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Pharmacy Residency Program

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Pharmacy Practice Residency Program information.
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The VA Illiana Health Care System Pharmacy Practice Residency Program information.
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Program Description

  • Number of positions: 2
  • Application Deadline: Received by January 2, 2023
  • Starting Date: July 1st
  • Estimated Stipend: $41,533
  • Interview Required: Yes
  • Benefits: Affordable Health, Dental, and Liability Insurance, 11 Holidays, 13 days of annual leave and 13 sick days and travel assistance

Purpose

Our ASHP-Accredited PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program is a structured and advanced education and training experience that provides the foundational skills required to become competent and confident clinical practitioners, as well as future leaders in pharmacy practice. This program builds on PharmD 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 PGY2 pharmacy residency training.

VA Illiana Pharmacy Department

VA Illiana Pharmacy Department Pharmacy Service includes the inpatient and outpatient pharmacies in Danville and an outpatient pharmacy at the Peoria CBOC. In addition to these pharmacy locations, Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners (CPPs) work on-site at all VA Illiana facilities, except the Mattoon CBOC. Within the Pharmacy Service, approximately 60 employees work to provide exceptional care to our Veterans. Outpatient Pharmacy processes about 30,000 prescriptions per month and Inpatient Pharmacy provides care to approximately 150 beds that consist of acute care, long term care, rehabilitation, and mental health. In addition to traditional dispensing services provided in the inpatient and outpatient pharmacies, multiple other pharmacy services are provided throughout the health care system. Inpatient clinical pharmacists perform pharmacokinetic dosing, round with medicine teams, conduct chart reviews, and provide bedside medication education.

VA Illiana Clinical Pharmacy Services

CPPs practice at the top of their pharmacy licenses with prescriptive authority under a scope of practice. Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) CPPs manage Veterans in primary care, with respect to diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, tobacco cessation, and erythropoietin stimulating agents. Anticoagulation CPPs manage patients on oral and parenteral anticoagulants. Some outpatient clinical services are provided through the telehealth program. Mental Health CPPs provide pharmaceutical care across the entire spectrum of the Mental Health Service, including outpatient psychiatric clinics, substance use disorder, and acute psychiatric care. Other areas involving CPPs include Pain Management, Home Based Primary care (HBPC), and Long Term Care. Many of our CPPs have obtained board certifications, and most are residency trained.

Current Residents

Staff profile

Dr. Barrolle is originally from the small town of Dupo, Illinois. She completed her Doctor of Pharmacy at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy. Dr. Barrolle’s pharmacy practice areas of interest include mental health, pain management, and substance use disorders. She chose VA Illiana for her PGY-1 Residency because the program structure offered many unique ambulatory care-focused learning experiences and she felt it would well prepare her to complete a PGY-2 in Psychiatric Pharmacy. In her free time, she enjoys shopping at antique malls, watching movies, and spending time with family and friends.

Staff profile

Dr. Crowder is originally from Cayuga, Indiana. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy from Butler University. Dr. Crowder’s pharmacy practice area of interest is ambulatory care/primary care.  She has a passion for assisting patients in managing chronic disease states such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. She chose VA Illiana because she enjoys providing health services to those living in rural communities that have served our country. She also is interested in the many unique job opportunities for pharmacists within the VA. During her time as a resident, she has been able to build trusting relationships with her patients and appreciates that her preceptors have been encouraging and taken an active interest in helping her achieve her career goals. In her free time, she enjoys attending Indiana and Illinois festivals and events, judging 4-H goat shows, and traveling with family and friends. 

Pharmacy Preceptors

Residency Program Director

Alexandra (Allie) Dothager, PharmD, BCPS

Dr. Allie Dothager is the medication safety program manager and antimicrobial stewardship Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner at VA Illiana Healthcare System. She graduated from St. Louis College of Pharmacy (now University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis) in 2019, completed her PGY1 pharmacy practice residency at the Orlando VA Healthcare System in Orlando, Florida in 2020, and earned her BCPS in 2021. Allie enjoys hiking with her border collie mix Lola, trying out local restaurants with her husband, and spending time reading historical fiction novels and knitting blankets. Allie’s fun fact is that she participated in musical theater, choir, and concert band from elementary school through college!

Academic Detailing

Elizabeth Dinges, PharmD

Dr. Dinges is one of the academic detailers within VISN12 with her clinic duties being at the Springfield CBOC in ambulatory care. She completed pharmacy school at the University of Iowa and did her PGY1 at the Southern Arizona Healthcare System in Tucson and PGY2 at the VA San Diego Health Care System. Her hobbies include keeping her 3 young children alive and healthy!

Anticoagulation

Dawn Bolton, PharmD, BCACP

Dr. Bolton is originally from the suburbs of Chicago, IL. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy from Midwestern University in 2005.  She practiced as an inpatient clinical pharmacist and also as an outpatient anticoagulation pharmacist at a private sector hospital in Joliet, IL for over 14 years prior to joining VA Illiana in 2020.  She is currently a Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner in anticoagulation and is a preceptor for PGY-1 pharmacy residents for the anticoagulation rotation.  In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, traveling, playing tennis, baking, and gardening.

Home Based Primary Care (HBPC)

Dallas Banning, PharmD, BCPS

Dr. Banning is a 2020 graduate from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy. She completed her PGY-1 Pharmacy Practice Residency here at VA Illiana Health Care System in 2021. Dallas is now a Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner in Home Based Primary Care. In her free time she enjoys reading, running, and adventuring with her dog.

Internal Medicine

Alexandra (Allie) Dothager, PharmD, BCPS (see profile above)

Long Term Care

Cameron Norton, RPh, BCGP

Cameron Norton is the Long-term Care Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner at VA Illiana.  She graduated from Butler University in 1999 and worked for many years in high-volume retail pharmacy either as staff pharmacist or pharmacy manager.  Cameron joined the VA Illiana pharmacy team in May of 2015 as an inpatient clinical pharmacist.  In April 2020, she assumed her current role and is grateful for the privilege of working with VA Illiana’s  inpatient residents.  Outside of work she enjoys, watching her children’s extra-curricular activities, playing tennis, reading, and playing the piano. 

Medication Safety/Antimicrobial Stewardship

Alexandra (Allie) Dothager, PharmD, BCPS (see profile above)

Mental Health/SUD

Kylie Gones, PharmD, BCPP

Dr. Gones is the Inpatient Mental Health Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner for the acute psychiatric unit and psychosocial residential rehabilitation treatment program (PRRTP) at VA Illiana. She  earned her PharmD degree at Butler University in Indianapolis IN and completed my PGY-1 Residency at VA Illiana Health Care System here in Danville, Illinois and has been working at this facility ever since. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family, cooking, and doing anything outdoors!

Andrew Wakefield, PharmD, BCPS

Dr. Andrew N. Wakefield grew up in the suburbs of Indianapolis. He earned his Doctor of Pharmacy from Purdue University in 2019 and went on to complete a PGY1 pharmacy practice residency at Parkland Health and Hospital System in Dallas, TX and a PGY2 psychiatric pharmacy residency though Eskenazi Health and Purdue University in Indianapolis, IN. He started at VA Illiana Health Care System in October 2021 as an outpatient Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner in mental health and substance use disorders. In his free time, Dr. Wakefield enjoys hiking, playing tennis, reading, writing, spending too much time on TikTok, and spending time with his wife, mini golden doodle, friends, and family.

Pain Management

Darcy Holzum, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP

Dr. Holzum grew up in St. Louis, MO and attended St. Louis College of Pharmacy. She completed her PGY1 at the VA St. Louis Health Care System in the acute care track and then headed south to complete a PGY2 in psychiatry at the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center (Roll Tide!). Darcy is board certified in psychiatry and pharmacotherapy. She currently practices in outpatient pain management, taking consults for headaches, low back pain, musculoskeletal pain, neuropathy, and traumatic brain injuries. She also works with patients on opioid tapers and transitioning to a buprenorphine product. After living in Tuscaloosa for a year, Darcy has become a huge Alabama football fan and is also a big St. Louis Blues hockey fan. In her free time, she loves to go ice skating, go hiking, and try new restaurants.

Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT)

Andrew Schaefer, PharmD, BCACP

Dr. Schaefer is one of the ambulatory care Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners at the Danville main campus. He attended pharmacy school at the Saint Louis College of Pharmacy. He has been at Danville the longest out of all the preceptors, starting his career here in 1998! For fun, he enjoys manual labor, listening/watching comedy, spending time just about anywhere outdoors and would play about any sport (including curling, seriously!).  He was introduced to pickleball in July 2022 and doesn’t get to play as often as he would prefer. He drives the speed limit but thinks he would enjoy racing about any vehicle if given the opportunity.

Grace Fenner, PharmD

Dr. Fenner is one of the ambulatory care Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners at the Danville main campus. She completed her pharmacy education at Drake University in 2018. She did a PGY-1 Ambulatory Care-Focused residency at the Phoenix VA. Since completing residency, she has continued to work for the VA in outpatient pharmacy and as a PACT Clinical Pharmacist. In her free time she enjoys traveling, going for walks with her dog Stevie, arts and crafts and watching movies.

Jordan Meyer, PharmD

Dr. Meyer is a 2011 graduate from Drake University. She did a PGY1 in Acute Care and PGY2 in Pediatrics at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.  She worked in pediatrics for 5 years and then transitioned into her ambulatory care role at the VA Illiana in 2015.  She started at the Peoria CBOC and now is Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner at the Bloomington CBOC.  She enjoys traveling and “being on the go” with her husband and children.

Ashley Thais, PharmD, CDCES

Dr. Thais is a graduate of Purdue University and completed her residency at the Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis. Her current practice setting is within ambulatory care and she also serves as the preceptor for the core ambulatory care rotation as well as the longitudinal rotation. In her time off, she enjoys spending time and traveling with her husband and four children.

Paige Meade, PharmD

Dr. Meade graduated from Creighton School of Pharmacy & Health Profession with her Doctorate of Pharmacy in 2018. She completed her PGY-1 Pharmacy Practice Residency at the VA Illiana Healthcare System in 2019. Dr. Meade first took a position as a Danville PACT clinical pharmacist following completion of her residency program, and she now specializes as a PACT rural health clinical pharmacist across all CBOCs (community based outpatient clinics). Outside of the pharmacy profession, Dr. Meade enjoys spending time with her husband and son. She also enjoys refurbishing furniture, true crime podcasts, and traveling.

Holly Bourgeois, PharmD, BCPS

Dr. Bourgeois is one of the ambulatory care pharmacists at the Peoria CBOC. She completed pharmacy school at University of North Carolina and completed PGY1 at Oregon State University. Her hobbies include hiking and spending time outdoors.

Latoiya Purifoy, PharmD

Dr. Purifoy is a graduate of University of Illinois Chicago Pharmacy School.  She currently works at the VA Illiana Health Care System in the Peoria CBOC as a clinical pharmacist where she manages patients with diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia amongst other disease states.  When not at work, she enjoys baking and cooking for her family of six.

Elizabeth Dinges, PharmD (see profile above)

Ambulatory Care Float

Britney Anderson, PharmD, BCACP

Dr. Anderson has been with VA Illiana since 2012 and is originally from northern Wisconsin. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-School of Pharmacy and completed her PGY1 residency at Union Hospital in Terre Haute, Indiana. When she is not working, she and her husband enjoy being outdoors with their 3 young children and golden retriever. A fun fact about her is that she was able to ride along on a Med Flight helicopter during her residency.

Dr. Anderson is the Ambulatory Care Float CPP and will be precepting and mentoring as needed, during the residency year.

Staffing

Ashlee Cunningham-Stonewall, PharmD

Dr. Cunningham-Stonewall was born and raised in Danville, IL. She graduated from the PharmD program at Purdue University in 2003 and was the second youngest person in her graduating class. After graduation she worked for both CVS in Indiana and Walgreens in IL due to the extreme shortage of pharmacists. In 2004, she became the Walgreen’s Pharmacy Manager in Danville and worked until 2009 when she moved on to a new role as the PE/PI pharmacist at the VA.  Her career swiftly took flight as she then worked for VISN 11 as the PE/PI pharmacist, came back to Danville as a staff pharmacist, promoted to Outpatient Supervisor and then Associate Chief of Pharmacy Operations. She has also filled in as the Acting Inpatient Supervisor and the Acting Associate Chief of Clinical Pharmacy. She has traveled to many different VAs for various positions and has been a consultant on SOARS and VISN CSR teams. She loves working for the Veterans and has deep roots with many family members serving in the military, including her husband.

 

Pharmacy Residency Application Process

VA Illiana Health Care System follows the rules of the Residency Matching Program, therefore, all applicants must be registered with the ASHP Residency Matching Program. The NMS Code is 212713.

Pharmacy Residency Application Process

VA Illiana Health Care System VAMC follows the rules of the Residency Matching Program, therefore, all applicants must be registered with the ASHP Residency Matching Program. The Program Code is 212713. To apply for the VA Illiana Health Care System Pharmacy Practice Residency, please submit your application package containing a curriculum vitae (CV), letter of intent, official copy of your pharmacy school transcript, and three letters of recommendation to PhORCAS. If any of the above materials are not received by the application deadline, the applicant will not be considered for an interview. The application deadline is January 2, 2023.

Eligibility Requirements

The degree program must have been approved by The American Council on Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE) or prior to the establishment of ACPE, have been a member of the American Association of the Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP).

  • Participation in the ASHP matching program
  • Participation PhORCAS (Pharmacy Online Residency Centralized Application Service)
  • Eligibility for pharmacy licensure in any state of the United States

Application Package submitted via PhORCAS

  • Pharm.D. Degree
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Letter of Intent
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Official copy of academic transcripts from pharmacy school
  • Eligible for licensure
  • Interview Required

Deadlines

All application paperwork must be received by January 2, 2023.

U.S. Citizenship

It is a federal requirement that all employees of the VA must be a US citizen either by birth or naturalization.

Supplemental Application Forms

Found at: http://www.va.gov/vaforms/
▪ Application for Health Professions Trainees (VA Form 10-2850D)
▪ OF-306, Declaration for Federal Employment

Contact Information

Alexandra Dothager, PharmD, BCPS
Residency Program Director 
Phone: 217-554-4183
Alexandra.Dothager@va.go

 

Pharmacy Residency Curriculum

Pharmacy Residency Curriculum

Pharmacy Residency Curriculum at the VA Illiana Health Care System.

Core (Required) Learning Experiences

  • Anticoagulation
  • Home Based Primary Care
  • Internal Medicine
  • Pain Management
  • Antimicrobial Stewardship/Medication Safety
  • Mental Health – Inpatient
  • Mental Health – Outpatient
  • Pharmacy Leadership
  • Primary Care
  • Long-Term Care

Elective Learning Experiences

  • Advanced Core Rotation
  • Evidence-Based Medicine
  • Palliative Care
  • Pharmacy Administration
  • Substance Use Disorder
  • Other Elective Opportunities

Longitudinal Learning Experiences

  • Academia
  • Ambulatory Care
  • Inpatient Pharmacy Staffing
  • Medication Use Evaluation
  • Pharmacy Leadership
  • Quality Improvement Project