Overview
PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program
The PGY1 pharmacy residency gives residents experience in general pharmaceutical patient care. Throughout the year, the resident is exposed to multiple general and specialty practice areas at an acute care hospital. Residents will work to improve knowledge, skills, problem solving and clinical judgment throughout the residency year. The resident will have opportunities to present journal clubs, case presentations, in-services, formal lectures, and is required to complete a longitudinal research project. The goal of the PGY1 program at Cleveland Clinic South Pointe is to build on Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) 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 (PGY-2) pharmacy residency training.
Department of Pharmacy
The Department of Pharmacy at South Pointe Hospital provides services 24 hours a day and has decentralized services on the medical-surgical floors, outpatient oncology, and the emergency department. Clinical rounding services include critical care, infectious disease, and internal medicine. Ambulatory care services are provided in the family medicine clinics.
Pharmacist participation is integrated into direct patient care and quality measurement activities within the hospital with pharmacists providing integrated medication profile review, patient medication counseling services, and bedside delivery service for discharge medications. The department precepts clinical graduate student rotations from several pharmacy and medical universities. Clinical pharmacists also participate in didactic teaching opportunities with local colleges of pharmacy and medicine.
Residency Program Training Site
Type: Hospital
Owner/Affiliate: Cleveland Clinic
Model Type(s): Teaching, Acute Care Community Hospital
Tax Status: Non-Profit
Professional Staff: 16
Non-Professional Staff: 16
Total Beds: 173
Average Daily Census: 110
About the Program
South Pointe Hospital is a 173-bed acute care community teaching hospital located in Warrensville Heights, an eastern suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. One of the largest osteopathic teaching hospitals in the state of Ohio, South Pointe Hospital is the site of the Center for Osteopathic Regional Education in Northeast Ohio for the Ohio University College of Medicine.
Cleveland Clinic is ranked as one of the nation's top hospitals by U.S. News & World Report.
Required Rotations:
- Critical Care (1 month rotation)
- Committee (longitudinal-12 months)
- Didactic Teaching (longitudinal-12 months)
- Emergency Medicine (1 month rotation)
- Infectious Disease (1 month rotation)
- Internal Medicine (3 month long rotations)
- Orientation (6 week rotation)
- Practice Management/Leadership (1 month rotation)
- Pharmacy Practice (longitudinal-12 months)
- Research (longitudinal-12 months)
Elective Rotations:
- Cardiology (1 month rotation)
- Outpatient Oncology (1 month rotation)
- Off-Site elective rotations (1 month rotations) may be available based on preceptor availability at other Cleveland Clinic Hospitals in a variety of clinical practice areas.
- A maximum of 2 off site rotations are allowed per residency year
- A maximum of 1 off-site rotation at main campus is allowed per residency year
- Critical care and/or infectious disease rotations may be repeated based on interest.
Please note: Residents are not permitted to complete more than 3 rotations within a specific patient population or practice area during the residency year. Residents are not permitted to complete more than 2 non-direct patient care rotations during the residency year.
Living in Cleveland
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Application
Applicants to the Pharmacy Residency Program are required to provide the following information through PhORCAS (Pharmacy Online Residency Centralized Application Service):
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 to be 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, level of autonomy, clinical abilities, and organizational and time management skills. All 3 reference writers should use the standard PhORCAS template to submit their candidate recommendations.
- A response to the following essay statement is required for acceptance. The essay response should be no longer than one page in length. An application will not be reviewed if this statement is missing. Please note that the essay is separate from your letter of intent.
- Reflecting on your APPE rotations, please provide a piece of critical feedback you have received from one of your preceptors on a direct patient care rotation. Explain how you have incorporated this feedback into your practice and/or worked to improve in this area.
- If any positions remain unfilled after Phase 1 of the match, South Pointe Hospital will participate in Phase 2 of the match. The application requirements for Phase 2 will be the same as Phase 1.
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 1, 2023 by 11:59 PM.
More Information
Please direct further questions regarding the PGY1 program at South Pointe Hospital to:
Lindsey Hoffman, PharmD, BCCCP
Residency Program Director, PGY1
South Pointe Hospital
20000 Harvard Road
Warrensville Heights, OH 44122
Phone: 216.470.7715
Fax: 216.491.7167
Email: hoffmal@ccf.org
Cara Weisenberger, PharmD, BCPS
Residency Program Coordinator, PGY1
South Pointe Hospital
20000 Harvard Road
Warrensville Heights, OH 44122
Phone: 216.217.7740
Fax: 216.491.7167
Email: weisenc@ccf.org
Benefits, Travel & Compensation
The PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program provides a wide array of benefits to you during your experience as a resident.
General
- Personalized lab coats
- Laptop and desktop computer
- iPhone
- Free parking
- Library access
- Resident office space
- BLS/ACLS certification
- Professional membership – Pharmacy residents are eligible for reimbursement of one-year memberships during the residency year (July – June; max of $250)
- Registration and reimbursement for travel to ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and/or a regional residency conference in accordance with Cleveland Clinic travel policies and restrictions
- Access to Cleveland Clinic fitness facilities
- Continuing education
Health Benefits
- Eligible for the following
- Standard Comprehensive Medical Coverage
- Prescription Drug Coverage
- Life Insurance
- Disability
- Dental
- Vision
Leave
- Fourteen (14) days off including scheduled time off, unscheduled sick days, professional days, and interview days
Salary
- $49,000 (PGY1)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many resident positions does Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital offer?
Two.
What are the staffing requirements?
Residents will staff every other weekend. In addition the resident will staff two holidays during the residency year. Residents will staff one holiday from Group 1 (Thanksgiving or Christmas) and one holiday from Group 2 (Labor Day, New Year’s Day, or Memorial Day).
Weekend staffing will consist of a mixture of centralized order review and verification as well as decentralized patient profile review and discharge education.
What are the project requirements?
Resident projects include:
- Research Project.
- Administrative Project.
- Drug Use Evaluation.
- Drug Monograph.
- Quarterly Newsletter.
- Others based on committee and departmental needs.
What are the presentation requirements?
Resident presentations will include:
- 2 Grand Rounds presentations to a multidisciplinary audience.
- Educational presentations within requirements of rotations.
- Research progress will be presented throughout the year at local and/or national professional meetings.
- Teaching Certificate Program completion is required which includes additional small group discussions as well as didactic lecture opportunities.
What rotations are offered for the PGY1 Residency?
- Orientation
- Longitudinal
- Committee
- Didactic Teaching
- Pharmacy Practice
- Research
- Required (1 month each unless otherwise stated)
- Internal Medicine – Teaching Service (2 months)
- Internal Medicine – Decentralized
- Critical Care
- Infectious Disease
- Emergency Medicine
- Practice Management/Leadership
- Elective (1 month each)
- Any above required rotation may be repeated based on interest
- Cardiology
- Outpatient Oncology
Please note: Other elective opportunities are based on preceptor availability at other Cleveland Clinic Hospitals in a variety of clinical practice areas.
Where is the residents’ office/desk space?
The residents share their own secure office space with individual desks and storage area. Each resident will have access to their own desktop & laptop computer and iPhone.
Do residents get vacation days or time off? If so, how much?
Yes, residents get 14 days off from the residency. This includes scheduled time off, unscheduled sick days, professional days, and interview days.
What state/national meetings do the residents get to attend?
- Spring Ohio College of Clinical Pharmacy (OCCP) Meeting
- ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting
Other meetings may be considered based on resident interest.
Please note: Meeting attendance may be altered based on Cleveland Clinic travel guidelines.
How are the residents evaluated?
The residents are oriented at the beginning of the residency, and introduced to the goals and objectives for the residency year. Residents are evaluated during and after each rotation experience by their preceptor, and quarterly (Resident Development Plan) by the program director and mentors. In addition, the residents will be evaluated on presentations, research, drug use evaluation, staffing, and other assignments (e.g., drug monograph). PharmAcademic is used as a documentation tool for evaluations.
Who oversees the Residency Programs?
The residency programs are overseen by the Residency Committee which consists of the Residency Program Director (RPD) as well as select preceptors, and the Director of Pharmacy. The Residency Committee meets monthly.
Are the residency eligible to receive healthcare benefits?
Yes, the residents are eligible for health care coverage similar to other Cleveland Clinic employees.
How is the resident rotation schedule decided?
The resident will meet with the program director during the orientation month in July to determine the rotation schedule. There will remain some flexibility throughout the year for adjustment of schedule (approval required by residency committee). The RPD will try and accommodate the requests/preferences or the resident, especially in the setting of PGY2 interest.
Do the residents have advisors?
Yes, residents are paired with an advisor early in the residency program.
What is the mission/purpose statement of the residency?
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.
When does a resident need to be licensed in Ohio?
Residents are encouraged to obtain licensure prior to the residency start date. Residents must be licensed within 90 days of start date of residency. Until the resident is licensed in Ohio they must work under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist.
What drug information resources are available for the residents?
LexiComp, UptoDate, OhioLink (access to medical journals online as well as online textbooks), IPA, Pharmacists Letter.
We use Epic as our electronic medical record.
Will the residents be doing resident activities with other residents within the Cleveland Clinic Health-System (CCHS)?
Yes, the resident will participate in a research curriculum (consisting of research design, biostatistics review, and research skills workshops), leadership journal club, and other networking activities with other residents in the Cleveland Clinic Health-System.
Will the residents have on-site parking?
Yes, Cleveland Clinic South Pointe residents will have free on-site parking.
Does South Pointe participate in the second round of the match?
Yes, South Pointe participates in Phase 2 of The Match if any positions are unfilled during the Phase 1. The application requirements for Phase 2 will be the same as Phase 1.
Program Personnel
Eve Hackett-Garr, PharmD, BCPID, BCPS

Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Infectious Disease
- Education: BS Pharmacy – Utah State University; PharmD – Regis University
- Training: PGY1 Pharmacy Residency and PGY2 Infectious Disease Residency – Saint Joseph Denver SCLHS
- Practice area: Infectious disease
- Email: hackete@ccf.org
Melissa Herschman, PharmD, BCPS

Pharmacy Manager
- Education: BS Biochemistry – University of Dayton; PharmD – The Ohio State University
- Training: PGY1 Pharmacy Residency – Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest Hospital
- Practice area: Internal medicine
- Email: herschm@ccf.org
Lindsey Hoffman, PharmD, BCCCP

Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - Critical Care
PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program Director
- Education: PharmD – Ohio Northern University
- Training: PGY1 Pharmacy Residency and PGY2 Critical Care Residency – University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
- Practice area: Critical care
- Email: hoffmal@ccf.org
Julianne Mazzola, PharmD, BCPS

Clinical Pharmacist
- Education: BS Pharmaceutical Sciences, PharmD – The Ohio State University
- Training: PGY1 Pharmacy Residency – Cincinnati Veterans Affairs Medical Center
- Practice Area: Internal Medicine
- Email: mazzolj3@ccf.org
Carly McKenzie, PharmD, BCPS

Clinical Pharmacist
- Education: PharmD – Ohio Northern University
- Training: PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency – University Hospitals St. John Medical Center
- Practice area: Internal medicine
- Email: mckenzc@ccf.org
Jason Milner, PharmD
Director of Pharmacy
- Education: BS Pharmaceutical Sciences, BS Pharmacy Administration, PharmD – University of Toledo
- Practice area: Pharmacy Administration
- Email: jmilner@ccf.org
Kaitlyn Schumacher, PharmD, BCPS

Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - Emergency Medicine
- Education: PharmD – University of Missouri Kansas City
- Training: PGY1 Pharmacy Residency – University of Toledo
- Practice area: Emergency medicine
- Email: schumak@ccf.org
Cara Weisenberger, PharmD, BCPS

Clinical Pharmacist
- Education: BS Pharmaceutical Sciences, PharmD – University of Toledo
- Training: PGY1 Pharmacy Residency – Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital
- Practice area: Hematology/oncology
- Email: weisenc@ccf.org
Past & Current Residents
Current Residents
- Mahvish Hoda
SUNY Binghamton University Class of 2022
PGY1 Pharmacy Resident – Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital
Past Residents
- Jasmine Apfeld, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacist – Cleveland Clinic Akron General - Allie Brant, PharmD, BCPS
Nursing Unit Based Pharmacist-Internal Medicine – Cleveland Clinic - Nicholas Coulter, PharmD
Nursing Unit Based Pharmacist – Cleveland Clinic Akron General - Salam Kabbani, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Joseph Hospital - Paul Keppel, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist – Cleveland Clinic Fairview Hospital - Benjamin Gann, PharmD
- Melanie Madorsky, PharmD, BCPS, BCCP, BCCCP
Completed PGY2 Cardiology Pharmacy Residency – Intermountain Healthcare, Utah Valley Hospital
Clinical Pharmacist Specialist – Cardiology & Critical Care – Memorial Hermann, Texas Medical Center - Sara Mohiuddin, PharmD, BCACP
Completed PGY2 Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Residency – Louis Stokes VA Medical Center
Ambulatory Clinical Pharmacy Specialist- Rheumatology – Cleveland Clinic - Erika Mooney, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Clinical Pharmacist - Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point- Hudson, FL - Cameron Quan, PharmD
PGY2 Medication Use Safety and Policy Resident – Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center - Curtis Scheiderer, PharmD
Clinical pharmacy generalist – University of Michigan Hospital - Lauren Thomas, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – St. Joseph Warren Hospital - Andrew Thompson, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist – Cleveland Clinic Avon Hospital - Tyler Tomasek, PharmD, BCPS
Pharmacy Manager – Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital - Cara Weisenberger, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacist – Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital