Pharmacy Residency Program

The North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System PGY-1 residency program consists of two American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) accredited programs.  One is based in Gainesville and offers six positions each year and was initially accredited in 1985.  The other is based in Lake City and offers two positions each year and was initially accredited in 2007.  These two programs mirror one another and have the same required rotations as well as the same elective rotations available. The primary difference is where some of the core rotations are scheduled.  

Purpose

This ASHP Accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency is designed to build on Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) 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 postgraduate year two (PGY2) pharmacy residency training.

Program Description

Residents completing the PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program will have experiences in a variety of clinical settings including ambulatory clinics, acute care settings, long-term care, palliative care, pharmacy administration and others.  The required experiences are PACT (primary care), anticoagulation, internal medicine, palliative care/pain management, community living center (long-term care), pharmacy administration and longitudinal experiences in practice management, project management, clinical teaching certificate program and pharmacy administration.  As a way to customize the program for each resident, there are two additional required experiences that the residents will have the opportunity to choose.  Residents can choose between the medical ICU and additional time in PACT and residents can choose between a psychiatric pharmacy experience and infectious disease.

Each resident will also get two elective experiences and can choose from infectious disease, oncology, cardiology/heart failure, emergency department, pain management, intensive care and several different psychiatric pharmacy experiences.  Many electives may also be completed as longitudinal experiences such as Gait and Balance Clinic, oncology, anemia clinic, hypoglycemia safety and pain clinic.

The PGY2 Ambulatory Care Residency program at the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System was initially accredited in 2013.  This program empowers pharmacists with one year of postgraduate residency training to practice in a wide variety of ambulatory care settings as independent practitioners. The successful graduate will be able to maintain an independent or collaborative practice of management of chronic diseases across the ambulatory spectrum. The program will develop the skills necessary to act as a mentor and teacher to pharmacy students, residents, and health care providers.

Purpose

The North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System 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.

Program Description

The residents' year will be composed of both longitudinal and blocked learning experiences in various ambulatory clinics. The program is tailored to each resident – learning experiences and their lengths will be customized to each individual. The core rotations include PACT (primary care), anticoagulation, and cardiology. Core rotations include focused learning experiences (4 weeks at Ocala PACT, 6 weeks at The Villages PACT and 4-6 weeks at cardiology) and longitudinal learning experiences (18 weeks in Gainesville PACT two days per week, Anticoagulation two days per week, and one day per week longitudinal elective). Residents can expect to manage patients with the following disease states/conditions during the core rotations: diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, COPD, smoking cessation, anticoagulation, and cardiology/heart failure.

The residents will also have a longitudinal experience in clinical education (one-hour weekly meeting) in which they will coordinate educational activities (topic discussions, journal club, etc.) for pharmacy students completing APPE rotations at the Gainesville VA Medical Center. 

Elective rotations include mental health, pain management, infectious diseases, emergency department, anemia, oncology, clinical pharmacy administration and more. 

Residents will complete a residency project during the year and will present that project at an approved venue. The resident will also be required to present a CE-accredited lecture and present at two weekly resident meetings during the residency year.

The PGY2 Critical Care Pharmacy Residency program at the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System was initially accredited in 1992.  This specialized pharmacy residency training program is directed toward developing advanced knowledge and skills in the area of critical care pharmacotherapy. The residency will provide extensive clinical experience and applied research training for a pharmacist desiring a career in this area of specialization. The ultimate goal of the program is to enable the resident to become a knowledgeable, effective, and ethical, proactive patient advocate. This includes providing efficacious pharmacotherapy, patient education, and protection of patient's right to privacy.

Purpose

The North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System 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.

Program Description

Residents use critical care environments to develop competencies in clinical pharmacy practice. Residents actively participate in interprofessional team rounds, consulting services, and medical emergencies. PGY2 residents are eligible to apply for a scope of practice with prescribing privileges. In addition to clinical responsibilities, residents are responsible for completing research, quality improvement, case presentations, journal clubs, and medication use evaluations. Opportunities for involvement in health professional trainee education and institutional committees are provided.

The residents' year will be composed of both longitudinal and blocked learning experiences in various critical care areas.  Required block learning experiences include Critical Care Orientation (1 month), Medical Intensive Care (3-4 months), Emergency Medicine (1-2 months), Surgical & Cardiothoracic Critical Care (2-3 months), and ICU Overnight (1-2 months).  Required longitudinal experiences include Nutrition Support, Critical Care Research & Quality Improvement, Formulary & Medication Use Management, Pharmacy Operations, Practice Management and Education.  One to three months of elective opportunities are also available in Non-VA Critical Care (e.g. Trauma ICU), Cardiology, Infectious Disease, or Research & Academia.

The PGY2 Health System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership Residency program at the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System was initially accredited in 2007.  A PGY2 health system pharmacy administration and leadership residency 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. Areas of competence emphasized during the program include safe and effective medication-use systems, quality assurance and improvement, the management of human resources, the management of financial resources, use of technology, and advanced leadership. The residency lays the foundation for continued growth in management and leadership skills. Upon graduation, residents are prepared for a clinical or operational management/supervisory role in a variety of work settings.

Purpose

The North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System 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.

Program Description

The structure of the specialized residency training program is to prepare pharmacists in the delivery of patient-centered care and pharmacy clinical and operational services for ultimate roles as high-level managers, supervisors and leaders. Pharmacists completing this program will be prepared to function independently in advanced practice settings. In addition, pharmacists completing this program will have developed the skills necessary to be pharmacy leaders, promote the oversight and continued development of the profession, and effectively manage a variety of pharmacy settings. This PGY2 Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership Residency conducted by North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System, Gainesville, FL (and surrounding areas) is accredited by ASHP.

The resident will use pharmacy leadership and administration environments to develop competencies in administrative pharmacy practice. The core residency learning experiences include Orientation, Operations Pharmacy Management (Outpatient & Inpatient), Pharmacy Procurement/Informatics, Pharmacy Compliance, Clinical Pharmacy Management (Outpatient, Inpatient & Specialty), Enhanced Leadership, Residency Program Management, Chief Pharmacy Resident, Clinical and Project. The resident will serve as the Chief Pharmacy Resident and will also have opportunities to maintain clinical practice skills. Elective learning experiences are available in Clinical Pharmacy Practice Office, Program Management/Academic Detailing, and Program Management/Informatics. Residents actively participate in leadership activities and will be included on multiple workgroups and committees. The Medical Center is affiliated with the University of Florida and offers additional opportunities in education and research. 

The PGY2 Pain Management and Palliative Care Pharmacy Residency program at the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System was initially accredited in 2008.  This specialized pharmacy residency training program offers experience in the practice of pain management and end of life care. The residency will provide extensive clinical experience and applied research training for the pharmacist desiring a career in this area. The ultimate goal of the program is to enable the resident to become a knowledgeable, effective and proactive advocate for patients’ pharmacotherapy and improvement in quality of life wishes.

Purpose

The North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System 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.

Program Description

The residency program is structured to provide a pain and palliative care focused foundation of learning experiences for PGY2 residents while still allowing for customization of the residency program to meet the needs of each resident. Each PGY2 resident will complete orientation (4 weeks if non-VA PGY1 or 1-2 weeks if VA-trained) at the start of the program. Required 8-week core rotations include Outpatient Pain Management, Inpatient Pain Management, Pain and Palliative Care. Required core rotations that span between 2-4 weeks include Interventional Pain Management, Primary Care Pain Clinic, and UF Health Palliative Care, as these rotations are led by non-pharmacist preceptors and rotation length depends on what may be accommodated by the non-pharmacist preceptor that specific year. Residents are required to choose between two core electives, Hematology/Oncology or Substance Abuse (4 weeks). Longitudinal experiences spanning the 12 months of the residency include the Pain and Drug Testing Service, Practice Management, and Project Management. The Pain and Drug Testing Service requires a 4 hour per week time commitment, and this includes participation in the Interdisciplinary Spinal Cord Stimulator meetings. Practice Management requires a 2 hour per week time commitment for presentations and population management. PGY2 residents are also expected to participate in training PGY1 residents, students, and other trainees to develop their teaching and precepting skills. This longitudinal rotation also includes the option to pursue a Clinical Teaching Certificate.  The longitudinal Project Management learning experience allots 2 dedicated weeks for the resident to work on their required Residency Project and MUE. These 2 weeks are split into a 1-week block in the Fall and 1 week block in the Spring. Residents will still be evaluated quarterly as they are expected to make progress on their projects outside of these 2 dedicated weeks.

There is opportunity for multiple 2-week elective experiences or if the resident has focused interests, the ability to focus electives on a core discipline such as opioid use disorder or mental health. Elective experiences for outpatient psychiatry include Community Mental Health and Ambulatory Mental Health Clinic. Psychiatry electives also includes residential settings such as the Substance Abuse Residential Rehabilitation Program (SARRP) and Psychosocial Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (PRRTP). Inpatient psychiatry electives include Acute Psychiatry. Other elective experiences include Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, Academic Detailing, and if desired a pain management rotation at another facility of their choosing (e.g. Orlando/Bay Pines) can be coordinated.  

The North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System PGY-2 Psychiatric Pharmacy residency program was initially accredited in 2009.  Through a wide variety of clinical, research and administrative experiences, the resident will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to function as clinical pharmacy specialist in psychiatry and a leader in psychiatric pharmacy. The resident will function as integral members of interdisciplinary teams caring for individuals with psychiatric and neurologic disorders and will assume responsibility for patient-centered medication therapy.

Purpose

The North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System 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.

Program Description

The residency program is structured to provide a well-rounded foundation of learning experiences for a PGY2 Psychiatric Pharmacy resident in both inpatient and outpatient psychiatry while still allowing for customization of the residency program to meet individual needs of each resident. Each PGY2 Psychiatric Pharmacy resident will complete orientation (1 week), Primary Care Mental Health Integration (4 weeks), Domiciliary/Residential Care Program (4 weeks), Community Mental Health (4 weeks), Outpatient Mental Health Clinic (4 weeks), Pain Consults (4 weeks), Mental Health Administration (4 weeks), Inpatient Consult Liaison Team (4 weeks), Inpatient Psychiatry (12 weeks). PGY2 Psychiatric Pharmacy residents have clinical longitudinal experiences that incorporate one-half of the year each which include Primary Care Mental Health Integration Clinic and Benzodiazepine Pharmacy Phone Taper Clinic. The residents are also required to complete entire year longitudinal programs to help develop their teaching and precepting skills, complete a residency research project and develop formulary management competency.   

The PGY2 Psychiatric Pharmacy residents can choose from the following rotations for their two 4-week elective experiences: emergency department, pain management, outpatient mental health (other locations), and neurology. Residents may also decide to repeat any required rotation as an elective experience for additional experience in that area. 

The North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System’s American College of Clinical Pharmacy Peer Reviewed Clinical Pharmacy Research Fellowship is designed to prepare the clinical pharmacist with the expertise necessary to function as an independent investigator. This unique, highly-individualized two-year program supports the VA’s mission to improve Veteran and national healthcare by conducting high quality research studies. Fellows are given time to pursue clinical, educational, and administrative activities. Experiences are tailored to the interests of the fellow and have included areas such as cardiology, critical care, internal medicine, and nutrition support.  

Current and previous fellows have gained experience working on projects at the local, regional, and national levels in the VA system. Fellows have published manuscripts in peer-review journals and presented abstracts at national scientific meetings including the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, American College of Cardiology, Society of Critical Care Medicine, and American Thoracic Society. Learning experiences have included training on the VA Informatics and Computing Infrastructure (VINCI) to conduct research. Didactic learning experiences through the University of Florida are available.

Research Related Activities

The fellow will achieve competency in all steps of the research process:

• Hypothesis development and testing
• Protocol development and submission
• Study design development and IRB approval
• Data collection
• Statistical analysis of data
• Data analysis and interpretation
• Abstract preparation and submission
• Presentation of research at peer-reviewed scientific meetings
• Manuscript preparation and submission for publication in peer-reviewed journals

Additional Learning Opportunities

Fellows are given a portion of their time to pursue clinical, teaching, and administrative interests. 
Time Commitment Successful fellows will be awarded a certificate of completion following a minimum of 3000 hours of research related activities over two years.

Fellowship Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must be licensed pharmacists and have a Pharm.D. with residency training preferred. 

Interested candidates must submit a letter of intent, curriculum vitae, and three letters of recommendation directly to the fellowship director. 

US Citizenship required.

The Department of Veterans Affairs adheres to all federal Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action policies. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA)/Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA) oversees all clinical health professions training programs. To participate in training at a VA you will receive a Federal Appointment. However, to be appointed you must be eligible. 

Applicants must be United States Citizens by the application deadline

Applicants must be a graduate or (or will graduate from) an ACPE-accredited School or College of Pharmacy

Applicants must be licensed or eligible for licensure prior to beginning the residency program

Applicants must be registered with the ASHP Resident Matching Program

You may locate the required application materials for each program within PhORCAS

Please check the ASHP Residency Directory for the application deadline.

All candidates will be notified of their application status. Interviews will be conducted either virtually or in person.

PGY1 Pay – $47,995

PGY2 Pay – $51,318

Fellow Pay - $54,911

Annual Leave (vacation) and Sick Leave are earned at a rate of 4 hours every pay period.  This results in 13 days of annual leave and 13 days of sick leave earned during the year

11 Federal Holidays

Eligible for enrollment in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program and the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP)

Professional Meetings

Authorized Absence (leave with pay) to attend selected meetings

Financial assistance may be available to cover registration fees and travel expenses.

Pharmacy licensure is important for the resident to be able receive maximum benefit from residency training and for the resident to be able to contribute to all aspects of pharmacy-related patient care. Within the VA, a license to practice in any state allows you to work at any VA, so residents are not required to obtain licensure in the state of Florida but may choose to do so.  

Each PGY1 resident should be licensed upon entry into the residency program, or shortly thereafter. Unless prior arrangements due to extenuating circumstances have been made with the residency director, residency program coordinator and chief of pharmacy, failure to obtain a license within 90 days of beginning the residency program will result in dismissal from the program. Based on the ASHP standard, residents must be licensed for a minimum of 2/3 of the residency program and no resident will be allowed to extend beyond 120 days after the start of the program without licensure. 

PGY2 residents are required to be licensed upon starting the program.  

Licensure will be verified through primary source verification via state board of pharmacy websites.

Madeline Vaadi, Pharm.D. (madeline.vaadi@va.gov)

• PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Director

Kristyn Pardo, Pharm.D., BCACP (email PGY-2 Ambulatory Care Residency Director)

• PGY-2 Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Residency Director

Andrew Franck, Pharm.D., BCNSP, BCCCP (email PGY-2 Critical Care Residency Director)

• PGY-2 Critical Care Pharmacy Residency Director 
• Fellowship Director

Jessica Franck, Pharm.D., BCPS (email PGY-2 HSPAL Residency Director)

• PGY-2 Heath System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership Residency Director

Scott Donelenko, B.Pharm., CPE (email PGY-2 Pain and Palliative Care Residency Director)

• PGY-2 Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacy Residency Director

Hugh Franck, Pharm.D., BCPP, BCPS (email PGY2 Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency Director)

• PGY-2 Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency Director