Residency Showcase Program Listings

Pharmacy Department Mission

We strive to be experts in pharmaceutical care in order to provide compassionate, understandable, and financially responsible medication therapy in collaboration with patients and their healthcare team.

Program Description

Our post-graduate year one (PGY1) pharmacy residency is a twelve month, clinical and administrative program that aligns with the core requirements set forth by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Our ASHP-accredited program encompasses acute patient care, foundational practice skills, and proficient practice management that builds on a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) education. Our program accepts two (2) residents each year.

Within our PGY1 residency, residents will experience the advantages of our unique training program, which capitalizes on a diverse range of rotations and educational opportunities spanning both acute and ambulatory care environments. All aspects of your pharmacy practice education will be grounded in our patient-centric commitment to delivering compassionate care.

Our residency program is thoughtfully crafted to offer a comprehensive overview of institutional pharmacy practice while being adaptable to the specific needs of each resident. Graduates will be well-prepared to provide advanced pharmaceutical care services across a broad spectrum of patients in a variety of practice settings.

Program Strengths

The PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program at Kootenai Health is strong because of our Team. Our pharmacy department (preceptors and staff alike) is highly engaged and invested in the success of our residents. We take pride in watching our residents grow and succeed and are dedicated to giving them the support and feedback necessary to do so. 

The PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program at Kootenai Health is feedback friendly. While we give residents feedback throughout the year, we also ask that our residents provide us with feedback. We are constantly growing and consider all resident feedback when adjusting our residency program. Because of this, our program is customizable to residents’ interests and learning needs. 

Pharmacy residents have the unique opportunity to participate in multidisciplinary education with the medical residents and faculty of Kootenai Health’s Family Medicine Residency, as well as with physicians completing a behavioral health fellowship at our facility. Residents will work closely with medical providers as well as with various members of the healthcare team working towards the goal of providing exceptional care to our patients.

At Kootenai Health, we see the importance of precepting for the growth and development of the pharmacy profession. Our preceptors and staff take a genuine interest in our learners and see it was a rewarding professional responsibility, for which we have been recognized by the Idaho State College of Pharmacy as the 2023 Precepting Site of the Year.

Residents will have the opportunity to serve as preceptors and mentors to IPPE and APPE student pharmacists and will participate in an advanced teaching certificate course offered through the Washington State University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Additional teaching experiences are also available through Washington State University and Idaho State University.

Upon completion of the program, residents will be prepared to serve as clinical/staff pharmacists, preceptors, adjunct clinical faculty, or pursue a PGY2 pharmacy residency. 

Our location is another advantage of our program. As a regional medical referral center, Kootenai Health provides care for many patients who live in rural settings. The ability to make a significant impact on our community, while enjoying the recreation-oriented Coeur d’Alene and surrounding areas, keeps our team engaged and motivated. This results in high retention rates for pharmacy staff; many of which are previous residents. 

Rotations Offered

Required Rotations

• Orientation (5 weeks)
• Internal Medicine (6 weeks)
• Infectious Diseases/Antimicrobial Stewardship (6 weeks)
• Cardiology (6 weeks)
• Critical Care (6 weeks)
• Family Medicine Residency (6 weeks)

Elective Rotations

• May select three (3) of the following:
• Emergency Medicine (6 weeks)
• NICU, Pediatrics & Birth Center (6 weeks)
• Orthopedics & Neurology (6 weeks)
• Oncology (Hybrid; Inpatient and Ambulatory) (6 weeks)
• Endocrinology and Diabetes Clinic (6 weeks)

*Per ASHP, no more than one-third of a Resident’s learning experiences may be spent in one practice area (e.g., >16 weeks)

Required Longitudinal Rotations

• Staffing
  • Residents rotate shifts every other weekend starting Labor Day weekend focusing on distributive and clinical pharmacy services
  • Residents are required to work one (1) major and one (1) minor holiday during residency year
• Residency Project
  • Meet on a scheduled basis to discuss pertinent topics with assigned preceptors
  • Research or quality/process improvement project and manuscript development
  • Residents will present project at national, regional, and local conferences as provided
• Teaching & Precepting
  • Meet on a scheduled basis to discuss pertinent topics with assigned preceptors
  • Residents will complete an Advanced Teaching Certificate offered through the Washington State University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (CPPS) as provided
  • Residents will host and participate in weekly Pharmacy Student Forum and Workshop alongside preceptors
    • Residents will interact with IPPE and APPE students utilizing a layered learning approach and the four preceptor roles (instructing, modeling, coaching, and facilitating)
• Time Sensitive/Medical Emergencies
  • Meet on a scheduled basis to discuss pertinent topics with assigned preceptors
  • Residents will earn their Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certifications
  • Residents will respond to site-wide code and trauma responses
• Pharmacy Administration
  • Meet on a scheduled basis to discuss topics with Pharmacy Management
  • Residents will prepare the following and present to the appropriate Institutional Committee(s):
    • Drug class review or formulary management project
    • Medication Use Evaluation (MUE)
    • Protocol or policy creation or revision
  • Residents will participate in Medication Safety Committee meetings and present on Adverse Drug Event Reporting (ADRs)
  • Contribute to the Departmental and Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Quarterly Newsletters

Benefits

Residents receive a competitive salary, subsidized health insurance (medical, dental, vision, life and disability), sick leave, paid vacation, retirement contributions, discounted meals, professional travel coverage, and paid ASHP dues for the residency year.

Residents will have dedicated office space with access to computer/laptop, internet, phone services, and various clinical resources.

Residents may be granted dedicated project time correspond with major deadlines. Project time will be approved at the discretion of the Residency Program Director (RPD) and is not to exceed two (2) days per month. Project days are separate from compensation or “comp” days, which follow a resident’s weekend staffing shifts.

Kootenai Health PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Applicant Requirements

Prior to the start of the program, the resident shall be a graduate of a college of pharmacy accredited by the American Council of Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE) and shall be licensed or eligible for licensure in the State of Idaho.

Residents not licensed as a pharmacist at the beginning of the residency must be licensed as a pharmacy graduate intern in the state of Idaho until the pharmacy license is valid.

The applicant shall meet all the requirements for employment at Kootenai Health and meet the professional requirements of the Department of Pharmacy.

Candidates must participate in the ASHP resident matching program provided by the National Matching Services Inc. (NMS).

How to Apply

To be eligible for the Kootenai Health Pharmacy Residency, please complete the following via PhORCAS by January 7^th, 2025:

• A one-page letter of general introduction and interest, stating reasons for applying
• An updated curriculum vitae (CV)
• Three (3) letters of professional recommendations
• One official copy of college of pharmacy transcripts

National Matching Service Code: 219813

Upcoming Events

Each year, our Program hosts a Virtual Open House to provide candidates with further information and a chance to interact with preceptors, current residents, and past residents. Please see the link/flyer for more information.

Going to the 2024 ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition? Come visit us during the Residency Showcase – Monday December 9^th from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM (Booth 4037)

Contact Us

For questions regarding our program or the application process, please contact:

Gina Dobaldo, PharmD 

Pharmacy Education Coordinator

PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Director
gina.dobaldo@kh.org 

About Kootenai Health PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency

As a regional medical referral center, Kootenai Health (formerly Kootenai Medical Center) provides a comprehensive range of medical services to patients in northern Idaho and throughout the Inland Northwest. Our main campus is located in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and includes a non-profit hospital licensed for up to 397 beds. Saint Mary’s Health in Cottonwood, Idaho, and Clearwater Valley Health in Orofino, Idaho are also part of Kootenai Health. Kootenai is accredited by DNV and has held Magnet(TM) designation for nursing excellence since 2006. As the Emergency Referral Center for the Region, we maintain a Level II Trauma Center designation, Level III NICU designation, Level I STEMI designation, Level II Stroke Center designation by Idaho’s Time Sensitive Emergency System (TSE), and accreditation from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. Kootenai Health has also achieved a Five Star Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Kootenai Health is the largest employer in northern Idaho, with over 3,700 employees (75% of which are women), and more than 200 employed providers across 25+ clinical specialties from fam...ily medicine, cardiology, orthopedics, surgery and more. We provide needed jobs, which in turn, benefit local businesses. Kootenai Health’s growth and success help drive economic development in our region. It is our mission to improve health one patient at a time in a friendly and professional culture committed to superior quality and safety. The Kootenai Health Way The Kootenai Health Way is our shared commitment to safety, compassion, and engagement. Our focus on these values helps us create the best possible experiences for our patients, their families, and our co-workers. It is who we want to be every day to everyone.

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Connections working at Kootenai Health PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency