Post Graduate Year One Residency (PGY1) Residency in Pediatrics

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.

About the Residency Program

The PGY1 pharmacy residency program at Texas Children’s Hospital has been in place since 2014. The PGY1 pharmacy residency program is a 12-month, ASHP accredited program focused on direct patient care, practice management, and education. The program is designed to meet the pre-defined program goals and objectives and is tailored based on the resident’s interests and past experience. This training program allows residents to gain experience to become authoritative resources in the application, use, research, and optimization of medications in pharmacotherapy, and prepares them for further specialized training in the care of pediatric patients. Additionally, residents’ experiences will allow them to develop skills in the education of learners, healthcare providers, and patients. The program begins the first Monday of July.

Program Director

Mindl Messinger, PharmD, BCPPS
mmmessin@texaschildrens.org

Rotations

Acute Care (4): One must be general medicine or progressive care unit; one must be transplant

  • General Medicine
  • Progressive Care Unit
  • Neurology
  • Pulmonary
  • Oncology
  • Stem-Cell Transplant (Oncology must be taken prior to this rotation)
  • Heart Failure/Heart Transplant
  • Liver Transplant 
  • Lung Transplant
  • Renal/Renal Transplant

Administration (1) 

  • Administration

Critical Care (2)

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

Ambulatory Care (1 – 6 month longitudinal)

  • Cystic Fibrosis (CF) / Pulmonary
  • Heart Transplant
  • Renal/Renal Transplant 
  • Lung Transplant
  • Epilepsy/Neurology
  • Oncology 
  • Rheumatology

Electives

  • Clinical Administration & Outcomes
  • Antimicrobial Stewardship
  • Cardiology
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Hematology
  • Gastrointestinal
  • Information Technology
  • Pain Management 
  • Pulmonary Hypertension 
  • Women’s Services

Projects and Presentation Requirements

Clinical Research Project

Work with a preceptor on an interdisciplinary research project with the goal of publication by the end of your residency year

  • Present a poster at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting
  • Present research results at the Pediatric Pharmacy Advocacy Group (PPAG) Annual Meeting  
  • Submit a formal manuscript for publication

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 project departments that are involved in the project
  • Resident will have the opportunity to work with many areas of hospital practice

Presentations

  • At minimum, one journal club
  • One ACPE accredited continuing education presentation
  • Two 30-minute presentations to pharmacy department

Medication and Formulary Management

  • Residents provide support to the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee through serving as editor for one edition of the quarterly Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee Newsletter
  • Conduct a medication use evaluation, formulary edition, or a non-formulary review

Staffing Responsibilities

  • The resident staffing responsibilities include:
    • Two 10-hour shifts every other weekend in the following areas:
      • Medication Preparation and Safety Pharmacist (Distributive and technician supervision functions)
      • Medication Use and Safety Pharmacist (Clinical pharmacist responsibilities in the Order Verification Center)

Clinical-On-Call

  • At home clinical-on-call program
  • Resident will carry clinical-on-call pager 7 days at a time
  • Resident will contact on-call preceptor with all clinical questions

Teaching Opportunities

  • Aid in precepting students in the spring
  • Residents will also have the opportunity to complete a teaching certificate offered through the University of Houston College of Pharmacy

Salary and Benefits

  • Stipend: $52,000
  • Insurance (medical, dental, vision, life)
  • 10 vacation days per year
  • Travel allowances for up to two professional meetings

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