health Care System, and now precepts the Practice Coverage rotation for the residency program. 

Krista Sarvis, Pharm.D., BCPS

Associate Chief of Pharmacy
Dr. Sarvis received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from South Dakota State University in 2007. She completed a PGY-1 pharmacy residency with the University of Wyoming and the Community Health Center of Central Wyoming in Casper, WY. Dr. Sarvis has worked at the VA Black Hills Health Care System since 2009. She currently precepts the Residency Project rotation and serves as a member of the Residency Advisory Committee.

Whitney Hutchison, Pharm.D.

Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner

Dr. Hutchison received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from South Dakota State University in 2021. She completed her PGY-1 pharmacy residency at the VA Black Hills Health Care System. She currently works in pain management, substance use disorders, and mental health. She precepts the Pain Management rotation for the residency program. 

Abby Abraham, Pharm.D.

Dr. Abraham is originally from Chancellor, SD. She attended pharmacy school at South Dakota State University and graduated in 2025. Her current practice interest areas include palliative care, mental health, and ambulatory care. Outside of work, she enjoys golfing, hiking, antiquing, baking, and spending quality time with her two cats, Moe and Rex, and – on occasion – her fiancé.

Brooklyn (“Brook”) Janz, Pharm.D.

Dr. Janz is originally from Sturgis, SD. She attended pharmacy school at the University of Wyoming and graduated in 2025. Her current practice interest areas include pain management, substance use disorders, cardiology, and internal medicine. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, fishing, kayaking, and spending time with friends and family.

Sara Junk, Pharm.D.

Dr. Junk has lived in Cheyenne, WY for the past 10 years. She attended the Creighton School of Pharmacy and Health Professions as a distance student and graduated in 2025. Her current practice interests include psychiatry, women’s health, and substance abuse treatment. One day, she hopes to work as an inpatient psychiatric pharmacist. Outside of work, her interests include crafting, playing with her two cats, and spending time with her sister and niece.

Salary and Benefits

Residents will receive an annual stipend of $47,937, which includes salary plus health and life insurance. Fringe benefits include 13 days of paid leave, 13 days of paid sick leave, & 7-11 paid holidays. On-site housing may be available for rent. Furthermore, financial support to attend the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting, Midwest Pharmacy Residents Conference, and South Dakota Society of Health-System Pharmacists (SDSHP) Annual Meeting are provided.

Practice Coverage

Each resident will be assigned to cover the service longitudinally as appropriate after completing a three-week concentrated learning experience. The purpose of working as a pharmacist is to gain experience and improve skills in the medication use process.

Typically, residents will rotate coverage every third weekend in addition to 1-2 work days per month. Residents are also expected to work 2-3 minor holidays per year. With practice coverage, residents work with inpatient, and outpatient pharmacy systems. A pharmacist will always be available to assist the resident with any questions that arise during practice coverage. Residents may be eligible for dual appointment.