• Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree from an American Council of Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE) accredited pharmacy school.
• Minimum pharmacy school GPA of 3.2 or equivalent. Applicants from pass/fail curriculums may apply as well.
• Hold an active pharmacist license or be eligible for licensure in at least one U.S. state, territory, or District of Columbia.
• U.S. citizenship
• Applicants to any PGY2 residency must have completed a PGY1 residency.
• For consideration, required documents uploaded must include three (3) clinical letters of reference (2 of which must be from clinical preceptors), a letter of intent, curriculum vitae (CV), and an official copy of pharmacy school transcripts.
• Resident interviews will be virtual due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
• Candidates will be ranked, and positions filled by submission through National Matching Service (NMS). NMS codes are as follows: PGY1 Pharmacy (182313).

The 12-month program is based upon a variety of monthly core, elective and longitudinal practice experiences designed to provide expertise and confidence in various areas of clinical pharmacy practice as delineated in the ASHP Residency Practice Standards. These include, but are not limited to, ambulatory care, acute care (critical and surgical care), internal medicine, geriatrics, infectious diseases, drug information, anticoagulation, management, hematology/oncology, spinal cord injury, mental health, research and rural health. The resident will complete five required rotations (including one off- site rotation where the location is at residency leadership’s discretion) as well as three elective rotations based on his/her interests and career goals.

Clinical

• Develop strategies for integrating into a multidisciplinary healthcare team
• Promote expertise in managing medication therapies in both acute and chronic settings
• Augment understanding of practice management at the institutional, regional, and national levels

Academic

• Interpret and disseminate clinical pharmacotherapy knowledge effectively
• Foster innovative and rewarding precepting strategies
• Provide teaching experiences in small group learning environments
• Generate new knowledge in pharmacotherapy through original research

Professional

• Cultivate techniques for self-assessment, goal setting, and career planning
• Demonstrate exemplary verbal and written communication skills
• Establish a personalized system for balancing multiple work/life responsibilities
• Recognize the importance of professional development though participation in pharmacy organization activities

The residency experiences consist of 5-week rotations in the fall and 6-week rotations in the spring. Additionally, some rotation experiences are designed to be longitudinal in nature and will last ½ to the full duration of the residency year. The resident schedule will consist of 5 required rotations (including one rural or “off-site” rotation where the location is at residency leadership’s discretion) and 3 elective rotations. All rotation experiences are completed at the Dallas/Fort Worth/Bonham VA Medical Center (VAMC) and corresponding Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) unless otherwise noted below.

Required Rotations (Fall-5 weeks / Spring- 6 weeks)

• Orientation
• Ambulatory Care
• Inpatient (fall)
• Inpatient (spring)
• Drug Information
• Geriatics

Required Longitudinal Rotations

• Anticoagulation Clinic (1/2 of the residency year)
• Management (full residency year)
• Research (full residency year)
• Clinical Staffing (full residency year) – residents will rotate covering weekend staffing shifts

Elective On-site Rotations (5-6 weeks as scheduled)

• Cardiopulmonary Intensive Care Unit
• Hematology/Oncology
• Infectious Disease
• Mental Health (inpatient, outpatient, and specialized opportunities)
• Rural Health
• Surgical/Thoracic Intensive Care
• Management (Administrative Leadership)
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Nutrition
• Heart Failure Clinic
• Women's Health
• Informatics

Practice Experiences

• Rounding with health care professionals
• Practice-based projects
• Adverse drug reaction reporting (VA ADERS)
• Medication therapy management
• Education of health care professionals and precepting pharmacy students
• Pharmacokinetic consultations
• Participation in departmental and committee meetings
• Involvement in drug information services
• Clinical intervention documentations
• Participation in board certified pharmaceutical specialist reviews
• Opportunities with Texas Tech University Teaching Certificate Program

Residency Projects

Residents will complete one research project per year and one quality improvement project per year. Residents may choose any type of research project or quality improvement project, provided that the project:

1. includes generation of original data;
2. is suitable for publication and presentation at a national pharmacy meeting;
3. can reasonably be completed within the residency year.

Teaching activities for residents are designed to complement practice activities while allowing the resident to experience a variety of teaching methods. Residents will be required to demonstrate skills necessary to function in an academic setting by completing the following activities:

Clinician-Educator Residency Certificate Program (optional)

The Clinician Educator Training Program is a program to provide training for PGY1 and PGY2 residents who are interested in developing their academic skills. The major goal of the training program is to supplement a strong clinical background with the skills needed to become a successful educator. The learning objectives for this program are to develop a personalized teaching philosophy, create evaluable learning objectives and corresponding exam questions for a formal lecture, evaluate students fairly, and to discuss effective teaching methodologies for a given scenario. The program includes didactic and web-based teaching models, mentored facilitator training for small group problem-based learning, and precepting of third and/or fourth-year Doctor of Pharmacy students. Residents also receive instruction in statistical analysis, and clinical trial design; submit a project proposal to the institutional review board; and collect, interpret, and submit results for publication. Additional activities are provided to enhance discovery, integration, and writing skills. The program also includes innovative discussion topics based on needs previously identified by new faculty members. While the program targets residents with an interest in academia, the skill sets gained through the Clinician-Educator Training Program are applicable to a broad range of career opportunities.

Didactic Teaching (optional)

One to two hours of formal didactic lectures within the school of pharmacy programs may be required. The courses that are to be taught will be based on availability and resident interest.

Team-Based Learning/ Laboratory Based Learning (optional)

One semester equivalent as a group facilitator in team-based learning course. The course will consist of interactive activities, including but not limited to case-based exercises. Students will be given an in-class pre-assessment from the preparatory assignments. Students will utilize team-based learning to complete activities each session. It is designed to be a team-based learning experience and the facilitator’s role is not to teach the students, but rather to facilitate their discussion. During the semester, the course meets twice a week for two hours. Based on resident preference or teaching needs of the institution, residents may have the opportunity to lead laboratory-based sessions along with experienced faculty members. Residents have the opportunity to participate in Immunizations and/or Patient Assessment Laboratory courses in the P1 year.

Experiential Teaching (required)

Clerkship teaching (involving P3 and/or P4 PharmD students) is integrated into the resident practice model. Early in the program, the resident will observe clerkship preceptors and become integrated into various aspects of clerkship teaching. During the residency program, residents will independently precept clerkship students.

Other Teaching/Educational Opportunities (required)

Residents will be required to provide in-services for pharmacy, nursing and medical services as required by preceptors. Residency topic discussions will be held on individual rotations as required and/or requested.

Resident Rounds Seminar Series

Residents will present a formal 45-minute presentation with 15 minutes for questions and answers to VANTHCS pharmacy staff in the fall. Residents must choose topics that are of sufficient controversy or debate that are candidates for further publication in the medical literature. These presentations are accredited for 1 hour of CE credit for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.

Presentations/Topic Discussions

Residents will participate in resident driven presentations and/or topic discussions which can include literature review, case application, clinical pearls, etc. Residents will complete at least 6 formal presentations and 6 journal clubs throughout the year which will be assessed and evaluated by those in attendance as well as in PharmAcademic.

Manuscript Preparation

Residents are required to submit one manuscript per year for publication in a peer reviewed journal.

Southwestern Leadership Conference (ALCALDE)

Residents participate in this regional resident meeting, also known as ALCALDE, in the spring. Residents will have the opportunity to present their research project results for evaluation in a podium presentation. It is also a great opportunity to interact and network with residents from other programs throughout the region.

Poster Presentation

Residents are required to present a poster of their research project prior to graduation. Presentation at a national or state professional meeting is preferred, however, a presentation at our local facility may also be required.

Resident Interviews

Residents may be asked to participate in the interview process for the PGY1 residency program.

Qualifications:

Residency applicants must be U.S. citizens, have a Pharm.D. degree from an ACPE- accredited school of pharmacy, and be a licensed pharmacist in any state.

Applications are only accepted through the Pharmacy Residency Centralized Application System (PhORCAS).

Interested applicants should submit a letter of interest*, 3 letters of recommendation (2 of which must be from clinical preceptors), curriculum vitae, official pharmacy school transcripts, and a completed application form by Sunday, January 1, 2023, at 11:59pm EST.

*Letter of interest should address these questions:

1. Why do you want to do your PGY1 residency at the VA North Texas Health Care System? 

2. Name something you are proud of where you took a leadership role, initiative or planned an event. How did you accomplish this and how did it turn out?

3. From these characteristics/qualities: adaptability, time management, ability to take and apply constructive criticism, and ability to work under pressure/stress, pick 2 characteristics that you feel you excel at and provide specific examples and pick 2 characteristics that you feel you need to improve on, and provide specific examples.

4. For the ones you chose that you need to improve on, how do you feel a residency at VA North Texas specifically will help you to improve in these areas?

*Letters of recommendation should address all of the following characteristics:

1. Your ability to organize and manage your time

2. Your independence and resourcefulness

3. Your emotional stability and maturity

4. Your ability to accept constructive criticism

For more information, please utilize the resources and contact information below:

Contact Information

NTXPharmacyResidencyPrograms@va.gov