Pharmacy Residency Program

The PGY1 pharmacy residency is designed to develop pharmacist practitioners with high-level skills required to manage patient care as an integral member of an interdisciplinary team.  Residents will have opportunities for learning experiences in the following areas: inpatient central pharmacy, outpatient pharmacy, ambulatory care (PACT), internal medicine, infectious disease, long-term care (Community Living Center), home based primary care, pharmacoeconomics, mental health, substance use disorder, pain, specialty medicine, women’s health, pharmacogenomics, and management. Residents will participate in clinical services including but not limited to: anticoagulation, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, tobacco cessation, thyroid disorders, pharmacokinetics, immunizations, antimicrobial stewardship, pain, and mental health.  Residents will obtain a teaching certificate through the South Dakota State University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions.  In addition, residents will complete a research project and staff every third weekend. 

PGY1 pharmacy residency programs 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.

Sioux Falls VA Health Care System PGY1 residents will be exposed to learning experiences in a wide variety of clinical pharmacy practice settings as displayed below, both in blocks and throughout the year as longitudinal experiences.  In addition, residents will have the opportunity to customize their elective learning experiences.  A teaching certificate is also completed through South Dakota State University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions.

Required blocked learning experiences

Residency Service Commitment Orientation: 8 weeks at start of program

Inpatient Pharmacy Service Commitment Focused: 2 weeks in the fall

Acute Medicine I: 4 weeks (6 weeks if precepting)

Acute Medicine II: 4 weeks (6 weeks if precepting)

Ambulatory Care (PACT) I: 4 weeks

Ambulatory Care (PACT) II: 4 weeks

Required elective A/B** 4 weeks

Required elective B/C** 4 weeks

Required elective D/E** 4 weeks

Elective time (not counting 12 weeks above): 9 weeks

Required Longitudinal Learning Experiences

• Ambulatory Care - Anticoagulation (4 hours every 3rd week plus a one week intensive)
• Pharmacoeconomics
• Practice Management
• Inpatient Pharmacy Service Commitment (Staffing)
• Research
• Teaching Certificate *resident will add precepting component to a required rotation*
• Professional Education & Communication

Electives

• Required either Community Living Center or Home Based Primary Care
• Required either Mental Health or Pain
• Required Infectious Disease or Specialty Medicine
• May use remainder of elective time to complete any of the above or may discuss customized elective opportunities with the RPD/RAC

Application Materials
Applicants interested in applying to the VA Sioux Falls Healthcare System PGY1 Pharmacy Residency are required to submit materials to PhORCAS by January 3rd, 2024.
https://portal.phorcas.org/ 

The following materials are required:

• Submit a letter of intent
• Submit a copy of your curriculum vitae
• Submit an official copy of your college transcript(s)
• 3 references to complete the PHORCAS reference request - preferably from the faculty (former or present), employers (former or present), or any clinical staff member who provided clinical pharmacy training
• If selected, participate in an interview

Special Requirements for Acceptance to the Royal C. Johnson Veterans Memorial Hospital PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program:  Pharm.D. from an accredited college of pharmacy, US citizenship, licensure in any state.

Please do not hesitate to contact us by phone or e-mail if you have questions. Thank you again for your interest in our residency program.

Kelley Oehlke, PharmD, BCACP
Residency Program Director
Associate Chief, Pharmacy
Sioux Falls VA Health Care System
2501 W. 22nd Street
Sioux Falls, SD  57105
x6678
Email: kelley.oehlke@va.gov