The PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency conducted by Denver Health in Denver, Colorado, is accredited by ASHP.
PGY-1 residency programs build upon Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) education and outcomes to develop pharmacist practitioners with knowledge, skills, and abilities as defined in the educational competency areas, goals, and objectives. Residents who successfully complete PGY-1 residency programs will be skilled in diverse patient care, practice management, leadership, and education, and be prepared to provide patient care, seek board certification in pharmacotherapy (i.e., BCPS), and pursue advanced education and training opportunities including postgraduate year two (PGY-2) residencies.
The program is a 12-month (52 weeks) postgraduate curriculum that offers training opportunities in acute care, ambulatory clinical care, drug use policy development, clinical services, and pharmacy leadership.
The program includes 7 required learning experiences and a choice of 3 elective learning experiences. There are 6 required longitudinal learning experiences.
Learning Experiences
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Required Learning Experiences (4–5 weeks)
- Orientation
- Internal Medicine
- Critical Care (Medical ICU or Surgical ICU)
- Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care
- Infectious Diseases
- Ambulatory Care*
- Medication Safety, Regulatory and Quality
Longitudinal Learning Experiences
- Formulary Management
- Service Commitment (Pharmacy Operations)
- Leadership and Practice Management
- Research
- Teaching (optional teaching certificate)
- RESULTS Research Program
Elective Learning Experiences
- Behavioral Health
- Clinical Toxicology*
- Emergency Medicine
- Critical Care (ICU PM)
- Oncology / Hematology
- Pediatrics and Obstetrics
- Pediatric Emergency Department*
- Substance Use Disorders
- Ambulatory Care (Advanced Primary Care)
- Advanced Internal Medicine
- Informatics
- Neurosurgery / Neurocritical Care
- Precepting
- Any required learning experience may also be taken as an elective
- Opportunities to create new or off-site learning experiences around the resident’s interest (limited to 1 off-site learning experience per year)
* Off-site learning experience
Research & Professional Development
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Research Requirements
- Major research project (presented at Residency Conference of the Rockies)
- Medication Use Evaluation (presented at Vizient and ASHP Midyear poster sessions)
Required Participation
- Vizient and ASHP Midyear (optional) poster session (December)
- ASHP Midyear residency showcase (December)
- Recruitment and interview process
- Regional residency conference (May/June)
- Participation and completion of the RESULTS (Residents Establishing Skills Utilizing Learning and Team Support) Research Certification Program
- LEAN training through the Organizational Development department at Denver Health
- Present a CE accredited Grand Rounds lecture
Application Information
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Applicants must be a PharmD graduate or candidate for graduation of an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited degree program and licensed and in good standing, or eligible for licensure, in the state of Colorado by September 1st of the starting year. If not licensed within 120 days of the program start date, the resident will be terminated from the program.
Denver Health participates in the ASHP National Matching System. Applications should be submitted electronically through PhORCAS. All materials must be received by the application deadline to be considered for the residency program. Necessary application materials include:
- Letter of intent that helps us get to know you beyond your CV (maximum of 2 pages) highlighting the following:
- Your goals and reason for doing a PGY1 Residency
- Why you chose to apply for the Denver Health residency program
- Your strengths and weakness at this point in career and how residency will help you develop and achieve your goals
- Three letters of reference using the PhORCAS Standardized Reference Template. Letter writers should be able to provide unique perspectives; therefore, we request that each one be chosen based on their ability to satisfy the following requirements. If one writer is able to speak from two perspectives, they may be used for both, allowing you to choose a third writer of any relationship.
- A preceptor able to speak to your clinical performance (i.e. clinical, problem solving, communication, and patient care skills)
- An employer or someone able to speak to your skills as an employee (i.e. timeliness, customer service, teamwork, etc.)
- A professional contact who has known you for over half of your pharmacy education who can speak to your character and performance over time
- Curriculum Vitae.
- Official college of pharmacy transcript (need not include the current fall semester if unavailable prior to the application deadline).
All completed applications will be reviewed by a panel of preceptors and Residency Advisory Committee members to determine which candidates will be invited for an interview.
Resident applicants are responsible for submitting all required materials online through PhORCAS.
ASHP Code: 82101
NMS #: 134213
Current Residents
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Angelica Garcia, PharmD
Dr. Garcia is from Denver and earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy. Her clinical interests include critical care and emergency medicine. Angelica chose to pursue residency at Denver Health due to the opportunity of continuing to be a lifelong advocate for those in need. As a first-generation Latina, Denver Health’s mission aligns strongly with her personal and professional values. During her free time, she enjoys playing arcade games, traveling, reading, and spending quality time with friends and family.
Major Research Project: Outcomes of Patients with Opioid Use Disorder Admitted to the Medical ICU and Placed on Mechanical Ventilation
MUE: Opioid Prescribing in Urgent Care/ED for Acute Dental Pain
Connie Lau, PharmD
Dr. Lau is from Houston and earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Houston College of Pharmacy. Her clinical interests include ambulatory care, infectious diseases, and internal medicine. She chose to pursue residency at Denver Health because of its commitment to serving a diverse patient population and mission to deliver high-quality care regardless of patients' financial circumstances. During her free time, Connie enjoys cooking, reading, hiking, and practicing yoga.
Major Research Project: Implementation of a Pharmacist-driven Parenteral Nutrition Protocol in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
MUE: Evaluation of Uncomplicated Streptococcus Bloodstream Infections
Jillian Rosenzweig, PharmD
Dr. Rosenzweig is originally from Scottsdale, Arizona and received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy. Her clinical interests include ambulatory care and HIV. Jillian chose Denver Health for residency training because of its strong mission to provide high-quality care to the Denver community, its essential role as a safety-net institution, and the diverse ambulatory care opportunities available to residents. During her free time, Jillian enjoys hot yoga with her co-residents, hiking, attending concerts, traveling, exploring new restaurants, and spending time with family and friends.
Major Research Project: Balancing the bleed: Comparative Safety of Direct Oral Anticoagulants and Warfarin for Atrial Fibrillation in CKD Stage 4 and ESRD Patients
MUE: ECG Surveillance and QT Prolongation in Methadone Patients
Elina Schmauch, PharmD
Dr. Schmauch is from Tacoma, Washington and earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Washington State University. Her current clinical interests include emergency medicine and critical care. Elina chose Denver Health because she was inspired by the staff’s shared vision and mission, as well as their dedication to serving the community and those in need—ensuring patients can focus on healing rather than the financial burden of their care. During her free time, she enjoys doing hot yoga with her co-residents, taking her dog to the park, and decompressing by watching reality TV.
Major Research Project: National Survey of Obstetric Pharmacy Practice in the United States
MUE: Evaluation of Blunt Cerebrovascular Injury Nomogram- Time to Therapeutic aPTT
Contact
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Becky Reiss, PharmD, BCPP
PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Program Director
Pharmacist Clinical Specialist – Behavioral Health
Email: rebecca.reiss@dhha.org
Phone: 303-602-9194
