Introduction
Thank you for visiting the website of the Westchester Medical Center (WMC) PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program.
WMC is an academic medical center and the flagship hospital of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network. As a tertiary and quaternary care hospital, WMC is a referral hospital for the Hudson Valley region’s 2.4 million residents.
Our PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program builds upon doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) education and outcomes to develop pharmacist practitioners with knowledge, skills, and abilities as defined in the educational competency areas, goals, and objectives. Residents who successfully complete our PGY1 residency program will be skilled in diverse patient care, seek board certification in pharmacotherapy (i.e., BCPS), and pursue advanced education and training opportunities including postgraduate year two (PGY2) residencies.
Our residents will gain diverse clinical and operational experience, participate in institutional and departmental committees, attend local, state, and/or national meetings and complete several longitudinal projects and presentations over the course of the program. Residents will also be given the opportunity to participate in a teaching certificate program and engage in didactic lectures, small group teaching and co-precepting of pharmacy students.
Please feel free to contact us via WMCPharmacyResidency@WMCHealth.org if you have any questions. We look forward to speaking with you.
Sincerely,
Darko Todorov, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Internal Medicine
Program Director, PGY1 Pharmacy Residency
WMCPharmacyResidency@WMCHealth.org
Mission and Vision
The mission of the Department of Pharmacy is to be accountable for the provision of advanced pharmaceutical care for all patients. This care must be reliable, innovative, patient focused and delivered in an environment that is professional, respectful and based on communication and trust.
The Pharmacy vision is to:
- Serve as the provider of reliable pharmaceutical care for all patients in a manner that is dignified and meets the core values of our network
- Be accountable for optimal outcomes related to medication use across the continuum of care that are clinically sound and fiscally responsible
- Collaboratively design systems to optimize safe medication use in accordance with all regulatory requirements
- Foster an environment of continuous quality improvement throughout our network
- Be viewed as a valued partner in the provision of undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate pharmacy education
About the Department
The Department of Pharmacy at WMC consists of a main inpatient pharmacy, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and multiple pharmacy satellites, including pediatrics, oncology and an outpatient chemotherapy and transfusion center. The hospital and the Department of Pharmacy utilize electronic health records (EHR) to maintain medication profiles for all patients. Unit dose medications are dispensed utilizing automated dispensing cabinets (Pyxis). The Pharmacy prepares all compounded medications in an aseptic environment and utilizes state-of-the-art facilities to compound ready-to-administer non-hazardous admixtures.
The Department of Pharmacy coordinates the review of all adverse drug events or medication occurrences through the Medication Use Safety Subcommittee, which reports directly to the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. Additionally, the Pharmacy is responsible for all aspects of investigational drug use, which include maintenance of all research protocols, provision of information, safe storage, record keeping, dispensation of investigational products, patient education and monitoring of therapy, and return or disposal of unused investigational products.
The Department of Pharmacy utilizes the expertise and skills of clinical pharmacy specialists in the areas of critical care, emergency medicine, hematology/oncology/stem cell transplantation, infectious diseases, internal medicine, pain management, pediatrics/neonatology, and solid organ transplant.
PGY1 Program Structure
The 12-month PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program develops clinical and operational pharmaceutical skills while providing sound pharmacotherapeutic care to the patient. The residency program is divided into monthly required and elective rotations, outlined below. Other elective and longitudinal learning experiences may be developed based on resident interest and preceptor availability.
Our program currently has an accreditation candidate status with ASHP. The program will begin on July 1, 2024.
Available Rotations
Core (mandatory):
- Orientation
- Internal Medicine
- Infectious Diseases/Antimicrobial Stewardship
- Critical Care
- Hematology / Oncology / SCT (Adult or Pediatrics)
- Pediatrics
- Pharmacy Administration
- Emergency Medicine
- Solid Organ Transplant
- Research
Elective:
- Neonatology
- Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/SCT
- Elective Internal Medicine
- Elective Critical Care (Neurosciences)
- Investigational Pharmacy*
- Medication Safety *
- Pharmacy Informatics*
*optional two-week rotation
Longitudinal:
- Patient Discharge Counseling
- Antibiotic Stewardship Surveillance
- Pharmacy Operations Staffing
- Ambulatory Care
Residency Project and Presentations
Each resident is required to complete one major, IRB-approved project and one medication use evaluation (MUE) project. The resident is also encouraged to participate in continuing education programs provided at WMC as well as through attendance at local and national professional pharmacy societies.
The resident shall:
- Participate in a monthly pharmacy journal club/case conference to be held at the end of rotation
- Provide in-services to pharmacy staff and other healthcare professionals throughout the residency
- Present a poster at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting on the completed MUE project
- Present their residency practice related project as a platform presentation at the Eastern States Residency Conference (May)
- Present their research to the pharmacy staff
- Prepare a final written narrative, suitable for publication on the major research project
- Present CE/clinical pearl at a local organization meeting
Weekend Coverage
The primary goals of the residency weekend coverage program are to enhance the resident's pharmacy practice responsibilities and experiences as well as to assist the pharmacy staff with clinical/operational and staffing support. Weekend coverage will occur every third weekend.
Meetings and Conferences
Residents are expected to attend local, state and national meetings. The meetings that the resident is expected to attend are the Westchester County Society of Health - system pharmacist local chapter meetings (WCSHP), ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and Eastern States Residency Conference.
Preceptors
Lisa Simmons, BS Pharm, RPh, MBA
Assistant Vice President, Regional Pharmacy Services
WMC Health
Pharmacy Education: Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy (Brooklyn, NY)
Postgraduate Training:
PGY1: The Mount Sinai Hospital (New York, NY)
Paul Green, PharmD, MHA, DPLA, BCPS
Director of Pharmacy
Westchester Medical Center/Valhalla Campus
Pharmacy Education: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Pharmacy (Erie, PA)
Master of Health Administration: Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (Baton Rouge, LA)
Postgraduate Training:
PGY1: UPMC Hamot (Erie, PA)
Caitlin Aberle, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Assistant Director, Clinical Pharmacy Services
Pharmacy Education: Northeastern University (Boston, MA)
Postgraduate Training:
PGY1: Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center (Houston, TX)
PGY2 Critical Care: Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center (Houston, TX)
Anthony Maddalena, PharmD, RPh
Assistant Director, Pharmacy Operations
Pharmacy Education: St. John’s University (Queens, NY), University of Colorado (Aurora, CO)
Darko Todorov, PharmD, BCPS
Program Director, PGY1 Pharmacy Residency
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Internal Medicine
Pharmacy Education: The University of Toledo (Toledo, OH)
Postgraduate Training:
PGY1: UC Health – University Hospital (Cincinnati, OH)
PGY2 Internal Medicine: Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center (Brooklyn, NY)
Jason Abraham, PharmD, BCACP, BCPS
Senior Clinical Analyst, Pharmacy Informatics
Pharmacy Education: St. John’s University (Queens, NY)
Postgraduate Training:
PGY1: Martinsburg VA Medical Center (Martinsburg, WV)
Colleen Bond, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Emergency Medicine/Neurosciences
Pharmacy Education: Northeastern University (Boston, MA)
Postgraduate Training:
PGY1: NYU Langone Medical Center (New York, NY)
PGY2 Emergency Medicine: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (New Brunswick, NJ)
Olivia Dumont, PharmD, BCPPS
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Pediatrics/Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplant
Pharmacy Education: University of Connecticut (Storrs, CT)
Postgraduate Training:
PGY1: The Mount Sinai Hospital (New York, NY)
PGY2 Pediatrics: Cohen Children’s Medical Center (Queens, NY)
Nicholas Feola, PharmD, BCIDP
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Infectious Diseases/Antimicrobial Stewardship
Pharmacy Education: Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (Boston, MA)
Postgraduate Training:
PGY1: Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Columbus, OH)
PGY2 Infectious Diseases: Boston Medical Center (Boston, MA)
Alina Forin, PharmD, BCPPS
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Pediatric Critical Care
Pharmacy Education: Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy (Brooklyn, NY)
Victor Fiorillo, PharmD, RPh, GCPM
Network Director of Pharmacy Automation and Informatics
WMC Health
Pharmacy Education: University of Florida (Gainesville, FL)
Gabrielle Hodson, PharmD, BCPPS
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Neonatology/Pediatrics
Pharmacy Education: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC)
Postgraduate Training:
PGY1: Virginia Commonwealth University/Medical College of Virginia Hospitals (Richmond, Virginia)
Matthew Li, PharmD, MHA, BCPS, BCCCP
Coordinator, PGY1 Pharmacy Residency
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Trauma, Surgical, Burn ICU
Pharmacy Education: St. John’s University (Queens, NY)
Master of Health Administration: University of Central Florida (Orlando, FL)
Postgraduate Training:
PGY1: James J. Peters VA Medical Center (Bronx, NY)
PGY2 Critical Care: University of Maryland Medical Center (Baltimore, MD)
Adeola M. Okoduwa, PharmD, BCPS
Medication Safety Officer
Pharmacy Education: Hampton University School of Pharmacy (Hampton, VA)
Postgraduate Training:
PGY1: Montefiore Medical Center (Bronx, NY)
Maria Riccardi, BS Pharm, RPh
Pharmacy Manager – Investigational Pharmacy
Pharmacy Education: State University of New York at Buffalo (Buffalo, NY)
Myroslava Sharabun, PharmD, BCEMP, BCPS, BCCCP
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Emergency Medicine
Pharmacy Education: University of Connecticut (Storrs, CT)
Postgraduate Training:
PGY1: The Mount Sinai Hospital (New York, NY)
PGY2 Emergency Medicine: SBH Health System/Touro College of Pharmacy (Bronx, NY)
Nadine Sarkissian, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Solid Organ Transplant
Pharmacy Education: University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)
Rick Sweeney, PharmD, BCOP
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Adult Hematology, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation
Pharmacy Education: Albany College of Pharmacy (Albany NY), Shenandoah University (Winchester, VA)
Leslie Yee, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Infectious Diseases
Pharmacy Education: Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy (Brooklyn, NY)
Postgraduate Training:
PGY1: James J. Peters VA Medical Center (Bronx, NY)
PGY2 Infectious Diseases: James J. Peters VA Medical Center (Bronx, NY)
Residents
Jessica Lewis, PharmD
PGY1 Pharmacy Resident
Jessica.Lewis@wmchealth.org
Hobbies: Skiing, dancing, reading
Education: Doctor of Pharmacy from The University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Professional interests: Infectious Diseases, Oncology, Critical Care
Michael O’Shea, PharmD
PGY1 Pharmacy Resident
Michael.O’Shea@wmchealth.org
Hobbies: Going to the gym, playing video games, cooking
Education: Doctor of Pharmacy from Binghamton University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Professional Interests: Transplant, Oncology, Industry
How to Apply
Total available positions: Two (2)
Application Requirements
- Candidates must be a graduate, or graduate candidate, of an ACPE accredited College of Pharmacy
- Candidates must be eligible for New York State (NYS) licensure and employment in NYS
- Participate in the ASHP Residency Match Program. National Matching Service Code: 305413.
- Eligible candidates must submit the following documents via PhORCAS for consideration by January 7, 2024:
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- Letter of intent
- Official college transcripts
- Three (3) letters of recommendations from current or previous employers, preceptors or faculty members
Interview
- To ensure a uniform interview process that is equitable for all applications, all interviews will be held virtually
- All candidates will be required to participate in a knowledge-based assessment
Contact Us
WMCPharmacyResidency@WMCHealth.org
Compensation and Benefits
Residents will receive a competitive salary, medical and dental insurance, paid sick leave, paid vacation, paid conference days and travel support to local, state and national meetings.