Residency Annual Report 2024
Our PGY1 Residents took a professional development trip to the University of Iowa. (shown above)
The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Retzky College of Pharmacy, in collaboration with the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System (UI Health), is proud of the 55-year history of training post-graduate pharmacists in clinical service and research through our PGY1 and PGY2 residencies.
Message from the Head
Dear Colleagues and Friends of Pharmacy Practice,
I’m pleased to share with you our Residency Programs’ Annual Report and give you a glimpse of our exceptional training opportunities and resident accomplishments at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Retzky College of Pharmacy.
The UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy has a rich history of defining and advancing the practice of pharmacy. Our clinical and practice-based service programs span over our 2 campuses in Chicago and Rockford and surrounding areas; and we have over 150 faculty practitioners in nearly all inpatient and primary care clinical and service specialties. We embrace an inventive forward-thinking mindset in service and patient care and provide one of the nation’s largest and most comprehensive pharmacy practice programs.
The magnitude and quality of our clinical pharmacy and service programs create opportunities for residency training experiences not available elsewhere. Running for more than five decades, UIC’s residency programs stand among the nation’s most prominent and distinguished and train around 35-40 residents each year in general pharmacy practice and several specialty areas.
Our residents are given independent experiences so they can practice
autonomously and develop a sense of responsibility as clinical professionals. This focus, a hallmark of the UIC program, not only equips trainees with robust and relevant clinical skills, but also ensures our residency retains its standing as a cutting-edge program that prepares the future generation of leaders and change agents in pharmacy and health care.
Graduates of our residency training programs are leaders in all patient care settings, academia, pharmaceutical industry, government agencies, professional associations, and many more. Their work has resulted in advances and innovations in pharmacy practice and the expansion of the role and impact of pharmacists. This year is the 55th anniversary since the inception of our residency program. We’re holding a celebratory reception at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting in New Orleans on Sunday, December 8, 2024, 6pm-8pm. As part of the activities we’re launching our Residency Village, an alumni network for our past residents and felloes. Please join us in New Orleans to celebrate. Check out our Residency Village Website and RSVP here: go.uic.edu/residencyvillage
We hope you enjoy reading some of our program highlights and residents’ accomplishments over the last academic year. For those of you considering residency training programs, we would love to have you join our team to continue our tradition of excellence together.
Dr. Edith Nutescu Head of Pharmacy Practice
Message from the Associate Head for Education
The 2023-2024 residency year was another great one for the Department of Pharmacy Practice at UIC! Our residents continued their significant contributions to our education, research, service, and entrepreneurship mission.
A few notable accomplishments this year include:
• Our PGY1 Pharmacy residency class had an 83% match rate into post-graduate year two (PGY2) pharmacy residencies and fellowships.
• Our Residency Teaching Certificate Program, under the direction of Brianna Hudak, PharmD, and Abigail ElmesPatel, PharmD, awarded 67 certificates from 22 different programs.
• Our Academic Leadership Program, under the direction of Nancy Shapiro, PharmD, and Scott Benken, PharmD, awarded 8 certificates to PGY2 residents and fellows.
• Check out the ‘Residents in the News’ Section to read about the many great accomplishments of our residents such as publications, presentations, awards, and much more.
These are just a few highlights of the many accomplishments of our program, residency program directors (RPDs), and residents. This success of training future clinical educators, researchers, scholars, and leaders would not be possible without the dedication of college and departmental leadership, RPDs, and many devoted clinical faculty preceptors.
Dr. Nancy Shapiro Associate Head for Education
The Academic Leadership Program bonding with a night out
PGY1 Pharmacy
UIC’s PGY1 Pharmacy Residency is a one-year program, during which the resident effectively makes the transition from student to independent practitioner under guidance from the clinical faculty. The main goals of the program are to develop competent clinical pharmacists capable of practicing in any setting by providing exposure to a diverse scope of pharmaceutical care services while fostering leaders in clinical pharmacy practice and education.
The 2023-2024 PGY1 pharmacy residency class was very productive in the area of research and scholarship with at least 25 research abstracts submitted to professional organizations including American Society of HealthSystem Pharmacists, American Transplant Congress, American Heart Association, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and American College of Clinical Pharmacy. The 2023-2024 class had an 83% match rate into post-graduate year two (PGY2) pharmacy residencies and fellowships with our other residents pursuing clinical positions. Our Community Service Committee organized a clothing drive that collected a carload of clothes to help support the Brown Elephant Initiative and Howard Brown Health Center which provides LGBTQ+ healthcare and funds care for the uninsured and under-insured in the Chicagoland area. In the spring, we traveled to the University of Iowa for a professional development trip. End-of-the-year awards were given to Dr. Mark Pulver, PGY1 resident (Richard A. Hutchinson Award for Excellence in Pharmacy Practice); Dr. Vinh Thai, PGY1 HSPAL resident (John McBride Award for Excellence in Hospital Pharmacy); Dr. Drew Posen, emergency medicine preceptor (Frank P. Paloucek Preceptor of the Year Award); and Dr. Keith Nguyen, clinical staff pharmacist (Residency Appreciation Award). Our new 2024-2025 PGY1 class of 12 residents includes 5 from UIC, and 1 each from the University of California San Francisco, University of Colorado Denver, University of South Carolina, University of Cincinnati, University of North Carolina, Purdue University, and University of Texas Austin. For more information about the great things our residents are doing, follow us on social media (Facebook | https://www. facebook.com/UICRxResidency/ ; Instagram | @uicrxresidency).
Dr. Kirsten Ohler PGY1 Program Director
PGY1 Pharmacy Residents
Neda Abu-Gharbiyeh
Hannah Ayers
Seth Carroll Emilio De La Rosa Gonzalez
Avery Claire Jones
Nivan Khair
Skye Miles
Natalie Pettit
Mark Pulver
Erin Ryan
Nicholas Truong
Carrie Yu
PGY1 Pharmacy International
The PGY1 Pharmacy International residency is a 12-month, ASHP-accredited program at the UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy. The International program is for students who have completed an ACPEaccredited PharmD program, and its goal is to foster the growth of clinical pharmacy practice outside the United States.
The 2023-2024 international resident, Yiwen Chung, a graduate of Ohio State University, had a productive year. She completed a longitudinal research project, “Comparing Tele-health vs. In-person Kidney Transplant Suitability Evaluation by a Pharmacist,” as well as her seminar, Racing to the (Immune) Checkpoint: Updates in Small Cell Lung Cancer. Lectures included “A Pharmacist’s Role in Managing Adverse Events Related to Immunotherapy.” Upon completion of her PGY1, Dr. Chung moved onto a PGY2 in oncology at Houston Methodist in Houston, TX.
Dr. Margaret Choye PGY1 Pharmacy International Director
PGY1 CommunityBased Pharmacy
The PGY1 Community-Based residency is a 12-month, ASHP-accredited program at the UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy. The program prepares graduates to utilize clinical skills to provide exceptional pharmaceutical care for patients in a community pharmacy, develop and implement innovative and sustainable patient care services, and maintain or improve current services. Graduates obtain positions in community, ambulatory care, and academia and commit to the advancement of the profession of pharmacy through continued education and involvement. Residents spend 60% of their time in the UIC Specialty Care Building (SCB) outpatient pharmacy and 40% of their time rotating through UIC’s ambulatory care clinics, in addition to developing academic and research skills.
UIC’s 2023-2024 PGY1 Community-Based Resident, Dr. Jennifer Takamura, had a very eventful year. She precepted students and provided patient care at SCB pharmacy and various UI Health ambulatory care clinics. Dr. Takamura played a
Yiwen Chung
PGY1 Community-Based Specialty Pharmacy
The PGY1 Community-Based Specialty Pharmacy residency is a 12-month, ASHP-accredited program at the UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy. The goal of the program is to produce a well-rounded specialty pharmacy practitioner who has learned to manage specialty pharmacy patients by rotating through our URAC and ACHC accredited Clinical Care Center/ Specialty Pharmacy and by rotating through several UI Health specialty outpatient clinics.
Elbron Odisho successfully completed the PGY1 Specialty Pharmacy Residency. He participated in the clinical and operational workflows in our Specialty Pharmacy Clinical Care Center and in the Oncology Clinic Pharmacy and Wood Street Mail Order Pharmacy. Elbron completed a year-long research project titled “Documentation of pharmacist interventions at an integrated health system specialty pharmacy.” He presented his research project at national and state conferences including a poster presentation at the Vizient Annual Pharmacy Meeting and the Illinois Pharmacy Residency Conference. Elbron contributed to multiple projects for the specialty pharmacy leadership team including a quality improvement project focused on employee satisfaction and a business plan on the expansion of Specialty Pharmacy Services. Elbron was also a selected presenter at a national ASHP Webinar titled “Resident Research Gems.” Elbron is excited to begin his position as a Clinical Pharmacist Specialist in Oncology with University of Chicago Medicine Specialty Pharmacy.
Dr. Lisa Kumor
PGY1 Community-Based Specialty Pharmacy Director
key role in establishing and evaluating the outcomes of two new services at the Specialty Care Building Pharmacy: a Pain Management Consult Service and a Hypertension Action Planning Service. She presented her findings at the American
Pharmacists Association Annual Meeting in March and the Illinois Pharmacy Residency Conference in May. Additionally, she conducted a seminar in the fall regarding the guideline updates for the RSV vaccine for adults and subsequently submitted an article on these vaccines, which was published in ICHP’s magazine, KeePosted, in February. Dr. Takamura delivered lectures in PHAR 501, PHAR 412, PMPR 327, and PHAR 601, and served as a recitation facilitator regularly in PHAR 414. She worked with UIC’s ambulatory pharmacy administration on a project to help mitigate DIR fees. Dr. Takamura served on Vizient’s Ambulatory Practice Development Committee. Dr. Takamura has brought her expertise to the University of Chicago Medicine as a Clinical Pharmacist Specialist in their Meds to Beds program.
Dr. Marlowe Djuric Kachlic PGY1 Community-Based Pharmacy Director
Jennifer Takamura
Elbron Odisho
PGY1 Community-Based Pharmacy - Walgreens
The PGY1 Community-Based UIC-Walgreens residency is a 12-month, ASHP-accredited program. The residency is based out of the three community Walgreens specialty pharmacy locations in Chicago that offer a variety of innovative clinical pharmacy services for patients who are prescribed complex therapies such as HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, oncology, and transplant. The residency is offered in partnership with the UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy, which allows the residents the opportunity to gain experience.
Our 2023-2024 PGY1 community-based resident, Dr. Vanessa Cortez, was highly productive over her residency year. She contributed to the community, health system, college, and pharmacy profession through service, research, precepting and teaching activities, and presentations. At the conclusion of the residency year, Dr. Cortez will be starting a PGY2 residency in Ambulatory Care Pharmacy at Franciscan Health in Dyer, Indiana.
Dr. Sheila Allen PGY1 Walgreens-UIC Site Faculty Liaison
Dr. Drew Halbur
PGY1 Walgreens-UIC Community-Based Pharmacy Director
Dr. Beatrice Drambarean
PGY1 Community-Based Pharmacy - Osco
The PGY1 Community-Based UIC-Osco (Albertsons) residency is a 12-month ASHP-accredited program. The program focuses on community practice where residents enhance their skills to develop and deliver patient care services, establish programs within corporate and local leadership, and engage with the local university to learn skill sets needed for teaching. The resident also completes clinical experiences in a variety of ambulatory care settings that UI Health has to offer.
PGY1 Osco-UIC Site Faculty Liaison
Dr. Chandni Clough
PGY1 Osco-UIC Community-Based Pharmacy Director (Not Pictured)
Vanessa Cortez
PGY1 PharmacyRockford
The PGY1 Pharmacy - Rockford residency is a 12-month ASHP-accredited program completed at the UIC Rockford campus. The program is designed to solidify the skills and knowledge obtained during the PharmD education. By focusing on developing clinical pharmacists prepared to offer medication-related care on multidisciplinary teams, the program provides the advantages of preparation for board certification and PGY2 pharmacy residency training. Under the mentorship and guidance of experienced clinical faculty members, the pharmacy resident will transition from a student to an independent practitioner.
Dr. Annette Carmichael
PGY1 Rockford Director
Dr. Chris Schriever
PGY1 Rockford Program Coordinator
PGY1 UIUC-UIC Veterinary Pharmacy
The UIUC-UIC Veterinary residency is completed at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana. The program is focused on teaching the resident to deliver outstanding care, educating future veterinarians and pharmacists, and advancing veterinary pharmacy. The resident will also learn from and provide clinical knowledge for a variety of species including small animal, large animal, zoological, and wildlife patients.
Our 2023-2024 resident, Sarah Lira, was able to complete a retrospective study of the remission rates in cats on AAHA diabetes management protocols. This displayed the most appropriate insulins to utilize in a tertiary setting for diabetic cats to achieve remission. She was also instrumental in the preparation of compounded capsules for a study on the therapeutic drug monitoring of itraconazole levels and the treatment of canine blastomycosis. Sarah is continuing her education as a veterinary student at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Alexandria Gochenauer
PGY1 Veterinary Pharmacy Director
Sarah Lira
PGY1/2 Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership
The PGY1/2 Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership Residency is a two-year ASHP-accredited residency. The PGY1 year provides training in the overall delivery of healthcare with a major emphasis placed on drug-related issues and practices. The main goals are to develop competent clinical pharmacists capable of practicing in any setting, provide exposure to a diverse scope of pharmaceutical care services, and foster leaders in clinical pharmacy practice and education. The PGY2 year focuses on Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership. Rotations include pharmacy operations, clinical services management, pharmacy IT, ambulatory pharmacy administration, medication use policy, etc. The goal of this two-year residency is to develop a confident, well-prepared administrator, educator, and researcher who will be prepared to assume a wide array of leadership roles in pharmacy administration.
Dr. Vinh Thai completed the first year of the two-year residency from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. It was quite a productive year for him. Dr. Thai started the year by presenting an excellent seminar on Hospital at Home, a program being considered by the University of Illinois Hospital. His major research project was a very timely survey on the impact of a new ASHP standard on the PGY1 residency experience. In addition, he taught in three different classes in the Retzky College of Pharmacy, lecturing on strategic planning, careers in hospital pharmacy administration, and pharmacy leadership. Besides the survey already mentioned, Dr. Thai was involved in many other projects during his first year. These included a rezafungin monograph, an imipenem MUE, a controlled substance waste minimization analysis, and peer review of a journal article. Dr. Thai will be starting the PGY2 year of his residency on July 1, 2024 with his rotations focusing on pharmacy administration and leadership.
Dr. Andrew Donnelly
PGY1/2 Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership Director
Vinh Thai
PGY2 Residency Programs
The UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy offered 11 different PGY2 pharmacy residency programs at our Chicago and Rockford campuses. PGY2 pharmacy residency programs build upon skills and competencies from PGY1 pharmacy residency programs to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists in specialized areas of practice. Residents who successfully complete a PGY2 pharmacy residency at UIC are well prepared for practices in advanced patient care, academia, and leadership.
In 2023-24, 8 residents completed PGY2 training in one of our programs. Residents had previously completed PGY1 residencies at UIC (2 residents), Northshore University Health System, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, SSM Health St. Louis MO, University of California Davis Medical Center, and VA North Texas Health Care System.
Dr. John Garofalo
PGY2 Programs Director
Dr. Liz Van Dril
PGY2 Ambulatory Care
The PGY2 Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month ASHP-accredited residency. This residency aims to develop expert knowledge and skills in providing pharmacotherapy to ambulatory care patients by combining clinical service with educational and scholarly activities.
Our 2023-2024 PGY2 ambulatory care residents, Drs. Deepali Bhandari and Christine Pan, were highly productive over their residency year. They contributed to the college, health system and pharmacy profession through precepting and teaching activities, several presentations and service opportunities, and most importantly, through the provision of high-quality comprehensive medication management for ambulatory care patients served by UI Health. After graduating from the program, both Drs. Bhandari and Pan have assumed roles as ambulatory care clinical pharmacists in Chicago. Dr. Bhandari has joined Rush University Medical Center where she will be helping to expand a remote physiologic monitoring program for chronic disease management, while Dr. Pan has joined the Specialty Pharmacy Services team at Northwestern Medicine.
PGY2 Ambulatory Care Director
PGY2 Cardiology
The PGY2 Cardiology Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month ASHP-accredited residency. The Retzky College of Pharmacy has provided post-doctoral training specializing in the study and treatment of cardiovascular disease for nearly 30 years, and this program continues that tradition. This residency aims to develop expert knowledge and skills in cardiovascular pharmacotherapy through clinical service, education, and scholarly activities.
Our 2023-2024 PGY2 Cardiology Pharmacy Resident, Dr. JinJoo Chung, was highly productive over her residency year. She completed rotations in various clinical practice settings, including cardiology clinics, hospital floors, and intensive care units. Additionally, Dr. Chung served as a preceptor-in-training for several PGY1 Pharmacy Residents and fourth year pharmacy students over the course of her year. Lastly, she delivered several presentations and assisted with faculty at the college to facilitate recitations in the cardiovascular therapeutics course.
Dr. Chung secured a position as the advanced heart failure / heart transplant clinical pharmacist at Loyola University Medical Center. She will be a tremendous asset to her interdisciplinary team and patients at Loyola, and we look forward to hearing about all her success in her career!
Dr. Stephanie Dwyer Kaluzna PGY2 Cardiology Director
Christine Pan
Deepali Bhandari
JinJoo Chung
PGY2 Clinical Pharmacogenomics
The UIC-Endeavor Health PGY2 Clinical Pharmacogenomics Residency is a 12-month ASHP-accredited residency that is jointly sponsored by UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy and Endeavor Health. The program works to develop expert knowledge and skills in clinical pharmacogenomics by combining clinical service with educational, practice development, and scholarly activities. The UIC-Endeavor Health program is the nation’s first and only dual-site PGY2 Clinical Pharmacogenomics Residency Program to capitalize on the strengths of two institutions with national reputations in clinical pharmacogenomics practice, implementation, expansion, education, and research. Our program’s patient care mission is to improve health equity and quality by making pharmacogenetic testing and pharmacogenomics-driven treatment available to the diverse inner-city and suburban patient communities our institutions serve.
Dr. Dyson Wake PGY2 Clinical Pharmacogenomics Director
PGY2 Critical Care
The PGY2 Critical Care Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month ASHPaccredited residency. The program trains residents in the provision, research, and education aspects of adult critical care pharmacotherapy. Residents have faculty appointments at the Retzky College of Pharmacy, provide emergency response support at the hospital, and train in various intensive care and emergency medicine units. Graduates of this program serve as clinical specialists, researchers, and academicians across the United States and Canada.
Dr. Elijm Tesoro
PGY2 Critical Care Director
PGY2 Emergency Medicine
The PGY2 Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month ASHP-accredited residency. This residency aims to develop expert knowledge and skills in providing pharmacotherapy to emergency department patients by combining clinical service with educational and scholarly activities.
Mary Margaret Maddox was very productive this past year teaching and precepting in the college and at the bedside in the ED. She became an integral member of our ED team providing highquality comprehensive medication management for patients served by UI Health. She developed a new massive pulmonary embolism guideline for UI Health. Her research, “Is Less More? Low vs Standard Dose Induction during RSI,” was presented at the Great Lakes Residency Conference as well as accepted as a platform presentation at the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine Annual Meeting, held in Phoenix, AZ, in May. She will be starting as an overnight emergency medicine clinical pharmacist at University of Nebraska in August 2024.
Dr. Renee Petzel Gimbar PGY2 Emergency Medicine Director
PGY2 MedicineEmergency Rockford
The PGY2 Emergency Medicine, Rockford Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month ASHP-accredited residency. The residency offers specialty training in emergency medicine and critical care within a community hospital in Rockford, IL. By focusing on developing clinical pharmacists prepared to offer medication-related care on multidisciplinary teams, the program provides the advantages of preparation for establishing a new pharmacy service and board certification. Under the mentorship and guidance of experienced clinical faculty members, the pharmacy resident will transition from a PGY1 to an advanced specialty independent practitioner.
Caitlyn Patton
In 2023-2024 the Emergency Medicine PGY2 UIC COP Rockford Campus Resident, Caitlyn Patton PharmD, completed research on the Impact of Emergency Medicine Pharmacists Involvement on Compliance of Tranexamic Acid Administration in Trauma Patients. She also presented on re-challenging patients with penicillin allergies at the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine annual meeting. She currently has two publications in process. Lastly, she secured a position as an Emergency Medicine Clinical Pharmacist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital St. Louis, MO.
Dr. Marianne Pop PGY2 Emergency Medicine Rockford Director
Mary Margaret Maddox
PGY2 HIV
The PGY2 HIV Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month program. The residency provides training opportunities at several locations including UI Health Outpatient Care Center (OCC), UI Health Community Clinic Network (UCCN), Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) Telemedicine HIV/ HCV clinics, John H. Stroger, Jr., Hospital of Cook County, and the Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center.
Dr. Renata Smith
PGY2 HIV Director
Dr. Rodrigo Burgos
PGY2
Infectious Diseases
The PGY2 Infectious Disease Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month program. The goal of the program is to provide the incoming resident with opportunities to develop expertise in the practice of infectious diseases pharmacy as a key player in the interdisciplinary ID team. This residency focuses on developing the necessary clinical and didactic teaching, research, antimicrobial stewardship, and skills needed to practice as an independent infectious diseases pharmacist. Upon successful completion of this program, residents will be prepared for advanced patient care, academic, or other specialized positions.
PGY2 Infectious Diseases Director
PGY2 Oncology
The PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month ASHPaccredited residency. The goal is to foster well-rounded and independent clinical pharmacists through clinical service in both inpatient and outpatient hematology/oncology settings as well as educational and scholarly activities throughout the year.
The 2023-2024 PGY2 UIC Oncology resident, Shannon Goniwiecha, made several notable contributions to the field of oncology pharmacy. She presented continuing education sessions on the highlights of new oncology drugs and expanded indications at the Advanced Practice Providers Oncology Summit (APPOS) Chicago in November 2023, as well as updates in the treatment of hormone positive advanced breast cancer
PGY2 Pediatrics
The PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month ASHPaccredited residency. This residency focuses on the refinement of clinical skills to prepare the resident for a career as a board-certified pediatric clinical pharmacy specialist. The close relationship between UI Health and the UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy also prepares our resident for a position in academia; a unique opportunity not available in most pediatric residencies.
Dr. Elizabeth Ferengul, our 2023-2024 PGY2 pediatric pharmacy resident, provided excellent patient care for a variety of clinical services including general pediatrics, neonatal and pediatric intensive care, emergency medicine, hematology-oncology, and ambulatory care. In addition, she contributed to the health care system as an active participant in the in-house on-call program. Liz created an institutional guideline for the use of propranolol in the management of infantile hemangioma. She completed a survey- based research project on perceptions of naloxone coprescribing in the pediatric and adolescent sickle cell population, which was presented at the 2024 annual Pediatric Pharmacy Association (PPA) conference. She also delivered an ACPE accredited continuing education presentation titled “Mercaptopurine Metabolism in the Setting of Pediatric Leukemia.” Liz gave two lectures at the Retzky College of Pharmacy, in addition to precepting pharmacy students and PGY1 residents, and serving as a guest speaker for the UIC PPA student organization. Upon graduation, Liz secured a position as Pediatric Pharmacy Clinical SpecialistNocturnist at Riley Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Lauren Oliveri
PGY2 Pediatrics Director
for her UIC seminar this past spring. Her research on the incidence and association of prolonged cytopenias with severe cytokine release syndrome among patients undergoing PTCy-based haploidentical stem cell transplantation in an urban medical center was accepted as a poster presentation at the Hematology Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) 2024 annual conference. Additionally, Dr. Goniwiecha delivered an online journal club presentation for the ACCP Hematology/Oncology Practice and Research Network (PRN) on the article, “Talazoparib plus enzalutamide in men with first-line metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (TALAPRO-2)”. Her pharmacy residency achievements culminated in her selection as an oncology pharmacy resident representative for the Oncology Pharmacy Network (OPN). Dr. Goniwiecha accepted a position as GI Oncology Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at DanaFarber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts.
Dr. Sandra Cuellar PGY2 Oncology Director
Shannon Goniwiecha
Elizabeth Ferengul
PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant
The PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant (SOT) Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month ASHP-accredited residency. This program aims to create strong, independent clinical pharmacists by integrating patient care, education, and research into the training experience. Residents will become leaders in the management of transplant recipients in all phases of care and play an integral role with transitions of care.
The 2023-2024 SOT PGY2 resident, Rachel Christensen, developed a confident, independent clinical pharmacy practice through her autonomous weekend transplant ICU coverage and clinical rotations in both the transplant ICU and outpatient transplant clinics. She served as the Trainee Member Representative for the Illinois Transplant Pharmacist Association (ITPA) and provided a case presentation on Opportunistic Infections in Kidney Transplantation as well as an ACPE accredited seminar entitled “ABO Incompatibility: Challenging the Paradigm in Living Donor Kidney Transplantation.” She provided an encore presentation of her seminar to the ACCP Transplant PRN.
Dr. Christensen gained extensive teaching experience at UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy through facilitation of pharmacotherapeutic recitations, provision of two lectures in the transplant elective, and participation in the critical care elective on the influence of media. She also precepted pharmacy students and PGY1 residents throughout her residency training while participating the in Advanced Leadership Program.
Dr. Christensen’s research focused on valganciclovir dosing for CMV prophylaxis in kidney transplantation. She presented her results as a poster presentation at American Transplant Congress (ATC) Meeting in June 2024. She also revised the institutional guideline for CMV Treatment and Prevention in Solid Organ Transplantation.
These accomplishments are just a few highlights of her contribution to the transplant team, Retzky College of Pharmacy, and clinical pharmacy practice at UI Health. Dr. Christensen has accepted a Transplant Clinical Pharmacist position at UI Health where she will continue her clinical practice in the inpatient and outpatient setting while remaining engaged in teaching and research activities.
Dr. Lynley Heinrich
PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant Director
PGY2 Specialty Pharmacy Administration and Leadership
The PGY2 Specialty Pharmacy Administration and Leadership Residency is a 12-month ASHP-accredited residency. The goal of this residency is to develop expert knowledge and skills in Specialty Pharmacy administration, management, and leadership by combining clinical service with educational and administrative activities.
Dr. Karen Thomas
PGY2 Specialty Pharmacy Administration and Leadership Director
Rachel Christensen
Our Residents Continued on To
Erin Ryan is a Clinical Toxicology and Emergency Medicine Fellow at Banner University Medical Center Phoenix.
Caitlyn Patton is an Emergency Medicine Clinical Pharmacist at Barnes Jewish Hospital.
Avery Claire Jones is a PGY2 Pediatric Resident at Children’s National Hospital.
Shannon Goniwiecha is a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in GI Oncology at Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
Vanessa Cortez is a PGY2 Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Resident at Franciscan Health.
Seth Carroll is a PGY2 Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Resident at Froedtert Hospital.
Yiwen Chung is a PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy Resident at Houston Methodist Hospital.
JinJoo Chung is an Advanced Heart Failure/Heart Transplant Clinical Pharmacist at Loyola University Medical Center.
Christine Pan is a Clinical Pharmacist, Specialty Pharmacy Services, at Northwestern Medicine.
Elizabeth Ferengul is a Pediatric Pharmacy Clinical Specialist - Nocturnist at Riley Children’s Hospital.
Deepali Bhandari is a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at Rush University Medical Center.
Emilio De La Rosa Gonzalez is a PGY2 Internal Medicine Pharmacy Resident at UChicago Medicine.
Jennifer Takamura is a Clinical Specialist, Meds to Beds program, at UChicago Medicine.
Elbron Odisho is a Clinical Specialist in Oncology at UChicago Medicine Specialty Pharmacy.
Hannah Ayers is a PGY2 Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Resident at UIC.
Rachel Christensen is a Clinical Assistant Professor/Clinical Pharmacist - Solid Organ Transplant at UIC.
Nivan Khair is a Clinical Assistant Professor/Clinical Pharmacist - Surgery Services at UIC.
Skye Miles is a Clinical Staff Pharmacist at UIC.
Natalie Pettit is a PGY2 Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Resident at UIC.
Vinh Thai is a PGY2 Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership Resident at UIC.
Carrie Yu is a PGY2 Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Resident at UIC.
Neda Abu-Gharbiyeh is a PGY2 Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Resident at UNC Health.
Mark Pulver is a PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy Resident at University of North Carolina Medical Center.
Sarah Lira is a Veterinary Student at University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine.
Mary Margaret Maddox is an Emergency Medicine Pharmacist at University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Nicholas Truong is a PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant Pharmacy Resident at VCU Health.
Our Residents In the News
Oncology Pharmacy ResidentPresented at HOPA
Dr. Shannon Goniwiecha, with her Residency Director, Dr. Sandra Cuellar, attended the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) Annual Conference. She presented a poster titled “Incidence and Association of Prolonged Cytopenias with Severe Cytokine Release Syndrome Among Patients Undergoing PTCy-Based Haploidentical Stem Cell Transplantation: An Urban Medical Center Analysis.”
Advances in Cancer Drug Therapy Discussed at APPOS
Dr. Shannon Goniwiecha also attended the Advanced Practice Providers Oncology Summit (APPOS) Chicago Meeting, where she presented “Advances in Cancer Drug Therapy: Highlights of New Drugs, Expanding Indications, and Improved Strategies to Optimize Treatment.”
Dr. Bhandari Talked about the GIst of GLP-1s at ACCP
Dr. Deepali Bhandari, with her Residency Director, Dr. Liz Van Dril, attended the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Annual Meeting and presented “The GIst of GLP-1s: Gastrointestinal Adverse Effects and Perioperative Management.”
Dr. Bhandari also received the ACCP Endocrine and Metabolism PRN Resident/Fellow Travel Award, the award helping to fund her travel to the Conference and present her research during the Endocrine and Metabolism PRN Business Meeting.
Dr. Maddox Discussed RSI at SAEM
Dr. Mary Margaret Maddox, with her Residency Director, Dr. Renee Petzel Gimbar and mentor Dr. Drew Posen, attended the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Meeting held in Phoenix, AZ. While at the meeting, she presented “Is Less More? Low vs Standard Induction During RSI.”
Special Guests: Llamas spotted at ASHP Pharmacy Futures Meeting
Dr. Vinh Thai, with his Residency Director, Dr. Andy Donnelly and Assistant Director, Kay Yamamoto, attended the ASHP Pharmacy Futures meeting held in Portland, OR. While at the meeting, he presented his poster “Impact of New ASHP Standard on PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Experience.”
While at the conference, two llamas were spotted in the hall, so of course they sat for a quick photo op.
Residents Attend ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition
Our PGY1 and PGY2 Residents attended the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Clinical Meeting & Exhibition 2023 held in Anaheim, CA.
Over the course of the conference, our residents gave 20 poster presentations.
RSV Vaccines: An Overview in KeePosted
Dr. Jennifer Takamura, with Drs. Karen Caye Juco and Marlowe Djuric Kachlic, wrote an overview of the new RSV Vaccines for adults in the February edition of KeePosted.
Read it here: https://go.uic.edu/TakamuraKP
When to Re-Challenge a Patient with a Penicillin Allergy Discussed in Arizona
Dr. Caitlyn Patton presented “Truth or Dare: When To Re-Challenge a Patient with a Penicillin Allergy” as an invited presenter at the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine Annual Meeting held in Phoenix, AZ. She was mentored by Dr. Manar Kandil, Dr. Marianne Pop, and Dr. Tim Murrey (OSF Saint Anthony Rockford Illinois).
Leadership During Residency
Dr. Vinh Thai served as a member on ASHP’s Pharmacy Administration and Leadership Residents’ Collaborative (PALRC) HSPAL Resident Resources Workgroup for the 2023-2024 term during his PGY1 Residency.
A Magical Conference in Orlando
Dr. Jennifer Takamura, with her Residency Director, Dr. Marlowe Djuric Kachlic, traveled to Orlando, FL and attended APhA Annual Pharmacists Meeting. While at the meeting, she presented two posters titled “Pain Management Counseling Service and Outcomes on Patient Care” and “Hypertension Action Planning Service and Outcomes on Patient Care.”
While in Orlando, Jennifer and Marlowe also took a magical trip to Hogwarts, both proudly sporting their Team Hufflepuff shirts the entire way!
A Call to Action Regarding Clinical Pharmacy in Developing Nations Discussed at the International Congress
Dr. Natalie Pettit, along with Drs. Angeo Ray Belen and Benito Valdepenas, were invited as Resource Speakers on “A Call to Action: Moving the Practice of Clinical Pharmacy in Developing Nations” during the Second International Congress on Collaborative Education and Research in Healthcare, held virtually.
Once UIC PhLAMES Phamily, Always UIC PhLAMES Phamily
Dr. Shannon Goniwiecha, our PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy Resident, was ‘spotted’ with Dr. Karol Bruzik as they taught a PHAR 509 Hematology/ Oncology recitation together. Shannon joined Dr Bruzik’s PLAMES Phamily as a P1 when she started pharmacy school here at UIC COP, and Dr. Bruzik continues to help mentor Shannon beyond her pharmacy school years!
Resident ACPE-Accredited Seminars
All UIC Residents prepare and deliver an ACPE accredited scientific seminar. This year’s presentations are listed below.
Neda Abu-Gharbiyeh
Impact and Management of Xylazine (“TRANQ”) Contamination In Illicit Substances
Growing Pains: Navigating Healthcare Transition From Pediatrics to Adults
CLEARing up Lipid Management: An Update on Treatment Goals and the Role of Bempedoic Acid
(ED)ucation of Suboxone Use
ABO-Incompatibility: Challenging the Paradigm in Living Donor Kidney Transplantation
Racing to the (Immune) Checkpoint: Updates in Small Cell Lung Cancer
Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy (GAHT): What are the Risks?
Alteplase vs Tenecteplase in Acute Ischemic Stroke: Is it time for a change?
Mercaptopurine Metabolism in the Setting of Pediatric Leukemia
Hitting the Mark: Oncology Biomarkers for Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
Hannah Ayers
Deepali Bhandari
Seth Carroll
Rachel Christensen
Yiwen Chung
Vanessa Cortez
Emilio De La Rosa Gonzalez
Elizabeth Ferengul
Shannon Goniwiecha
Avery Claire Jones
Having a Stroke on a DOAC – Now What?
Pain Management in Animals: What’s the Difference Anyway?
Vitamin K Alternatives and Parental Refusal in Neonatal Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding
Time for An Intervention - What are Pharmacist Interventions and How do They Impact Patient Care?
Beta-Amyloid Therapies in Dementia Care: For Beta or for Worse?
Two Bags or Not Two Bags: A review of Acetylcysteine for Acetaminophen Toxicity
Radiating Excellence: Pharmacist Strategies for Safe Contrast Agent Use
BiTE-ing From the Immune System: Bispecific Antibodies in the Treatment of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
New Tricks for Old Dogs - New Indications as Antidotes for Old Drugs
New Guidelines for the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine
HIV in Kidney Transplantation: Immunosuppression Clinical Pearl
Pio My! Is There Still a Role for Pioglitazone in Chronic Disease Management?
Nivan Khair
Sarah Lira
Skye Miles
Elbron Odisho
Christine Pan
Caitlyn Patton
Natalie Pettit
Mark Pulver
Erin Ryan
Jennifer Takamura
Hospital at Home
Vinh Thai
Nicholas Truong
Carrie Yu
Shocker! There’s More to Shockable Rhythms Than You Thought
Mary Margaret Maddox
JinJoo Chung
Residents
Present Their Research at the Great Lakes Pharmacy Residency Conference
Our PGY1 and PGY2 Residents attended the Great Lakes Pharmacy Resident Conference 2024 held at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN.
Over the course of the three-day conference, our residents gave 25 presentations that highlighted their research throughout their training.
Residents Spotted in Iowa City
Our PGY1s took a drive up to the University of Iowa for some professional development and networking. One last group trip before they finished their program.
Residency Awards in Excellence
Dr. Mark Pulver, PGY1 Pharmacy Resident, was recognized by faculty as winner of the 2024 Richard A. Hutchinson Award for Excellence in Pharmacy Practice.
Dr. Vinh Thai, PGY1 Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership Resident, was recognized by faculty as winner of the 2024 John McBride Award for Excellence in Hospital Pharmacy Practice.
Dr. Drew Posen was the recipient of the Pharmacy Practice Frank P. Paloucek Preceptor of the Year Award. This award is given to outstanding preceptors working with the residents.
Dr. Keith Nguyen was the recipient of the Resident Appreciation Award. This award is given to outstanding staff working with the residents.
