Pharmacy Informatics

Pharmacy Informatics residents

Program Type: Two year residency (PGY1 and PGY2); ASHP accredited
ASHP Match Number: 153720

PGY1 Program Purpose

PGY1 pharmacy residency programs build on Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) education and outcomes to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists responsible for medication-related care of patients with a wide range of conditions, eligible for board certification, and eligible for postgraduate year two (PGY2) pharmacy residency training.

PGY2 Program Purpose

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.

Program Overview

As a combined PGY1 and PGY2 residency program, the overview for each year is included below.

PGY1 Pharmacy

The PGY1 Pharmacy Residency at The Johns Hopkins Hospital provides the resident with the skills and knowledge required to become a competent pharmacy practitioner.

The program is a twelve-month, postgraduate training experience composed of four competency areas: 1) patient care; 2) advancing practice and improving patient care; 3) leadership and management; and 4) teaching, education and dissemination of knowledge. Our residents will have the opportunity to provide pharmaceutical care to patients in multiple settings, develop independent learning skills, maintain a professional ethic, provide effective medication education to others, understand research methods and opportunities, and assume personal responsibility for effecting change.

The specific program for each resident varies based upon the residents' goals, interests and previous experience. However, all residents are required to complete rotations in core subject areas considered to be essential to the pharmacy practitioner. A broad range of elective rotations is available to permit the resident flexibility in pursuing individual goals.

Additional learning experiences aimed at producing a well-rounded pharmacist include the development and completion of a major project related to pharmacy practice, development of oral and written communication skills, patient education, participation in various departmental administrative committees, and practice in various pharmacy areas throughout the institution. Upon successful completion of the program, trainees are awarded a residency certificate.

PGY2 Pharmacy Informatics

This two-year residency training program in Pharmacy Informatics is defined as an organized, directed postgraduate program of practical experience in pharmacy clinical practice and informatics. The residency is designed to develop expert skills and competencies in pharmacy practice and informatics.

The primary objective of the program is to prepare pharmacists to assume informatics positions in healthcare-related informatics fields. The PGY1 year will be structured as a Pharmacy residency and the PGY2 year will be structured as a specialty in pharmacy informatics. Participants will gain the tools and knowledge to understand and analyze the changing nature of today's complex medical delivery systems, plus the resources and practical understanding to anticipate and respond to those changes. Pharmacists completing the two-year PGY1/PGY2 Pharmacy Informatics Residency Program will be equipped with the clinical skills and technical knowledge to obtain informatics pharmacist positions in health care facilities and the health information technology industry. They are proficient in safe and effective medication-use systems, quality assurance, the management of human resources, the use of technology, and advanced leadership.

Please refer to the “Program Overview” section of the Department of Pharmacy, Johns Hopkins Medicine website.

Orientation

The Pharmacy Residency Orientation experience provides a comprehensive and coordinated training program designed to provide incoming residents with an understanding of policies, procedures, and expectations for the pharmacy residency experience. During orientation, residents will participate in hospital, department, and division orientation, and will be exposed to department policies and resources.

Hospital and pharmacy department orientation is required for all new pharmacist hires at Johns Hopkins Hospital. The resident is expected to interact with members of the pharmacy department throughout orientation and to attend assigned orientation and training sessions.

Prior to the start of the residency program, residents will be given a full, detailed orientation itinerary.

Rotations

Each PGY1 resident will spend two thirds or more of the PGY1 program in direct patient care activities.

PGY1 Required Rotations

  • Critical Care (1 month)
    Choice of: Cardiac Care Unit (CCU)
    • Cardiovascular Surgical Intensive Care (CVSICU)
    • Medical Intensive Care (MICU)
    • Neurosciences Critical Care (NCCU)
    • Surgical Intensive Care (SICU)
    • Weinberg Intensive Care (WICU)
  • Internal Medicine (1 month)
  • Integrated Practice Rotation (2 months)
  • Leadership Collaborative Rotation (1 month)
  • Ambulatory Care (6 months longitudinal experience)
    • Adult Internal Medicine Clinic (3 months)
    • Anticoagulation Management Clinic (3 months)

PGY1 Elective Rotations (1 month each)

  • Addiction Medicine
  • Adult Hepatology Service
  • Advanced Heart Failure and Heart Transplantation
  • Ambulatory Oncology
  • Antimicrobial Stewardship
  • Benign Hematology and Hemostatic/Antithrombotic Stewardship
  • Bone Marrow Transplant/Myeloma/Lymphoma
  • Concentrated Leadership
  • Emergency Medicine
  • †† Epic Willow Inpatient Certification
  • General Adult Infectious Diseases Consults
  • General Cardiology
  • Hematologic Malignancies
  • Inpatient HIV/AIDS
  • Investigational Drug Service
  • Kidney and Pancreas Transplant
  • Liver Transplant
  • Medical Oncology
  • Medication Quality and Outcomes
  • Medication Safety – Adults
  • Medication Safety - Pediatrics
  • *Neonatal Intensive Care
  • Oncology Clinical Decision Support
  • Pain Management/Palliative Care
  • *Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care & Heart Transplant
  • *Pediatric Emergency Medicine
  • *Pediatric Infectious Diseases Consult
  • *Pediatric Intensive Care
  • *Pediatric Oncology
  • *Pediatric Nephrology
  • Pharmacy Management & Leadership
  • Psychiatry
  • Surgery Acute Care
  • Transplant Nephrology

*It is recommended that the General Pediatrics rotation be completed before taking these specialized pediatrics rotations.

††Epic Willow Inpatient Certification is only offered to the Pharmacy Informatics resident and is a required elective rotation for the Informatics resident during the PGY1 year.

Additional elective rotations may be available pending resident interest and preceptor availability.

PGY2 Required Rotations

  • Alternate Informatics Site (1 month)
  • Clinical Informatics (2 months)
  • Introduction to Clinical systems and Governance processes (1 month)
  • Pharmacy Automation and Technology (1 month)
  • Pharmacy Business Intelligence and Data Analytics (2 months)
  • Program Orientation (1 day)
  • System Change Management (1 month)
  • Pharmacy Council and Pharmacy Informatics Design Team (12 months)
  • Educational experiences (12 months)
  • Medication Safety (Adults), Extended (3 months)
  • Residency Project (12 months)
  • Staffing (12 months)
  • Capstone (1 month)
  • Oncology Clinical Decision Support (1 month)
  • Order Set Management and Build (1 month)
  • Residency Project (1 month)

Sample Schedule

Month  Rotation
July

Introduction to Clinical Systems and Governance

August

System Change Management  

September

Clinical Informatics
Pharmacotherapy Rounds

October Clinical Informatics
November

Pharmacy Automation and Technology
Medication Safety (Adults) (Extended)

December

Pharmacy Business Intelligence and Data Analytics
Medication Safety (Adults) (Extended)

January

Pharmacy Business Intelligence and Data Analytics
Medication Safety (Adults) (Extended)

February Alternative Informatics Site
March Order Set Management and Build
April Residency Project Month
May Oncology Clinical Decision Support
June Capstone
Longitudinal Experiences Educational Experiences
Pharmacy Council and Pharmacy Informatics Design Team
Residency Project
Staffing
Leadership in Analytics and Data Science (LEADS)

Longitudinal Meeting Attendance

Pharmacy Council
Pharmacy Informatics Design Team
Willow TS calls
JHH Medication Management
PharmIS team meetings

Education Components

  • Pharmacotherapy Rounds
    • All residents, during both the PGY1 and PGY2 years, will provide a 30-minute presentation that is APCE accredited.
    • Please refer to the “Learning Opportunities” section of the Department of Pharmacy, Johns Hopkins Medicine website.
  • Journal Clubs and/or Topic Discussions
    • The PGY2 Pharmacy Informatics resident will participate in and lead several topic discussions in the Informatics Educational Experience rotation.
  • Teaching Requirements
    • Participate in 3 teaching sessions at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Notre Dame of Maryland University School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland Eastern Shore School of Pharmacy, or Howard University School of Pharmacy
    • Prepare & present a minimum of 4 educational in-services, one of which occurs during IPR
    • Write one article for the Writing on the Wall
    • The PGY2 Pharmacy Informatics resident is offered the opportunity to present a CE presentation in the Monthly CE series offered by the Department. This is not mandatory and left to the RPD and residents’ discretion to determine interest.
    • Please refer to the “Learning Opportunities” section of the Department of Pharmacy, Johns Hopkins Medicine website.

Requirements for Acceptance to the Program

The qualified candidate will have a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from an ACPE accredited school of pharmacy. Prior to the beginning of a PGY2 residency, PGY2 residents must have successfully completed an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency program.

Licensure and Certification Requirements

All residents are expected to obtain a Maryland State Pharmacy License by August 1st.

The resident will arrive at the program already ACLS certified, or will complete certification during the residency year.

Epic Willow Inpatient Certification

At the discretion of the Department of Pharmacy, certification in Epic Willow Inpatient will be supported for the resident. Certification requires three training trips (~4 days/trip) to Epic Headquarters in Verona, WI, followed by a project and an exam. (Note: Due to the COVID19 pandemic, this education and training has been provided virtually. The RPD will determine if the training is to be conducted on site in WI or virtually, based upon Epic scheduling and travel considerations). Successful completion of Epic Willow certification will be based upon the Epic requirements for certification. This certification will be structured as a required elective rotation for the Informatics residency program with efforts made, based on Epic training availability, to complete the training over one calendar month during the PGY1 year.

Attendance at Professional Meetings

The department will support the resident (expense and leave time) to attend the Eastern States Residency Conference during the PGY1 and PGY2 years, and the ASHP Midyear Clinical meeting during the PGY2 year. Alternative meeting forums can be considered to allow the resident the best forum to present their research project, and at the discretion of the RPD and the department. Any additional travel that is to be supported by the department is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Please refer to the “Meetings and Conferences” section of the Department of Pharmacy, Johns Hopkins Medicine website.

MUE Project

The resident must complete a self-directed research or quality improvement project. The scope, magnitude, and type of project will vary according to individual interests but must be completed in a manner suitable for presentation and presentation.

Please refer to the "Projects" section of the Department of Pharmacy, Johns Hopkins Medicine. 

Committee Participation

The resident will be assigned to departmental, hospital, or health-system committee(s) over the course of the year. During the PGY1 year, the Pharmacy Informatics resident will serve as the secretary for the Pharmacy Informatics Design Team. The PGY1 resident also serves as secretary for a second subcommittee of the Clinical Practice Council, as assigned by Department leadership. During the PGY2 year, the Pharmacy Informatics resident will serve in a leadership role in the Pharmacy Informatics Design Team, helping to set agendas, coordinate follow up activities, and ultimately lead the meeting. The PGY2 resident will also serve as secretary of Pharmacy Council and then transition into leading the Pharmacy Council meeting. This transition is at the discretion of the Pharmacy Council leadership and generally occurs toward the middle of the PGY2 year.

Staffing Component

Each resident will practice as a pharmacist in a designated area throughout the residency year.

Please refer to the “Staffing Requirements” section of the Department of Pharmacy, Johns Hopkins Medicine.

On-Call Coverage

The resident will participate in clinical on-call services. On-call duties include adult and pediatric code response, trauma and stroke calls, administrative assistance, and other duties. On-call hours are from 4 PM to 10 PM on weekdays and 8 AM to 8 PM on weekends and holidays. The frequency of on-call coverage depends upon the number of residents in the entire program and averages about 15 shifts per year.

Please refer to the “On Call Program” section of the Department of Pharmacy, Johns Hopkins Medicine website.

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Please refer to the “Benefits” section of the Department of Pharmacy, Johns Hopkins Medicine website.

Preceptors

Please refer to the "Preceptors" section of the Department of Pharmacy, Johns Hopkins Medicine website.

Program Director

Alix Dabb, Pharm.D.

Alix Dabb, PharmD. 

Title: Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Oncology Clinical Decision Support
Education: Doctor of Pharmacy, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, 2001
Training:
Residency in Pediatric Pharmacotherapy, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy/Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper Hospital University Medical Center
Residency in Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Contact

Alix Dabb, Pharm.D
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Location: 600 North Wolfe Street/Carnegie 180
Baltimore, MD 21287
Email: [email protected]