PGY1 Community-Based Pharmacy Residency
Mission and Purpose
Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Centers are committed to providing high quality, comprehensive, and culturally appropriate care to those who need it the most, serving the communities of Washington and Yamhill counties.
The purpose of our residency program is to develop and prepare pharmacists who are committed to providing care within the underserved community. We aim to cultivate the skills of our residents to be able to provide high quality care in a community or primary care setting. Our residency prepares resident pharmacists to pursue the next step in their career.
Our program is accredited by ASHP in partnership with APhA.
ASHP Purpose Statement
PGY1 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 PGY1 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 (PGY2) residencies.
Practice Sites
Pacific University School of Pharmacy
We also have a practice site at The Pacific University School of Pharmacy. Click here to view more.
Learning Experiences
Orientation
- Residents will review program expectations, requirements for successful completion, and development plans.
- During orientation, the resident will shadow preceptors and review Learning Experience Descriptions (LEDs) for rotation experiences.
Ambulatory Care I + II
- The goal of these learning experience is for the resident to gain experience and confidence in providing direct patient care through collaborative drug therapy management (CDTM), building rapport and trust, integrating into a care team, and management of non-direct patient care duties.
- The resident will progress through AmbCare I to AmbCare II, gaining more autonomy and responsibility as the year goes on. The goal is for residents to have and manage a small panel of patients.
- Current CDTMs include diabetes, hypertension, asthma, COPD, treatment naïve hepatitis C, latent TB infection, and tobacco cessation.
Administration
- The goal of these learning experiences is to expose residents to administrative side of pharmacy, both clinical and operational.
- Residents will spend time with our Director of Pharmacy and Associate Director of Pharmacy.
- The residents will participate in leadership topic discussions throughout the year.
Pharmacy Practice
- The resident will gain experience as a staff pharmacist in an outpatient pharmacy while also learning about 340B requirements. Residents will participate in outpatient specific CDTMs to better support patient care.
- As part of this experience, residents will have dedicated time to focus on population health and outcomes initiatives for the organization.
- This encompasses the resident staffing component.
Practice Advancement
- This experience is designed to expose the residents to the process and detail needed to create a finalized business proposal. The residents will submit a written finalized business proposal and have an opportunity to pitch their proposal.
- The residents will work together, with support from pharmacy leadership, to create a completed business plan.
Skills Teaching
- The residents will complete a teaching certificate through the Oregon Pharmacy Teaching Certificate (OPTC) program in partnership with Pacific University School of Pharmacy. They will have the opportunity to facilitate the skills course as well as provide a didactic lecture.
- If there is a strong interest in academia, additional didactic opportunities may be available upon request.
- Layered learning opportunities with IPPE or APPE students will be available during the second half of the year.
Practice Management & Professional Development
- Residents will participate in a monthly learning experience focused on facilitating discussions between preceptors and resident(s) about clinical practice and practice management topics.
- Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
- Clinical topics: disease states, primary literature discussions
- Professional development: professional involvement, well-being and resilience, preparation for Midyear/job search, advocacy, and book club.
- Practice management: ambulatory billing and coding, reimbursement models, value-based care, quality improvement, and practice efficiency.
Electives
- The resident may choose to add an elective experience based on their professional interest and goals. Residents will be responsible for creating goals and objectives for all electives.
- The program will make every effort to develop an elective learning experience to meet the goals of the resident. Up to 4-weeks of elective time will be offered.
Weekly Schedule Example
| Resident | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resident 1 | Pharmacy | Teaching AM, Admin PM | Clinic | Pop Health | Clinic |
| Resident 2 | Pharmacy | Teaching AM, Admin PM | Clinic | Clinic | Pop Health |
Stipend
$54,000 per year
Insurance
Benefit plans including medical, dental and vision for you and your family
Leave Policy
Alloted 10 vacation days + all major holidays
Meeting Stipend
Funds to attend conferences; ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting required
Applications will only be accepted via PhORCAS.
Deadline for application submission: January 2.
Onsite interviews will be offered in late January and February.
Qualifications of Candidates
- PharmD or BS.Pharm with equivalent experience
- Graduate of an US ACPE-Accredited pharmacy program
- Candidates on a Visa must already be authorized to work in the US through end of residency year
Application Packet
A complete application should include:
- The standard PhORCAS required elements:
- Personal Statement – Please include a description of your interest and/or relevant experience in working with underserved populations
- Curriculum vitae
- Letters of recommendation (utilizing standardized PhORCAS reference form)
1. Onsite Interviews
Our interviews will be hosted on-site in February. Our interviews will typically be scheduled from 8:30 am – 3 pm PST with a light breakfast and lunch being offered. The interview will consist of mini-interviews with different preceptor teams, lunch with the residents, a presentation, and wrap-up session.
2. Presentations
Resident candidates are asked to prepare a 15-minute presentation on a clinical pearl applicable to primary care with 5 minutes for questions. It may be in any format, however if specific AV needs, please confirm prior to interview. The candidate will present to our interview committee and other candidates.
Download Our Requirements for Graduation
Meet Our Team
Lindsey Reakes
PharmD, BCACP
College of Pharmacy: Butler University
PGY1: Franciscan Health Indianapolis
PGY2: Providence St. Peter Family Medicine – Chehalis
Precepted experiences: Administration, Practice Management and Professional Development
Clinical interests: heart failure, addressing adherence or medication issues, provided education
Hobbies: spending time with family, trying new restaurants
Why Virginia Garcia: I enjoy being able to serve patients in a meaningful way that truly makes an impact on their life and health.
Edward Saito
PharmD, BCACP, DPLA
College of Pharmacy: Creighton University
PGY1: Moses Cone Hospital (Greensboro, NC)
PGY2: Kaiser Permanente (Denver, CO)
Precepted experiences: Ambulatory Care, Academia, Practice Advancement, Practice Management & Professional Development
Clinical interests: Lifestyle Medicine, Diabetes technology, Weight Loss pharmacotherapy, Asthma/COPD, Smoking Cessation, Transitions of Care
Hobbies: Cooking, Piano, Sourdough Baking, Brewing Beer, Sewing
Why Virginia Garcia: At Virginia Garica, I get to work alongside an outstanding team of clinicians who are deeply invested in the health of our community. As a clinical pharmacist provider, I am able to fulfill my personal mission of advocating for the health and wellbeing of my patients while exercising the fullest extent of my scope of practice.
Samantha Flores-Peña
PharmD, BCACP
College of Pharmacy: Pacific University Oregon School of Pharmacy
PGY1: Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center Community Pharmacy Residency
PGY2: Kaiser Permanente Colorado Ambulatory Care Residency
Precepted experiences: APPE Ambulatory Care, PGY1 Ambulatory Care, MUE projects, Newsletter articles and Pharmacist/RN/Provider training presentations
Clinical interests: transitions of care, patient education on medication misconceptions/fears
Hobbies: watching soccer (live or on TV), hiking, camping, and traveling
Why Virginia Garcia: VG serves a similar community to the one I grew up in and I want to be there to provide the culturally competent care my family didn’t get. I also want to help this community learn to improve their overall health.
Jacqueline Waters
Pharm D, BCACP, CDCES
College of Pharmacy: Roseman University of Health Sciences
Precepted experiences: Pharmacy, IPPE/APPE
Clinical interests: Diabetes Management and Education
Hobbies: Watching documentaries (true crime), baking and traveling
Why Virginia Garcia: The mission and work of VG makes me feel like I am making a difference in my community.
Elisabeth Marker
PharmD, BCPS
College of Pharmacy: Virginia Commonwealth University
PGY1: UPMC St. Margaret Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA (2023)
PGY2: UPMC St. Margaret Hospital (Geriatric Pharmacy, 2024)
Precepted experiences: Amb Care
Clinical interests: Polypharmacy, diabetes, heart failure, dementia
Hobbies: Video games, audiobooks, easy hikes, and cozy mornings with my two cats, Chopper and Lira
Why Virginia Garcia: I was initially drawn here by the interdisciplinary, team-based care and the autonomy provided to clinical pharmacists. I stayed because of the wonderful relationships I’ve built with my colleagues and my patients!
Sam Patel
PharmD
College of Pharmacy: OSU College of Pharmacy
Precepted experiences: Pharmacy
Clinical interests: As an outpatient pharmacist, my clinical interests focus on optimizing medication therapy to improve patient outcomes. I am particularly passionate about chronic disease management, including diabetes and hypertension, ensuring patients receive appropriate education and monitoring. Medication adherence and patient counseling are key areas of interest, as I strive to empower patients to take an active role in their health. I also have a strong interest in medication therapy management (MTM) and deprescribing to enhance patient safety and reduce polypharmacy risks. Additionally, I enjoy collaborating with healthcare teams to provide personalized care and promote preventive health measures.
Hobbies: Travel hacking
Why Virginia Garcia: Working for Virginia Garcia provides the opportunity to serve diverse and underserved communities, making a meaningful impact on patients’ lives. The organization emphasizes compassionate, patient-centered care, allowing pharmacists to play an integral role in improving health outcomes through education, medication management, and chronic disease support. Additionally, Virginia Garcia fosters a collaborative and supportive work environment, promoting professional growth and community engagement.
Emily Bitton
PharmD, BCACP
College of Pharmacy: Northeastern University
PGY1: Coastal Medical, Providence RI
PGY2: Kaiser Permanente, Denver CO
Precepted experiences: Ambulatory Care
Clinical interests: novel diabetes medications/diabetes management
Hobbies: reading, pilates/Lagree classes, watching Survivor, spending time with friends
Why Virginia Garcia: I chose VG because I wanted to use my clinical expertise to help improve the lives of patients who may struggle with barriers to care.
Living in Oregon
Fostering work-life balance in our residency training program is essential for promoting resident well-being, preventing burnout, and ensuring sustainable professional growth. By incorporating preceptor support and mindful workload management, residents can maintain their health while excelling in their training.
The Official City Guide of Portland
Oregon Vacations & Travel Guide
Contact Us
Residency Program Director
Lindsey Reakes, PharmD, BCACP
[email protected]
Residency Program Coordinator
[email protected]
resident
[email protected]
resident
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