Pharmacy Residency Programs

The Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital is located 12 miles west of downtown Chicago and is minutes away from entertainment, culture, and diversity. Hines currently operates approximately 500 beds, including acute care and nursing home beds. In addition to offering primary, extended, and specialty care at our main Hospital, Hines operates community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) in Aurora, Hoffman Estates, Joliet, Kankakee, LaSalle, and Oak Lawn. Hines is institutionally affiliated with Loyola University of Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine. 

By combining cutting-edge technology with comprehensive clinical services, Hines Pharmacy Service continuously seeks new ways of improving patient care. Clinical Pharmacy Specialists with a Scope of Practice provide direct-patient care clinical services (disease state/medication management) within the following areas: Acute Internal Medicine, Critical Care, Nutrition Support, Infectious Diseases, Geriatrics (Long Term Care/Home Based Primary Care), Anticoagulation, Nephrology, Ambulatory Care General Medicine, Mental Health, Oncology, Solid Organ Transplant, and Women’s Health. Examples of other clinical services include but are not limited to: Pharmacokinetic monitoring, medication use evaluation, pharmacoeconomics, and overall monitoring to provide optimal pharmaceutical patient care. 

Hines PGY1 Pharmacy Residency is ASHP Accredited and was established in 1999. While the program requires core pharmacy practice components, it also allows for flexibility in order for the resident to customize the program toward his/her interests. The resident will be working with pharmacists both within the outpatient and inpatient pharmacies as well as in clinics and on the patient care floors. By combining direct clinical services with staffing responsibilities, the resident will be exposed to a complete picture of modern pharmacy practice. 

PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program

The Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program is an ASHP accredited program that began in 1999. The program targets core areas of pharmacy practice, with focus on a well-rounded experience providing ambulatory care, an integrated inpatient/outpatient team approach to patient care, and experience in specialty programs. The program accommodates for individual experience and specific areas of interest. The resident is exposed to quality assurance and medication use evaluation activities and participates in formulary management. The resident participates in training Pharm.D. candidates. Each resident conducts a major project as well as presents at the Illinois Pharmacy Resident Conference.

PGY1 Program Brochure

Click the link below to see an overview of our PGY1 program, the core and elective rotations available, and other useful information!

PGY1 Pharmacy Residency FAQs

Review the document below to see the frequently asked questions about our PGY1 Residency Program, where our former residents went after residency, our Hospital, and the Chicagoland area.

Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital Pharmacy Residency Program invites you to join us for a virtual open house, Nov. 20, 2024, 6 - 7:30 p.m., to learn about our pharmacy residency programs (PGY1 & PGY2), residents and practice. 

Sign up here

Pharmacy Preceptor Biographies

We have preceptors integrated into many different areas around our Hospital, and many of whom completed their residency training at the Hines VA. Please review the below to see a current list of preceptors, their training, and their pharmacy and non-pharmacy interests. 

PGY2 Infectious Diseases Residency Program

Purpose:

PGY2 pharmacy residency programs build on Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) education and PGY1 pharmacy residency programs to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists in specialized areas of practice. PGY2 residencies provide residents with opportunities to function independently as practitioners by conceptualizing and integrating accumulated experience and knowledge and incorporating both into the provision of patient care or other advanced practice settings. Residents who successfully complete an accredited PGY2 pharmacy residency are prepared for advanced patient care, academic, or other specialized positions, along with board certification, if available.

Description:

This 12-month residency program is designed to provide comprehensive learning experiences in a variety of Infectious Diseases-related areas to afford the resident(s) opportunity to advance and solidify their Infectious Diseases pharmacotherapy knowledgebase in order to qualify for an Infectious Diseases Clinical Pharmacy Specialist position upon graduation.  Specifically, the resident will develop skills and abilities in Antimicrobial Stewardship, HIV/AIDS pharmacotherapy and general infectious diseases that will enable him/her to contribute both clinically and academically to the field of Infectious Diseases pharmacy practice. The resident will have the opportunity to be involved in the care of various infectious disease states in diverse patient populations, including acute care, surgical care, medical intensive care, spinal cord injury, and long-term care.

Get to know our PGY2 ID program!
 

PGY-2 Infectious Diseases Residency Application Process

Application Information

• Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital utilizes the Pharmacy Online Residency Centralized Application Service (PhORCAS) to gather application materials and also participates in the ASHP Resident Matching Program (administered by National Matching Services, Inc).  
• All application materials should be submitted through the PhORCAS site.  If you need assistance with starting your PhORCAS application or managing your PhORCAS account go to: PhORCAS - ASHP
  • Application materials (for both Phase I and II stages of the Match) include:
    • U.S. citizenship
    • Pharm.D. with successful completion of ASHP accredited PGY1 residency
    • Academic transcripts
    • Curriculum vitae
    • Letter of intent
    • Three letters of recommendation  (Two from clinical preceptors; One from RPD, preferably)
    • PhORCAS application

Please see below to learn more about our program, the major projects our residents have previously completed, and an overview of the rotations, projects, and structure of the year.

PGY2 Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership

The purpose of this residency program is to provide the pharmacist with a broad range of experience in pharmacy management and leadership under the coordination of a proven pharmacy management team. The training will be hands-on, experiential learning with an emphasis on the adult learning model and development of self-assessment by the resident, with guidance and constructive, frequent feedback from the Residency Program Director and a qualified team of preceptors. 

Our program builds upon PGY1 residency graduates’ competence in the delivery of patient-centered care and in pharmacy operational services to prepare residents who can assume high-level managerial, supervisory, and leadership responsibilities.

Please see below to learn more about the program, rotations, and timeline for application.

Meet Our Residents

Each year Hines VA welcomes new residents to join our program, with former residents coming from all over the United States. Follow the link below to learn more about the 2024-2025 Pharmacy Residents.