The PGY-2 Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency conducted by Denver Health in Denver, Colorado is accredited by ASHP.
Purpose
The ASHP-accredited PGY-2 Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency program at Denver Health Medical Center is a 12-month program of training and experience based on ASHP standards for PGY-2 Pharmacy Residencies in Emergency Medicine. The program begins in early July and concludes at the end of June the following year.
The emergency medicine PGY-2 residency prepares residents to function independently as practitioners by integrating clinical experience and knowledge into patient care. Graduates are qualified for clinical pharmacist and faculty positions, board certification, and teaching roles.
Program Overview
This intensive one-year training program provides a structured learning environment designed to develop a successful clinical pharmacy specialist. The program builds on Doctor of Pharmacy education and a PGY-1 residency to advance specialized emergency medicine practice.
Experiences include adult and pediatric emergencies, trauma services in a Level 1 trauma center, intensive care unit practice, medication optimization, and interdisciplinary education.
Residents participate in didactic and experiential teaching, co-precept PGY-1 residents and APPE students, and deliver emergency medicine–related lectures. Requirements include emergency department staffing and completion of a major research project presented nationally and submitted for publication.
Denver Health is Colorado’s premier safety-net institution and a Federally Qualified Health Center, providing extensive opportunities for collaboration in education, research, and emergency medical services.
Residency Program Structure
The program includes seven required learning experiences, elective rotations, and required longitudinal experiences. Residents select a major research project early in the year and develop it through manuscript completion.
Required Learning Experiences
- Orientation (2–4 weeks)
- Emergency Medicine – Adult I (4–5 weeks)
- Emergency Medicine – Adult II (8–10 weeks)
- Emergency Medicine – Pediatrics (4 weeks)
- Medical ICU (4–5 weeks)
- Surgical/Trauma ICU (4–5 weeks)
- Toxicology (4 weeks)
Required Longitudinal Experiences
- Major project and research
- Antimicrobial stewardship
- Presentations and preceptorship
- Management and leadership
- Medical emergency response
- Medication use evaluation
- Clinical emergency department staffing every third weekend
- Additional moonlighting shifts may be available based on resident progress and department needs
Elective Learning Experiences
Three to four electives are available based on resident needs.
- EMS/Pre-hospital (2 weeks)
- Denver Health Pediatric ICU (4 weeks)
- Children’s Hospital Colorado Emergency Department (4 weeks)
- Global Health (2–4 weeks)
- University of Colorado Hospital Emergency Medicine (4 weeks)
- Burn ICU – University of Colorado Hospital (4 weeks)
- Advanced Emergency Medicine Practice (4 weeks)
Attendance and Participation
- Pharmacy Grand Rounds
- Hospital leadership committees
- Teaching pharmacy students
- Teaching medical residents
- National and local meetings
- Professional EM organizations
- PGY2 recruitment
- Emergency department policy and management
Application Information and Requirements
Applicants must be PharmD graduates or candidates from an ACPE-accredited program and have completed or be completing an ASHP-accredited PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency. Licensure eligibility in Colorado is required by Nov. 1 of the residency start year.
Denver Health participates in the ASHP National Matching System. Applications are submitted through PhORCAS.
Application Materials
- Letter of intent (maximum one page)
- Curriculum vitae
- Three PhORCAS standardized references
- Official pharmacy school transcript
ASHP Code: 82025
NMS Number: 760269
Current PGY-2 Emergency Medicine Resident
Shawn Beach, PharmD
Dr. Beach is from Rochester, NY. He received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and completed PGY-1 residency at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. His interests include cardiac arrest, RSI, toxicology, and pulmonary hypertension. Shawn chose Denver Health because of its commitment to serving every patient and its deep history of emergency medicine training. During his free time, Shawn enjoys attending various music and sporting events, trying new breweries, golfing, and skiing.
Major Research Project: Naloxone In and Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
MUE: Push-dose Norepinephrine in the Emergency Department
Key Supporting Preceptors
- Spencer Laehn, PharmD, BCCCP
- Dan Schuenke, PharmD, BCCCP
Contact
Lance Ray, PharmD, BCPS, BCEMP
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Emergency Medicine
PGY-2 Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency Program Director
Clinical Instructor, University of Colorado
790 Delaware Street, MC0056
Denver, CO 80204
Email: Lance.ray@dhha.org
Telephone: 303-602-3392
X: @LRayRx
