​​​​​

PGY1 Pharmacy Residency

Our program trains pharmacists to be independent, well rounded clinicians with the ability to work collaboratively to maximize positive clinical outcomes in a diverse patient population.

The Baylor Scott & White Health PGY1 Pharmacy Residency is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).

Our program is based on the Residency Learning System (RLS) developed by ASHP and managed by the Residency Advisory Committee (RAC). The RAC closely follows residents' progress through the training program and provides direction when necessary.

We accept four residents each year.

Curriculum

Our pharmacy department offers you an ideal learning environment as a pharmacy resident. You have the flexibility to tailor your residency experience to your specific interests. Your clinical experiences will offer myriad opportunities to pursue your professional goals while you prepare to become an independent clinician, pursue a PGY2 or fellowship in a specialized area, or serve as a preceptor for pharmacy students.

Our decentralized services are provided by service line teams, which include clinical pharmacists, clinical specialists, and technicians in the areas of critical care, internal medicine/surgery, solid organ transplant, women's and children's health, oncology and cardiology. The staff in these areas are directly engaged in providing pharmaceutical care to our patients and serve as an immediate resource for the medical and nursing staffs concerning drug information and drug therapy review.

Additional services provided by the department include a pharmacokinetic consult service, drug therapy management, formulary management, therapeutic substitution, patient education, drug information and protocol development.

Schedules are based on resident preference, elective choices, career goals and preceptor availability. The initial schedule is set during orientation and evaluated quarterly based on the resident's customized plan. The program complies with the ASHP Accreditation Standards for PGY1 Pharmacy Residencies and the ASHP duty-hour requirements.

Each resident can select an advisor who guides and mentors the resident throughout the year.

Residents are required to work every other weekend. In addition, residents are required to work one major and one minor holiday. During this time, the residents will become proficient in our hybrid clinical staffing model.

Required Areas of Training

Our four- to five-week rotations include:

  • Hospital pharmacy orientation
  • Medicine 1
  • Medicine 2
  • Transition of care
  • Administration
  • Critical care
  • Infectious diseases

Electives

Elective rotations are tailored to each individual resident's needs and desires. Our four-week elective opportunities may include:

  • Antimicrobial stewardship
  • Bone marrow transplant
  • Cardiovascular/surgical/trauma ICU
  • Emergency medicine
  • Transplant (abdominal/thoracic)
  • Hematology/Oncology
  • Investigational drug services
  • Neonatal ICU
  • Oncology
  • Cardiology
  • Solid organ transplant

Longitudinal Experiences

Residents are exposed to these longitudinal experiences throughout the duration of the residency:

  • Code blue
  • Drug information
  • Teaching certificate
  • Research
  • Seminar
  • Staffing

Code Blue

The PGY1 residents rotate in one-week cycles, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Residents are accompanied by the primary preceptor and PGY2 in critical care during all code situations. Residents' primary responsibilities include preparing crash cart medications and overall assistance throughout the code.

Drug Information

The PGY1 residents rotate in one-week cycles through this 24/7 service. Residents respond to drug information inquirers from the pharmacy staff and evaluate non-formulary requests from management. No overnight staffing is required.

Teaching Certification

Teaching certification is offered in conjunction with the University of North Texas College of Pharmacy. Residents also have the opportunity to precept students during their rotations.  A formal seminar is given to system pharmacists.

Our residents attend ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and Texas Society of Health-System Pharmacists (TSHP) Annual Seminar to present their research.

Our department provides support services for clinical research involving investigational drugs. Our pharmacists, in conjunction with the Institutional Review Board, help to assure that policies and procedures for the safe use of these drugs are established and followed.

Major areas of research include:

  • Anticoagulation
  • Antimicrobal Stewardship
  • Critical Care
  • Oncology
  • Pain Management
  • Solid Organ Transplantation

Posters:

  • Patel H, Parker CR, Hernandez O, Schwartz G, Meyer D, Tecson KM, Roden-Foreman J, Vaughan N. Comparison of the adjunctive use of ketamine versus standard of care in sedation and analgesic management in patients receiving venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO). Accepted abstract and poster presentation. ELSO Conference September, 14 2019, Austin, TX.
  • John R, Colley P, Nguyen H, Berhe M. Outcomes Analysis in Patients with Extended Spectrum Beta-lactamase (ESBL) Bacteremia Empirically Treated with Piperacillin/tazobactam versus Carbapenems. Accepted abstract and poster presentation. IDWeek October 6, 2018, San Francisco, CA. https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofy210.2095
  • Bast C, Colley P, Roth J, Nguyen H, Naftalis R, Berhe M. Incidence of Infection in Patients Receiving Short versus Long Duration of Antimicrobial Prophylaxis in Neurosurgery. Accepted abstract and poster presentation. IDWeek October 6, 2018, San Francisco, CA. https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofy210.1799
  • Carr A, Berhe M, Colley P; Risk Factors for Candidemia as Compared with Patients with Negative Blood Cultures Placed on Empiric Micafungin, Open Forum Infectious Diseases, Volume 4, Issue suppl_1, 1 October 2017, Pages S79, https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofx163.021

Published Manuscripts

  • John R, Colley P, Nguyen H & Berhe M (2019). Outcomes analysis in patients with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase bacteremia empirically treated with piperacillin/tazobactam versus carbapenems. Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings, 32:2, 187-191, DOI: 10.1080/08998280.2019.1582466
  • Carr A, Colley P, Berhe M, Nguyen H (2018). Evaluating predictors of invasive candidiasis in patients with and without candidemia on micafungin. Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings. 31:1, 30-34, DOI: 10.1080/08998280.2017.1396164

Here is a selection of the benefits we provide. You can find a more complete list in the "Working Here" section at the bottom of this page:

  • Paid Time Off: 15 days
  • Free parking, discounted bus passes available and a DART rail station on campus
  • Professional leave: Residents will be allowed professional leave and travel expenses for attendance at professional seminars and meetings such as the ASHP Clinical Mid-Year Meeting, the Spring Residency Leadership Conference and the Texas Society of Health System Pharmacists Annual Meeting
  • Dedicated office and computer
  • Access to Baylor Health Sciences Library and electronic references

Name: Brandon Boelts, PharmD

Hometown: Ankeny, Iowa

Pharmacy: Drake University

Research: Evaluation of Argatroban Dosing in Suspected HIT-Positive Patients Receiving Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)

Seminar: Challenges and Updates in the Treatment of Human-Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

Name: Peter Nguyen, PharmD

Hometown: Yorba Linda, California

Pharmacy: University of California, San Francisco

Research: Narrow vs Broad Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation: Impact on Surgical Site Infection Rates

Seminar: Evolution of Hepatitis C in Transplant

Name: Yogitha Pazhani, PharmD

Hometown: Aurora, Colorado

Pharmacy: University of Maryland, Baltimore

Research: Impact of Ketamine versus Fentanyl Continuous Infusion on Adjunct Opioid Use in Patients Admitted to a Surgical-Trauma Intensive Care

Seminar: Stop the Clot: Management of Anticoagulation Strategies in Mechanical Circulatory Support Devices

Name: Kevin Reininger, PharmD

Hometown: Flint Hill, Missouri

Pharmacy: University of Minnesota

Research: Evaluation of direct acting oral anticoagulant use in lung transplantation

Seminar: Precision medicine in oncology: concepts and translational applications for the generalist pharmacist

Words from our Residents

Having the opportunity to be a PGY-1 Pharmacy Practice Resident at Baylor University Medical Center has been a truly invaluable experience. The opportunities afforded to me at this institution have not only expanded my clinical knowledge base but have also given me the tools and resources I need to become a professional and confident practitioner. Throughout the year I have been challenged to provide optimal patient care, be an active member of the healthcare team, and develop my independence. The culture of Baylor is centered around inclusivity, which has allowed me as a learner to exponentially improve upon my weakness and further develop my strengths Witnessing my progression through this residency has been very inspiring and it has motivated me to continually develop my skills so that I can be an asset to the department and the profession as a whole. I am grateful for all of the lessons I have learned this year and will continue to carry them forward in my career.

If you had asked me in 2018 where I would be in one year, I would have told you I didn’t think I was going to match with such a prestigious healthcare institution, such as Baylor Scott & White. Nonetheless, like several fortunate others I opened my email to find that I had matched with Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. I was elated, to the brink near tears. What school can’t prepare you for is what I call the “365-day rule.” 365 days is the time allotted to garner the necessary skills to transform yourself into a safe and effective pharmacist clinician that works interdependently with the medical team to maximize positive clinical outcomes. It was amongst the whirlwind of patient care activities and projects that I found myself being transformed into the person I am today, an effective clinician. I can confidently say that Baylor Scott & White Health has instilled both the core values and equipped me with a wide variety of tools aimed at optimizing patient care, and I know that I will take what I have garnered over the past year into the next phase of my training as an aspiring critical care pharmacist

Like any residency-bound fourth-year pharmacy student, I had my list of what I was looking for in a residency program: a high-volume hospital with an acute and diverse patient population, experienced preceptors, and an in-house Starbucks to name a few. Check, check, and check! Now, sitting here at the end of my PGY1 experience, I realize that the real reasons that have made my time here at BUMC so special goes far beyond those items on my initial checklist. There have been too many unforgettable and impactful moments to name: talking to my favorite BMT patient about her love for painting birdhouses, mentoring students on rotation, joking around with my preceptors, meeting the medical residents for happy hour, having potluck dinners with my co-residents, exploring Dallas on the weekends—the list goes on! I’ve come to realize that the people make the place, and while there are many reasons this past year has been amazing, the best part of it all was simply becoming a part of the Baylor family!

How to Apply

We use the Pharmacy Online Residency Centralized Application Service (PHORCAS) to accept applications, transcripts and other supporting application materials.

Application deadline is January 1.

Visit PHORCAS to apply

Application Requirements

Looking for well-rounded candidates with research, leadership, work and presentation experience.

Eligible Candidates must have a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, minimum GPA 3.0 and Texas licensure eligibility.

Applicants must also submit:

  • Curriculum vitae
  • A letter of intent detailing reason for interest in completing a pharmacy practice residency, short and long-term career goals and how our program will assist in meetings those goals
  • Three ASHP recommendation forms, with at least one completed by a supervisor/manager
  • Academic transcripts for professional pharmacy education

Contact Us

Angela Straza, PharmD
Phone: 214.820.9797
Angela.Straza@BSWHealth.org

PGY1 Pharmacy Residency
Baylor University Medical Center
3500 Gaston Ave.
Dallas, TX 75246

Working at Baylor Scott & White Health

Compensation and Benefits

The stipend for our pharmacy residents is set at $47,476 paid in 24 installments over a 12-month period. In addition to a competitive stipend, we offer our residents a full menu of employee benefits. We help offset the cost of many of these benefits; others are options you can choose to pay for yourself.

Learn more

Life in Dallas

Dallas provides access to metropolitan entertainment and culture while maintaining the lowest cost of living among the top 10 largest U.S. cities.

Learn more

Why Baylor Scott & White

As the largest not-for-profit health care system in Texas and one of the largest in the United States, Baylor Scott & White Health includes 48 hospitals, more than 900 patient care sites, more than 6,000 active physicians and more than 40,000 employees.

Learn more

Check out all of our allied health offerings in North and Central Texas

View all