The VAMC Memphis PGY-2 Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month training program that aims to train highly motivated and qualified pharmacists to provide exceptional mental health care to patients. The resident will function independently and collaboratively with team members to achieve optimal drug therapy outcomes. The resident will have the opportunity to provide clinical services, develop practice management skills, participate in educational programs, precept pharmacy students and residents, and participate in projects designed to improve patient care and outcomes. Flexible training schedules allow residents to pursue areas of personal interest while meeting the education goals of the program.

Summary

Type: PGY-2 Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency

Duration: 12 months/52 weeks

Number of Positions: 1

Application Deadline: January 10, 2025

Starting Date: June 30, 2025

Estimated Stipend: $51,974

Interview Required: Yes (with formal presentation)

Benefits

Annual Leave (AL): 4 hours per pay period (13 days per year) 

Sick Leave (SL): 4 hours per pay period (13 days per year)

Federal Holidays: 11 paid Federal Holidays

Other: Up to 3 days paid interview leave; paid leave to attend state/national pharmacy meetings; Participation in VA Plans/Programs (health, liability, etc.); Financial support for required professional membership, to attend one professional meeting, and teaching certificate registration (if applicable). Additional requests on a case-by-case basis may be considered. Funding may be limited by VA Federal Funding.

Program Structure – Rotations and Learning Experiences

• Core rotations:
• Orientation
• Inpatient Psychiatry I (8 weeks)
• Inpatient Psychiatry II (8 weeks)
• Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program [RRTP] (4 weeks)
• Outpatient Mental Health – BHIP (4 weeks)
• Primary Care Mental Health Integration [PCMHI] (4 weeks)
• Outpatient Pain Management (4 weeks)
• Longitudinal Rotations:
• Clozapine Clinic
• E-Consults
• Mental Health Intensive Case Management [MHICM]
• Pain Coping Group
• Required, year-long, continuous learning experiences:
• Practice Management/Formulary Management
• Project Management/Research
• Practice Related Education and Training
• Pharmacotherapy Presentations (2 hours, CE)
• Quarterly Mental Health Pharmacotherapy Presentation (1 hour, CE)
• Journal Club
• IRB-approved research project (including written manuscript & presentation at MidSouth Residents Conference)
• Local/regional/national presentation/poster/abstract or case report
• Pharmacy operational staffing on a rotational basis
• Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring
• Elective rotations* (4 weeks):
  • Repeat of any required rotation
• Consult and Liaison Service
• Academic Detailing
• Pharmacogenomics
• Substance Use Disorders – Outpatient Management
• Geriatrics
• Palliative Care
• Ambulatory Care
• On a rotating basis, each resident serves as Chief Resident concurrent with other rotations

*Other elective opportunities may be available with advance notice based on resident interest and preceptor availability

General application requirements: U.S. Citizenship, PharmD degree from ACPE-accredited college of pharmacy, pharmacy license (any state), participating in (or have completed) an ASHP-accredited PGY1 residency program

PhORCAS application requirements:  Curriculum vitae, college transcripts, letter of intent (limited to 1 page), minimum of three letters of recommendation (clinical preferred)

About Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Memphis PGY2 Psychiatry

The Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. VA Medical Center (VA Memphis) is a teaching hospital, providing a full range of patient care services, state-of-the-art technology and many educational and research opportunities. Comprehensive health care is provided through primary, secondary, and tertiary care, in areas of medicine, surgery, psychiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation, spinal cord injury, neurology, oncology, dentistry, and geriatrics. Specialized outpatient services are provided through general, specialty, and subspecialty outpatient clinics including a women's health center. Services are available to more than 196,000 veterans living in a 53-county tristate area (Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi). VA Memphis long-standing tradition of providing clinical pharmacy services to the medical center and training highly qualified pharmacy residents. The program was first accredited in 1963 and over 260 residents have completed training. Pharmacy residency training programs at VA Memphis have allowed residents to train at an advanced level of practice in a progressive pharmacy environment. Clinical pharmacy specialists contribute to clinical services throughout the medical c...enter and provide a wide variety of clinical pharmacy experiences including medical ICU, surgical ICU, cardiology ICU, nutrition support, internal medicine, geriatrics, palliative care, spinal cord injury, hematology/oncology, emergency medicine, practice management, pharmacoeconomics, psychiatry, primary care and home based primary care. Longitudinal clinic experiences include hypertension, hyperlipidemia, pain management, heart failure, emergency medicine, neurology, rheumatology, hematology/oncology, polypharmacy/transitions of care, geriatrics, HIV, and Hepatitis C. Pharmacy residents are provided the opportunity to accelerate their growth beyond entry-level professional competence in patient-centered care, pharmacy operational services, and leadership skills that can be applied in any position and in any practice setting. Residents acquire substantial knowledge required for skillful problem solving, refine their problem-solving strategies, strengthen their professional values and attitudes, and advance the growth of their clinical judgment. The instructional emphasis is on the progressive development of clinical judgment, a process begun in the advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPE or clerkships) of the professional school years but requiring further extensive practice, self-reflection, and shaping of decision-making skills fostered by feedback on performance. The residency year provides a productive environment for accelerating growth beyond entry-level professional competence through supervised practice under the guidance of model practitioners. Specifically, residents will acquire these skills and competencies: managing and improving the medication-use process; providing evidence-based, patient-centered medication therapy management with interdisciplinary teams; exercising leadership and practice management; demonstrating project management skills; providing medication and practice-related education/training; and utilizing medical informatics. VA Memphis offers four ASHP accredited residency programs, a PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency as well as two PGY-2 programs in Internal Medicine, Ambulatory Care, and Psychiatry.

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