PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy Residency

Texas Children’s Hospital Pharmacy Department promotes the mission of the hospital of providing quality and cost-effective care. The mission of the pharmacy department is to:

  • To excel in the provision of high quality, value-based patient care through safe and innovative medication use in alignment with Texas Children’s mission and values.
  • To advance the profession of pharmacy, foster an environment that values employee contributions, and support development through balance and accountability.
  • To have fun, recognize our accomplishments, and celebrate and share our successes.

 The clinical pharmacy specialists group serve as liaisons and resources to the medical services. Providing proactive patient care through development of pharmacotherapy plan and patient education.  They are also mentors and educators to the pharmacists, residents (pharmacy and medical), nurses and patients.

Purpose Statement

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.

About the Residency Program

The PGY2 pediatric pharmacy residency program at Texas Children’s Hospital was established in 1996. The PGY2 pediatric pharmacy residency program is a 12 month ASHP accredited program focused on direct patient care, practice management, and education of healthcare providers, patients, and caregivers. The program is designed to meet the pre-defined program goals and objectives and is tailored based on the resident interests and past experience. This training program allows residents to gain experience to become authoritative resources in the application, use, research, and optimization of pharmacotherapy in pediatric patients. Additionally, residents will develop practice management skills used to optimize the medication use process in the care of pediatric patients. Resident experiences allow them to develop skills in the education of learners, healthcare providers, and patients. The program begins the first Monday of July.

Program Directors

Dana Cerminara, PharmD, BCPPS
dncermin@texaschildrens.org

Program Coordinator

Megan Moore, PharmD
Mmmoore3@texaschildrens.org

Pharmacy Director - Texas Children's Hospital & Pavilion for Women

Prem C. Oommen, PharmD, MBA, RPh
pcoommen@texaschildrens.org

Available Rotations

Required experiences:

  • One-month rotations:
    • Two Critical CareThree Acute Care
    • One Administration
  • Longitudinal - Ambulatory Care
    • Two six-month clinic experiences

Rotations

Acute Care

  • Cardiology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Heart Failure/Heart Transplant
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant
  • Infectious Disease Consult Team
  • Liver Transplant/Hepatology 
  • Lung Transplant
  • Neurology
  • Oncology 
  • Pediatric Hospital Medicine
  • Pulmonary
  • Renal/Renal Transplant
  • Transitional Care Unit

Critical Care

  • Cardiac Intensive Care 
  • Neonatal Intensive Care
  • Pediatric Intensive Care

Administration

  • Clinical Administration & Outcomes
  • Medication Safety

Ambulatory Care – 6 month longitudinal

  • Cystic Fibrosis (CF) / Pulmonary
  • Heart Transplant
  • Infectious Disease
  • Ketogenic Diet
  • Liver Transplant
  • Lung Transplant
  • Renal/Renal Transplant

Electives

  • Antimicrobial Stewardship Program
  • Critical Care Nephrology
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Informatics
  • Hematology 
  • Pain Management and Opioid Stewardship
  • Pediatrics at The Woodlands
  • Pulmonary Hypertension
  • Public Health (Global HOPE Program)
  • Women’s Services

Projects and Presentation Requirements

Clinical Research Project or Quality Improvement Project

  • Work with a preceptor on an interdisciplinary project with the goal of creating a sustained impact on the quality of patient care at Texas Children’s Hospital
  • Present research results at the Pediatric Pharmacy Advocacy Group (PPA) Annual Meeting  
  • Submit a formal manuscript for publication

Presentations

  • At minimum, three journal clubs
  • One 60-minute pharmacotherapy presentation to the pharmacy department
  • Three 30-minute pharmacotherapy presentations to the pharmacy department

Medication and Formulary Management

  • Residents provide support to the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee through compiling meeting minutes for at least 1 quarter of the year and by serving as editor for one edition of the quarterly Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee Newsletter
  • Conduct a medication use evaluation with poster presentation of results at ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting

Staffing Responsibilities

  • The resident staffing responsibilities include:
    • Two 10-hour shifts every third weekend on Saturday and Sunday – 6 months as a Clinical Staff Pharmacist  and 6 months as a Medication Preparation and Safety Pharmacist

Clinical-On-Call

  • At home clinical-on-call program
  • Resident will carry clinical-on-call pager 7 days at a time

Teaching Opportunities

  • Student precepting during clinical rotations
  • Residents will also have the opportunity to complete a teaching certificate offered through the University of Houston School of Pharmacy

Salary and Benefits

  • Stipend: $57,200
  • Insurance (medical, dental, vision, life)
  • 14 vacation days per year plus one TCH My Day