Pharmacy Residency Programs

Program Overview

ASHP-Accredited Postgraduate Year One (PGY1) Pharmacy Residency Program, established in 1992, provides residents with a strong foundation in clinical practice and patient-centered pharmaceutical care. The program emphasizes excellence in evidence-based medication management, interdisciplinary collaboration, and professional development.

Building on this foundation, Huntington Hospital also offers advanced postgraduate training through the Postgraduate Year Two (PGY2) programs. ASHP-Accredited Postgraduate Year Two (PGY2) Infectious Diseases Residency Program, established in 2000, and the PGY2 Emergency Medicine Residency Program, established in 2007. 

PGY1 Pharmacy Practice and PGY2 Infectious Diseases programs are accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), reflecting the institution’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of pharmacy education and clinical training.

All residency programs at Huntington Hospital provide a supportive learning environment and a comprehensive curriculum designed to foster residents’ development as clinical practitioners, educators, and leaders in pharmacy practice.

PGY1 Application

Application Information

Huntington Hospital’s PGY 1 Program participates in the PhORCAS Application Service. We participate in the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Resident Match Program. ASHP code is 92390 and NMS code is 128513.

Recruitment Showcase Events

• SoCal Showcase
• CSHP Seminar
• ASHP Midyear

Instructions for Applicants

Please refer to the ASHP residency directory for application deadline and information about the residency.

Requirements for Acceptance

All applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Match through the ASHP Residency Matching Program with Huntington Hospital.
• Hold a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree from a ACPE-accredited school of pharmacy and maintain a competitive academic record in good standing GPA.
• Eligible to apply for licensure to practice pharmacy in the state of California within the first 90 days of start date.
• Fulfill all organizational requirements which include but are not limited to: background check (criminal and current/previous work history), physical exam (drug screening, TB test, hearing and vision test), provide documentation required for the residency position (e.g., Basic Life Support certification, proof of graduation).

Applicants will need:

• Curriculum Vitae
• Official academic transcript from pharmacy school
• Letter of intent
• 3 letters of recommendation submitted via PhORCAS
• Completed PhORCAS forms

Interview and Selection Process

All applicants will be screened and qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview. Applicants will be contacted via email.

General Residency Program Information

The salary for the resident is approximately $60,000. Benefits include 25 days of vacation/holiday time and 5 additional sick leave. Health (medical, dental, vision) and life insurances are also available. Time off will be provided for professional meetings.

Certification Upon Residency Completion

Upon successful fulfillment of all program requirements, residents will be issued a Certification of Completion. A certificate will not be granted if any program requirements remain unmet. Each case will be reviewed individually and handled in accordance with Huntington Hospital’s policies. For more detailed information regarding program completion requirements, please email Nicole Cho, Pharm.D.

PGY1 Learning Experiences

Acute Patient Care

The resident is required to rotate through clinical rotations in the areas of medicine, critical care, pediatrics/neonatology, and hematology/oncology. Each rotation will be six weeks in length. As a member of the medical team, the resident is expected to proficiently and competently provide pharmaceutical care as well as staff the clinical area for the last two weeks of the rotation. Additionally, the resident will have the opportunity to rotate through the emergency department on an emergency medicine rotation. The resident will utilize clinical skills to enhance patient care and improve patient outcomes. Activities include active participation in patient care, attending rounds, monitoring and regulating patient drug therapies, pharmacokinetics, and consultation in drug information. Regulation of drug therapy involves appropriate drug and dose selection and dosage adjustments based on patient specific parameters, clinical status, and response. Additional responsibilities include providing in-service lectures to the pharmacy, nursing, and medical staff; as well as precepting fourth-year pharmacy students.

Infectious Diseases

The resident is required to rotate through a six-week rotation in infectious diseases. The resident will develop a broader understanding of the pharmacotherapy of a wide variety of infectious diseases. T he resident will apply pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, adverse drug reaction profile, clinical use, and relative cost information of antimicrobials to maximize treatment outcomes for patients. Activities include formulating individual monitoring plans, making recommendations regarding patient management and monitoring parameters involved with the patient’s drug therapy as well as precepting fourth-year pharmacy students.

Ambulatory Care

The resident will participate in the hospital’s pharmacist-managed anticoagulation clinic for a total of three weeks. The first two weeks will include orientation and training and the last week will consist of staffing the clinic. The resident will review and update patient profiles, adjust Warfarin doses based on the pertinent lab results and co-morbid conditions, provide patient education and precept fourth-year pharmacy students.

Practice Management

The resident will become oriented to the functions and concepts of pharmacy administration within the hospital setting. This exposure will enable the resident to make administrative judgments and assume responsibility. The resident will be intimately involved in medication error and adverse drug reaction reporting and evaluation. Additionally, the resident will develop problem-solving abilities related to operational and organizational management. Activities include attending and participating in the Pharmacy, Therapeutics, and Diet (PT & D) Committee, Medication Safety Committee, pharmacy staff meetings, management meetings, and interdepartmental committees. The resident will understand the role of the PT & D Committee in developing, implementing, and regulating drug usage policies and procedures. Topics discussed in practice management are people skills and key relationships, cost and profit analysis, budget preparation, drug distribution systems, and drug inventory control.

Pharmacy Research Project

In addition to various short-term projects assigned throughout the year, the resident is required to undertake a year-long project under the direction and guidance of a faculty preceptor. The resident is expected to research and analyze administrative and/or clinical problems. The project will be presented as a poster at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting in December and as a platform presentation at the annual Western States Conference in May. The results may also be published in pharmacy journals as well as presented at state/national pharmacy conferences.

Teaching

The teaching affiliations with the local schools of pharmacy provide the resident an opportunity for precepting fourth-year pharmacy students on clinical rotations. Additionally, the resident will be required to provide educational in-services to the pharmacy, nursing, and medical staff. Lastly, the resident will also be required to develop and present an ACPE-accredited continuing education program to the pharmacy staff.