Pharmacy PGY2 Oncology Residency

• Deadline for application – December 31
• Application materials must be submitted via PhORCAS™
• ASHP Midyear PPS or telephone interview is required prior to application submission
• Onsite interview required (Mondays or Fridays in January or February)
• Start Date: mid-July
• Annual Salary $55,000
• Benefits include 10 days of vacation, 80 hours of sick leave, medical insurance, on-site medical library and medical graphics department, office with your own computer and reference library
• Meetings funded include ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting, Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) Annual Meeting
• Numerous Board Certified Preceptors
• Diverse Oncology learning experiences with tailored instruction for the individual resident based on interest(s) and career goals
• Research project required to be completed with poster presentation at the HOPA Annual Meeting
• Writing project for publication in a peer-reviewed journal
• Professional presentations: Pharmacy Grand Rounds (ACPE), Oncology Forum, nursing inservices, journal club, shared student instruction
• Weekend coverage: approximately 20 weekends per year
• Teaching certificate program

Learning experiences are scheduled as monthly rotations or in a longitudinal format.  Residents are required to meet with the preceptor(s) prior to starting each learning experience to review the goals/objectives and expectations of the learning experience.  The resident’s daily responsibilities will be under the direction of the assigned preceptor. 

Required clinical learning experiences include: 

• Inpatient focused rotations
  • Adult Leukemia
  • Lymphoma/Myeloma
  • Stem Cell Transplant
• Outpatient focused rotations
  • Breast Medical Oncology
  • Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology
  • Genitourinary Oncology
  • Gynecology Oncology
  • Thoracic, Head & Neck Medical Oncology
• Combination of Inpatient and Outpatient rotations
  • Melanoma Medical Oncology
• Electives (2) – pediatrics, palliative care, neuro-oncology, sarcoma, phase I, outpatient stem cell transplant, Outpatient leukemia or lymphoma, infectious diseases, and many others
• While on clinical rotations, residents will participate in direct patient care activities (rounding, clinic, medication education, etc.) and scheduled topic discussions.  Residents will actively work with an assigned preceptor.
• Residents will gain experience with malignant hematology and solid tumor disease states as well as inpatient and outpatient experience during the first half of the residency year.

Other Required Learning Experiences

• Investigational Pharmacy Services
  • Investigational protocol review
  • Development of drug information forms for investigational agents
  • IRB or Clinical Research Committee meeting attendance

• Drug Information
  • The MD Anderson Drug Information Service is designed to provide information to healthcare providers within MD Anderson and its associated facilities and to outside healthcare providers.  This learning experience is completed on a longitudinal basis throughout the residency year.  Orientation to the goals, objectives, and learning experiences is typically completed during orientation.  As a component of the Drug Information experience, residents will each complete a DI project and present the findings to the P&T or other appropriate committee.  Other responsibilities include:  taking minutes for a P&T meeting, contributing articles to the pharmacy e-newsletter, and participation in group discussions throughout the year.  Each resident will also facilitate Journal Club during the year.

• Medication use Process
  • Medication safety project, treatment plan development/validation, etc.
  • In order for the resident to participate in the review or development of medication-related guidelines or protocols, residents will be assigned to complete a medication safety project and a project related to our electronic health record during the residency year.  Projects may vary from development or revision of policies and procedures, institution and/or treatment algorithms, treatment plan development/validation, ISMP initiatives, medication error reporting, etc.

• Longitudinal 
  • Grand rounds presentation, inservices, education to general public, professional development discussions, other miscellaneous activities
  • All PGY2 residents will participate in longitudinal discussions aimed at facilitating professional development in clinical practice.  A variety of preceptors and employees of the Division of Pharmacy will participate in each discussion in order to share different experiences and viewpoints.  Examples of these discussions include: professionalism and credibility, credentialing and drug therapy management, technology and automation, pharmacy budget planning, etc.

Weekend/Holiday Coverage
Residents will provide operations staffing in the Ambulatory Treatment Center (ATC), which will include order entry and verification, as well as chemotherapy preparation.  Residents will be assigned to work approximately 20 weekends throughout the year.  Residents will also provide coverage for the non-formulary on call service.  Residents will be assigned to work either the Thanksgiving or Christmas Holiday (but not both).  In addition, each resident will be assigned 1-2 minor holiday’s throughout the year. 

Research Project
The research project is an ASHP requirement and must be completed prior to completion of the residency program.  The project may be administrative, clinical, or quality improvement in focus.  A minimum of one preceptor will be assigned to each project to help ensure appropriateness and completion. The project should be appropriate for publication and will be presented at the HOPA annual meeting.  Documentation of the research project will include a project description (including background, objectives, methods, and residents responsibilities) and a final project manuscript complete with results, data analysis, and conclusions.

Writing Project
Residents are required to complete a writing project during the residency.  This project is separate from the research project.  The purpose of the writing project is to sharpen writing skills for publication, and learn publication procedures.  The writing project is typically in the form of a review article, expanded case report, or other type of manuscript and should be suitable for publication.  Early in the residency year the resident will identify a topic and preceptor to work with.  The preceptor’s responsibility is to assist the resident in reviewing and revising the manuscript for publication.

Presentations and Teaching Opportunities

• Oncology Forum  
  • Oncology forum is held every Tuesday and is attended by pharmacy residents, clinical staff, staff pharmacists, pharmacy students and other health care professionals/trainees.  It is designed to for residents to facilitate a review and discussion on supportive care topics, chemotherapy agents by class, and cancer disease states.  One resident is assigned to each topic and provides an overview of the topic in a discussion format, including a handout.  Clinical staff help the resident facilitate the discussion.
• Journal Club presentations
• Grand Rounds
  • Each resident is required to present a Grand Rounds to the Division of Pharmacy complete with continuing pharmacy education accreditation (ACPE).  This is a formal presentation complete with slides and handout.  The audience is primarily pharmacists, but it is open to other health professionals.  The resident will select a presentation topic of interest to him/her based on the needs assessment that was conducted per ACPE requirements.  Each resident will work with a minimum of one preceptor.  The preceptor’s responsibility is to serve as a content expert by reviewing and revising presentation content as well as ensuring deadlines are met by the resident. 
• Education program to general public regarding cancer screening & prevention
  • Residents will participate in the development and delivery of programs for the general public that center on health improvement, wellness, and screening for and preventing cancer.   Residents may accomplish this in a variety of ways: the MD Anderson Ambassador program, participation in health fairs, Cancer Survivors Week, provide education at an appropriate venue, etc. Residents will be responsible for identifying appropriate activities and developing education materials and should work together meet the goal/objectives.  Each resident will participate in at least 1 event during the course of the residency year. 
• Nursing/Pharmacy Inservices
  • Residents will gain experience providing education and/or training to health care professionals by providing nursing or pharmacy in-services. Inservices will be assigned to specific clinical rotations.  Inservice topics may be chosen by the resident or assigned by the preceptor and must be a minimum of 30 minutes in duration.  
• Shared Student Instruction
  • All residents will participate in teaching in Shared Student Instruction, which consists of leading an assigned topic discussion with undergraduate students on rotation at MD Anderson during each student block ( a minimum of 3 times/year). 
• University of Houston College of Pharmacy Oncology module
  • Residents may have the opportunity to participate in the oncology module for the University of Houston, College of Pharmacy Therapeutics Course by giving a didactic lecture or facilitating case conferences.  

Teaching Certificate Program
The University of Houston College of Pharmacy offers a teaching certificate program to all pharmacy residents in the Houston area.  The purpose of the program is to provide a formal training program for pharmacy residents to gain knowledge and to demonstrate effectiveness in the areas of teaching, leadership and scholarship.   The program consists of three components: 1) Weekly Seminars 2) Teaching Experience 3) Teaching Portfolio.  This is an elective learning activity (not required).

Conference/Seminar Attendance
Residents will attend the following conferences:  ASHP Midyear Meeting and HOPA (Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association).  Residents may attend other conferences designated by the program director.  

What is the Goal of the Residency?
The goal of the PGY2 Oncology  Pharmacy Residency Program is to provide the resident with a broad-based exposure and experience with malignant hematology, oncology, and stem cell transplant patient populations. The resident will develop his/her clinical skills and be prepared to provide clinical pharmacy services in both the acute and ambulatory care settings.

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 allows for tailored instruction on each individual resident’s interest(s) and career goals. 

Is the Program Accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists?
Yes, the program received a full-cycle (6 year) re-accreditation by the Commission on Credentialing of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists in August 2010. 

Is Participation in the ASHP Match Program Required?
Participation in the ASHP match program is required.  The ASHP Resident Matching Program code for the MD Anderson Oncology Residency Program is 584060. Please review match requirements and process at www.natmatch.com. For details regarding the residency application process, please visit our Pharmacy Division page. The deadline for application submission is December 31.

How Many Resident Positions are Available and what are the Requirements?
We offer 4 Oncology Pharmacy Resident positions each year.  Requirements include a PharmD degree, successful completion of an ASHP-accredited PGY1 Pharmacy Residency, and Texas Pharmacist licensure no later than October 1^st.

What should I expect at the time of the On-Site Interview?
Applicants should be prepared to assume the travel and lodging costs for the interview, as MD Anderson does not have a mechanism to provide compensation for the interview.  We can assist with coordinating airline and/or hotel arrangements and airport transportation if needed.  The interview process entails a full day (approximately 8:00 am-5:00 pm) of meetings with clinical preceptors, administrative staff and the current residents and a tour of the facilities.  During the interview, candidates will also work-up a patient case that is presented to a group of program preceptors. The purpose of the patient case is to evaluate the candidate’s knowledge base, clinical decision making skills, and communication skills. Interviews are conducted on Mondays and Fridays in January and February.

How are residents selected for the residency?
Residents are selected by the Division of Pharmacy based on multiple factors including their past education and training, letters of reference, performance during the onsite interview, and overall match with the Oncology Residency Program at MD Anderson.  The program director will discuss the matching process and notification of resident selection during the on-site interview.

Does the resident need to be licensed in the state of Texas?
The resident must be eligible for pharmacist licensure in the state of Texas (reciprocity or examination) as soon they are accepted 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 by October 1st in order to successfully complete the program.

Who is the PGY2 Oncology Residency Program Director and who are the preceptor faculty?
The director of the PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy Residency is Andrea Landgraf Oholendt, PharmD, BCOP.  The residency coordinator is Alison Gulbis, PharmD, BCOP. In addition the Division of Pharmacy leadership and the program director, there are numerous board certified clinical pharmacy specialists who serve as preceptors for the Oncology Pharmacy Residency.  This includes specialists in each of the oncology disease sites, drug information, medication safety, investigational pharmacy services, infectious diseases, and pharmacy operations.  The preceptor group is dedicated and committed to the continued success of each of our residents and the program overall.

What expectations are placed on the resident?
The resident is expected to make a commitment to satisfactorily complete all requirements of the program, as planned in advance and communicated with the resident upon acceptance into the program.  This commitment includes but is not limited to the following: active participation in direct patient care, presentations, weekend coverage, presentations, research and other projects as assigned, 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.  The resident is required to complete documentation and evaluations for all activities and experiences and objectives accomplished.  The resident must meet the criteria of “achieved” for a pre-specified number goals/objectives on order to successfully complete the program.  

What are the service commitments?
In addition to scheduled and elective rotations, the resident is required to participate in weekend coverage providing pharmacy operations staffing in the Ambulatory Treatment Center (ATC).  Each resident will be scheduled to work approximately every 4 weeks, including 1 major holiday (Thanksgiving or Christmas) and 1-2 minor holidays.  Residents will also participate in non-formulary on call when providing weekend coverage.

What presentations and publications are expected of the resident?
Throughout the year, the resident will provide a minimum of 10 Oncology Forum presentations, 2 journal club presentations, 1 nursing inservice, and 1 program or presentation on cancer screening and prevention to the general public.  Each resident is required to present “Pharmacy Grand Rounds” complete with continuing pharmacy education credit.  Residents will be expected to present their research project results as a poster presentation at the annual HOPA (Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association) meeting.    Additionally, each resident will complete a writing project for publication.

How is the resident evaluated?
The PGY2 Oncology 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 objectives.  During each learning experience, preceptor faculty will provide the resident with weekly informal feedback as well as a formal summative evaluation upon completion of the rotation according to the pre-assigned goals and objectives.  Longitudinal learning experiences are evaluated quarterly.  Additionally, the resident will evaluate his/her preceptor and the learning experience upon completion of each individual experience.  All learning experience evaluation are documented and maintained in PharmAcademic.  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. 

What support is offered for educational trips and seminars?
Every attempt is made to financially support travel for the residents to attend relevant educational seminars and programs.  Priority programs include ASHP Midyear and HOPA (Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association) Annual Meeting. 

In what other educational programs does the Division of Pharmacy participate?
The Division of Pharmacy provides case-based Shared Student Instruction for fourth year pharmacy students completing rotations at MD Anderson (approximately 3 times/year). Didactic lecture opportunities and a teaching certificate program (elective) are available through the University Of Houston College Of Pharmacy. The Division of Pharmacy provides in-service and continuing education programs to the hospital's professional staff.  The Division of Pharmacy also offers additional residency programs, PGY1 Pharmacy Residency, PGY2 Critical Care Pharmacy Residency, and PGY1/PGY2 Health System Pharmacy Administration Residency).

What stipend and benefit program is offered?
The annual stipend is $55,000.  The benefit program includes 10 days of vacation, 80 hours of sick leave, and comprehensive health insurance.  There is no financial support for moving and living expenses, but relocation information is provided that educational trainees find very beneficial.

What other support is available to the residents during the residency?
The Division of Pharmacy provides lab coats and scrubs to the residents.  An office dedicated for pharmacy residents is provided with books and supplies as well as individual desk, computer, and iPhone support.  MD Anderson has its own medical library and also provides on-line access to the Texas Medical Center 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 endeavors.

What living arrangements are available for the resident?
Houston offers a wide variety of housing opportunities, including many apartments and townhouses near the Texas Medical Center.  Many of the surrounding housing opportunities offer a regular shuttle service to the hospital or are close to the light rail system that goes through the Texas Medical Center

What entertainment and cultural opportunities are available in the Houston area?
Houston offers opportunities for enjoyment of the arts, entertainment, sports and recreation. The city offers major league sports, outstanding shopping areas and several special attractions, including the Johnson Space Center, Moody Gardens, the Museum of Natural Science, Cynthia Mitchell Woods Pavilion, the Toyota Center, NRG Stadium, Minute Maid Park, BBVA Compass 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 December 31.
•  Participation in ASHP Resident Matching Program is required for all Residency Programs
• No temporary United States visa sponsorship
  • Immigration visa sponsorship for this program is NOT offered by MD Anderson.  Individuals admitted to this program will be required to demonstrate a valid immigration status prior to the PGY2 residency appointment and it must be for the full period of the PGY2 residency program.

The following application materials must be submitted via the PhORCAS™ online application system by December 31

• 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 date of graduation and degree earned (originals required via PhORCAS™)
• Reference Form in PhORCAS™ completed by THREE References

In addition to the Reference Form in PhORCAS™, MD Anderson also requires that your THREE References each submit a Formal Letter of Reference

• Directions for Letters of Reference
  • All letters must be on institutional letterhead and must be dated AND contain an original signature.
  • Completed letters can be submitted as follows:

1.  Preferred Method: scan and email the letter (PDF document) directly to PGY2-OncologyResidency@mdanderson.org

2.  Fax the letter to 713-792-5256 – attention Andrea Landgraf

• The PhORCAS™ “Standardized Reference Form” does not meet our institution/program requirements and cannot be accepted in lieu of reference letters.

On-site Interview Requirements and Scheduling:

• An on-site interview is required.
• All candidates will be notified of their interview status by January 15
• Interviews will be conducted in January and February, after receipt of all application materials.

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 DISCOVER™ online application system.  The DISCOVER System™ 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 onsite interviews.

For questions regarding the application process, please contact Andrea Landgraf Oholendt, Director PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy Residency program via email PGY2-OncologyResidency@mdanderson.org or phone (713) 792-4552.

Download the Application Instructions in PDF format

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