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PGY-1

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The 12-month Pharmacy Residency (PGY-1) emphasizes both acute and ambulatory care, through required rotations in transitions of care, internal medicine, critical care, ambulatory care, and emergency medicine. Additional learning experiences available to the resident also include inpatient and outpatient cardiology, psychiatry, and a teaching certificate in conjunction with Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED).

Residents will provide staffing coverage every third weekend and provide ambulatory care in our chronic disease management clinic one day every third week. Occasional presentations to pharmacy personnel, medical staff, nursing staff or the community also will be required.

Graduates from our program have gone on to successfully complete PGY-2 residencies in Psychiatry, Infectious Disease, and Ambulatory Care. Those not pursuing a PGY-2 have established themselves as successful clinical pharmacists at Southwest General and throughout northeast Ohio.

Watch our Pharmacy Residency Program Video

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the staffing requirements?

We require our residents to staff every third weekend, one major and one minor holiday, and one week day every third week in the chronic care services clinic.

How many positions do you offer?

Our program offers two positions for PGY-1 residents, as well as a one position PGY-2 in Emergency Medicine.

Is your program ASHP accredited?

The residency program at Southwest General has been ASHP accredited since 2013.

Where can I find your salary and benefits information?

You can find our updated salary and benefits information on the ASHP residency Online Residency Directory located at: https://accred.ashp.org/aps/pages/directory/residencyProgramInformation.aspx?ID=210195

How much elective time do your residents receive?

While each resident’s schedule is unique, our program is designed to deliver up to four months of elective rotations.

What is the size and affiliation of Southwest General?

Southwest General is a 360 bed community hospital located in the Cleveland suburb of Middleburg Heights. Southwest shares a unique partnership with University Hospitals while maintaining an independent administrative and pharmacy practice.

Where does your program recruit?

Because we are a community hospital, we primarily recruit at the state level. You can find Southwest General recruiting tables at Ohio Society of Health-system Pharmacists (OSHP) Residency showcase as well as at some school of pharmacy based career fairs. Please feel free to contact us with any specific recruitment questions!

Do you allow prospective residents to shadow?

Due to the increasing demand of shadowing experiences, Southwest General no longer offers PGY-1 candidates an opportunity to participate in one-on-one shadowing. Instead, we will be hosting a “PGY-1 Open house” where you will have an opportunity to meet our preceptors, see our facilities, and get a feel for the culture surrounding our program. Please see the “Dates and Deadlines” tab for the up-to-date information and RSVP links.

Do I get to pick my own research topics?

When you match with Southwest General, you will be asked about your personal research interests. From there, our preceptors will help brainstorm research ideas that are both feasible for a residency project and also valuable to the institution. Using these ideas as a starting point, the resident and their assigned research advisor will decide on the topic and the design of the final project. Our Residency Research Committee will be with you every step of the way, including providing access to a statistician!

How does the teaching certificate program work?

We require all of our residents to participate in the Resident Teaching and Learning program offered in conjunction with Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED). The resident will be able to choose between a general teaching certificate or a more focused teaching curriculum aimed at residents interested in pursuing career opportunities in academia.

Where have your previous residents taken positions?

Many of our previous residents have taken positions right here at Southwest General! Several former residents have gone on to PGY-2 positions in Ambulatory Care, Infectious Disease, and Psychiatry and Emergency Medicine. Others have taken on clinical positions throughout Northeast Ohio, including positions in Emergency Medicine, Infectious Disease, and Ambulatory care. We have also seen residents go on to have successful careers in academia at a both a statewide and national level.

What makes your program unique?

Southwest General is proud of the fact that we can offer “large hospital” learning experiences with a “small hospital” feel. We work with each of our residents to create a unique schedule fit to their personal goals and ambitions, as well as offering flexibility to adapt those schedules as interests or circumstances change. Our preceptors are passionate about teaching and education, which leads to the development of both strong professional and personal connections. We take great pride that so many of our residents have stayed on at Southwest General to help train the next generation of students and residents!