Pharmacy Residency at MedStar Washington Hospital Center

The purpose of the MedStar Washington Hospital Center’s PGY-1 pharmacy residency program is to build on Doctor of Pharmacy 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. Our program’s training emphasis is on acute care in a hospital setting for adult patients. The program has been accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists since 1994. Our preceptors are clinical coordinators and clinical specialists who work in their area of specialty.

MedStar Washington Hospital Center is a 912-bed, private, not-for-profit teaching hospital. U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks the Hospital Center’s cardiology and heart surgery program as one of the nation’s best. Respected specialty areas include MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute, Transplantation services, MedSTAR shock/trauma, and The Burn Center.
The Hospital Center is among the100 largest hospitals in the nation, and is renowned for handling the Washington region’s most complex cases. As one of the largest teaching hospitals in the Washington area, the Hospital Center trains more than 300 medical residents and fellows in more than 30 specialties annually. The Hospital Center is a member of MedStar Health, a regional health care delivery system serving the Baltimore-Washington corridor.

Pharmacy residents work with the health care team by collaborating during interdisciplinary rounds, monitoring drug therapy, providing drug information and educating patients, health care professionals and students. The program provides opportunities for residents to gain experience in delivering educational programs, participating in performance improvement projects as well as designing and completing a residency project. Residents have the opportunity to participate in the P&T committee as well as enhance leadership skills via one of the department’s Shared Governance Councils. The pharmacy department offers weekly onsite educational conferences including educational programs that are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) to enhance pharmacists’ knowledge and skills.

Graduated residents have pursued PGY-2 residencies, became clinical pharmacists, clinical specialists, preceptors, and leaders. Some have pursued opportunities at ASHP and the FDA.

There are longitudinal learning experiences in staffing and residency project. In addition, each resident is required to complete core rotations and 4 elective learning experiences.

Core rotations:

• Orientation
• Internal Medicine
• Antimicrobial Stewardship
• Medication-Use Safety & Policy
• Cardiology
• Critical Care
• Practice Management
• Advanced Heart Failure & Heart Transplant

Elective rotations:

Based on the resident’s progress and interests, resident may choose 4 elective learning experiences that include:

• Medical Intensive Care
• Emergency Medicine
• Oncology
• Ambulatory Oncology
• Palliative Care
• Neuroscience Intensive Care
• Burn/Trauma
• Informatics
• Compounding Preparations
• Pharmacogenomics
• Health System Administration
• Primary Care Mental Health Integration
• Infectious Disease Consults

Residents complete projects throughout the program. These projects are in areas that are relevant to contemporary pharmacy practice and pharmacy management. Each project is an opportunity for residents to develop skills in collecting, analyzing and presenting data. Completion of a residency project is a requirement of the program. Residents present their residency projects at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear clinical meeting, our pharmacy department’s conference and Eastern States Conference for Pharmacy Residents and Preceptors.

Service

Residents fulfill a service commitment on weekends by working with one of the pharmacy teams to provide pharmaceutical care.

Teaching

Residents provide education to healthcare professionals, pharmacists, and pharmacy students. This is an opportunity to develop teaching and presentation skills. A teaching certificate is available.

Benefits

Resident benefits include a generous salary, health/vision/dental insurance, 10 paid vacation/sick days, seven holidays, stipend for attending professional pharmacy meetings, free onsite ACPE educational programs, and ACLS/BLS certification.

Applicant requirements

All candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Possess a PharmD from an ACPE-accredited school or college of pharmacy
• Be eligible to apply for pharmacist license in the District of Columbia
• Participate in the ASHP PGY-1 Residency Matching Program
• Eligible to work in the United States

Application requirements

Applicants are required to submit the following documents via PhORCAS:

• Completed application
• Curriculum vitae
• Personal statement indicating professional goals and interests
• Three standard recommendation forms
• College of pharmacy transcripts

Application process

Individuals interested in applying should apply via the Pharmacy Online Residency Centralized Application System (PhORCAS) www.ashp.org/phorcas. Qualified applicants will be invited for an interview. Candidates are selected based on professional competence, scholastic achievement, communication skills, interpersonal skills and comprehension of current standards of pharmacy practice. Candidates are matched via the ASHP Resident Matching Program.

Our program code is 174713

Lama Kanawati, PharmD, BCPS
110 Irving Street, NW B147
Washington, D.C., 20010-2975

P 202- 877-3407
lama.kanawati@medstar.net