PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant
The PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant Residency is a twelve-month program for candidates who desire to advance their knowledge and skills in the acute and ambulatory care management of solid organ transplant recipients and donors.
The primary focus of the residency program is to enhance the learner’s skills related to patient care, research, and teaching. The program offers flexibility to the resident but is intended to provide a well-rounded experience to prepare the resident to practice as a solid organ transplant pharmacist specialist in an acute or ambulatory care setting. The program focuses on clinical practice, education, leadership, and research. Upon completion of this PGY2 program, the resident will be prepared for a solid organ transplant clinical pharmacist position with adjunct faculty responsibilities.
Purpose Statement
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.
Qualifications
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.
Residency Goals
- To develop expert pharmacy skills and competence in the management of adult and pediatric solid organ transplant recipients and living donors.
- To develop and enhance teaching skills by participating in selected didactic courses at the VCU School of Pharmacy, precepting students in clinical experiences (APPEs), and presenting educational information to healthcare professionals, patients, and family members.
- To enhance written and oral communication skills to enable the resident to contribute solid organ transplant information through publication and presentation.
- To develop sufficient knowledge and clinical experience in solid organ transplantation to initiate and perform research in this area.
- To develop effective organizational, integrative, and evaluative skills that assist the resident in developing cost-effective, patient-oriented pharmacy services in solid organ transplantation.
Program Training and Structure
The PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant resident will gain a broad range of experiences in various solid organ transplant settings. The solid organ transplant program at VCUHS is one of the pioneer transplant centers in the country and currently performs approximately 5,400 transplants annually. The Hume-Lee Transplant Center performs kidney, liver, pancreas, and total pancreatectomy with autologous islet cell transplants. The Pauley Heart Center performs total artificial hearts, heart transplantation, and cares for patients with advanced heart failure.
Required Rotation Experiences
- Orientation
- Kidney/Pancreas Transplant Surgery I
- Kidney/Pancreas Transplant Surgery II
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplant/TP-AIT Surgery I
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplant/TP-AIT Surgery II
- Inpatient Kidney/Liver Transplant Surgery II
- Advanced Heart Failure/Heart Transplant I
- Advanced Heart Failure/Heart Transplant II
Longitudinal Experiences
- Solid Organ Transplant Ambulatory Care (Heart, Kidney/Pancreas, Liver Transplant)
- Staffing/Operations (approximately every third weekend)
- Transplant Quality/Regulation (UNOS/TCOA/Quality Improvement)
- Transplant Literature/Topic Curriculum
- Emergency Response Coverage
- VCU School of Pharmacy Didactic Lectures in Solid Organ Transplant Elective Course
- Presentations (Journal Club, Case Conference, Continuing Education, Transplant Grand Rounds)
- Medication Use Evaluation
Elective Rotation Experiences
- Transplant Infectious Diseases
- Solid Organ Transplant Intensive Care
- Transplant Immunology/HLA Laboratory
- Bone Marrow Transplantation
- Lung Transplantation (based upon availability)
- Surgery Trauma Intensive Care
- Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit OR Coronary Care Intensive Care Unit
Teaching
The PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant Resident is given an academic faculty appointment as a Clinical Instructor in 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. The resident also provides didactic lectures to pharmacy students in a transplant elective course at the VCU School of Pharmacy. Residents may also participate in other elective teaching opportunities and a learning certificate program.
Research and Quality Improvement
Each resident is responsible for initiating and successfully completing a research project, with presentations at an internal residency research symposium and a national meeting (e.g., American Transplant Congress or the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation Meetings). Residents are encouraged to submit their projects for publication. An advisor and additional support guide the resident through the process. Potential solid organ transplant research projects are presented to the residents at the start of the residency program.
Program Leadership
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Program Director Idris Yakubu, PharmD, BCTXP Clinical Specialist, Solid Organ Transplant Clinical Assistant Professor of Pharmacy & Surgery PharmD, University of Toledo College of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences PGY1 Residency in Pharmacy Practice, University of Toledo Medical Center PGY2 Residency in Solid Organ Transplantation at University of Maryland Medical Center |
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Coordinator, Pharmacy Residency Programs |
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Director, Department of Pharmacy Services |
Transplant Preceptors
Bem Agegnehu, PharmD, BCTXP
Andrew Brown, PharmD, BCTXP
Aoife Iaria, PharmD, BCTXP
Ryan Marks, PharmD
Taylor Sprague, PharmD
Sara Sterling,PharmD, BCTXP
Idris Yakubu, PharmD, BCTXP
Accreditation
This program is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and participates in the ASHP/NMS PGY2 Matching Program and PhORCAS. For details, visit the ASHP PhORCAS website.
Recruitment
Visit our Application and Recruitment page for more information on our virtual sessions and ASHP showcase and Personal Placement Service participation.
Number of Positions
1
Salary and Benefits
The salary for PGY2 pharmacy residents at VCU Health System is $60,000.
Duration of Appointment
The pharmacy resident's contract at VCU Health System begins on July 1 of the program year and concludes on June 30 of the subsequent year.
Leave and Benefits
Two weeks (10 days) of paid vacation or personal leave are granted. Additionally, 9 days of paid holiday leave and 5 days of paid sick leave are provided. Residents also receive 2 days of family/self-care leave and 10 days for educational or professional leave.
Health Benefits
The VCU Health System provides a health insurance policy, including outpatient physician visits, lab tests, and optional dental, vision, and family coverage.
Liability Insurance
VCU Health System provides professional liability (malpractice) insurance for each pharmacy resident. The policy covers professional service within the institution.
Moonlighting
Residents may pursue additional paid staffing within VCU Health System upon program director approval, not exceeding 16 hours weekly.
Office Space and Resources
Office space and remote access to patient and drug information are provided for residents.
Health and Recreation Facilities
Residents have access to VCU recreational facilities at a reduced membership fee.
Parking
Parking and health-system shuttles are available on the VCU Medical Center campus at no cost.