Meet the 2015-2016 Iowa Pharmacy Residents!
Justin Bagby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 PGY1 at Convenient Medical Center
IPA would like to introduce the 45 new residents to Iowa for 2015-2016. Take a minute to learn more about them and join us in welcoming them to our state!
Lindsey Batz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 PGY1 at Outcomes MTM
We asked each resident to complete a questionnaire about the about their residnecy experience including their motiviation for pursuing a residnecy, expereince at Midyear, what they hope to gain from their residency and more. Read their responses in the following pages.
Brianne Bakken. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 PGY1 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
Jenna Bender. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 PGY2 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Tara Bergland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 PGY1 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics John Beyer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 PGY2 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Brittany Bruch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 PGY2 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Janice Bueter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 PGY1 at UnityPoint Health - Allen Hospital Nupur Chopra. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 PGY1 at Unity Point- Allen Hospital Ashley Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 PGY1 at CarePro/A Ave Jason Cleppe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 PGY2 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
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2015-2016 Iowa Resident Spotlight - Iowa Pharmacy Association
Jenna Dietrich. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 PGY1 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Jessica Dizon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 PGY1 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Rachel Duffield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 PGY1 at the Des Moines VA Health Care System Elliot Duvall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 PGY1 at UnityPoint Health - St. Luke’s Rachel Dyke. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 PGY1 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Peter Elliot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 PGY1 at Iowa Methodist Beth Engel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 PGY1 at Mercy Family Pharmacy Megan Engel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 PGY1 at Osterhaus Pharmacy Erica Erixon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 PGY1 at Iowa Methodist Meredith Ginn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 PGY1 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Ali Goodson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Iowa City VA Health Care System Tracy Harlan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 PGY2 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Christie Hart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 PGY1 at the Iowa City VA Healthcare System Samuel Huber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 PGY1 at UnityPoint Health- St. Luke’s Patrick Kinn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 PGY1 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Scott Kollasch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 PGY1 at CarePro Pharmacy
Kathleen McNamara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 PGY1 at the NE/IA Medical Education Facility & Waverly Health Center Nicole McSweeney. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 PGY1 at Iowa Methodist Corey Melroe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 PGY2 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Alex Mersch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 PGY1 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Hayley Meyer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 PGY1 at the Iowa City VA Healthcare System Nathan Peterson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 PGY2 at Mercy Medical Center Blake Porter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Mercy Medical Center - Des Moines Emily Prinz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 PGY 1 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Danielle Rowan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 PGY1 at the Iowa City VA Healthcare System Marie Sirek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 PGY1 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Erica Tolle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 PGY1 at Towncrest Pharmacy Theresa Tranel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 PGY1 at Hy-Vee Drugstore – Iowa City Caleb Warner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 PGY1 at Covenant Medical Center Luke Watson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 PGY2 at the Iowa City VA Healthcare System Jarod Weidner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 PGY1 at Mercy Medical Center- North Iowa Kirre Wold. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 PGY1 at Mercy Medical Center- North Iowa
Shelby Lang. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 PGY1 at the Des Moines VA Health Care System Christer Lundblad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Mercy Medical Center - Des Moines
2015-2016 Iowa Resident Spotlight - Iowa Pharmacy Association
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Justin Bagby
University of Iowa PGY1 at Convenient Medical Center
University of Iowa PGY1 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
What topic have you chosen for the research component of your residency?
What advice do you have for students attending Midyear?
I have chosen to undertake a medication reconciliation project. My goal is to highlight the importance of correct medications reconciliations upon arrival so patients are getting the medications they need while in the hospital and when they leave the hospital.
I did indeed attend Midyear as a P3 and again as a P4. I used my first trip during P3 year to gain experience and to ensure I could feel comfortable with the venue and process when I would return as a P4 when it was critical. I found it most helpful to prepare by reviewing the showcase floor plan and schedule. I used those documents to create a plan of all the residencies I wanted to great and gather more information from. In addition to the showcase I also participated in Personnel Placement Service (PPS) at Midyear as well. Most of the HSPA residency programs participate in PPS at Midyear, which provided a great opportunity to spend time with each program individually. I felt there was a tremendous benefit from participating in PPS and would recommend it to anyone pursuing an HSPA residency.
Lindsey Batz
University of Iowa PGY1 at Outcomes MTM
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Brianne Bakken
Jenna Bender
Drake University PGY2 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
What criteria did you use when trying to pick residency programs?
Why should prospective residents consider the programs available in Iowa?
When seeking out a residency, I evaluated programs based on the program’s reputation, work environment, career paths of previous residents, geographic location, interdepartmental learning opportunities, and scope of residency projects. I chose the residency program at OutcomesMTM because it most closely aligned with my goal for completing a residency: to develop the skills needed to improve patient health outcomes through the utilization and design of MTM services.
Since [the University of] Iowa is a large academic medical center, there is a wide variety of experiences that are offered and the residents and staff are accustomed to having a pharmacy presence. The resident class is larger, which allows for a lot of collaboration while still having flexibility with scheduling. Finally, there are options for PGY2 programs and Iowa is continually working to expand these. One of the benefits of staying in Iowa is the strength of the state association. They really look for resident/pharmacist and student involvement and there are many opportunities available to do so.
2015-2016 Iowa Resident Spotlight - Iowa Pharmacy Association
Tara Bergland
University of Nebraska PGY1 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
John Beyer
Drake University PGY2 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
Why should prospective residents consider the programs available in Iowa?
What specific skills did you seek to acquire during your PGY1 to prepare you for this year?
I considered residencies in Iowa because pharmacists here are allowed to do so many things. I knew that these opportunities were available to pharmacists but didn’t see them executed until I visited residency programs in Iowa. During my interviews at different Iowa locations I felt like I heard about pharmacists constantly expanding into new roles in the healthcare team and believed this expansion would allow me to experience many new things during my residency year. For me this was a big advantage to coming to Iowa.
Since I am completing a residency in Health-System Pharmacy Administration, I wanted to acquire as many clinical skills as possible during the first year. My second year has a greater focus on the administrative side of pharmacy, so the first year is important for building a strong clinical foundation. I also wanted to make strong connections with staff as I would be working with them on projects and initiatives during the second year.
Brittany Bruch
University of Iowa PGY2 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
Janice Bueter
University of Missouri - Kansas City PGY1 at UnityPoint Health - Allen Hospital
What are the advantages of doing a PGY2 residency?
Why did you decide to do a residency?
Pursuing a PGY2 residency truly gives you the opportunity to specialize in a specific area of pharmacy practice and continue building your clinical skill set. I think after completing a second year of post-graduate training, PGY2 residents should be well-equipped to hold positions as clinical pharmacy specialists and serve as leaders within the profession.
While I was inspired to complete a residency by my professors and some of the pharmacists that I had met, I think my biggest inspiration was my mom. She was diagnosed with cancer before I had started pharmacy school and through her experiences with doctor’s appointments, chemotherapy, radiation, and surgeries, I learned just how important it is to have a pharmacist as part of a patient care team. Her oncologist and nurses did a wonderful job, and that really inspired me to take an interest in oncology, as well as supportive and palliative care. As I learned more and more in pharmacy school, I began to realize that I wanted to be that person that helped patients have an improved quality of life by teaching them about managing some of the side effects of chemotherapy, that just because they require more pain medications, it doesn’t make them a drug addict, and the importance of making sure they are on an appropriate bowel regimen with those pain medications. While my mom may not have really understood what a pharmacy residency was, she knew what I wanted to do and really pushed me to go out and do what I needed to do to achieve my goals. 2015-2016 Iowa Resident Spotlight - Iowa Pharmacy Association
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Nupur Chopra
Drake University PGY1 at Unity Point- Allen Hospital
What do you expect to gain from a residency? As I progress throughout residency I hope to further develop and solidify my clinical knowledge, gain confidence working in a multidisciplinary team, and become a leader within the profession whether it be mentoring or guiding other health professionals in proper medication management.
Jason Cleppe
University of Iowa PGY2 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
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Ashley Clark
University of Kansas PGY1 at CarePro/A Ave
Where did you graduate from pharmacy school? If not from Drake or University of Iowa, what brought you to Iowa? I graduated from the University of Kansas in May 2015 with my PharmD. I came to Iowa for the residency program. What attracted me to this program was its reputation of being a well-established community residency program. It was close enough to home to still be in the Midwest but, yet some where new, enabling me to broaden my experiences and increase my pharmacy network.
Jenna Dietrich
University of Iowa PGY1 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
What are the advantages of doing a PGY2 residency?
Why did you decide to do a residency?
I believe a PGY2 residency prepares a pharmacist to step right into a clinical role in a specialized area, as well as the opportunity to develop oneself on a more professional level. The PGY1 residency is the first foray into being a practicing pharmacist, and so it serves as a way to learn what that means in a variety of rotational experiences combined with research and teaching obligations. The PGY2 residency builds upon those skills learned in the first year. Having experienced what it is like to practice on a day-to-day basis, the emphasis can really be placed on refining those skills in a specific practice area and becoming a competent practitioner.
I wanted to strengthen my clinical knowledge, enhance my leadership skills, and gain experience in precepting, teaching, and research. I knew that residency training would ultimately allow me to achieve my career goals.
2015-2016 Iowa Resident Spotlight - Iowa Pharmacy Association
Jessica Dizon
University of New England PGY1 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
Do you know what you are doing after your residency, or know what kind of practice you hope to go into after completing your residency? After residency I am hoping to obtain a position in pharmacy administration at an academic medical center and work in operations management and then work my way up to Chief Pharmacy Officer. I don’t know where life will take me in two years, but I hope that I am involved in pharmacy administration at an academic medical center. What I do know, is that after this residency, I will be prepared for whatever life throws my way.
Elliot Duvall
University of Iowa PGY1 at UnityPoint Health - St. Luke’s
Why should prospective residents consider the programs available in Iowa? Having been a graduate from the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy in 2011, I can recommend the residency programs within the state because I know they are facilitated by some of the best professors and preceptors in the nation. Staying in the state of Iowa may be preferable to pharmacists due to the fact that many locations within Iowa are small farming towns which provide a friendly atmosphere not seen in many other places. This unique characteristic allows the pharmacist to really get to know their patients and it also allows for the ability to provide for this type of population where patient access to healthcare may not have been previously available.
Rachel Duffield
Drake University PGY1 at the Des Moines VA Health Care System
What topic have you chosen for the research component of your residency? I am expanding the pharmacist-managed hypertension clinic at our facility for my residency project this year. I will be focusing on increasing the number of patients enrolled in our clinic as well as providing an opportunity for clinical pharmacists currently working in the clinic to obtain a scope of practice.
Rachel Dyke
University of Iowa PGY1 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
What kind of practice do you hope to go into after completing your residency? Do you think it would be possible without a residency? My aim is to become a clinical specialist in pediatrics or oncology at an academic medical center. In order to achieve this goal, I think it is very necessary to complete a residency. I also plan to pursue a PGY2 to further learn from specialists, gain experience and hone my critical thinking abilities. Residency offers the opportunity to expand clinical knowledge, sharpen interpersonal skills, and develop leadership abilities in unique
2015-2016 Iowa Resident Spotlight - Iowa Pharmacy Association
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Peter Elliot
Drake University PGY1 at Iowa Methodist
What are the core requirements of your residency? The residency at Iowa Methodist is a hospital-based residency that is centered on experiences in internal medicine, intensive care, pediatrics, infectious disease, surgery/trauma, oncology, ambulatory care, investigational drugs, and pharmacy management. In addition, I have the opportunity to be involved with other elective opportunities such as cardiology, pulmonology, pediatric infectious disease, renal/transplant, or emergency medicine. Through the program I am able to be a clinical instructor with the college of pharmacy at Drake University. I will take part in leading a lecture series at Drake and I will precept Doctor of Pharmacy students. My research project for the year will be evaluating the outcomes associated with the usage of the biosimilar TBO-filgrastim compared to neulasta.
Megan Engel
Drake University PGY1 at Osterhaus Pharmacy
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Beth Engel
Drake University PGY1 at Mercy Family Pharmacy
What kind of practice do you hope to go into after completing your residency? Do you think it would be possible without a residency? After completing my residency, I hope to practice in the ambulatory care or community setting with a focus on providing quality patient care services. My residency will help me build upon the knowledge and skills I acquired in pharmacy school in order to provide such services to patients.
Erica Erixon
Creighton University PGY1 at Iowa Methodist
What topic have you chosen for the research component of your residency?
What advice do you have for pharmacy students or pharmacists considering a residency program?
For my residency project, I am focusing on community outreach regarding diabetes. I plan on organizing screening events that utilize the A1c Now test to identify potentially undiagnosed diabetes and make referrals to local clinics.
I would encourage students to look at programs that offer not only rotations that they have interests in, but also experiences that are unique to that program. For example, this program offers an actual teaching experience rather than a teaching certificate program that other programs offer. I would also encourage students to do something that makes them stand out, like a research project or work with a faculty member on a project; something that shows you can handle school work and other responsibilities, including work experience. The best tip for interviewing I actually received from a classmate. During the interview I would keep three words in mind and try to make my responses line up with those three words: smart, creative, and compassionate. I think this help calm me down and help me better articulate my responses.
2015-2016 Iowa Resident Spotlight - Iowa Pharmacy Association
Meredith Ginn
Auburn University PGY1 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
What do you expect to gain from a residency? In pursuing a residency, I wanted to challenge myself to gain more experience in areas of practice I wasn’t totally comfortable in (such as pediatrics and cardiology). I wanted to continue learning to become the best well-rounded pharmacist I can be. I also wanted to develop my teaching philosophy and function as a preceptor for students while still having a preceptor I could ask for guidance.
Tracy Harlan
University of Missouri- Kansas City PGY2 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
What are the core requirements of your residency? The core rotational requirements during my second year of residency include longitudinal experiences in our pharmacist-managed pharmacotherapy clinic and anticoagulation case management service. In addition, a multitude of elective rotational opportunities are available focused in academia, allergy/immunology, cardiology, clinical cancer center, endocrine, HIV, renal/hypertension, and other ambulatory specialty clinics. Being so close to the college and working with college faculty also allows opportunities throughout the year to engage in didactic lectures, pharmacy practice labs, and preceptorship. A longitudinal research project is required as a component of the residency and other opportunities exist for additional research as well.
Ali Goodson
University of Iowa Iowa City VA Health Care System
*No additional information available at the time of publication
Christie Hart
Wingate University PGY1 at the Iowa City VA Healthcare System
Why should prospective residents consider the programs available in Iowa? One of the biggest things that I am finding out about Iowa is that there are a couple of huge hospital establishments throughout the state that offer a variety of different services. I think that this offers the ability for enhanced patient care since there will be a continuation of care throughout the state. Another advantage for staying in Iowa is that the University of Iowa Healthcare System has residencies (PGY1 & PGY2) in many different pharmacy specialties.
2015-2016 Iowa Resident Spotlight - Iowa Pharmacy Association
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Samuel Huber
PGY1 at UnityPoint Health- St. Luke’s
Patrick Kinn
University of Iowa PGY1 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
What do you expect to gain from a residency?
Why did you decide to do a residency?
My main expectation from a residency is to continue to hone my clinical skills and develop my confidence as a clinical pharmacist. I chose to do a residency so I can continue learning from experienced preceptors.
I had the idea early on that I wanted to do a residency. Before pharmacy school began, I shadowed a clinical pharmacist who works in a bone marrow transplant unit and I really enjoyed my experience there. I like the environment of working in a hospital and being closely involved in the clinical decision-making process. As I continued to be exposed to different pharmacy careers in school, I noticed that nearly all of the positions that interested me shared a common requirement of residency completion. My APPE rotations solidified my plan by exposing me to some of additional benefits of residency training such as opportunities to teach and conduct a research project.
Scott Kollasch
University of Missouri- Kansas City PGY1 at CarePro Pharmacy
Shelby Lang
University of Missouri- Kansas City PGY1 at the Des Moines VA Health Care System
What advice do you have for pharmacy students or pharmacists considering a residency program?
Why should prospective residents consider the programs available in Iowa?
My advice for pharmacy students or pharmacists considering a residency program would be to become involved with student organizations offered at the university as well as local, state, and national pharmacy organizations. When applying for a residency, be sure to prepare early. Begin by starting the application and seeking letters of recommendation. When interviewing, be confident and be yourself. Remember you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you to ensure the residency site would be a good fit for both you and the site.
I am sure that large programs in huge cities offer great experiences as well; however, what I was looking for was a chance to get to know my patients and other providers. From my experience, Iowa and the Midwest in general offer a friendly atmosphere extremely conducive to learning. Creating unique patient care plans for patients with unusual barriers, such as living over 100 miles from the nearest hospital, takes and entire team. Everyone seems more willing to listen to ideas from all disciplines and experience levels.
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2015-2016 Iowa Resident Spotlight - Iowa Pharmacy Association
Christer Lundblad
University of Florida Mercy Medical Center - Des Moines
*No additional information available at the time of publication
Nicole McSweeney Drake University PGY1 at Iowa Methodist
Why did you decide to do a residency? The majority of my pharmacy experience was in a hospital. I truly grew to love the environment - I always felt as if I was a valued member of the pharmacy and health care team. When thinking about my future plans as a pharmacist, I loved the idea of pursuing a residency to gain an additional year of training in an area of pharmacy that interested me. I thought that a residency program would be both challenging and rewarding and provide me with the chance to further pursue a clinical pharmacy position.
Kathleen McNamara
University of Iowa PGY1 at the NE/IA Medical Education Facility & Waverly Health Center
Why did you decide to do a residency? I decided to pursue a PGY1 residency because I saw it as a great opportunity to further my training. I began considering a residency when I first starting hearing about them, which was around the end of my P2 year. I quickly learned the many options residency programs reveal and was strongly considering and looking into various programs during my P3 year. Once I finished a few core rotations I discovered my passion for clinical pharmacy. I predict a competitive job market within ambulatory care and small hospital pharmacy and want to prepare myself the best way possible.
Corey Melroe
North Dakota State University PGY2 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
Why should prospective residents consider the programs available in Iowa? There are many reasons why students should consider the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) for residency training. Working at the state’s only academic medical center provides residents with an amazing number of clinical experiences and educational opportunities. The advantage of going to Iowa over other programs is that pharmacy residents at UIHC also have a number of opportunities to work collaboratively with the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy and are deeply integrated into the medical team. Pharmacists and pharmacy residents at UIHC have an excellent relationship with UIHC physicians and nurses, creating a cohesive patient care team.
2015-2016 Iowa Resident Spotlight - Iowa Pharmacy Association
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Alex Mersch
Roosevelt University PGY1 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
Hayley Meyer
University of Iowa PGY1 at the Iowa City VA Healthcare System
Where did you graduate from pharmacy school? What brought you to Iowa?
What advice do you have for pharmacy students or pharmacists considering a residency program?
I graduated from Roosevelt University College of Pharmacy, a three year program located in Schaumburg, Illinois. The University of Iowa’s reputation for excellent patient care and the opportunity to participate in a variety of unique practice environments initially drew me. From a practice standpoint pharmacy is progressive here and I cherish the opportunity to practice at the top of my license. I also grew up in the Midwest and love the general mentality of people here. Iowa City provided the perfect chance to be immersed in a relatively urban area but still have the friendliness associated with “Iowa Nice.”
My best advice for pharmacy students or pharmacists considering a residency program is to take advantage of your preceptors and colleagues to gain unique or advanced experiences during rotations or work. These experiences help you grow as a pharmacist, better prepare you for residency, and may offer unique experiences to discuss during residency interviews. During interviews, try to have genuine conversations with interviewers rather than rehearsed responses and do not be afraid to ask questions to determine how well you connect with the residency program.
Nathan Peterson
University of Iowa PGY2 at Mercy Medical Center
What are the advantages of doing a PGY2 residency? A PGY2 residency gives an opportunity to master a focused area of clinical practice. The expertise gained in a PGY2 will better prepare clinical pharmacists for clinical and leadership positions in a variety of hospital settings. PGY2-trained pharmacy specialists are the “goto” resource for complex medication and patient scenarios encountered by the health care team.
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2015-2016 Iowa Resident Spotlight - Iowa Pharmacy Association
Blake Porter
University of Iowa Mercy Medical Center - Des Moines
*No additional information available at the time of publication
Emily Prinz
University of Nebraska PGY 1 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
Danielle Rowan
Drake University PGY1 at the Iowa City VA Healthcare System
Why did you decide to do a residency?
What are the core requirements of your residency?
Once I learned about all of the opportunities that the pharmacy world had to offer, I knew I couldn’t work in a retail setting. I had so many different interests but all of them focused on the clinic side of pharmacy. The idea of a residency really started to become a want of mine after I participated in a medical mission trip to Jamaica my second year of pharmacy school. This was one of the first times I was really able to work with patients and other health care providers in a real life setting. It was these different interactions between providers and patients that made me realize that a residency would be the best route to get me to the career that I want.
The core requirements include working in the Anticoagulation Clinic managing warfarin both over the phone and in clinic, handling non-formulary requests through the Medication Management Service, completing an administration rotation with the management team, serving as part of the internal medicine team, staffing every other weekend in both inpatient and medication reconciliation settings, and completing an education program. The education program consists of evaluating students at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy during their clinical practice skills lab. The residents also participate in a lecture series designed to build their teaching and precepting skills. In the midst of these longitudinal rotations, we each complete a research project, MUE and 4 elective rotations in a variety of settings.
Marie Sirek
North Dakota State University PGY1 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
What advice do you have for students attending Midyear? Initially, the experience was somewhat overwhelming. In order to offset this daunting task, I tried to be fully prepared by bringing business cards, copies of my curriculum vitae, lists of questions for each individual residency program I intended to speak with, and detailed information about each program. Additionally, I came up with questions that I may be asked, prepared answers, and practiced them. My advice for students attending Midyear is to talk with a few residency programs that are not on the top of your list (or maybe not on your list at all) before going to your top choices. By doing this, you work out the “bugs” and nerves in your elevator speech and questions. You will then be more prepared to make a good impression at the programs you are most interested in. Additionally, research the programs you are speaking with thoroughly. Try your best not to ask questions that you can find online. This will show that you put in the time and effort to learn about their program and are genuinely interested.
Erica Tolle
Ohio Northern University PGY1 at Towncrest Pharmacy
What do you expect to gain from a residency? After completion of my community residency, I hope to be properly trained to make a difference in my patients’ lives. The ability to make a difference involves being a great disease state manager, an advocate for my patients and colleagues and a sound influence in my community. The University of Iowa and Towncrest Pharmacy are preparing me for an ever changing health care field, and I look forward to graduating from this program ready to address the issues that pharmacy faces today.
2015-2016 Iowa Resident Spotlight - Iowa Pharmacy Association
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Theresa Tranel
Drake University PGY1 at Hy-Vee Drugstore – Iowa City
What patient care programs are offered at your residency site? Each of the community pharmacy residency sites offer unique clinical programs. At Hy-Vee, I am involved with the travel clinic, in which we provide consults, education, immunizations, and preventative medication for patients traveling abroad. Another component of my residency site is to provide MTMs for the area Hy-Vee Pharmacies. I also help with biometric screenings, flu clinics, and diabetes education. I am also fortunate to have the opportunity to complete electives by attending manager meetings and visiting unique Hy-Vee sites, such as Hy-Vee’s central fill location and Hy-Vee Pharmacy Solutions.
Luke Watson
University of Iowa PGY2 at the Iowa City VA Healthcare System
What do you expect to gain from a residency? With the PGY-2 Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency, I hope to improve my knowledge of evidence-based medicine within psychiatric pharmacy, I also hope to improve interactions in an interdisciplinary team and patients in psychiatry, and I hope establish myself as an psychopharmacology expert by the end of the year.
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2015-2016 Iowa Resident Spotlight - Iowa Pharmacy Association
Caleb Warner
Drake University PGY1 at Covenant Medical Center
Why did you decide to do a residency? I decided to do a residency a little before I selected my rotations P3 year. I had been working in a hospital pharmacy for around 2 years then and discussed the idea with some of the pharmacists and residents there. My boss at the time encouraged me to pursue a residency as she thought it would open more doors down the road. Like many students, I graduated with a significant amount of debt so the lower salary of a resident was the major con I considered. Ultimately, I decided that the clinical skills a residency would develop would be well worth the time and monetary investment needed.
Jarod Weidner
University of Colorado PGY1 at Mercy Medical Center- North Iowa
How much contact do you have with your preceptor? What is your relationship like with the physicians and other health care professionals at your institution? We are in very frequent contact with our preceptors. They work closely together with us during training to ensure we are learning what we need to know and someone is always available to answer our questions. The relationship with the physicians at my institution is very strong. Most of them recognize pharmacy as an important member of the care team and do not hesitate to consult pharmacy if they have drug therapy questions. Pharmacy also rounds with many of the physicians on the floors.
Kirre Wold
South Dakota State University PGY1 at Mercy Medical Center- North Iowa
What are the core requirements of your residency? The residency at Mercy Medical Center – North Iowa is a very well rounded program. We are able set up a wide variety of experiences in inpatient, community, and ambulatory care pharmacy. The core rotations include internal medicine, family practice, cardiology, critical care/ nutrition support, infectious disease, and anticoagulation clinic, for example. We are also required to complete a major research project, staff in the acute care pharmacy, and can choose from a wide variety of electives.
2015-2016 Iowa Resident Spotlight - Iowa Pharmacy Association
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2015-2016 Iowa Resident Spotlight Iowa Pharmacy Association