Pharmacy Residency Program

About Us

Cleveland Clinic Akron General is a 532-bed adult, tertiary care, Level I Trauma center with a state of the art Emergency Department that has been serving the healthcare and wellness needs of Akron and the surrounding communities for over 100 years. Additionally, Akron General has regional referral centers in Cardiology, Cancer, Women's Health and Orthopaedics. As a major teaching hospital, Akron General trains future physicians and pharmacists through 15 high-quality medical and pharmacy residency/fellowship programs. Cleveland Clinic Akron General is recognized regionally and within Ohio for its expertise and care.

The pharmacy at Akron General employs more than one hundred fifty pharmacy caregivers whose primary goal is to provide excellent patient care. The pharmacy provides services at Akron General Medical Center, the Ambulatory Care Center, Lodi Community Hospital, McDowell Cancer Center, Transitions of Care and three free-standing emergency departments and infusion centers. Patient care areas at Akron General are served by a central pharmacy, decentralized unit based clinical pharmacists and clinical pharmacy specialists. Distributive services include Pyxis automated dispensing machines in care areas (transition complete) and BD carousels.

The pharmacy provides clinical services with clinical pharmacy specialists in the areas of Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Transitions of Care, Pain Management, Surgical Intensive Care, Medical Intensive Care, Neuro Intensive Care, Cardiovascular Intensive Care, Infectious Diseases, Emergency Medicine, Psychiatric Medicine, Hematology/Oncology, Ambulatory Chronic Disease Management and Quality Improvement. Clinical services are also provided through our unit based pharmacist program on identified medical/surgical nursing units. The pharmacy is highly engaged in training future pharmacists by serving as an Advanced and Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience training site for several colleges of pharmacy.

Pharmacy residents complete a longitudinal research project, quality improvement project, and other various presentations throughout the residency year. Pharmacy residents are responsible for leading medication education classes for the heart failure and respiratory rehabilitation programs at Akron General. Service responsibilities on the weekend vary by program. Please see the resident manual in the application section for more details.

Number of positions

• Six PGY1.
• Two Critical Care PGY2.
• One Emergency Medicine PGY2.
• Two PGY1/PGY2 Health System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership/MS.

Start date: Late June

Additional resources

• 2025-2026 Residency Brochure. 
• ASHP-Required Residency Policies.

Events

Virtual open houses

Interested in one or more of our pharmacy residency programs? We are hosting a Virtual Open House!

October 23, 2024, 5 – 7 p.m. EST– Akron General PGY-1

To join, please click the link: Akron PGY-1 Virtual Open House

October 25, 2024, 5 – 7 p.m. EST– Akron General HSPAL Virtual Open House

To join, please click the link: Akron General HSPAL Virtual Open House

OSHP Residency Showcase
November 2, 2024 
Columbus, OH 

ASHP Midyear Residency Showcase 
New Orleans, LA 
December 9-10, 2024   

In-person Open House for all Programs  
December 16, 2024 @ 2-4 p.m. EST 
1 Akron General Ave, Akron, OH, 44307

Join us for an in-person open house to learn more about the pharmacy residency programs at Cleveland Clinic Akron General, a 532-bed adult, tertiary care, Level I Trauma center that has been serving the healthcare and wellness needs of Akron and the surrounding communities for over 100 years.

We hope to see you there!

To register, please email Ferrelj4@ccf.org and provide your name, email address and program(s) of interest.

Program Benefits & Application

Program benefits

• Pharmacy Residency Manual 2024 – 2025.

The pharmacy residency program offers the following benefits: 

• Dedicated office space for pharmacy residents.
• Cleveland Clinic issued laptop computer and iPhone (must be returned at completion of residency).
• Cafeteria meal stipend.
• Paid holiday and vacation time.
• Funding to attend the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting (PGY1 residents only).
• Funding to attend local and regional residency conferences (determined by program annually).
• ACLS/BLS certification.
• ASHP, OSHP and AASHP membership.
• Exercise facility access.
• Health insurance.
• Dental insurance.
• Vision care.
• Prescription drug coverage.
• Optional life insurance

Cleveland Clinic pharmacy residency program application requirements

We appreciate your interest in Cleveland Clinic Akron General and hope that we've provided you with the information you need to choose the residency program that best suits your needs.

Cleveland Clinic Akron General is able to offer an exceptional pharmacy residency experience because of our broad range of highly engaged staff. We maintain a standard of excellence that promises nothing but the best care for our patients and therefore, an optimal environment to train for your future as a clinical pharmacist.

As an ASHP accredited residency program, Akron General participates in the ASHP Resident Matching Program. All applicants must be registered with National Matching Services Inc.

PGY-1 programs

Interested applicants must be PharmD graduates of an accredited college of pharmacy, be eligible for licensure in the State of Ohio, and submit the standard application materials through PhORCAS (i.e. Letter of Intent, CV, the 3 standard reference forms in PhORCAS, official college transcripts), along with:

We request a minimum of one (two is preferred) of your three references come from a preceptor who you have worked with in a clinical setting, related to an APPE in acute or ambulatory care. The clinical preceptor should be able to comment on your scope of responsibility, total patient load, ability to function independently, clinical abilities, and organizational and time management skills. All 3 reference writers should use the standard PhORCAS template to submit their candidate recommendation and comment on a minimum of 7 of the 13 listed candidate characteristics.

PGY-2 programs

Interested applicants must be PharmD graduates of an accredited college of pharmacy, be eligible for licensure in the State of Ohio, and submit the standard application materials through PhORCAS (i.e. Letter of Intent, CV, the three standard reference forms in PhORCAS, official college transcripts), along with:

We request a minimum of one (two is preferred) of your three references should come from a preceptor who you have worked with in a clinical setting, related to a PGY-1 rotation in acute or ambulatory care. The clinical preceptor should be able to comment on your scope of responsibility, total patient load, level of autonomy, clinical abilities, and organizational and time management skills. All three reference writers should use the standard PhORCAS template to submit their candidate recommendation.

Please submit all application materials via Pharmacy Online Residency Centralized Application Service (PhORCAS).

Deadline for receipt of these materials to be considered for an on-site interview is January 2, 2025, by 11:59 p.m.

For the PGY-2 Critical Care and Emergency Medicine residencies, completion of a Pharmacy (PGY-1) Residency or equivalent experience is required.

Additional information

Residency applicants must currently be authorized to work in the United States. Cleveland Clinic Pharmacy does not sponsor applicants for work Visas.

Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate OPT (Optional Practical Training) Visas for the Cleveland Clinic Pharmacy Residency Program as the program extends beyond 12 months.

The Cleveland Clinic Pharmacy Residency Program does not meet the qualifications of an OPT STEM employer because Cleveland Clinic is not enrolled in E-Verify.

Appointments of applicants to residency positions may be contingent upon the applicants satisfying certain eligibility requirements [e.g., graduating from accredited college of pharmacy, obtaining pharmacist license in Ohio within 90 days of start date, and successful completion of a pre-employment physical and drug screen, including testing for cotinine.

Cleveland Clinic requires all employees to demonstrate proof of full COVID-19 vaccination

A diverse and inclusive environment for students and staff and culturally appropriate care for our patients, are essential to fulfilling our vision to be the best place for care anywhere and the best place to work in healthcare. We welcome students from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

Contact us

PGY2 Emergency Medicine Residency
Bethany Crouse, PharmD, BCCCP, BCEMP
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Emergency Medicine
PGY2 Emergency Medicine Residency Program Director
330.606.6403
CrouseB@ccf.org

Pharmacy Preceptors

Ambulatory care

Melanie Boros, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP 
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Ambulatory Care
Pharmacy School: Ohio Northern University
PGY-1 Residency: Cleveland Clinic Akron General
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Ambulatory Care, Diabetes, Anticoagulation Management

Rebecca Castner, PharmD, BCACP, AAHIVP
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Ambulatory Care
Pharmacy School: University of Maryland – Baltimore  
PGY-1 Residency: Xavier University of Louisiana
PGY-2 Residency: Ambulatory Care – University of Cincinnati  
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Ambulatory Care, HIV management, Stress reduction, Academic practice

Bhavin Mistry, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP 
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Ambulatory Care, Infectious Diseases
Pharmacy School: University at Buffalo
PGY-1 Residency: LECOM/Millcreek Community Hospital
PGY-2 Residency: Infectious Diseases – Deaconess Medical Center/Washington State University
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Antimicrobial Stewardship; Infectious diseases; HIV management

Millicynth Talagtag, PharmD, BCPS 
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Ambulatory Care
Pharmacy School: Palm Beach Atlantic University
PGY-1 Residency: University of Michigan
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Ambulatory Care, Heart Failure Management  

Behavioral health

Anna Dugovich, PharmD 
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Behavioral Health
Pharmacy School: The Ohio State University
PGY-1 Residency: MUSC
PGY-2 Residency: Psychiatry – MUSC
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Severe Mental Illness, Psychiatry, Substance Use Disorder

Critical care/ICU

Angela Barsa, PharmD, BCCCP 
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit
Critical Care Pharmacy Residency Program Director
Pharmacy School: The Ohio State University
PGY-1 Residency: Cleveland Clinic Akron General
PGY-2 Residency: Critical Care – University of Toledo Medical Center
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Cardiac surgery, Arrhythmias

Michaelia Cucci, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP 
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Surgical Intensive Care Unit
Pharmacy School: The Ohio State University
PGY-1 Residency: Grant Medical Center
PGY-2 Residency: Critical Care – Indiana University Health
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Surgery; trauma; infectious disease; altered pharmacokinetics and augmented renal clearance in the critically ill population

Brittany Cunningham, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP 
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Neuro Intensive Care Unit
Pharmacy School: West Virginia University
PGY-1 Residency: Charleston Area Medical Center (WV)
PGY-2 Residency: Critical Care-Charleston Area Medical Center (WV)
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Management of Status Epilepticus and Intracranial Hemorrhage

Melissa Fowler, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP 
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Medical Intensive Care Unit
Pharmacy School: Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED)
PGY-1 Residency: Cleveland Clinic Akron General
PGY-2 Residency: Critical Care – OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Medical ICU, Neuro ICU, Status epilepticus

Carli Nicholson, PharmD, BCCCP 
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Critical Care
Pharmacy School: Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED)
PGY-1 Residency: Cleveland Clinic Akron General
PGY-2 Residency: Critical Care – Cleveland Clinic Akron General
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Infectious disease, management of shock, and pain/agitation/delirium

Emergency medicine

Bethany Crouse, PharmD, BCCCP, BCEMP 
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Emergency Medicine
Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency Program Director
Pharmacy School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM)
PGY-1 Residency: Penn State Milton S Hershey Medical Center
PGY-2 Residency: Critical Care – Vidant Medical Center
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Neurologic emergencies, antimicrobial stewardship

Sean Bennett, PharmD, BCCCP, BCEMP
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Emergency Medicine
Pharmacy School: Ohio Northern University  
PGY-1 Residency: Cleveland Clinic Akron General
PGY-2 Residency: Critical Care – Cleveland Clinic Akron General

Robert Brenneman, PharmD 
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Emergency Medicine  
Pharmacy School: Ohio State University
PGY-1 Residency: Ohio State Wexner Medical Center
PGY-2 Residency: Emergency Medicine – Ohio State Wexner Medical Center
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Trauma, hematology/oncology

Catherine Pawloski, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP, BCEMP 
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Emergency Medicine
Pharmacy School: University of Minnesota
PGY-1 Residency: University of Toledo Medical Center
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Toxicology, infectious diseases

Jacob Zimmerman, PharmD, BCCCP 
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Emergency Medicine
Pharmacy School: Ohio Northern University
PGY-1 Residency: Cleveland Clinic Akron General
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Sepsis quality improvement initiatives

Family medicine

Megan Adelman, PharmD, BCPS, BCGP, CDE 
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Family Medicine
Pharmacy School: Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED)
PGY-1 Residency: Carolinas Medical Center (NC)
PGY-2 Residency: Geriatrics – Louis Stokes VA Medical Center
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Population Health, Geriatrics, Dementia, Polypharmacy

James Ferrell, PhD, PharmD, BCPS 
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Family Medicine/Infectious Diseases
Pharmacy School: Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED)
PGY-1 Residency: University Hospitals
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Transitions of Care, Infectious Diseases, Antimicrobial Stewardship, and Interprofessional Practice

Hematology/Oncology

Justin Andras, PharmD, BCOP 
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Hematology/Oncology
Pharmacy School: Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED)
PGY-1 Residency: Cleveland Clinic Akron General
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Development of outpatient care plans for challenging chemotherapy regimens to ease the burden on patients

Infectious diseases

Carrie Freed, PharmD 
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Infectious Diseases
Pharmacy School: Ohio Northern University
PGY-1 Residency: MetroHealth
PGY-2 Residency: Infectious Diseases – University Health/San Antonio, TX
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Antimicrobial Stewardship; Infectious diseases

Internal medicine

Lawrence Frazee, PharmD, BCPS 
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Internal Medicine
PGY-1 Program Director
Pharmacy School: University of Toledo
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Anticoagulation, Diabetes, Inpatient practice

Patrick Gallegos, PharmD, BCPS 
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Internal Medicine
Pharmacy School: Texas Tech University
PGY-1/2 Residency: Pharmacotherapy – Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Scholarship of Teaching,
Interprofessional Education, and Interprofessional Practice

Opioid stewardship

Ronda Ambroziak, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Opioid Stewardship
Pharmacy School: Temple University
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Management of appropriate opioid prescribing for patients with substance abuse disorder who present with acute pain

Transitions of care

Meredith Sonnhalter, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Transitions of Care Management
Pharmacy School: Midwestern University
PGY-1 Residency: Cleveland Clinic

Unit based pharmacy

Benjamin Adam, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacist
Pharmacy School: Cedarville University
PGY-1 Residency: Akron General Medical Center

Ashley Fick, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacist
Pharmacy School: Northeast Ohio Medical University
PGY-1 Residency: Cleveland Clinic Akron General

Melanie Musci, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist
Pharmacy School: Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED)
PGY-1 Residency: Klein’s Pharmacy

Olivia Palladino, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist
Pharmacy School: Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED)
PGY-1 Residency: Aultman Alliance Community Hospital

Connor VanFleet, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacist
Pharmacy School: Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED)
PGY-1 Residency: Cleveland Clinic Akron General

David Whipkey, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacist
Pharmacy School: Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED)
PGY-1 Residency: Aultman Alliance Community Hospital

Administration & leadership

Kyle Sobecki, PharmD, MBA
Interim Director of Pharmacy
Pharmacy School: University of Toledo
PGY-1 Residency: Cleveland Clinic Akron General  
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Optimizing pharmacy services; Change management; Employee engagement

Christopher Ensley, RPh
Manager-Medication Safety
Pharmacy School: Ohio Northern University
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Use of process improvement methodology to ensure safe and appropriate medication administration

Jenna Garlock, PharmD, MBA, BCPS
Manager-Pharmacy Clinical Services
PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Program Director
Interim PGY-1/PGY-2 Health System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership Program Director
Pharmacy School: Ohio Northern University
PGY1 Residency: Cleveland Clinic Akron General
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Pain Management, diabetes management, ACO/Value Based Contracts, Advancements and innovation in clinical services

Sarrah Hein, PharmD, MBA, BCPPS
Manager-Pharmacy Support Services 
Pharmacy School: Ohio Northern University 
PGY-1 Residency: Pediatrics – All Children’s Hospital 
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Pharmacy Management, Technology, Strategic Planning & Quality Improvement

Laura Kelso, RPh, MHA
Manager- Pharmacy Sterile Processing

Luke Mennen, PharmD, MS, BCPS
Inpatient Pharmacy Manager at Cleveland Clinic Akron General
Pharmacy School: Cedarville University School of Pharmacy
PGY-1/2 Residency: Health System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership Residency; Cleveland Clinic Main Campus
Pharmacy Practice Interests: Pharmacy Management, Technology, Strategic Planning & Quality Improvement

Current Residents

PGY – 1

• Chelsea Bock.
• Razan Fannoun.
• Zhimin Fu.
• Andrea Phillips.
• Alex Sindledecker.

PGY – 1/2 | Health System Pharmacy Administration & Leadership

• Eryk Tluczek.

PGY – 2 | Critical care

• Jacob Smearman.
• Faith Stuart.

PGY – 2 | Emergency medicine

• Leah Everett.

Past Residents

Cleveland Clinic Akron General established their pharmacy residency program in 2000-2001 and continues to expand over the years by adding additional programs and residents. We take pride in cultivating the next generation of pharmacists and further expanding the profession.

• View our residency alumni list.

Research & Innovation

For more information about resident research in Pharmacy, please contact:

Lawrence Frazee, RPh, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Internal Medicine
PGY1 Program Director
330.344.7678

• View selected Pharmacy Research Publications.

Critical Care Pharmacy Residency

The PGY2 Critical Care Residency at Cleveland Clinic Akron General is a one-year training program designed to provide training in a variety of critical care settings.

The primary practice areas for the residents include Cardiovascular Intensive Care, Medical Intensive Care, Neurosciences Intensive Care, Trauma/Surgical Intensive Care, Emergency Medicine, and Infectious Diseases. There are also opportunities for elective rotations in Nephrology and Nutrition. Additionally, residents will have the opportunity to precept both pharmacy students and PGY1 pharmacy residents. A teaching certificate program is offered through Northeast Ohio Medical University if the resident had not acquired one from their PGY1 residency. Cleveland Clinic also offers a leadership certificate for residents who wish to pursue this option. The residents will work every other weekend throughout the year rounding with the Medical Intensive Care service. The residents will also complete a medication use evaluation and an original research project. The residents will have the opportunity to present their research at a variety of local, regional, and national professional conferences.

Critical care purpose statement

PGY2 pharmacy residency programs build on Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) education and PGY1 pharmacy residency programs to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists in specialized areas of practice. PGY2 residencies provide residents with opportunities to function independently as practitioners by conceptualizing and integrating accumulated experience and knowledge and incorporating both into the provision of patient care or other advanced practice settings. Residents who successfully complete an accredited PGY2 pharmacy residency are prepared for advanced patient care, academic, or other specialized positions, along with board certification, if available.

Find out more:

• Critical Care Pharmacy Residency Program Structure.
• ASHP-Required Residency Policies.

Contact us

Angela Barsa, PharmD, BCCCP
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Cardiovascular Intensive Care
PGY2 Critical Care Program Director
330.344.6160
Barsaa@ccf.org

Health System Pharmacy Administration & Leadership

Upon completion of the 24-month combined Pharmacy Residency Program in Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership (HSPAL) with a Master of Science Degree in Pharmacy Leadership the resident will have developed administrative, financial, medication safety, and leadership skills related to health-system administration enabling them to manage complex health-system pharmacy departments. The didactic Master level classes will be completed through University of Cincinnati.

The program at the University of Cincinnati exposes our residents to a large and diverse leadership cohort, which amplifies the learning opportunities. Residents completing the HSPAL residency at Cleveland Clinic Akron General will be trained to begin their careers in a wide variety of managerial positions.

During the first 12-months of the HSPAL residency, the resident will complete the same requirements as the Pharmacy Residency (PGY1) residents. This allows the resident to gain a solid clinical foundation. Elective rotations in the PGY1 year can be used to select leadership rotations. In the PGY-2 year of the HSPAL residency, the resident will become a member of the Pharmacy Management team gaining skills in pharmacy leadership, medication safety, clinical operations, inpatient operations, procurement/support services, and informatics.

During the PGY-2, the resident will complete some of their rotations throughout Cleveland Clinic to gain experience in leadership from both a health-system and regional hospital perspective.

The HSPAL resident will also serve as the Chief Pharmacy Resident and a member of the hospital’s house staff senate in the PGY-2 year of the residency (Committee of all Chief Residents representing 14 medical and pharmacy residencies). Additionally, the HSPAL resident will complete the leadership certificate program through the Cleveland Clinic in their first year. There is an option (elective) to complete a teaching certificate program through NEOMED during their second year.

Residents will complete a longitudinal project designed to add value to the pharmacy that is focused on either a new pharmacy initiative or quality improvement initiative.

Purpose statement

PGY2 pharmacy residency programs build on Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) education and PGY1 pharmacy residency programs to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists in specialized areas of practice. PGY2 residencies provide residents with opportunities to function independently as practitioners by conceptualizing and integrating accumulated experience and knowledge and incorporating both into the provision of patient care or other advanced practice settings.

Residents who successfully complete an accredited PGY2 pharmacy residency are prepared for advanced patient care, academic, or other specialized positions, along with board certification, if available.

A PGY2 health-system pharmacy administration and leadership residency builds upon PGY1 residency graduates’ competence in the delivery of patient-centered care and in pharmacy operational services to prepare residents who can assume high level managerial, supervisory, and leadership responsibilities.

Areas of competence emphasized during the program include safe/effective medication-use systems, quality assurance/improvement, human resource management, the financial resource management, technology optimization, and advanced leadership. The residency lays the foundation for continued growth in management and leadership skills.

Our program is designed to provide experiences/competencies to allow a graduate to assume clinical or operational leadership positions. In addition, our program provides experiences at the hospital and enterprise level to allow for a foundation that propels a graduate to an enterprise position later in their career.

Find out more:

• HSPAL Pharmacy Residency Program Structure.
• ASHP-Required Residency Policies.
• University of Cincinnati Program Overview.
  • Curriculum.
  • Informational Video.

Contact us
Jenna Garlock, PharmD, MBA, BCPS
Interim Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership Residency Program Director 
Email: garlocj@ccf.org

PGY1 Pharmacy Residency

The PGY1 Pharmacy Practice residents will practice at Cleveland Clinic Akron General. Required rotations include: Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine 2, Family Medicine, Critical Care, Infectious Disease, Ambulatory Care, Research, and Unit-Based Pharmacy.

Residents will select 3 elective rotations from the following list: Neuroscience Intensive Care, Cardio-vascular Intensive Care, Surgical Intensive Care, Medical Intensive Care, Emergency Medicine, Opioid Stewardship, Oncology/Hematology, Behavioral Medicine, Advanced Ambulatory Care, and Transitional Care Management. Pharmacist preceptors are available for all rotations listed.

Additional elective experiences may be available in ambulatory cardiology, nephrology, bariatric medicine, or other area of interest depending on availability of providers.

Residents will complete a research project, manuscript, medication use evaluation and present at a variety of internal and external venues. Residents are required to staff every other weekend (Saturday and Sunday) and three (3) recognized holidays.

Other longitudinal learning experiences include Practice Management, Medication Safety, Medication Policy, Service, presentations at education conferences, Morbidity and Mortality conference, participation in hospital committees and pharmacy student education. To assist with building research skills, the residents will participate in the residency research curriculum that takes place throughout the residency year.

Optional Experience: Residents can choose to complete a teaching certificate program through Northeast Ohio Medical University or a leadership certificate through Cleveland Clinic, which is a 12-month training program that focuses in 4 key areas: essentials of leadership, leading yourself, leading others, and leading the profession of pharmacy.

PGY1 program purpose:

PGY1 pharmacy residency programs build on Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) education and outcomes to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists responsible for medication-related care of patients with a wide range of conditions, eligible for board certification, and eligible for postgraduate year two (PGY2) pharmacy residency training.

PGY1 pharmacy residency at Akron General:

Graduates of the 12-month PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program at Akron General Medical Center will be prepared for a successful career in multiple adult acute care settings, ambulatory care, or further training in a PGY2 residency program.

Pharmacists completing this residency will be competent and confident practitioners of direct patient care in multiple environments, equipped to meet the challenges of current and future pharmacy practice. They will be accountable for achieving optimal drug therapy outcomes as members of the health care team. These pharmacists will exercise skill in educating other health care professionals, students, patients, and the community on drug-related topics. They will demonstrate a high level of professionalism by following a personal philosophy of independent practice, monitoring their own performance, and will contribute to the profession.

Find out more:

• PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Program Structure.
• ASHP-Required Residency Policies.

Contact us

Jenna Garlock, PharmD, MBA, BCPS 
PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program Director 
Email: garlocj@ccf.org

Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency

The PGY-2 Emergency Medicine Residency at Cleveland Clinic Akron General is a 12-month program designed to train future emergency medicine pharmacy practitioners with the knowledge and skills to care for the spectrum of patients presenting to the emergency department. The PGY-2 resident will engage with physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, pre-hospital providers, and respiratory therapists in direct patient care with the goal of providing optimal, patient-centered medication therapy.

The PGY-2 resident will gain exposure to a variety of patient populations during the course of the program through active participation in residency rotations including:

• Trauma (Level I Adult Trauma Center).
• Medical emergencies.
• Cardiac emergencies/STEMI alerts.
• Neurological emergencies/Stoke alerts (Thrombectomy-capable stroke center).
• Medical/surgical intensive care unit.
• ED/ICU transitions of care.
• Infectious diseases/Antimicrobial stewardship.
• Rural & community medicine.
• Pediatric emergencies.
• Behavioral health.
• Clinical Toxicology.

In addition to core rotations, longitudinal rotation include Prehospital Practice/EMS, Management & Professional Engagement, Teaching & Presentations, Research, and Weekend Clinical Staffing. Elective rotation are available in Advanced Trauma, Infectious Diseases, Hematology/Oncology, Psychiatry, and Wilderness Medicine. The PGY-2 resident will have the opportunity to interact with students and/or residents in medicine, nursing, paramedic, and respiratory therapy training programs. Opportunities to precept pharmacy students and PGY-1 residents are integrated into the curriculum. A multidisciplinary research project will be conducted throughout the residency year with the goal of submission for publication. The resident will also have the opportunity to present interim research results at various professional conferences.

The PGY-2 resident will staff in the emergency department with gradual reduction in preceptor oversight to foster competent, independent clinical practice.

Purpose statement

PGY2 pharmacy residency programs build on Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) education and PGY1 pharmacy residency programs to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists in specialized areas of practice. PGY2 residencies provide residents with opportunities to function independently as practitioners by conceptualizing and integrating accumulated experience and knowledge and incorporating both into the provision of patient care or other advanced practice settings. Residents who successfully complete an accredited PGY2 pharmacy residency are prepared for advanced patient care, academic, or other specialized positions, along with board certification, if available.

Find out more:

• Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency Program Structure.
• ASHP-Required Residency Policies.

Contact us

Bethany Crouse, PharmD, BCCCP, BCEMP
Pharmacy Clinical Specialist – Emergency Medicine
PGY-2 Emergency Medicine Residency Program Director
crouseb@ccf.org