The Johns Hopkins Hospital Longitudinal Pharmacy Internship Program
Apply to the Longitudinal Pharmacy Intern Program
Program Overview
The Johns Hopkins Hospital Longitudinal Pharmacy Intern Program offers motivated student pharmacists the opportunity to gain meaningful experience in health-system pharmacy at a leading academic medical center. This paid, year-round program provides comprehensive exposure to pharmacy operations, clinical practice, professional development, and leadership while allowing students to contribute to patient care as members of the pharmacy team.Through hands-on experiences, mentorship, structured professional development activities, and scholarly projects, interns develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to prepare for postgraduate training and future careers in health-system pharmacy.
The program begins following the first professional year (P1) of pharmacy school and continues through the fourth professional year (P4). Interns are assigned to one of four pharmacy practice tracks—Adult, Pediatrics, Oncology, or Administration—and progressively expand their responsibilities and clinical skills throughout the program.
Program Structure
The Longitudinal Pharmacy Intern Program is designed to complement students' pharmacy education while providing progressively advanced experiences in health-system pharmacy.During the summer months, interns work 40 hours per week, including every-other-weekend shifts. During the P2 and P3 academic years, interns work exclusively every other weekend, allowing them to focus on their academic responsibilities during the week. Scheduling accommodations are provided for required Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPEs) and other pharmacy school requirements.
|
Program Year |
Schedule and Primary Responsibilities |
|
Summer After P1 Year |
40 hours per week, including every-other-weekend shifts. Focus on foundational pharmacy operations training within the assigned division. Includes 10 days of unpaid time off. |
|
P2 Academic Year |
Every-other-weekend shifts focused on pharmacy operations and continued development of operational skills. |
|
Summer After P2 Year |
40 hours per week, including every-other-weekend shifts. Expanded training in medication history collection, patient education, and continued pharmacy operations. Includes 10 days of unpaid time off. *Administration Track: Interns selected for the Administration track also complete three two-week administrative rotations during their second summer, providing additional exposure to pharmacy leadership, management, and health-system operations. |
|
P3 Academic Year |
Every-other-weekend shifts rotating among pharmacy operations, medication history, and clinical responsibilities. |
|
P4 Year |
Reduced, as-needed (PRN) schedule of four shifts every eight weeks during APPE rotations, beginning after completion of the P3 year. |
Throughout the program, interns participate in a variety of operational and clinical experiences designed to build a strong foundation in health-system pharmacy practice. Responsibilities expand as interns progress through pharmacy school and complete the training required for additional activities.
Pharmacy Operations
Interns develop foundational skills through hands-on experience within their assigned pharmacy division. Depending on their practice area, responsibilities may include medication preparation, oral and intravenous dose preparation, medication delivery, inventory management, and other activities supporting daily pharmacy operations.Division-specific training introduces interns to the unique patient populations, medications, technologies, and workflows of their assigned practice areas.
Through these experiences, interns become integrated members of the pharmacy team and contribute to the safe and effective delivery of patient care.
Medication History
As interns progress through the program, they receive specialized training to support medication history collection and medication reconciliation.Interns interview patients and caregivers to obtain comprehensive medication histories, review medication use, and document relevant information in the electronic medical record. Working alongside pharmacists and other health care professionals, interns help identify medication discrepancies, clarify medication-related questions, and support the medication reconciliation process.
Patient Education and Clinical Shadowing
Following appropriate training, interns may participate in patient education activities, providing patients and caregivers with information about medication use, administration, safety considerations, and other important counseling points.Additional clinical exposure is available through opportunities to shadow pharmacists and pharmacy residents in various patient care settings. These experiences may include observing clinical decision-making, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the role of the Resident On-Call during emergency response activities.
Together, these opportunities allow interns to develop a broader understanding of clinical pharmacy practice and explore potential areas of professional interest.
Professional Development, Mentorship, and Projects
Professional growth is a central component of the Longitudinal Pharmacy Intern Program. In addition to their operational and clinical responsibilities, interns participate in structured educational activities, receive ongoing mentorship, and complete projects designed to strengthen their professional and scholarly skills.Professional Development
Interns participate in a monthly professional development series designed to complement their pharmacy education and prepare them for future career opportunities.Topics may include:
- Curriculum vitae (CV) and letter of intent development
- Interview skills and residency preparation
- Clinical rotation preparation and professional communication
- Leadership and career development
- Research and project development
- Professional networking and career exploration
These activities strengthen clinical reasoning, literature evaluation, and presentation skills while providing opportunities to learn from pharmacists, residents, and peers.
Longitudinal Mentorship
Each intern is paired with a pharmacist mentor who provides ongoing professional guidance and support throughout the program. Mentors help interns explore career interests, establish professional goals, navigate pharmacy school experiences, and prepare for postgraduate opportunities.These relationships encourage professional growth and provide interns with valuable connections to experienced health-system pharmacists.
Projects and Scholarly Activities
During their P3 year, interns participate in a longitudinal project focused on research, quality improvement, medication-use processes, or other initiatives that support pharmacy practice and patient care. Interns have the opportunity to review available project options and identify areas of interest.Working collaboratively with fellow interns, pharmacist preceptors, and project mentors, they develop skills in project planning, data collection and analysis, research methodology, and professional communication.
Projects culminate in a formal presentation at a Johns Hopkins pharmacy scholarship or research event. Interns may also have opportunities to present their work at professional conferences, including the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting.
Leadership Opportunities
The program provides additional opportunities for interns to develop leadership and organizational skills through participation in departmental initiatives and program activities.Selected interns may serve as Junior or Senior Chief Interns, supporting program planning, recruitment, intern engagement, and communication between interns and program leadership.
These positions provide valuable experience in leadership, collaboration, and program coordination.
Application Information
The Johns Hopkins Hospital Longitudinal Pharmacy Intern Program recruits student pharmacists who are completing their first professional year (P1) and preparing to enter their second professional year (P2).Eligibility Requirements
Applicants Must:
- Be currently enrolled in their first professional year (P1) at an ACPE accredited school of pharmacy
- Remain in good academic and professional standing at their school of pharmacy prior to their start date at JHH
- Be registered with the Maryland Board of Pharmacy by their program start date
- Be able to meet the program's summer and academic-year scheduling expectations, with accommodations for required pharmacy school experiences
Application Requirements
Interested students must submit an online application that includes:
- Letter of Intent: Describe your interest in the Longitudinal Pharmacy Intern Program, your professional goals and career aspirations, and how participation in the program will support your development as a student pharmacist.
- Curriculum Vitae (CV): Include relevant education, employment experience, introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPE), projects, leadership activities, professional involvement, and community service
Program Leadership and Contact Information
Justin Hare, PharmD, FASHP
Longitudinal Intern Program Manager
Email: [email protected]
Erin Ballentine, PharmD, MBA, MS, BCPS
Longitudinal Intern Director
Email: [email protected]
Camila Batiz Ortiz
Senior Chief Intern – P3
University of Maryland School of Pharmacy
Email: [email protected]
Catherine Carne
Junior Chief Intern – P2
University of Maryland School of Pharmacy
Email: c[email protected]