Pharmacy Residency Programs
VA NWI has three main campuses, Omaha, Lincoln, and Grand Island. The Omaha, NE VA has 6 PGY1 Pharmacy residents and 3 PGY2 Ambulatory Care Pharmacy residents. NWI has a pharmacist at each CBOC in Norfolk, North Platte, and Bellevue.
NWI Pharmacy Residency Programs
VA Pharmacy residents can be licensed in any state of their choice and practice at the residency site they match with. VA Pharmacists operate under a scope of practice and can independently order medications, tests, consults to other services and self-refer patients based on needs review. Pharmacists enter notes in the electronic medical record in both inpatient and outpatient services. Residents at NWI gain experience with GCMs, mental health, cardiology, primary care, interdisciplinary teams, acute/sub-acute care, geriatrics and much more. There is a strong relationship between our pharmacy team and the providers; pharmacists practice at the top of their license and develop strong relationships with patients in all areas of practice. NWI pharmacists develop a collaborative relationship with providers and work well together as a team. Residents participate in team-building activities and share drug-information projects with residents from all 3 campuses. NWI programs proactively address resident wellness and burnout through our mentorship program and has a national psychologist on staff who provides guidance to all and individualized help when situation warrants.
Pharmacy Residency Program
VA Mission:
“To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan” by serving and honoring the men and women who are America’s Veterans.
About the Health Care System:
Veterans Affairs Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System (NWIHCS) serves an estimated Veteran population of 161,000 in 101 counties in Nebraska, western Iowa, Kansas and Missouri. The Omaha VA Medical Center is a tertiary facility that provides inpatient and outpatient health care through comprehensive primary care, medicine, surgery, psychiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurology, oncology, gynecology, dentistry and geriatrics. The Grand Island VAMC provides outpatient primary, specialty and mental care, pharmacy, radiology, prosthetics and laboratory services, as well as a residential substance abuse program. A Community Living Center (CLC) provides short-stay rehabilitation, skilled-nursing care, respite and long-term care. The Lincoln VA Clinic provides a wide range of services including team-based primary care services, specialty medicine, surgery, mental health, physical medicine and rehabilitation, pain clinic, sleep clinic, smoking cessation clinics and others as well as polytrauma, audiology, optometry and dental. The VA clinics in Norfolk, North Platte, Holdrege, Bellevue and Shenandoah, Iowa and O’Neill, Nebraska, provide primary care, mental health and telehealth in the following areas: audiology, mental health, nutrition, MOVE (wellness and weight-loss) program and home telehealth.
Diversity Statement
VA NWI Pharmacy Residency Programs are committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in all our training programs. We strive to foster cultural humility through ongoing training and professional development. We aim to promote the mental health and well-being of our diverse trainees to foster a healthy VA NWI pharmacy community.
PGY1-Pharmacy Residency
- 6 Positions: Omaha VA
PGY2- Ambulatory Care
- 3 positions: Omaha VA
CONTACTS
Lisa Bilslend, Pharm.D, BCACP
PGY2 Residency Program Director
2201 N. Broadwell Avenue, Grand Island, NE 68803
Lisa.Bilslend@va.gov
Michaela Hrdy, PharmD
Omaha Residency Program Director
4101 Woolworth Avenue, Omaha, NE 68105
Michaela.Hrdy@va.gov
VA Omaha Nebraska Pharmacy Program: Introduction to VA NWIHCS
VA Omaha Nebraska Pharmacy PGY1 Program
VA Omaha Nebraska Pharmacy PGY1 Program: Tour of Site