The PGY2 Oncology Residency is an American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) accredited twelve-month program that transitions the PGY1 Pharmacy Practice resident to a specialized practice within oncology and hematology. The program focuses on clinical practice and education, and includes completion of a residency project. Upon completion of this PGY2 program, the resident will be prepared for an oncology clinical pharmacist position with adjunct faculty responsibilities.
PGY2 pharmacy residency programs build on Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) education and PGY1 pharmacy residency programs to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists in specialized areas of practice. PGY2 residencies provide residents with opportunities to function independently as practitioners by conceptualizing and integrating accumulated experience and knowledge and incorporating both into the provision of patient care or other advanced practice settings. Residents who successfully complete an accredited PGY2 pharmacy residency are prepared for advanced patient care, academic, or other specialized positions, along with board certification, if available.
Applicants must be Doctor of Pharmacy graduates from an ACPE-accredited school or college of pharmacy; have completed an accredited PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency; be licensed or eligible for pharmacist licensure in Virginia; and possess requisite patient care training or experience. The successful applicant must possess exceptional knowledge, clinical problem solving, communication skills, and leadership qualities.
Visit to our Application Process page for more information on our virtual sessions and showcase participation.
The PGY2 Oncology resident will gain a broad range of experiences in various oncology settings. Massey Cancer Center, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center, coordinates multidisciplinary activities in cancer research, treatment and education for the university and the community. Massey Cancer Center is a regional referral center for Virginia and an integral part of VCU Health System.
The program is comprised of ten rotations that are generally five weeks in duration.
Required Rotations (8)
Orientation
Orientation
Acute Care Hematology
Acute Care Cellular Immunotherapy and Transplant
Hematology/Oncology Clinic I
Hematology/Oncology Clinic II
Hematology Clinic I
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology I
Clerkship Teaching (APPE Precepting)
Elective Rotations (2)
Acute Care Oncology
Cellular Immunotherapy and Transplant Clinic
Gynecology/Oncology Clinic
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology II
*Additional experiences may be offered based on preceptor availability
Longitudinal learning experiences required to meet the ASHP accreditation standards include staffing, presentation and attendance at the pharmacology series lectures, participation in the drug shortages committee, participation in medication event reporting & monitoring, and research. Staffing occurs approximately every third weekend in the chemotherapy satellite pharmacy for a total of 17 weekends. The pharmacology series learning experience includes attendance at every pharmacology series presentation, occurring every 3 weeks for 1.5 hours. The drug shortages committee and medication event reporting & monitoring learning experience consists of regular meeting attendance and participation, occurring at least quarterly throughout the residency program. Residents are expected to progress on research requirements and deadlines set on an individualized basis with their research advisor. These longitudinal learning experiences occur throughout the course of the 52-week residency program and occur in conjunction with required and elective rotations.
Longitudinal Required Learning Experiences
Staffing
Pharmacology Series
Drug Shortages Committee
Medication Event Reporting & Monitoring
Research
Additional, non-longitudinal learning experiences required to meet the ASHP accreditation standards include oncology investigational drugs, medication use evaluation, and oncology formulary management. These learning experiences are scheduled and completed on a quarterly basis (less than 12 weeks) and occur in conjunction with required and elective rotations. The presentations & lectures learning experience is scheduled to evaluate performance with each major resident presentation (journal club, case conference, continuing education, and VCU School of Pharmacy lectures).
Other Required Learning Experiences
Oncology Investigational Drugs
Presentations & Lectures
Medication Use Evaluation
Oncology Formulary Management
The PGY2 Oncology Resident is given an academic faculty appointment as a Clinical Instructor at the VCU School of Pharmacy and has opportunities to provide didactic instruction (e.g., lectures, team-based learning sessions, case conferences) and experiential training (e.g., APPEs) for Doctor of Pharmacy students. Residents may participate in an elective teaching and learning certificate program. The PGY2 Oncology resident is also involved in teaching oncology fellows in the VCU Hematology-Oncology Fellowship program through monthly oncology pharmacotherapy-focused education sessions.
Each resident is responsible for initiating and successfully completing a research project, with presentation at an internal residency research symposium and at a national meeting (e.g., HOPA or ASTCT). Residents will be required to prepare a manuscript suitable for publication. Residents are encouraged to submit their projects publication. An advisor and additional support will guide the resident through the process. Potential oncology research projects are presented to the residents at the start of the residency program.
This program is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and participates in the ASHP/NMS PGY2 Matching Program and PhORCAS. For application instructions, please visit the Application Process section of this website.
| Program Director Kyle Zacholski, PharmD, BCOP |
Coordinator, Pharmacy Residency Programs
Craig Kirkwood, PharmD
Assistant Director, Pharmacotherapy Services
Associate Professor of Pharmacy
BS, University of Buffalo
PharmD, University of Buffalo
Residency in Hospital Pharmacy, Buffalo General Hospital
Residency in Drug Information, North Carolina Memorial Hospital at University of North Carolina
Director, Department of Pharmacy Services
Rodney L. Stiltner, PharmD, MS
Director, Department of Pharmacy Services
Clinical Associate Professor of Pharmacy
PharmD, Mercer University
MS, University of Wisconsin
Residency in Pharmacy Practice, Charleston Area Medical Center, West Virginia
Residency in Management Pharmacy Practice, University of Wisconsin Medical Center Hospitals and Clinics
May Aziz, PharmD, BCOP
Inpatient Bone Marrow Transplant & Cellular Therapy
Amanda Fegley, PharmD, BCOP
Outpatient Hematology/Oncology Clinic
Mandy Gatesman, PharmD, BCOP
Oncology Informatics and Inpatient Oncology
Erin Zacholski, PharmD, BCOP
VCU School of Pharmacy Faculty
Gynecology/Oncology Clinic
Cady Noda, PharmD, BCPS
Inpatient Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplant
Morgan Randolph, PharmD, BCOP
Outpatient Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplant
Kyle Zacholski, PharmD, BCOP
Inpatient Malignant Hematology
Application is made through the PhORCAS process.
The application is submitted through PhORCAS. The application deadline is January 3, 2025.
For application instructions, please visit the Application Process section of this website.
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The salary for PGY2 pharmacy residents at VCU Health System is $60,000.
The pharmacy resident's contract at VCU Health System will begin on July 1 of the program year. The pharmacy residency will be completed on June 30 of the subsequent year.
Two weeks (10 days) are granted for paid vacation or personal leave. This may be taken during rotations throughout the year. At least 10 days of paid holiday leave are provided during the year. Discretionary leave (personal or vacation leave) is pre-approved by the resident's rotation preceptor, the residency program director, and the residency programs coordinator. In general, the resident will be absent no more than five days during any rotation.
Five days of paid sick leave are provided as baseline leave. After complete use of sick and vacation leave, unpaid leave is utilized and the need to extend the residency is considered.
Twelve days are provided for educational and professional leave. This includes but is not limited to, attendance at professional meetings (e.g., ASHP, ACCP, SCCM, NCS), interviews, licensure or board exams, visitation to other medical center(s) or national pharmacy organizations, or participation in a medical mission.
The VCU Health System provides a health insurance policy, to each pharmacy resident. Coverage includes outpatient physician visits and laboratory tests. Prescription, dental, vision, and family coverage are available through payroll deduction with the respective co-pay and vary with the level of coverage desired.
VCU Health System is self-insured and provides professional liability (malpractice) insurance, subject to policy limits, for each pharmacy resident. Insurance covers professional service when on-duty within the institution. It does not cover professional services (e.g., moonlighting or consulting activities) provided at other facilities or institutions. This malpractice insurance will cover all acts of alleged medical negligence while a resident is at VCU Health System. Residents may choose to enhance the professional liability insurance with a personal liability policy.
Residents are permitted to seek additional, paid staffing as a pharmacist upon approval of their program director. For convenience, the additional staffing usually occurs within VCU Health System. Moonlighting, in general, will not extend to greater than 16 hours weekly. Additional staffing which conflicts with residency requirements is not permitted.
The Department of Pharmacy Services provides office space for the residents. Residents may access patient information and drug information throughout VCUHS and from home via remote access.
Residents have access to VCU recreational facilities, including exercise equipment, weight rooms, aerobic activities, basketball courts and swimming pools, at a reduced membership fee.
Parking is provided on the VCU Medical Center campus through payroll deduction at the reduced, house staff rate.