Pharmacy PGY2 Critical Care Residency

• Start Date – early July
• Annual Salary – $65,000
  
• Benefits – 160 hours of leave for personal time and conference attendance, 100 hours of sick leave, medical insurance, on-line library, medical graphics department, information technology support, office with dedicated computer and references
• Funded meetings – ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and typically either the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) Annual Congress or the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) Nutrition Science and Practice Conference
• Numerous dedicated preceptors certified by Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) and with organizational involvement / leadership experience
• Diverse critical care learning opportunities with two months of tailored elective time
• BLS, ACLS, and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification with Code Blue coverage
• Major research / QI project – platform presentation at the Texas Medical Center (TMC) Critical Care Pharmacy Resident Research Forum
• Professional writing – one manuscript with potential submission to a peer-reviewed journal (major research / QI project); Professional peer-review as opportunities arise
• Professional presentations – ICU Medical Resident Noon Conference (minimum of one); Critical Care Journal Club (minimum of two); Critical Care Case Conference (minimum of two); ACPE-accredited Pharmacy Grand Rounds (one)
• Precepting / mentoring opportunities – University of Houston and University of Texas Colleges of Pharmacy student clerkship precepting, institutional Pharm.D. Shared Student Instruction
• Didactic lecture opportunities – University of Houston College of Pharmacy
• Local, state, and national organizational involvement opportunities
• Teaching and Scholarship in Academia Program offered through the University of Houston College of Pharmacy
• Weekend coverage – 13 to 15 weekends / year (clinical and operational requirements)
• Multiple co-residents from other ASHP-accredited PGY1 and PGY2 residency programs

Learning Experiences

Required Experiences
Resident experiences are scheduled on a one to two month basis or in a longitudinal format. In general, experiences start on the first Monday of the month. The resident is required to successfully complete all required PGY2 Critical Care pharmacy residency learning experiences, including:

• Orientation (1 month)
• Medical ICU (consecutive two-month block)
• Surgical ICU (two, one-month blocks)
• ICU Triage (one month)
• Infectious diseases consult service (one month)
• Emergency Medicine (one month)
• Nutrition Support 1 (one month)
• Longitudinal Research / QI Project
• Longitudinal ACLS / Code Blue Coverage
• Longitudinal Professional Pharmacy Practice

Elective Experiences
The resident is required to successfully complete two, 1 month elective experiences. Elective experiences may include additional exposure to any of the above learning experiences, other on-site experiences (i.e., Nutrition Support 2 or Pharmacy Education), off-site experiences within the TMC, or another unique practice related to critical care agreed upon by the resident and RPD provided a suitable preceptor is available. Resident interest in a specific elective experience should be discussed with the RPD at least six months in advance in order to help ensure availability. Off-site experiences cannot always be guaranteed.

Off-site elective opportunities available within the TMC include, but are not limited to:

• Pediatric ICU
• Neurologic ICU
• Shock / Trauma ICU
• Cardiovascular ICU

In addition, on-site longitudinal elective experiences are available for the resident. Opportunities include Home Parenteral Nutrition and Professional Writing. Specifics regarding each experience, including the anticipated time commitment, can be provided by the RPD or residency program coordinator (RPC).       

Learning descriptions are available for each of the required training experiences and on-site elective experiences. These learning descriptions are housed in PharmAcademic^TM. Learning descriptions for selected off-site elective learning experiences are acquired from the institution offering the experience and provided to the resident. It is expected that the resident successfully accomplishes all expectations of each training experience as indicated in the respective learning description. Resident performance in each learning experience will be evaluated and housed in PharmAcademic^TM. The decision of whether or not the resident has performed sufficiently in each learning experience is at the discretion of the preceptor. If insufficient performance is noted, the RPD will review all information and coordinate a meeting with the preceptor and resident. Insufficient performance may prolong completion of the residency program.

Longitudinal Research / Quality Improvement Project
The resident is required to successfully conduct one research or QI project. The research / QI project is an ASHP requirement and must be completed for successful completion of the residency program. At the beginning of the residency year, the resident will be provided a list of project ideas to choose from or may develop an alternative idea(s) upon RPD approval. A research / QI project preceptor(s) will be identified to guide the resident through this experience and help ensure completion. In September, prior to Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Quality Improvement Assessment Board (QIAB) submission, the resident will present the project proposal to the PGY2 Critical Care preceptor staff for suggestions and pertinent comments. The resident will also be required to present their research / QI project and findings in platform format at the TMC Critical Care Pharmacy Resident Research Forum, an MD Anderson Cancer Center Frontiers in Critical Care Multidisciplinary Research Session, and an MD Anderson Cancer Center Division of Pharmacy Quality and Research Celebration. Documentation of the research / QI project must include a final project report in manuscript format of publication quality. Successful development of a manuscript that meets publication quality will be at the discretion of the research / QI project preceptor(s) and RPD. 

Longitudinal Advanced Cardiac Life Support / Code Blue Coverage
The resident is required to provide code blue coverage for the institution during selected months from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Code blue coverage will not be scheduled during off-site elective months (if applicable), the resident’s project month, and on weekends and institutional holidays. The resident is required to obtain ACLS certification by August 31 and PALS certification by October 31 (even in the presence of existing active certification upon residency initiation, the resident will be required to undergo recertification by the above dates). MD Anderson provides ACLS and PALS training on site via the Simulation Center. 

Longitudinal Professional Pharmacy Practice
The resident is required to participate in several activities throughout the residency year to develop a professional pharmacy practice. These activities include but are not limited to: completing a medication use evaluation; conducting a critical care-related practice project; participating in patient safety initiatives and medication event reporting; and covering the Formulary Management On-Call service. A brief description of each of these activities is provided below. 

Medication Use Evaluation (MUE)
The resident is required to participate in a MUE related to the care of critically ill patients. In conjunction with the PGY2 Critical Care pharmacy residency preceptors and the Pharmacy Medication Management team, the resident will identify an appropriate MUE, systematically gather and analyze pertinent data, and work with stakeholders to implement necessary changes to clinical practice, as applicable. The resident will also present the findings and recommendations from the MUE to an applicable institutional (e.g., P&T committee), Division of Pharmacy, and / or ICU committee. The MUE may be incorporated as a component of the resident’s research / QI project, if the opportunity arises.

Critical Care-Related Practice Project
The resident is required to prepare or revise a drug class review, monograph, treatment guideline, protocol / order-set, or proposal for medication-safety technology improvements related to the care of critically ill patients. In conjunction with the PGY2 Critical Care pharmacy residency preceptors and the Pharmacy Medication Management team, the resident will identify, develop, and implement the critical care practice-related project. The resident will also present the findings and recommendations from the critical care practice-related project to an applicable institutional (e.g., P&T committee), Division of Pharmacy, and / or ICU committee.

Patient Safety Initiatives / Medication Event Reporting
The resident is expected to complete Patient Safety Intelligence reports when medication events are encountered in clinical practice. In addition, the resident will serve as a member of the ICU Quality and Safety Committee or Clinical Medication Safety Committee (or other applicable committee), participating in the multidisciplinary review / discussion of safety intelligence reports that occur within the institution and/or ICU. In conjunction with the PGY2 Critical Care pharmacy residency preceptors and other staff as applicable (e.g., Medication Safety clinical pharmacy specialists), the resident will identify opportunities for improvement of the medication-use system related to the care of critically ill patients.

Formulary Management On-Call Service
The resident will become familiar with the institution’s Formulary Management System through participation in the Formulary Management On-Call service for a minimum of five weekends throughout the residency year. The resident will respond to all requests for medications designated “Formulary Restricted with Approval” or “Non-Formulary” between the hours of Friday 5 p.m. and Monday 8 a.m. During these weekends, a Drug Information Clinical Pharmacy Specialist will be available for support and guidance, as necessary. Participation in the Formulary Management On-Call service will coincide with weekends the resident is already scheduled to provide clinical pharmacy / parenteral nutrition coverage for the inpatient Nutrition Support team or while staffing in the ICU satellite pharmacy.

Weekend / Holiday Coverage
The resident will work approximately 13 – 15 weekends throughout the year, potentially including one to two institutional recognized holidays. Weekend responsibilities include either clinical pharmacy / parenteral nutrition coverage for the ICUs / inpatient Nutrition Support team or provision of operational pharmacy services staffing in the ICU satellite (each assigned over an ~6 month block of time).

When weekend responsibilities include clinical coverage, the resident will be paired with a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist and the workload will be assigned. The resident is expected to arrive no later than 8:30 a.m.; however, it is the responsibility of the resident to contact the respective preceptor prior to each weekend to determine the appropriate arrival time. When weekend responsibilities involve operational coverage (i.e., staffing of the ICU satellite pharmacy), the resident will work the 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. shift.

The weekend / holiday schedule is made in advance. If a resident needs a particular weekend off that is already scheduled, arrangements should be made with the RPD. All changes to the on-call schedule must be first approved by the RPD. If an unexpected illness or problem arises which prevents the resident from working, the resident must notify the RPD immediately. 

Presentations
The PGY2 Critical Care resident is responsible for completing the following presentations:

• Case conference (minimum of 2)*
• Journal club (minimum of 2)*
• Pharmacy Grand Rounds (1)*
• Operational pharmacy staff presentation (1)*
• Critical Care medical resident noon lecture (minimum of 1)*
• In-service to patient care team (minimum of 1)*
• Shared student instruction (minimum of 2)*
• Research platform presentation (1)*
• Frontiers in Critical Care Multidisciplinary Research Session (1)
• Division of Pharmacy Quality and Research Celebration (1)

Presentations marked with an (*) will be formally evaluated by PGY2 preceptors in attendance through use of an evaluation form and verbal feedback will also be provided. In the event of inadequate performance, the resident may be required to conduct a subsequent presentation.

A description of each presentation is provided below.

Case Conference / Journal Club
Case Conference
The resident is required to present a minimum of two case conferences. The purpose of case conference is to facilitate development of the resident’s clinical thinking skills in the management of critically ill patients through review of a patient case and application of evidence-based medicine. Case conferences should rely heavily on primary literature with emphasis placed on clinical applicability of pertinent clinical trials.

Journal Club
The resident is required to provide a minimum of two journal club presentations. One presentation may entail participation in the SCCM Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology Journal Club: Spotlight on Pharmacy webcast. The purpose of journal club is to expand the resident’s knowledge of current primary literature as well as the ability to critique and analyze clinical trials including statistical analysis.

Case conference and journal club will be generally held on Wednesdays unless otherwise noted on the conference schedule. These conferences will be attended by preceptors of the PGY2 Critical Care pharmacy residency program, PGY2 Critical Care pharmacy resident(s), as well as other trainees (e.g., pharmacy students, PGY1 pharmacy residents) currently completing a critical care or critical care-related experience. Other multidisciplinary personnel are encouraged to attend. The format for such presentations is a round-table discussion, led and facilitated by the resident. The resident will be limited to 45 minutes of presentation time, with the remaining 15 minutes reserved for questions and preceptor feedback. The resident is responsible for constructing a handout and/or PowerPoint slides for the presentation.  Unless specified by the RPD / designee or the resident’s immediate preceptor, the resident may choose to present via handout or through PowerPoint presentation.

Pharmacy Grand Rounds
The resident is required to present a Grand Rounds to the Division of Pharmacy for Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) credit. This is a formal PowerPoint presentation with self-assessment questions for audience interaction. The audience is primarily clinical pharmacists, but Grand Rounds is open to other healthcare professionals. Grand Rounds are usually scheduled between November and June. Available topics for Grand Rounds presentation are identified by a Division of Pharmacy needs assessment. The residents are then provided such topics and allowed to choose. A Grand Rounds preceptor(s) is allocated by the RPD and / or RPC.

Operational Pharmacy Staff Presentation
The resident is required to provide one PowerPoint presentation to the operational pharmacy staff. The goal of this 15 - 20 minute presentation is to provide tailored education to the operational pharmacists who provide distributive pharmacy services in the ICU Satellite pharmacy. Topics will be critical care or critical care-related in origin and are selected based on identified needs of the operational staff at the given time.

Critical Care Medical Resident Noon Lecture
The resident is required to provide a minimum of one PowerPoint presentation to the Critical Care medical residents during ICU noon lecture. Typically, this includes a review of Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics in the Critically Ill or a Pharmacy Review: Practical Approach to the Septic ICU Patient. The resident will be limited to 45 minutes of presentation time, with 15 minutes for discussion and questions. The resident will be expected to provide this presentation during the Surgical ICU, Medical ICU, or ICU Triage learning experiences.

In-Services to Patient Care Team
The resident is required to provide a minimum of one formal (i.e., with handout) in-service to a patient care team. The timing of this in-service will be customized for each resident. The resident will be evaluated by the preceptor of the learning experience during which the in-service is provided.

Shared Student Instruction
The resident is required to participate in the training and mentoring of University of Texas and University of Houston College of Pharmacy students on rotation at MD Anderson Cancer Center via Shared Student Instruction. This consists of leading a roundtable topic discussion with provision of a formal handout and assigned readings to Pharm.D. students on rotation during each student block (minimum 2 times during the residency year). Topics that the Critical Care pharmacy residents have facilitated in the past include infections in the immunocompromised, sepsis, management of catheter-related blood stream infections, and nutrition support.

Research Platform Presentation
The resident will attend the TMC Critical Care Pharmacy Resident Research Forum and give a 15 minute platform PowerPoint presentation describing their research / QI project methodology and results. This presentation will be attended and evaluated by Critical Care Clinical Pharmacy Specialists and other PGY2 Critical Care pharmacy residents throughout the TMC (i.e., Houston Methodist Hospital, Memorial Hermann, Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center). The TMC Critical Care Pharmacy Resident Research Forum is typically held in June.

Frontiers in Critical Care Multidisciplinary Research Session
The resident will present final research / QI project results and conclusions during a Frontiers in Critical Care Multidisciplinary Research Session, organized by the Department of Critical Care Research and Publications Committee. This entails a 15 minute PowerPoint presentation typically scheduled for June or July. All members of the multidisciplinary ICU team are invited to this session.

Division of Pharmacy Quality and Research Celebration
The resident will present the final results / conclusions of their major research / QI project during the Division of Pharmacy Quality and Research Celebration. This entails a 10 minute PowerPoint presentation typically scheduled for May. All employees of the Division of Pharmacy are invited to this presentation.

Experiential Precepting
The resident is required to become a licensed pharmacy preceptor with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy, which entails completion of three hours of preceptor CE. As available, the resident will participate in the bedside / clinical precepting of pharmacy students from the University of Texas and / or University of Houston Colleges of Pharmacy. The extent of precepting responsibilities will depend on the resident’s current point in training and skill set as judged by their learning experience preceptor and RPD. Ideally, the PGY2 Critical Care pharmacy resident will serve as a co-preceptor for one or more students during the first half of residency training, and with adequate performance, undertake responsibilities as a primary student preceptor during the latter half. 

University of Houston Didactic Lecture / Skills Lab
The resident has the opportunity to provide a didactic lecture at the University of Houston College of Pharmacy. This lecture will be provided to second or third year pharmacy students via the Critical Care elective or Therapeutics courses and will entail a discussion of a critical care or critical care-related topic. A preceptor(s) will be assigned by the RPD / RPC to help facilitate development of the lecture as well as provide formal feedback. The resident will also help facilitate the skills lab (if offered) associated with the lecture presented. In skills lab, the resident will work with the students and facilitate their learning through case-based scenarios and direct instruction. Lastly, the resident will participate in examinations by developing test questions for the lecture presented.

Teaching Certificate Program
The University of Houston College of Pharmacy offers a Teaching and Scholarship in Academia Program to all pharmacy residents in the Houston area. The purpose of the program is to provide formal training for residents to gain knowledge and demonstrate effectiveness in the areas of teaching, leadership, and scholarship. The program is required for the PGY2 Critical Care pharmacy resident unless the resident successfully completed a similar program during PGY1 training and has a certificate of completion.

Interactive Learning Discussions
Interactive learning discussions are held throughout the year in order to facilitate resident development outside of direct patient care. Examples of topics that are discussed include: self-evaluation and emotional intelligence, professionalism and credibility, well-being and burnout, precepting and mentorship, preparing for job interviews, technology and pharmacy informatics, organizational involvement, and managing one’s practice. The sessions are led by one or more Clinical Pharmacy Specialists and often include the RPDs, RPCs, resident advisors, and clinical pharmacy managers. The resident is expected to be familiar with assigned readings (as applicable) and actively contribute to each discussion.

Conference / Seminar Attendance
Funding will be provided for the resident to attend the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting, and typically one of the following: SCCM Annual Congress or the ASPEN Nutrition Science and Practice Conference. The resident may also attend other local conferences as designated by the RPD. Travel outside of the United States for conference attendance is handled on a case-by-case basis and may not be approved and / or financially supported.

Preceptors

What is the goal of the residency?
The goal of the PGY2 Critical Care pharmacy residency program is to provide the resident the opportunity to develop skills in preparation for a comprehensive practice as a Critical Care clinical pharmacy specialist. Residents completing the program will be competent and confident in the management of adult critically ill patients.

How is the residency offered?
The residency is a one-year program that is heavily weighted in direct patient care. The program consists of core learning experiences and additional requirements, but also incorporates tailored instruction based on each individual resident’s interest(s) and career goals.

Is the program accredited by ASHP?
Yes, the PGY2 Critical Care pharmacy residency program has been accredited by ASHP since April 2011.

Is participation in the ASHP match program required?
Yes, participation in the ASHP match program is required. Please review the match requirements and process at www.natmatch.com/ashprmp. The official ASHP Match number for the PGY2 Critical Care pharmacy residency program is 584352. For details regarding the residency application process, please refer to the "Application Instructions" section below. The deadline for application submission is January 5.

How many resident positions are available and what are the requirements? 
We accept 1 PGY2 Critical Care pharmacy resident each year. Requirements include a Pharm.D. degree from an accredited school of pharmacy and successful completion of an ASHP-accredited PGY1 Pharmacy residency.

What should I expect at the time of the interview? 
Interviews may be conducted on-site or virtually, depending on extenuating circumstances (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic). In the event of an on-site interview, applicants should be prepared to assume the travel and lodging costs, if needed, as MD Anderson does not have a mechanism to provide compensation for the interview process. The interview entails a full day (8 a.m. – 5 p.m.) of meetings with the RPD, RPC, residency preceptors, Pharmacy administrative staff, the current PGY2 Critical Care pharmacy resident(s), and a tour of the institution (if on-site). A 20-minute PowerPoint presentation (candidate’s choice) to the PGY2 Critical Care pharmacy residency preceptors is required during the interview. Interviews are conducted in the months of January and February.

How and when is the resident selected for the residency? 
Following completion of all residency candidate interviews, the PGY2 Critical Care Pharmacy Residency Advisory Committee convenes to discuss the applicants. Resident ranking for the ASHP Match program is based on multiple factors including: past education and training, letters of support, performance during the interview, and matching interests between that of the applicant and the PGY2 Critical Care pharmacy residency offered at MD Anderson Cancer Center. The RPD will discuss the matching process and notification of resident selection during the interview.

Does the resident need to be licensed in the state of Texas?
The resident must be eligible for licensure (via reciprocity or examination) upon acceptance into the program. It is highly recommended that the resident complete all necessary examinations / processes for licensure prior to starting the program in July. It is mandatory that the resident is licensed by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy within 120 days of residency start date or the resident will be dismissed from the program.

Who is the PGY2 Critical Care Pharmacy Residency Program Director and who are the preceptor faculty?
The director of the PGY2 Critical Care Pharmacy Residency is Brian Dee, Pharm.D., BCCCP, BCNSP, FCCM. In addition to the Division of Pharmacy leadership and RPD, there are numerous BPS certified clinical pharmacy specialists who serve as preceptors for the Critical Care pharmacy residency. This includes clinical specialists in the areas of Critical Care / Nutrition Support, Emergency Medicine, Infectious Diseases, and Drug Information / Drug Use Policy. The preceptor group is dedicated and committed to the continued success of each resident and the program overall.

What are the required residency experiences and how are they offered? 
The required residency experiences are listed below. Most direct patient care experiences are 1 - 2 months in duration.

• Orientation (1 month)
• Medical ICU (consecutive 2 month block)
• Surgical ICU (two, 1-month blocks)
• ICU Triage (1 month)
• Infectious Disease consult service (1 month)
• Emergency Medicine (1 month)
• Nutrition Support 1 (1 month)
• Longitudinal Research / QI Project
• Longitudinal ACLS / Code Blue coverage
• Longitudinal Professional Pharmacy Practice

Two months of elective time are scheduled throughout the year to help tailor the residency to meet each resident’s individual goals as well as potentially provide off-site experiences.

What expectations are placed on the resident? 
The resident is expected to make a commitment to satisfactorily complete all requirements of the residency, as planned in advance and communicated with the resident prior to acceptance into the program. This commitment includes but is not limited to the following: active participation in direct patient care, presentations, precepting and mentoring of pharmacy students, Formulary Management On-Call pager coverage, weekend clinical and operational pharmacy services coverage, attendance at required meetings and programs, and the availability and willingness to participate in any function of the Division of Pharmacy on a 24-hour basis. In regard to the goals and objectives of the PGY2 Critical Care pharmacy residency program, the resident must “achieve for residency” a pre-specified number of objectives in order to successfully complete the program. Progress towards objective achievement is discussed, at a minimum, quarterly with each resident.

What are the service commitments?
In addition to scheduled and elective learning experiences, the resident is required to participate in weekend coverage for the Critical Care and Nutrition Support clinical pharmacy services and ICU satellite operational pharmacy services on a scheduled basis (approximately every three weeks, potentially including 1 – 2 holidays). The resident is also required to carry the code blue pager and provide ACLS for selected months throughout the residency year. The resident will not be removed from clinical rotations in order to provide medication order-entry services, unless it is in reference to disaster management.

What are the presentation requirements of our residents? 
Throughout the year, the resident will provide a minimum of two journal club presentations and two case conferences to the preceptor team. Additionally, the resident will present a Division of Pharmacy Grand Rounds for ACPE continuing education credit. The resident is also expected to present the results of their major research / QI project in platform format at the TMC Critical Care Pharmacy Resident Research Forum, a Frontiers in Critical Care Multidisciplinary Research Session, and a Division of Pharmacy Quality and Research Celebration. The resident will provide a minimum of 1 formal in-service to the multidisciplinary team, 1 formal presentation to non-pharmacist trainees (i.e., medical residents), and 1 formal presentation to operational pharmacy staff. Lastly, per the discretion of the RPD and individual preceptors, the resident may be asked to provide additional presentations.

What are the publication requirements of our residents?
The resident has one required writing project for the year, which entails developing a manuscript documenting the results of their residency research / QI project. The final manuscript must be of publication quality by the end of the residency year in order to successfully complete the residency program. In addition, to help facilitate development of professional writing skills, the resident may peer-review 1 – 2 professional manuscripts in conjunction with preceptors, as opportunities arise. Lastly, the resident may elect to complete a longitudinal Professional Writing learning experience, during which the resident will develop a case report, case series, review article, book chapter, or other professional publication as agreed upon by the RPD.

How is the resident evaluated? 
The PGY2 Critical Care pharmacy residency program at MD Anderson is not based upon a set number of "hours" in each experience area. Rather, it is based upon behavioral plus competency-based goals and objectives. During each monthly learning experience, preceptors will provide the resident with as needed informal feedback as well as a formal summative evaluation in PharmAcademic^TM upon rotation completion according to pre-assigned goals and objectives. Longitudinal learning experiences are evaluated upon conclusion of each residency quarter. Non-patient care activities (e.g., presentations) are directly evaluated at the time of performance. Additionally, the resident will evaluate the preceptor and the learning experience upon completion of each individual experience. Upon completion of the residency program, the resident will be asked to evaluate the residency program overall (i.e., strengths, weaknesses) as well as provide suggestions for improvement via a formal survey.

What support is offered for educational trips and seminars?
Every attempt is made to financially support resident attendance of educational seminars and programs. Priority programs include the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and one of the following: SCCM Annual Congress or the ASPEN Nutrition Science and Practice Conference. Additionally, residents are encouraged to attend local professional meetings (e.g., Texas Chapter of the Society of Critical Care Medicine, Gulf Coast Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and Texas Gulf Coast Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition) as appropriate.

What stipend and benefit program are offered?
The annual stipend is currently $65,000. There is a liberal benefit program that includes comprehensive health insurance. There is no financial support for moving and living expenses, but relocation information is provided that educational trainees find beneficial.

In what other educational programs does the Division of Pharmacy participate? 
The Division of Pharmacy (including our residents) participates in undergraduate and graduate clinical and experiential programs with The University of Houston and University of Texas Colleges of Pharmacy. Preceptor continuing education opportunities are disseminated to the Division of Pharmacy. In addition, clinical research / QI training (e.g., protocol development) as well as ACLS and PALS certification are provided to the residents during their orientation period. The Division of Pharmacy also offers additional residency programs (PGY1 Pharmacy residency, a PGY1 / PGY2 Health-System Pharmacy Administration residency, a PGY2 Infectious Diseases Pharmacy residency, a PGY2 Medication-Use Safety and Policy Pharmacy residency, and a PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy residency), and provides many in-services and continuing education programs to the hospital's professional staff.

What other support is available to the resident during the residency? 
The Division of Pharmacy provides lab coats and scrubs to the residents. Pharmacy residents are provided dedicated office space, books and supplies, as well as individual desk, computer, and iPhone support. MD Anderson has its own medical library and  provides on-line access to the TMC library both from within and outside of the institution. The institution also has its own medical graphics department to assist in the development of professional poster presentations, as well as a biostatistics department to assist with research / QI endeavors.

What living arrangements are available for the resident?
Houston offers a wide variety of housing opportunities, including many apartments and townhouses near the TMC. Many of the surrounding housing opportunities have a regular shuttle service to the hospital or are close to the Houston METRORail into the TMC.

What entertainment and cultural opportunities are available in the Houston area?
Houston offers many opportunities for enjoyment of the arts, entertainment, and recreation. The city offers major league sports, outstanding shopping areas, and several special attractions, including the Johnson Space Center, Moody Gardens, Houston Botanic Garden, Houston Arboretum and Nature Center, the Museum of Natural Science, Cynthia Woods Pavilion, the Toyota Center, NRG Stadium, Minute Maid Park, PNC Stadium, Kemah Boardwalk, The Strand in Galveston, and the beaches of the Texas Gulf Coast.

Application Deadline and Requirements:

• Contact Residency Program Director prior to starting the application process
• ASHP Midyear PPS or telephone interview is required prior to application submission
• Applications must be submitted via the PhORCAS™ system
•  Application(s) must be submitted no later than January 5
• Participation in ASHP Resident Matching Program is required for all Residency Programs
• See the "International Visa Information" tab for more information regarding this

The following application materials must be submitted via the PhORCAS™ online application system by January 5.

• A Statement of Intent (not to exceed one typewritten page) describing your career goals and reasons for pursuing the residency program
• Curriculum Vitae
• Official transcript from Pharmacy College/University indicating the date of graduation and degree earned (originals required via PhORCAS™)
• Reference Form in PhORCAS™ completed by THREE References
  • MDACC requires comments to be made in all sections of the Recommendation Form in addition to the reference ratings section being completed
  • No additional LORs are required

Interview Requirements and Scheduling:

• An interview is required
• All candidates will be notified of their interview status by January 20th 
• Interviews will be conducted in January and February

Upon release of the match results, candidates that match with our institution will need to complete an institution specific application and requirements for appointment via the MD Anderson New Innovations© online application system.  The New Innovations© is a web based database utilized to streamline the application selection and appointment process.  More information about this process will be provided at the time of interviews.

For questions regarding the application process, please contact Brian Dee, Director, PGY2 Critical Care Pharmacy Residency program via email bmdee@mdanderson.org or phone 713-745-3907.

_{MD Anderson does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national and ethnic origin, handicap, or age in administration of its administrative policies, admission policies, and other school administered programs. MD Anderson is a smoke-free environment.}

Due to international visa approval processing timelines and restraints with our onboarding process, we are unable to sponsor or accommodate all visas for foreign pharmacy residency applicants. Please see below regarding specifications of each international visa:

• J-1 or H1-B: MD Anderson does not sponsor for pharmacists or pharmacy residents.
• TN-1 (Canadian and Mexican citizens): MD Anderson may be eligible for sponsorship provided the pharmacy resident meets all requirements. For more information, please contact the Residency Program Director.
• F-1 OPT (PGY1 residency candidates): In addition to MD Anderson not being able to sponsor pharmacy residents, the processing time to obtain F-1 OPT is not congruent with our onboarding/appointment process. Therefore, we are unable to accommodate residents with a F-1 OPT visa.
• F-1 STEM OPT (Current PGY1 residents seeking PGY2 residency): MD Anderson is unable to sponsor or accommodate pharmacy residents at this time.

If you have any questions, please contact the Residency Program Director.