Summary
Type/Duration: 12 month residency
Starting Date: July 1 (negotiable)

Overview
Methodist University Hospital offers a one-year PGY2 ASHP-accredited Pharmacy Specialty residency in Solid Organ Transplantation.  The program is designed to provide the resident with experience and advanced training in the management and supportive care of solid organ transplant recipients, clinical research, and teaching. The goal of the Solid Organ Transplantation Pharmacy Residency Program is to develop a highly capable pharmacy practitioner with advanced skills in transplant related issues, who is able to pursue clinical, academic, or industry-based career pathways.

Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute, in partnership with the University of Tennessee, performs approximately 120 kidney, 100 liver, and 10 pancreas transplants annually. In addition to the adult abdominal transplant programs at Methodist University Hospital, pediatric kidney and liver transplants are performed at Methodist Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.

One of the greatest assets of the solid organ transplant program is an interdisciplinary approach to patient care. The transplant team consists of surgeons, surgical fellows and residents, nephrologists, hepatologists, pharmacists, nurses, social workers, and case managers. Pharmacists and pharmacy residents involved in this service are directly engaged in patient care decisions, and assist in managing the complex pharmacological requirements unique to transplant patients. Pharmacists interact extensively with each patient along the continuum of care, providing pre-transplant education, medication history interviews, medication education, discharge medication counseling, and follow-up to select patients in the ambulatory clinic.

The transplant program has traditionally participated in pharmaceutical industry sponsored, outcomes-related, and investigator initiated drug studies, providing exposure to clinical and outcomes-related research. Completion of at least one publication-worthy research projects is required, and opportunity for involvement in additional research projects is available.  

The resident, in conjunction with other leaders in Transplant and the Pharmacy Department, will also collaborate to improve drug use policies and practices as they relate to the transplant population.

Rotations
The rotation schedule consist of 8-9 months of core requirement rotations, in addition to 3-4 months of elective rotations, adapted to the residents knowledge base and interests.

Core Rotations

• Transplant Surgery Service (5-6 months)
• Transplant Nephrology (3 months)
• Ambulatory Transplant (longitudinal)
• Elective Rotations

Elective rotations are potentially available in:

• Bone marrow/Stem Cell  transplantation
• Nephrology (general)
• Hepatology / Transplant Hepatology
• Critical Care
• Infectious Diseases
• Heart/Lung transplantation (off-site institution)
• Clinical research
• Ambulatory care
• Teaching

Owing to affiliation with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, residents are involved in the didactic and experiential education of pharmacy students, as well as surgical residents, nurses, and other health professionals. Residents are eligible for instructor appointments at the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy.

Clinical On-Call Staffing and Responsibilities
Residents will share in weekend responsibilities approximately every 3 weeks. One-half of the weekend shifts will be designated for clinical rounding/on-call duties with the Transplant Service, and the remaining half will consist of weekend staffing in the Transplant Pharmacy satellite, that will be compensated at supplemental pharmacist wages.

Requirements for Applicant
The applicant must be a graduate of an accredited school of pharmacy, have completed a Pharmacy Practice Residency (PGY1), and be eligible for Tennessee licensure.

Application Process
Deadline:  January 8, 2008

(Deadline extension available upon request)

Additional Requirements

• Letter of interest
• Copy of your curriculum vitae
• Official copy of your Pharmacy  curriculum transcripts
• Three (3) letters of professional recommendation
• Personal Interview
• Attainment of TN Licensure by 3rd month of residency
• Completion of Pharmacy Practice Residency Program