PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program

Required

• Orientation (4 weeks)
• Inpatient (4 weeks)
• Outpatient (4 weeks)
• Behavioral Health – Inpatient and Outpatient (6 weeks)
• Internal Medicine (6 weeks)
• Anticoagulation Management (6 weeks)
• Primary Care (PACT) (6 weeks/longitudinal)
• Practice Management (longitudinal)
• Project (longitudinal)
• Staffing (One weekend per month - two 8-hour shifts) *

*Dual appointment may be offered for resident staffing requirement

Elective

At the Montana VA Health Care System, we aim to tailor the resident’s learning experience to their personal and professional goals. A wide variety of elective learning opportunities are offered with this in mind. The program also offers the flexibility to create new learning opportunities based on the resident’s interests. Current elective rotations are as follows:

• Antimicrobial Stewardship (6 weeks)
• Formulary Management/Informatics (6 weeks)
• Home Based Primary Care (6 weeks)
• Oncology (6 weeks)
• Pain Management (6 weeks)
• Primary Care (PACT) II (6 weeks)
• Teaching Certificate (Longitudinal)

Applicants to the Montana VA PGY1 Residency program must meet the following general requirements at the time of entry into the program:

• Doctor of Pharmacy degree from an ACPE-accredited School of Pharmacy
• Active pharmacist license OR eligibility in U.S state
• U.S. citizenship
• Minimum 3.0 GPA or a minimum of 3 years’ experience in pharmacy practice

The Montana VA PGY1 Residency program participates in the ASHP National Residency Matching Program and will comply with all rules associated with this program.  Residents applying must also adhere to the rules of the resident matching program.  Application materials must be submitted through PhORCAS/WebAdmit, and include:

• A letter of interest
• Curriculum vitae
• Official pharmacy school transcripts
• Three professional letters of recommendation

Members of the Residency Advisory Committee (RAC) will screen all application materials and will invite the most qualified applicants to an on-site or virtual interview.  The interview will be performance-based and conducted by several members of the RAC.  Application materials, results of the interview and program alignment with the applicant’s goals and objectives will be considered in the final ranking of applicants submitted to the Matching Program.

The application deadline for the 2024-2025 academic year is Jan. 1, 2024.

McKenzie Schneider

McKenzie Schneider

mckenzie.schneider@va.gov

Hometown: Butte, MT

Pharmacy School: University of Montana

Why did you choose to complete your residency at the Montana VA Health Care System? 

I chose to pursue a residency with the Montana VA Health Care System because of the broad range of learning opportunities it offers. The variety of rotations and experienced pharmacists allows me to explore various areas of pharmacy practice, ensuring a well-rounded practice. Additionally, the Montana VA’s commitment to serving veterans in a rural setting offers a chance to make a meaningful impact on an underserved community, which aligns with my personal and professional goals. 

What are your professional interests and goals? 

My long-term goals include completing my residency, obtaining board certification, and hopefully continue my career within the VA system. I am especially eager to work towards securing an ambulatory care pharmacist position. 

What is your favorite thing about living in Helena? 

What I love most about living in Helena is the variety of outdoor activities available year-round! Whether it’s visiting the farmer’s market, spending time at Canyon Ferry Lake, or relaxing at Broadwater Hot Springs, there’s always something to enjoy. Helena may be a small community, but its strong sense of camaraderie reminds me of home. 

Andrew Eberling

Andy Eberling

Andrew.Eberling@va.gov

Hometown: Unknown-at-this-Time

Pharmacy school: Unknown-at-this-Time

Why did you choose to complete your residency at the Montana VA Health Care System? 

I chose the Montana VA Health Care System for my pharmacy residency because I am passionate about serving veterans. Working directly with veterans allows me to make a real difference in their lives and gives me valuable insights into their healthcare challenges and needs. 

Additionally, the experiences offered at the Montana VA directly align with my future career goals. The working environment has fostered professional growth while also respecting our lives outside of pharmacy. This made the Montana VA a perfect fit for my residency.

What are your professional interests and goals? 

I had a wide range of interests in pharmacy, but my true passion was connecting with patients. The VA provided an incredible opportunity for direct patient care, which I find deeply rewarding. I look forward to growing as a pharmacist during my residency and further exploring my commitment to patient-centered care. I also have a passion for teaching and hope to precept pharmacy students in the future. The VA offers numerous opportunities to help with this goal such as earning a teaching certificate, mentoring IPPE and APPE students, and holding weekly topic discussions with students. 

What is your favorite thing about living in Helena? 

Having lived in Montana for most of my life, I appreciate the state’s natural beauty and outdoor opportunities. Helena is a great spot for anyone who loves the outdoors, with good breweries and a welcoming community too! It’s not too big, but it’s not too small either. There are plenty of things to do in town and around the area, so you really get the full Montana experience. 

Montana VA Health Care System serves approximately 38,000 of the 47,000 enrolled Veterans across Montana. Montana VA Health Care System has 17 sites of care statewide including: a VA Medical Center at Fort Harrison, a Health Care Center in Billings, 14 Community Based Outpatient Clinics, a Primary Care Telehealth Outreach Clinic, a 20-bed Community Living Center in Miles City, and a Sleep Disorders Center. Fort Harrison VAMC has 29 authorized/18 operational acute care medical/surgical beds (including six ICU) offering a broad range of acute, chronic, and specialized inpatient and outpatient services. Fort Harrison operates a 24-bed residential rehabilitation unit for PTSD and Substance Abuse treatment.

Pharmacy Service operates two main dispensing pharmacies at the Fort Harrison and Billings sites, providing more than 766,00 prescriptions to 31,000 unique Veterans in fiscal year 2020. Clinical staff pharmacists rotate through inpatient and outpatient settings at Fort Harrison, with designated clinical pharmacists supporting inpatient programs, formulary management, computer applications, and quality assurance activities. Clinical pharmacist practitioners supporting primary care, home-based primary care, anticoagulation, pain management, and behavioral health programs operate under an approved scope of practice that includes medication prescriptive authority and the ability to order labs and other testing to monitor medication therapy.