PGY1 Pharmacy / PGY2 Health System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership with Masters (ASHP-accredited)
Residency Purpose Statement
PGY1 pharmacy residency programs build upon Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) education and outcomes to develop pharmacist practitioners with the knowledge, skills, and abilities defined in the educational competency areas, goals, and objectives. PGY1 residents gain experience in diverse patient care, practice management, leadership, and education, and are prepared to provide direct patient care, pursue board certification in pharmacotherapy (e.g., BCPS), and advance to specialized training opportunities, including postgraduate year two (PGY2) residency programs.
PGY2 pharmacy residency programs build upon Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) education and PGY1 residency training to develop clinical pharmacists with advanced knowledge, skills, and abilities in specialized areas of practice. PGY2 residents gain experience functioning independently in advanced practice settings by integrating accumulated knowledge and experience into patient care, leadership, and other specialized roles, and are prepared to provide advanced practice services, pursue board certification when available, and assume specialized clinical, academic, administrative, or leadership positions.
Background
Vanderbilt University Hospital offers an ASHP-accredited combined PGY1 Pharmacy / PGY2 Health System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership (HSPAL) with Masters residency program. The program provides comprehensive training through diverse experiences in pharmacy practice and health system pharmacy administration. Its purpose is to develop new practitioners through a PGY1 pharmacy practice residency that builds a strong generalist foundation, followed by a specialized PGY2 HSPAL experience designed to cultivate the administrative, leadership, and management skills necessary for successful practice within complex health systems.
Program Overview
Graduates will be prepared to assume leadership roles across a variety of health system pharmacy administration and leadership settings. Through the program, residents will develop expertise in health system pharmacy operations and gain proficiency in applying business principles, strategic planning processes, and data analytics to address the continuous evolution of today’s healthcare environment. Residents will also gain experience in personnel management, complex financial and operational decision-making, and effective leadership within fast-paced healthcare settings. Upon completion of the program, graduates will possess the skills and experience necessary to lead innovative practice advancements and drive sustainable practice change across health systems.
Masters Training
At Vanderbilt we see value in master-level training in health system business functions for Health System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership (HSPAL) residents. The residency program is in partnership with a top-rated Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences (MSPS) program at UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy.
This MSPS with a specialization in HSPAL is a 2 year, fully online graduate program designed to complement HSPAL residency training. The program provides a structured and integrated curriculum focused on health system pharmacy management, evaluation of research, operations, and finances.
Classes begin in the Fall of the PGY1 year and are delivered through an interactive, discussion-based format, giving residents the opportunity to collaborate and exchange perspective with HSPAL residents from the other partner health systems across the country. For more information, please visit: https://pharmacy.unc.edu/education/masters/ms-in-health-system-pharmacy…
Rotations
All rotations are one month in duration. A dedicated one-month orientation block is completed during PGY1 year, while PGY2 orientation is individualized and scheduled in collaboration with the resident and program leadership. The residency rotation schedule is designed with flexibility to accommodate each resident’s professional interests and career goals. For the most up to date PGY1 rotation availability, please visit Vanderbilt’s PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program.
| PGY1 | PGY2 |
| Core Rotations (4 months) | Core Rotations (6 months) |
| Pharmacy Orientation | Business Operations |
| Administration (2 months) | Health-System Administration |
| Internal Medicine | Inpatient Pharmacy Operations |
| Selective Rotations (2 months)* | Medication Safety |
| Cardiology Critical Care | Compliance Administration |
| Medical ICU | Medication Policy & Formulary Management |
| ICU Nutrition Support | Elective Rotations (5 months) |
| Neuro ICU | Ambulatory Operations |
| Trauma ICU | Frontline Clinical Leadership |
| Surgical ICU | Informatics Administration |
| Pulmonary ICU | Population Health |
| Emergency Medicine | Procurement and Enterprise Operations Support |
| Elective Rotations (5 months)* | Specialty Pharmacy Operations |
| Medical Progressive Care Unit (MPCU) | Automation and Technology |
| Burn ICU | Pediatric Pharmacy Administration |
| General Pediatrics | |
| Geriatrics | |
| Lung Transplant | |
| HIV Ambulatory Care | |
| Infectious Diseases 1 | |
| Infectious Disease - Rogers ID | |
| Informatics | |
| Kidney/Pancreas Transplant | |
| Liver Transplant | |
| Malignant Hematology | |
| Mechanical Cardiac Support | |
| Medical Oncology | |
| Medical Outpatient Oncology - GI Clinic | |
| Medical Outpatient Oncology - Thoracic Clinic | |
| Neurology Outpatient Clinic | |
| Neonatal ICU | |
| Cardiology | |
| Pediatric ICU | |
| Pulmonary Medicine | |
| Stem Cell Transplant & Cellular Therapy | |
| Stroke/Neurology | |
| Vanderbilt Interdisciplinary Care Program (VICP) | |
| *two-thirds of the rotations in the PGY1 year must be in direct patient care |
Longitudinal Experiences
Across both the PGY1 and PGY2 years, residents will participate in and lead multiple longitudinal experiences. Specifically, the resident will complete hospital pharmacy practice staffing on weeknights (PGY1 only), weekends, and selected holidays during the PGY1 and PGY2 years. During the PGY2 year, the resident will complete a guided administrative hospital pharmacy practice staffing experience functioning as the pharmacist leader on duty. Additionally, residents are expected to participate in development and delivery of staff and student education efforts, as well as conduct two longitudinal research projects suitable for presentation/publication.
| PGY1 | PGY2 |
| Hospital Pharmacy Practice Staffing | Hospital Pharmacy Practice Staffing |
| Journal Club (x2) | Quality Improvement Project |
| Case Conference (x2) | Therapeutic Exchange (TE) |
| Therapeutic Exchange (TE) | Medication Use Evaluation (MUE) |
| Medication Use Evaluation (MUE) | Research Project |
| Research Project | Longitudinal Leadership Experience (Frontline Supervisor) |
| Coordination of InPharmation | Longitudinal Finance Experience (ASHP Pharmacy Revenue Cycle Management Certificate) |
| Code Response | Masters Training (if applicable) |
| Drug Monograph | Teaching Certificate (optional) |
| PGY1 Pharmacy Leadership Position | Subcommittee of the Pharmacy, Therapeutics, and Diagnostics Committee |
| Masters Training (if applicable) | Presentation of Research Project at the Regional Residency Conference |
| Presentation of Research Project at the Regional Residency Conference | Presentation of MUE Project at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition |
| Presentation of MUE Project at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition |
Additional Information
HR Benefits Vanderbilt Community Nashville!
Application Information
Number of positions: One
Estimated residency start date: June 14, 2027
Paid Time Off (PTO) including holidays: 16 days
Estimated stipend: $60,000
Application Requirements
Doctor of Pharmacy degree, licensure in Tennessee, CV,
letter of intent, 3 letters of recommendation, transcript for
pharmacy coursework evidencing a GPA of 3.25 or greater.
The HSPAL program also requires the completion of a supplemental essay question:
"In 250 words or less, please describe your most impactful leadership experience
and a lesson you learned from that experience."
Application to the Master's Program to be completed following the match.
Submit application in PhORCAS application portal by January 2 deadline.
Contact Information
Deidra Dickerson, PharmD, MMHC, BCSCP, ACC
Senior Director of Pharmacy Operations
Vanderbilt University Hospital
Department of Pharmaceutical Services
1211 Medical Center Drive, B131 VUH
Nashville, TN 37232-7610
Telephone: (615) 322-6003
Institutional Information
Private non-profit hospital/clinic | Teaching/tertiary model | Licensed beds 2193
Pharmacy sites 15 | Pharmacy FTEs 1100