SPECIALTY RESIDENCY IN CARDIOLOGY

The University of North Carolina Hospitals and Clinics, in conjunction with the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy, offers a one-year specialty residency in cardiology. The residency program is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). This postgraduate training program focuses on the development of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to provide medication therapy management in the area of cardiovascular pharmacy practice. The resident will also have the opportunity to gain clinical, research, and teaching experience in cardiovascular diseases. 
 
Practice Areas

The residency provides eleven or twelve rotations which can be tailored to the interests, career goals, and experience of the resident. A variety of established practice settings are available throughout the University of North Carolina Hospitals and Clinics. The following inpatient clinical rotations are available:

In addition, the resident will have the opportunity to complete a longitudinal outpatient rotation (one half-day per week) over a 9-10 month period in one (or a combination) of the following cardiology clinics: heart failure, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, or general cardiology.

Elective rotations are designed to broaden the resident’s experience in patient populations with unique problems related to cardiovascular diseases. Elective rotations include, but are not limited to the coagulation consult service, a focused month in a variety of ambulatory clinics, or academia.

Opportunities for teaching student pharmacists and residents are available in pharmaceutical care laboratories, pharmacy course presentations, and as part of clinical rotations. The resident will also gain experience in reviewing medical literature and conducting research projects.Opportunities for teaching student pharmacists and residents are available in pharmaceutical care laboratories, pharmacy course presentations, and as part of clinical rotations. The resident will also gain experience in reviewing medical literature and conducting research projects.

Residency Preceptors
 
Abigail E. Miller, PharmD, BCPS (General Cardiology/Coronary Intensive Care Unit)
Brent N. Reed, PharmD, BCPS (General Cardiology/Coronary Intensive Care Unit)
Ian B. Hollis, PharmD, BCPS (Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit)
Zach M. Deyo, PharmD, BCPS, CPP (Heart and Vascular Clinics)
Jo E. Rodgers, PharmD, FCCP, BCPS (AQ Cardiology) (Heart Failure/Cardiac Transplantation

Additional Activities
 
Pharmacy Practice Responsibilities
Residents will receive training and orientation to the department’s services during the first several weeks of the program. Pharmacy practice responsibilities consist of three 1-week staffing blocks over the course of the residency year and every third weekend. These responsibilities include, but are not limited to, verifying medication orders, medication reconciliation, providing pharmacokinetic consults, answering in-depth drug information requests, attending all codes as the pharmacy member of the code blue team, providing patient education and solving pharmacotherapeutic situations as they may arise. Residents will also participate in the after-hours clinical pharmacist on-call program.

Residency Research Project
The resident is expected to participate in a project that fulfills the following learning objectives: developing criteria, seeking approval of the criteria from the pharmacy and/or medical staff, collecting and summarizing data, analyzing results and presenting the findings. To fulfill this requirement, the resident must complete a cardiovascular pharmacotherapy project with subsequent preparation of a publishable manuscript. It is strongly encouraged that the resident present the findings at a national pharmacy or cardiology meeting, or another suitable alternative.

Teaching Responsibilities
Each resident will earn an appointment as a Clinical Instructor with the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy. Residents are required to participate as a teaching assistant for Pharmacy Skills Lab for both Fall and/or Spring Semesters. This class is directed toward second or third year student pharmacists. Based upon course scheduling and availability, residents may also be given the option to serve as a Teaching Assistant for the Cardiology Pharmacotherapy module in lieu of facilitating lab in the Spring Semester. Teaching experiences are also integrated with patient care experiences as part of precepting responsibilities on clinical rotations. Opportunities to lead recitation sessions and participate in didactic lectures are encouraged and include involvement in the Pharmacotherapy Cardiology Module and the Cardiology Elective at the pharmacy school. Various teaching opportunities also exist within the School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Nursing.

Seminars and Professional Meetings
Each resident will attend a weekly seminar where pharmacy trainees will present contemporary topics to an audience of pharmacy faculty, clinical specialists, residents, and students. All residents will present a 30-minute ACPE-approved seminar. The ACPE-approved presentation is held in the evening and is open for the public to attend. In addition, residents will present cases in their specialty area to fellow residents and students throughout the year. Each resident is expected to attend the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting (December). Financial compensation will be provided for this experience. Financial compensation may also be provided for additional meetings, including the American College of Clinical Pharmacy Meeting (Fall) and other national cardiology meetings (e.g., American College of Cardiology). Participation in poster sessions is encouraged at these meetings.

Benefits

Insurance
Individual health insurance is provided. The University of North Carolina Hospitals provides comprehensive malpractice insurance for all residents at no charge; however, this does not preclude the resident from obtaining individual professional liability insurance.
 
Vacation/Holidays
Each resident will be given a predetermined number of days of paid time off (PTO) for the entire year, none of which can be taken in the last 2 weeks of the program. These days include all vacation, sick leave, interview days, and professional meeting attendance (beyond the two meetings that residents are expected to attend). Residents will work one five-day holiday staffing block. 
 
Qualifications

Applicants must possess a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and must have completed an ASHP accredited residency in pharmacy practice. Applicants without these qualifications will be reviewed on an individual basis to determine the adequacy of their clinical experience. Each resident is required to become a licensed pharmacist in the state of North Carolina. 

For additional information, please contact:

Jo E. Rodgers, PharmD, FCCP, BCPS (AQ Cardiology)
Clinical Associate Professor
Director, PGY2 Residency in Cardiology
Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics
University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy
CB #7569, Kerr 3201, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7569
Office: 919-962-2249, Fax: 919-962-0644
Email:  jerodgers@unc.edu