Resident & Fellow
Annual 2026 Report
The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Retzky College of Pharmacy, in collaboration with the University of Illinois Hospital & Helath Sciences System (UI Health), is proud of the 57-year history of training postgraduate pharmacists in clincial service and research through our PGY1 and PGY2 residencies and our Fellowships.
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Table of Contents
MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD
04
MESSAGE FROM THE ASSOCIATE HEAD OF EDUCATION
05
PGY1 RESIDENCY PROGRAMS
06
PGY2 RESIDENCY PROGRAMS
14
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS
24
RESIDENTS AND FELLOWS IN THE NEWS
30
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 Edith Nutescu and service programs create opportunities for residency training experiences not available elsewhere. Running Head of Pharmacy Practice 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. Last year we celebrated the 55th anniversary since the inception of our residency program. We launched our Residency Village, an alumni network for our past residents and fellows. Check out our Residency Village website and join our village 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. 4 | Resident & Fellow Annual Report
MESSAGE FROM THE
Associate Head for Education
The 2025-2026 residency year was another great one for the Department of Pharmacy Practice at UIC! Our residents continued to make significant contributions to our education, research, service, and entrepreneurship mission. • Our Residency Teaching Certificate Program, under the direction of Brianna Hudak, PharmD, and Kathryn Sawyer, PharmD, awarded 71 certificates from 23 different program.
• Our Academic Leadership Program, under the direction of Nancy Shapiro, PharmD, and Scott Benken, PharmD, awarded 14 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, professional service, 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.
Nancy Shapiro Associate Head for Education
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PGY1 Pharmacy The PGY1 Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month, ASHP-accredited program that supports residents in their transition from student to independent practitioner under the guidance of clinical faculty. The goals of the program are to develop competent clinical pharmacists prepared for practice in any setting by providing exposure to a diverse scope of pharmaceutical care services while fostering leaders in clinical pharmacy practice and education. Eight residents from the 2025-2026 residency PGY1 Pharmacy residency class matched into PGY2 programs; three remained at UIC for specialty residencies and five matched into programs in North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Maryland, and Illinois. Year-end awards were presented to PGY1 residents Drs. Dani Underwood, (Richard A. Hutchinson Award for Excellence in Pharmacy Practice); Dr. Lauryn Johnson, (John McBride Award for Excellence in Hospital Pharmacy); and Residency Coordinator Elizabeth Modrzyk (Residency Appreciation Award). Dr. Emily Hanners, internal medicine preceptor, who received the John McBride Award as a resident, was recognized with the Frank P. Paloucek Preceptor of the Year Award; what a full circle moment for her and our program! For more information about the great things our residents are doing, follow us on social media.
Kirsten Ohler
www.facebook.com/UICRxResidency/
PGY1 Programs Director @uicrxresidency
During the 2025-2026 residency year, we held our inaugural Residency Village events. Three panels of PGY1 residency alumni shared their experiences with our current residents about early challenges during the PGY1 year, identifying a specialty interest, applying to PGY2 residencies, first job considerations, and changing career paths. Many thanks to Mark Jao, Mary Margaret Maddox, Corinne Songer, Caleb Rux, Asia Rujevcan, Jennifer Mucksavage, Alex Daniels, and Michelle Keller for spending time with us and sharing their insights! Information about joining our Residency Village can be found on our residency website (go.uic.edu/ResidencyVillage).
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PGY1 Pharmacy Residents Noor Alawad
Arminda Cako
Alex Dang
Adam Elmkinssi
Lauryn Johnson
Sean Kim
Elise Loring
Jessica Mamalio
Shannon McKinless
Christian Phillips
Braxton Snuffer
Daniella Underwood
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PGY1 Pharmacy, Specialty The PGY1 Pharmacy, Specialty Residency is a 12-month, ASHPaccredited program. The goal of the program is to develop wellrounded specialty pharmacy practitioners who have learned to manage specialty pharmacy patients by rotating through our URAC and ACHC accredited Clinical Care Center/Specialty Pharmacy and UI Health specialty outpatient clinics.
Lisa Kumor
PGY1 Pharmacy, Specialty Director
Dr. Mohini Sood, the 2025-2026 Specialty Pharmacy resident, rotated through the UI Health Specialty Pharmacy Clinical Care Center, Infusion Pharmacy, Wood Street Mail Order Pharmacy, and various Ambulatory Care Clinics. Dr. Sood completed a year-long research project titled “Evaluation of Medication Persistence and Discontinuation Reasons for Patients Prescribed Injectable Immunomodulators in Autoimmune Conditions,” presented at the Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists Spring Meeting and the Illinois Pharmacy Residency Conference. She also delivered an ACPE-accredited seminar titled “Breaking the Skin Barrier: How Biologics are Transforming Mohini Dermatology Disease Management.” Dr. Sood contributed to several Specialty Sood Pharmacy leadership initiatives, including a Medication Use Evaluation of Leukine and a quality improvement project focusing on analysis of patient disenrollment reasons from UI Health Specialty Pharmacy Services.
Through these experiences, Dr. Sood demonstrated strong clinical, research, and leadership skills, while making valuable contributions on UI Health Specialty Pharmacy Services. @uic_sps
PGY1 Pharmacy International The PGY1 Pharmacy International Residency is a 12-month, ASHPaccredited program. The International program is for students who have completed an ACPE-accredited PharmD program, and its goal is to foster the growth of clinical pharmacy practice outside the United States.
Margaret Choye
PGY1 Pharmacy International Director
PGY1 CommunityBased Pharmacy The PGY1 Community-Based Residency is a 12-month, ASHPaccredited program. The residency prepares graduates to provide exceptional community-based pharmaceutical care, develop and implement innovative and sustainable patient care services, and maintain or improve current services. Graduates secure 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, while also developing academic and research skills. Dr. Anthony Hightower, the 2025-2026 PGY1 Community-Based Pharmacy Resident, had a productive year in research, clinical service development, and education. He organized the Campus Care flu clinic and provided flu shots for Governor Pritzker’s staff during their visit to
Anthony Hightower
the UIC College of Medicine. Dr. Hightower led the pilot of the continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) service at SCB Pharmacy, and his research focused on patient outcomes in the program, which he presented as a poster at the APhA Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, as a podium presentation at the Illinois Pharmacy Resident Conference, and at the ICHP Ambulatory Care Network meeting. He contributed to several PharmD
Marlowe Djuric Kachlic
PGY1 Community-Based Pharmacy Director
skills labs and delivered a continuing education seminar on managing blood clots in athletes. Dr. Hightower will remain at UIC as a resident in the PGY2 Ambulatory Care Pharmacy wResidency program.
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PGY1 Community-Based Pharmacy, Osco The PGY1 Community-Based UIC-Osco (Albertsons) Residency is a 12-month ASHP-accredited program. The residency 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 at UI Health.
Beatrice Drambarean
Dr. Emily Baranowski, the 2025-2026 Community-Based Pharmacy resident, showed her keen passion for appropriate medications for opioid use disorder by presenting her CE seminar, morning conference to fourth-year Emily pharmacy students, grand rounds lecture to the first-year pharmacy students, and Baranowski research project on this topic. Dr. Baranowski will continue to utilize skills gained during her residency in her new position as a hybrid inpatient decentralized clinical pharmacist at Beacon Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Indiana.
PGY1 Osco-UIC Site Faculty Liaison
Chandni Clough
PGY1 Osco-UIC CommunityBased Pharmacy Director (Not Pictured)
PGY1 Pharmacy, Rockford The PGY1 Pharmacy - Rockford Residency is a 12-month ASHP-accredited program at the UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy Rockford campus. The residency 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 prepares the resident for board certification and PGY2 Pharmacy Residency training. Under the mentorship and guidance of experienced clinical faculty members, the pharmacy resident transitions from a student to an independent practitioner.
Raquel Ortiz-Merced
Annette Carmichael, PGY1 Pharmacy Rockford Director
PGY1 Community-Based Pharmacy, Walgreens The PGY1 Community-Based Walgreens-UIC Residency is a 12-month ASHP-accredited program. The residency is based in three community Walgreens specialty pharmacies in Chicago that offer a variety of innovative clinical pharmacy services for the patients who are prescribed complex therapies for chronic diseases 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 resident the opportunity to gain experience in the delivery of clinical pharmacy services in ambulatory care clinics and actively participate in teaching and precepting.
Ena Kovac
Sheila Allen
PGY1 Walgreens-UIC Site Faculty Liaison
Dr. Ena Kovac, the 2025-2026 PGY1 Community-Based Pharmacy resident, 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. Dr. Kovac will pursue a PGY2 Residency in Ambulatory Care at Franciscan Health.
Drew Halbur
PGY1 Walgreens-UIC Community-Based Pharmacy Director
Dr. Raquel Ortiz-Merced, the 2025–2026 Pharmacy resident, had an exceptionally productive year. She completed a wide range of clinical rotations across multiple health systems in the community, each under the guidance of expert clinical faculty specializing in the respective areas. Dr. Ortiz-Merced was instrumental in establishing medication dispensing and tracking systems for Rockford’s new street medicine program. Through her efforts, the program enhanced access to critical medications and broadened the range of clinical services available to the community’s unhoused population.
PGY1 Pharmacy Rockford Coordinator, Chris Schriever
PGY1 UIUC-UIC Veterinary Pharmacy The PGY-1 UIUC-UIC Veterinary Pharmacy Residency is completed at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana. The residency 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.
Lauralei Fisher-Cronkhite PGY1 Veterinary Pharmacy Director
PGY1s and Dr. Ohler at Great Lakes
Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership The Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership (HSPAL) Residency is a two-year program consisting of a PGY1 Pharmacy Residency followed by a PGY2 Residency in Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership. The PGY1 year provides comprehensive training in the delivery of patient care with a strong emphasis on medication-related issues and clinical pharmacy practice. Its primary goals are to develop competent clinical pharmacists capable of practicing in a variety of healthcare settings, provide broad exposure to pharmaceutical care services, and cultivate future leaders in clinical practice and education.
Joanne Shen
Andrew Donnelly
Health-System Phamracy Administration and Leadership Director
The PGY2 year focuses on Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership. The goal is to develop a confident, wellprepared administrator, educator, and researcher who will be prepared to assume a wide array of leadership roles in pharmacy administration. Rotations include pharmacy operations, clinical services management, pharmacy IT, ambulatory pharmacy administration, and medication use policy. Additional opportunities include off-site experiences in association management with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), American Pharmacists
Association (APhA), and executive hospital leadership with the President of Mount Sinai Hospital. Upon completion of the program, residents are well prepared to assume leadership roles as pharmacy administrators, educators, and researchers. Dr. Xinyue (Joanne) Shen, our 2025–2026 PGY2 HSPAL resident, had an exceptionally productive year. She delivered a timely seminar examining the impact of tariffs on medication pricing and their broader operational, clinical, and patient care implications. Her primary research project evaluated high drug-cost MS-DRGs by comparing our institution’s medication expenditures and patient outcomes with those of peer hospitals using a group purchasing organization (GPO) database. This work identified several opportunities for significant medication cost savings. In addition to her research, Dr. Shen participated in three PharmD courses, where her lectures were highly regarded by student pharmacists. She completed numerous operational and clinical improvement projects, including medication dilution standardization, mail-order pharmacy workflow redesign, implementation of daptomycin dose-rounding, biosimilar interchangeability assessment, optimization of the vancomycin AUC monitoring process, and assessments of automated dispensing technologies. During her rotation with APhA, she participated in congressional advocacy visits focused on the federal 340B rebate pilot program. She concluded the year by earning the ASHP Pharmacy Leadership Academy’s Diplomate, Pharmacy Leadership Academy (DPLA) credential, further demonstrating her commitment to leadership development. Following completion of her residency, Dr. Shen accepted a position as a clinical pharmacist at Kaweah Health Medical Center in Visalia, California. Resident & Fellow Annual Report | 13
PGY2 Residency Programs The UIC College of Pharmacy offered 14 PGY2 pharmacy residency programs across its Chicago and Rockford campuses. These programs build on the knowledge, skills, and competencies developed during PGY1 residency training, preparing clinical pharmacists for specialized areas of practice. Graduates of UIC’s PGY2 residency programs are well prepared for advanced patient care practice, academic careers, and leadership roles. During the 2025–2026 residency year, 12 residents successfully completed PGY2 training across our programs. These residents entered UIC after completing PGY1 pharmacy residencies at Ascension Wheaton Franciscan St. Joseph Campus, Cleveland Clinic Martin Health – North Hospital, CVS Health, Houston (Community), Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital, Manatee Memorial Hospital, and UIC, with seven residents continuing their training from UIC’s PGY1 residency programs.
John Garofalo
PGY2 Programs Director 14 | Resident & Fellow Annual Report
PGY2 Ambulatory Care The PGY2 Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month ASHP-accredited program. The residency aims to develop expert knowledge and skills in providing pharmacotherapy to ambulatory care patients by combining clinical service with educational and scholarly activities.
Liz Van Dril
PGY2 Ambulatory Care Director
Dr. Sky Harrigfeld, the 2025-2026 PGY2 Ambulatory Care Pharmacy resident, was highly productive during her residency year. She contributed to the college, health system and pharmacy profession through her leadership of an interprofessional, externally funded Sky research project, precepting and teaching activities, several presentations Harrigfeld and service opportunities, and most importantly, through the provision of high-quality comprehensive medication management for ambulatory care patients at UI Health. Dr. Harrigfeld has assumed a role as a clinical pharmacy specialist in Ambulatory Care at Rush University Medical Center.
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PGY2 Cardiology The PGY2 Cardiology Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month ASHPaccredited program. The UIC 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 the tradition. The residency aims to develop expert knowledge and skills in cardiovascular pharmacotherapy through clinical service, education, and scholarly activities.
Stephanie Dwyer PGY2 Cardiology Director
Dr. Deema Gichi, the 2025–2026 PGY2 Cardiology Pharmacy resident, had an exceptionally productive residency year, completing diverse clinical rotations across ambulatory, inpatient, and intensive care cardiology settings while serving as a preceptor-in-training for PGY1 pharmacy residents and fourth-year pharmacy students. She also achieved numerous teaching accomplishments, delivering multiple lectures to UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy students and presenting internationally on topics including mechanical circulatory support and digoxin therapy. Dr. Gichi presented her research on mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists in chronic kidney disease as
Deema Gichi
a moderated poster at the American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session, where it was well received. Finally, she co-authored two peer-reviewed publications while maintaining outstanding clinical performance throughout the residency year. Dr. Gichi accepted a position as a Cardiology clinical pharmacist at University of Chicago Medicine, and we look forward to all the wonderful things she accomplishes in her career!
PGY2 Emergency Medicine The PGY2 Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month ASHP-accredited program. The residency aims to develop expert knowledge and skills in providing pharmacotherapy to emergency department patients by combining clinical service with educational and scholarly activities.
Renee Petzel Gimbar,
PGY2 Emergency Medicine Director
Caleb Scrime
PGY2 Critical Care
The PGY2 Critical Care Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month ASHP-accredited program. The residency provides training in the provision, research, and education aspects of adult critical care pharmacotherapy. Residents hold faculty appointments at the UIC 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.
Scott Benken
PGY2 Critical Care Director
Dr. Laila Hammad, the 2025-2026 PGY2 Critical Care Pharmacy resident, excelled in clinical practice, scholarship, Laila education, and professional engagement. She completed a research project, Hammad “Impact of Obesity Status on Synthetic Angiotensin II (Giapreza®) Use in Kidney Transplantation,” presented at the SCCM Annual Meeting and under consideration for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. She also presented a poster at the ACCP Annual Meeting, “Utilization of Long-Acting Bronchodilators in Patients Hospitalized with an Acute COPD Exacerbation,” which received the ACCP Adult Medicine PRN Top Original Research Award. Dr. Hammad contributed extensively to resident and interdisciplinary education by presenting on advanced circulatory support, leading an SCCM Patient Safety Journal Club on antipsychotic medications and catatonia, delivering Internal Medicine and Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine noon conferences on pain, agitation, and delirium in the ICU, and serving as co-coordinator and lecturer for the Critical Care Elective, where she taught sessions on septic shock, sedation and analgesia, hypertensive crisis, and shock syndromes. Her achievements were further recognized with the ACCP Resident Travel Award and selection as an ACCP Critical Care PRN Trainee Spotlight. Dr. Hammad has accepted a position as a clinical pharmacy specialist in Critical Care at Rush University Medical Center. @uiccritcarerx
@UICCritCareRx
Dr. Caleb Scrime, the 2025-2026 PGYE Emergency Medicine resident, quickly bolstered his resume by authoring a chapter in CorePendium and delivering a national presentation through ACCP. For the UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy, he facilitated multiple class sessions and aided in the experiential training of countless students. For UI Health, he contributed to the revision of “Care of the Sexual Assault Survivor” policy and provided nursing in-services on protocol-related changes. He presented his research project, “Intramuscular Site of Injection on Therapeutic Effectiveness of Sedation (IMSITES): A Retrospective Study”, at the National Society of Emergency Medicine Pharmacy meeting, EMPowerRx, in Orlando, Florida. Dr. Scrime’s enthusiasm for bedside patient care and literature dives will continue as he moves to Boston where he has accepted a position as an overnight clinical specialist in Emergency Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Resident & Fellow Annual Report | 17
PGY2 Emergency Medicine, Rockford
The PGY2 Emergency Medicine, Rockford Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month ASHP-accredited program. 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.
Marianne Pop
PGY2 Emergency Medicine, Rockford Director
Jamie McGann
Dr. Jamie McGann, the 2025-2026 the Emergency Medicine PGY2 resident, completed research on “Evaluation of Guideline-Compliant Empiric Antibiotic Regimens in Emergency Department Patients with Severe Sepsis or Septic Shock.” She also presented on “What’s New in Emergency Toxicology.” She currently has one publication in process. Dr. McGann has accepted a position as a clinical pharmacist at OSF Little Company of Mary Chicago.
PGY2 Infectious Diseases The PGY2 Infectious Diseases Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month ASHP-accredited program. The goal of the residency is to provide opportunities for the resident to develop expertise in the practice of infectious diseases pharmacy as a key player in the interdisciplinary ID team. The 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 the program, residents will be prepared for advanced patient care, academic, or other specialized positions.
Rodrigo Burgos,
PGY2 Infectious Diseases Director
Luke Stickler
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.
Renata Smith
PGY2 HIV Director
Dr. Daniel Schreiber, the 2025–2026 HIV PGY2 resident, distinguished himself through his commitment to advancing care for underserved populations, particularly people living with HIV and those affected Daniel by systemic barriers to healthcare. His Schreiber research focused on sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening among incarcerated individuals with HIV, longacting antiretroviral therapy, and public health outcomes. He presented his research at both national and international infectious diseases conferences. Throughout the residency, Dr. Schreiber developed extensive experience in teaching through precepting, delivering lectures, course coordination, scholarly publications, and conference presentations. He delivered multiple lectures in the HIV and Infectious Diseases electives, presented at the Ambulatory Care morning conference, and served as a co-coordinator for the HIV elective. Dr. Schreiber also accompanied Dr. Andrew Trotter to Nepal, where he delivered several lectures and educational sessions on antiretroviral therapy to physicians at two hospitals. In addition, he gave a podium presentation at the inaugural Society of Internal Medicine of Nepal (SIMON) 2026 Infectious Disease Symposium. Dr. Schreiber has accepted a clinical HIV pharmacist position with the NIH Laboratory of Immunoregulation and Infectious Diseases through Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc.
Dr. Luke Stickler, the 2025–2026 PGY2 Infectious Diseases Pharmacy resident, demonstrated outstanding achievement in scholarship, teaching, and clinical practice. Dr. Stickler presented three research projects at national and international conferences (ASHP Midyear, ESCMID, MAD-ID, and IDWeek), including work on endemic mycoses, antimicrobial stewardship in the NICU, and tuberculosis screening in people living with HIV. He earned AAHIVP certification, contributed to multiple PharmD courses and precepted pharmacy learners, completed a medication-use evaluation, helped develop the UI Health meningitis empiric treatment guideline, and served as a peer reviewer for eight infectious diseases manuscripts. Following graduation, Dr. Stickler accepted a position as an outpatient HIV pharmacist at Ascension St. Joseph’s, reflecting the program’s continued success in preparing graduates for specialized infectious diseases practice.
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PGY2 Oncology The PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month ASHPaccredited program. The goal of the residency is to foster wellrounded 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.
Sandra Cuellar PGY2 Oncology Director
Dr. Yan Mao, the PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy resident, demonstrated a strong commitment to scholarship and advancing oncology pharmacy practice. Her residency research focused on informatics-driven extraction of clinical trial data to support chemotherapy treatment plan development, presented at the Hematology Oncology Pharmacy Association Annual Conference, ICHP Spring Meeting, and 2026 UIC Computational Research Symposium. At UI Health, Dr. Mao updated and created new treatment protocols for oncology. At the Retzky College of Pharmacy, she lectured on biosimilars at the P4 morning conference. Dr. Mao has accepted a position as a clinical pharmacist with the Hospital Pharmacy Oncology Team at UI Health.
Yan Mao
PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant The PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant (SOT) Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month ASHP-accredited program. This residency 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.
Lynley Heinrich
PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant Director
Teresa Valadez
PGY2 Pediatrics The PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month ASHPaccredited program. 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.
Travis Hanson
Lauren Oliveri
PGY2 Pediatrics Director
Dr. Travis Hanson, the 2025-2026 PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy resident, had many contributions to the college, the health system, and the field of pediatric pharmacy. Dr. Hanson assumed an active role in academia, through didactic instruction, course coordination, and precepting our students and residents. He was a valuable member of the multidisciplinary services in our inpatient pediatric unit, intensive care units, and ambulatory clinics, providing comprehensive medication management and continuous quality improvement efforts. Dr. Hanson presented a continuing education seminar on
advances in the treatment of pediatric refractory discoid lupus, as well as an ASHP rapid review webinar on pediatric pharmacy. His research on gentamicin dosing in neonatal encephalopathy with and without therapeutic hypothermia was presented at the Pediatric Pharmacy Association annual meeting in Arlington, VA. Dr. Hanson has accepted a position as a clinical pharmacist with the Hospital Pharmacy Pediatrics Team at UI Health.
Dr. Teresa Valadez, the 2025-2026 SOT resident, built a confident, independent clinical practice through autonomous weekend transplant ICU coverage and rotations in the transplant ICU and outpatient clinics. She served as trainee member representative on the Illinois Transplant Pharmacist Association (ITPA) Executive Board, delivered a case presentation, “From Hypoglycemic Unawareness to Islet Transplantation Awareness,” and an ACPE-accredited seminar, “From Bench to Bedside: Transplant Therapies Transforming Diabetes Care.” At the UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy, Dr. Valadez developed and facilitated pharmacotherapy recitations, presented two lectures in the transplant elective, contributed to the critical care elective on media influence, and precepted pharmacy students and PGY1 residents while completing the Advanced Leadership Program. Dr. Valadez’s research examined the impact of belatacept on allograft function in circulatory- versus brain-death kidney transplants, which was presented at the American Transplant Congress (ATC). She led a multidisciplinary revision of the Kidney Transplant Acute Antibody-Mediated Rejection Treatment Guideline. Dr. Valadez has accepted a position as a clinical pharmacist at UI Health, where she will practice with the inpatient hepatology team and remain active in teaching and research. Resident & Fellow Annual Report | 21
PGY2 Specialty Pharmacy Administration and Leadership The PGY2 Specialty Pharmacy Administration and Leadership Residency is a 12-month ASHP-accredited program. The goal of the residency is to develop expert knowledge and skills in Specialty Pharmacy administration, management, and leadership by combining clinical service with educational and administrative activities.
Alexis Partee
Dr. Alexis Partee, the PGY2 Specialty Pharmacy Administration and Leadership resident, completed a diverse portfolio of operational, financial, research, and quality Karen Thomas projects to advance specialty pharmacy PGY2 Specialty Pharmacy services at UIC. She is passionate about Administration and serving vulnerable populations and enjoys Leadership Director leading projects that identify opportunities to improve access to care and outcomes for underserved patients. Her major projects included developing a business plan for implementing a Dispensary of Hope, a charitable medication program that provides eligible patients with medications at free-of-charge; conducting financial and patient retention analyses to identify opportunities to expand specialty pharmacy services and presented her findings at the ASHP Midyear Conference; and promoting health literacy initiatives through her formal residency seminar presentation. Alexis led the recruitment, onboarding, and mentorship of three new pharmacy externs into the Specialty Pharmacy Services Extern Program. Dr. Partee also participated in the 2025 ACHC reaccreditation process and delivered lectures on 340B program management, prescription writing, and professional development. Dr. Partee plans to pursue a career in specialty pharmacy leadership where she hopes to continue expanding access to care.
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Photograph from the Residency Ceremony
Fellows
Academia & Family Medicine Fellowship
The UIC Academia/Family Medicine Pharmacy Fellowship is a two year program that prepares clinician educators and researchers with advanced expertise in family medicine, teaching and learning scholarship, and substance use disorder (SUD). Fellows develop competencies in clinical practice, independent research, and workforce development, positioning them for academic and clinical leadership roles. Dr. Abigail Elmes-Patel was the Director of the Fellowship through 2025.
Brianna Hudak
Director, Academia & Family Medicine Fellowship
McKenna Knock
Dr. Alexis Coffee, 2024-2026 Fellow, continues to excel in the final year of her fellowship. She provides SUD clinical services through the Community Outreach Intervention Project mobile medical unit and maintains professional service at departmental, state, and national levels. Her research has been featured at major national meetings. She contributes broadly to pharmacy and interprofessional education and co-developed an interprofessional deprescribing series with Rush University. Dr. Coffee is completing a Master of Health Professions Education with a thesis on cultural humility in pharmacy education.
Alexis Coffee
Dr. McKenna Knock, 2025-2027 Fellow, has demonstrated exceptional productivity and impact early in her fellowship. She provides primary care and SUD services at the Austin clinic and leads an initiative to expand outpatient buprenorphine prescribing. Her work informs policy guidance supporting same day initiation of long acting injectable buprenorphine. She is active in national presentations and committee service and continues to build her teaching portfolio, while pursuing a Master of Health Professions Education with thesis research on pharmacists’ experiences addressing health related misinformation.
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Infectious Diseases Fellowship UIC’s two year Infectious Diseases Fellowship uniquely integrates clinical training and research into one program. Fellows complete 3–6 months of infectious diseases rotations in year one and an additional 2–3 months in year two, alongside a half day HIV clinic each week. The remaining 14–17 months focus on scholarship, teaching, and research, including in vitro studies of new agents, PK/ PD evaluations, surveys, retrospective analyses of antimicrobial therapy, and clinical trials.
Jysheng Hou
Armin Pashaeimofrad
Larry Danziger
Director, Infectious Diseases Fellowship
Our fellows published one article and presented three research posters in 2025, at the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) meeting in Vienna, Austria, another at the Annual ID Week meeting in Washington, DC, and a third at the spring Illinois Council of Hospital Pharmacy meeting, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Fellows have also been active in research, evaluating the following real-world safety and effectiveness of methenamine, management, epidemiology and outcomes of Candidozyma auris (previously Candida auris) infection, and comparing bovine blood and plasma for Chronic Renal replacement Treatment (CRRT) Vancomycin clearance modeling.
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Infectious Diseases Pharmacology Fellowship The Infectious Diseases Pharmacology Fellowship addresses the growing global threat of antimicrobial resistance by training the next generation of infectious diseases experts. The fellowship provides rigorous, multidisciplinary training across the full spectrum of antimicrobial pharmacology, with particular emphasis on the rational optimization of antibiotic regimens to treat multidrug-resistant bacteria. Fellows receive advanced instruction in antimicrobial pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, bacterial resistance mechanisms, translational pharmacology, and dynamic infection models, complemented by clinical infectious diseases training. Together, these experiences equip fellows with a comprehensive understanding of antibiotic action and infectious diseases, preparing them for diverse careers in academia, clinical practice, and industry.
Zack Bulman
Director, Infectious Diseases Pharmacology Fellowship
In 2025, Infectious Diseases Pharmacology fellow Dr. Keith Long initiated several high-impact research projects aimed at addressing critical challenges associated with antimicrobial resistance. His work focuses on leveraging in vitro experimental approaches to optimize antimicrobial combination therapies for difficult-to-treat infections with limited therapeutic options. Dr. Long also expanded his expertise in translational research and grant writing. Notably, he was awarded a competitive 2025 Futures Grant from the American College of Clinical Pharmacy for his project, “Dissecting the Role of Ceftazidime in Combination Therapies for Metallo-b-Lactamase-Producing Bacteria.” This funding will support his project and career advancement. Dr. Long’s accomplishments exemplify the strength of the fellowship and underscore its contributions the fight against antibiotic resistance.
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Keith Long
Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy Fellowship The two year Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy Fellowship is designed to develop pharmacist clinician scientists with expertise in cardiovascular disease and research. The fellowship prepares trainees to conduct impactful basic, translational, and applied clinical research while developing advanced clinical competence in cardiovascular pharmacotherapy. Program goals include building strong therapeutic and research skills and positioning fellows for successful careers as independent or collaborative cardiovascular clinician scientists.
Rob DiDomenico Director, Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy Fellowship
Fellows receive individualized research and clinical training aligned with their professional interests and long term goals. Research opportunities span basic, translational, and applied clinical investigation in cardiovascular disease, with focused development in research methodology, study design, data management, statistical analysis, dissemination of research, and grantsmanship. Clinical experiences include direct patient care in both inpatient and outpatient settings to strengthen cardiovascular expertise and inform research question development. Fellows are also encouraged to participate in teaching activities, including didactic lectures, facilitating small group discussions, and experiential precepting of student pharmacists.
Paola Rosas
Co-Director, Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy Fellowship
Faisal Darbar
Although Dr. Darbar began the fellowship in October 2025, he has already completed a systematic review examining the potential impact of fermentable fibers on heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), with manuscript submission planned for January. He has also gained preclinical research experience and is developing two study protocols focused on fermentable fibers, HFpEF, and the obesity paradox in heart failure.
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Our Residents Continued on to Luke Stickler is an Outpatient HIV Pharmacist at Ascension St. Joseph’s.
Daniella Underwood is a PGY2 Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Resident at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center.
Sean Kim is a Pharmacist at Barnes Jewish Hospital.
Emily Baranowski is a Hybrid Inpatient Decentralized Clinical Pharmacist at Beacon Memorial Hospital.
Caleb Scrime is an Overnight Clinical Specialst in Emergency Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Ena Kovac is a PGY2 Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Resident at Franciscan Health.
Alex Dang is a PGY2 Transplant Pharmacy Resident at Houston Methodist Hospital.
Joanne Shen is a Clinical Pharmacist at Kaweah Health Medical Center.
Daniel Schreiber is a Clinical HIV Pharmacist at Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc.
Lauryn Johnson is a Clinical Pharmacist at Lurie Children’s Hospital.
Jamie McGann is a Clinical Pharmacist at OSF Little Company of Mary Chicago. 28 | Resident & Fellow Annual Report
Braxton Snuffer is a PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy Resident at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Laila Hammad is a Critical Care Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at Rush University Medical Center. Sky Harrigfeld is a Ambulatory Care Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at Rush University Medical Center.
Deema Gichi is a Cardiology Clinical Pharmacist at University of Chicago Medicine.
Noor Alawad is a PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy Resident at UIC. Adam Elkinssi is a Staff Pharmacist at UI Health. Travis Hanson is a Clinical Assistant Professor/Clinical Pharmacist at UIC/ UI Health. Anthony Hightower is a PGY2 Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Resident at UIC. Shannon McKinless is a PGY2 Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Resident at UIC. Yan Mao is a Clinical Assistant Professor/Clinical Pharmacist at UIC/UI Health. Christian Phillips is a PGY2 Critical Care Pharmacy Resident at UIC. Teresa Valadez is a Clinical Assistant Professor/Clinical Pharmacist at UIC/UI Health.
Arminda Cako is a PGY2 Transplant Pharmacy Resident at University of Maryland.
Elise Loring is a PGY2 Pediatrics Pharmacy Resident at Virginia Commonwealth University Health System. Resident & Fellow Annual Report | 29
Our Residents and Fellows
In the News
Alexis Coffee Making an Impact Dr. Alexis Coffee, along with co-authors Paul Stranges, Eden Keller, Toni Martinford, Leyla Rashid, Alexander Infante, and Abigail Elmes-Patel, presented the poster “Patient Factors Associated with Hospital Discharge on Buprenorphine versus Methadone” at the ASAM 56th Annual Conference in Denver, CO.
During her fellowship, Dr. Coffee was elected to serve as a Member-at-Large on the ACCP National Resident Advisory Committee.
Advancing HIV Prevention in Women Drs. Alex Dang and Melissa Badowski, with colleagues, published an article in the Journal of International Medical Research examining the role of preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in HIV prevention among women. Read the article here: go.uic.edu/PrEPWomen
Improving Infection Prevention in Neonatal Care Dr. Luke Strickler presented his research, “Screening for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,” at ESCMID Global 2026, held at the Messe München Exhibition & Congress Center in Munich, Germany.
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Advancing Antifungal Research Dr. Jysheng Hou presented “Clinical Outcomes of Micafungin 100 mg vs. 150 mg Daily for the Treatment of Candida auris Fungemia” at the 35th European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Meeting in Vienna, Austria. Drs. Rodrigo Burgos, Larry Danziger, and Emily Drwiega were co-authors for the presentation.
Examining Alcohol Withdrawal Treatment in Critical Care
Drs. Travis Hanson and Frank Paloucek, with Dr. Abigail Elmes-Patel published a commentary examining the safety of phenobarbital versus benzodiazepines for alcohol withdrawal in critically ill patients with primary neurologic injuries. Read the article here: go.uic.edu/AlcoholWithdrawal
Exploring Advances in HIV Treatment Dr. Danny Schreiber, PGY2 HIV Pharmacy Resident, presented “Recent Advances in the Treatment of HIV” at the Society of Internal Medicine of Nepal Infectious Disease Symposium, held in Nepal.
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Residents Attend ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition Our PGY1 and PGY2 Residents and Fellows attended the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Clinical Meeting & Exhibition 2025 held in Las Vegas, NV. Over the course of the conference, our residents gave 22 poster presentations and 2 podium presentations. Photos highlight not just the hard work our residents did at the conference, but some enjoyable moments as well.
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Resident & Fellow ACPE-Accredited Seminars Noor Alawad
Beating the Bug: Treatment Pathways for Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia Buprenorphine Dosing in the Era of Fentanyl: The New Frontier
Arminda Cako
Breaking the Pressure: Emerging Therapies for Resistant Hypertension Treatment
Fueling Up on Facts: What Pharmacists Need to Know About Gas Station Drugs Alex Dang
Emily Baranowski
Alexis Coffee
Unmasking the Viral Partners: Hepatitis B & D Treatment and Prevention of Calciphylaxis in ESRD Patients
Travis Hanson
Adam Elmkinssi
Refractory Lupus: Translating New Advances to Pediatric Care
Liver Let Die? Not Quite - Updates in MASLD Nomenclature, Screening, and Management Anthony Hightower
Clot on the Clock: Unraveling Blood Clots in Athletes
Gene-ius Considerations in Oncology: A focus on DPYD and UGT1A1 Sean Kim
McKenna Knock
Sports Pharmacy and Performance Enhancing Drugs
Supporting Neurodiverse Students On Clinical Rotations Jessica Mamalio
Lauryn Johnson
Bispecifics vs CAR-T : Sequencing In Myeloma and Lymphoma
Tools of Today and Tomorrow for Managing Depression Beyond the Second Line Ena Kovac
Sky Harrigfeld
Anticoagulation in Cerebral Venous Thrombosis
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Elise Loring
IVIG’s Journey Through The Cancer Spectrum Jamie McGann
Updates in Toxicology A Clot to Unpack: Rethinking Standard Care of Pulmonary Embolism
Raquel Ortiz-Merced
Armin Pashaeimofrad
Christian Phillips
A PEP Talk for Pharmacists: Navigating the New HIV Post-Exposure Guidelines Tariff-ied & Rxhausted: When Trade Wars Meet Pharmacy Floors
Joanne Shen
Updates in Management of EGFR positive NSCLC
Breaking the Skin Barrier: How Biologics are transforming Dermatology Disease Management Luke Stickler
Alexis Partee
Back To The Future: Methenamine and D-Mannose in recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTIs)
Tiny Hearts, Strong Support: Navigating Vasopressor Therapy in the NICU
Braxton Snuffer
Shannon McKinless
Beyond Glycemic Control: Cardiovascular Risk Reduction in Type 2 Diabetes Read Between the Pills: A Literacy Rx for Adherence
Daniel Schreiber
Yan Mao
Mohini Sood
It’s Not Complicated: IDSA’s 2025 UTI Update
The Management of Atrial Fibrillation in the Setting of Cardiac Surgery Teresa Valadez
Danielle Underwood
From Bench to Bedside: Transplant Therapies Transforming Diabetes Care Three Letters, Three Battles: ACS’s Journey Three Letters Restoring Flow: ACS (Advanced Circulatory Support)
Caleb Scrime
Laila Hammad
Three Letters, Three Battles: Acute Chest Syndrome Three Letters, Three Battles: Time to Break Up with Beta-Blockers?
Deema Gichi
Residents Present Their Research at Great Lakes Pharmacy Residency Conference Our PGY1 and PGY2 Residents attended the Great Lakes Pharmacy Resident Conference 2026 held at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN. Over the course of the three-day conference, our residents gave 15 presentations that highlighted their research throughout their training.
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Photos highlight the three-day conference.
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Residency Awards in Excellence Dr. Daniella Underwood, PGY1 Pharmacy Resident, was recognized with the 2026 Richard A. Hutchinson Award for Excellence in Clinical Pharmacy Practice. This award is presented to a resident who embodies the ideals of clinical pharmacy practice.
Dr. Lauryn Johnson, PGY1 Pharmacy Resident, was awarded with the 2026 John McBride Award for Excellence in Hospital Pharmacy. This award is given to a resident who embodies the ideals of hospital pharmacy practice.
Dr. Emily Hanners was recognized by the 2026 graduating residency class with the Pharmacy Practice Frank P. Paloucek Preceptor of the Year Award. This is given to an outstanding preceptor working with the residents.
Elizabeth Modrzyk was recognized by the 2026 graduating residency class with the Resident Appreciation Award. This award is given to outstanding staff working with the residents.
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UIC Residency Village UIC Residency Village is an alumni engagement program for over 1,000 alumni of the UIC Pharmacy Residency and Fellowship programs. It offers opportunities for alimni to connect with the UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy Practice, our Residency and Fellowship Programs, our residents, fellows, and other alumni for networking, connections, and sharing your knowledge and expertise with our residents and fellows.
Photos highlight our past Residents & their RPDs
Join our Village Today! go.uic.edu/ ResidencyVillage Resident & Fellow Annual Report | 39
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