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Geisinger Lewistown Hospital Pharmacy Residency

You can change patients’ quality of life. A pharmacy residency with Geisinger will show you how. 

About us

The Geisinger Lewistown Hospital PGY1 residency is accredited by the American Society of Health System Pharmacy. This program welcomed its first PGY1 residents in the 2020-2021 academic year and is recruiting for new PGY1 residents for the 2027 – 2028 academic year.

Geisinger Lewistown Hospital is a 133-bed rural hospital situated in Mifflin County, serving over 80,000 patients in central Pennsylvania. In 2021, Geisinger Lewistown was named as one of the nation’s top 100 rural and community hospitals by the Chartis Group. Additionally, the hospital received a 5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in 2021.

As part of the Geisinger family, our residents collaborate both with providers on-site and those available through the larger Geisinger system. Our clinical pharmacists practice at the top of their license to contribute to acute care, ambulatory care, specialty pharmacy and research. Each resident’s curriculum is customized to support achievement of their personal and professional goals.

Pharmacy students from the following schools complete experiential education rotations at Geisinger hospitals and clinics as part of their core hospital pharmacy, clinical pharmacy and ambulatory care rotations. The PGY1 residents can participate in a layered learning model with these students. 

  • Duquesne University Mylan College of Pharmacy
  • Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Pharmacy
  • Philadelphia College of Pharmacy
  • Temple University
  • Western New England University College of Pharmacy and Health Science
  • Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy

Geisinger is committed to cultivating a culture of diversity and inclusion. We recognize that our team is our most valuable asset and seek to promote an environment that is welcoming of persons of all races, ethnicities, religious beliefs, genders and sexual orientations. At Geisinger, we celebrate life experiences, personal differences, knowledge, innovation and talent. 

GME Inclusive Excellence

At Geisinger, each person matters, and we are committed to fostering an environment that is safe, respectful and welcoming to all. Learn more about our commitment and inclusion within GME.

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Program overview

Curriculum

Required focused learning experiences (4 – 6 weeks each)

  • Orientation
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Critical Care 
  • Ambulatory MTDM Cardiology
  • Internal Medicine
  • Internal Medicine II
  • Institutional Intravenous Hematology/Oncology 
  • Inpatient Psychiatry
  • Independent Practice and Precepting
Required longitudinal learning experiences (6–12 months each)

  • Advancing Pharmacy Practice and Improving Patient Care
  • Inpatient pharmacy Staffing 
  • Major Project
  • Management and Leadership
  • Self-Assessment and Professional Advancement 
Elective learning experiences (customizable based on resident interest)

  • Ambulatory MTDM Cardiology II
  • Infectious Diseases II
  • Critical Care II
  • Emergency Medicine I
  • Emergency Medicine II
  • Institutional Intravenous Hematology/Oncology II
  • Inpatient Cardiology
  • Ambulatory Hematology/Oncology 
  • Pain Management and Palliative Care
  • Precepting (if student rotation schedule allows)
  • Transitions of Care
Optional Preceptor Education Opportunity

Clinician educator track (see Frequently Asked Questions “opportunities to engage in teaching or instructional activities” for details.)

Residency requirements

  • Adherence to the organization’s attendance standards
  • Obtain Certifications in Anticoagulation, Pharmacokinetics, Stroke/Code and Antimicrobial Stewardship 
  • Completion of all assigned projects (formulary drug review, management project, MUE, manuscript, and other projects as assigned)
  • Completion of all R1 goals with a status of achieved for residency by the end of the year. Completion of 100% of the remaining goals for the program with at least 75% of the objectives marked as achieved for residency. All objectives must have a minimum status of satisfactory progress.
  • Major Quality Improvement/Performance Improvement (QI/PI) project and manuscript completion
  • Pharmacist licensure in Pennsylvania within 120 days of the program start date
  • Present at least one continuing education presentation
  • Successful completion of core, required, longitudinal and elective learning experiences and evaluations
  • Successful completion of staffing components
 

Residency program design

Residents rotate through the various core and longitudinal learning experiences listed. In addition, they participate in interprofessional learning opportunities throughout the year with medical residents in the Geisinger Family Medicine residency program. Residents also complete a medication-use evaluation for presentation at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and a Quality Improvement/Performance Improvement project for presentation at the Eastern States Conference. Elective learning experiences allow our residents to further pursue interests related to their individual career objectives. Residents are encouraged to explore areas of interest and engage in all pharmacy activities. 

Goals

  • To develop competent, resourceful practitioners who provide holistic, patient-centered care
  • To prepare residents for PGY2 advanced training, board certification and careers as clinical pharmacists
  • To provide accelerated growth in the development of leadership, clinical judgement and self-reflection skills 
  • To cultivate drug information analytical skills which promote the dissemination of information among patients and healthcare workers.      

The Geisinger difference

Our values — kindness, excellence, safety, learning and innovation — are at the heart of everything we do. We provide high-quality, patient-centered, cost-effective care to our patients across northeastern and central Pennsylvania. And our residents learn to do the same.

Required learning experience overview

Orientation

During orientation, residents will be exposed to all areas of inpatient practice at Geisinger Lewistown Hospital. Focus will be placed on operational functions such as order review and verification, medication preparation and dispensing, pharmaceutical compounding, hazardous and nonhazardous sterile IV room compounding, and technician oversight. Residents will interact with other hospital departments by answering phone calls, responding to electronic messages and addressing drug information questions. They will also be expected to complete anticoagulation and pharmacokinetic consults, as well as achieve BLS (Basic Life Support) and ACLS (Advance Cardiac Life Support) certifications. Completion of Anticoagulation and Pharmacokinetic certifications are expected within 120 days of residency start date.  
Internal Medicine (I and II)

The internal medicine learning experience is a structured core rotation aimed at enhancing residents' clinical expertise and interdisciplinary collaboration while managing diverse patient conditions. At Geisinger Lewistown Hospital, the decentralized pharmacist model requires residents to communicate effectively with both the inpatient pharmacy and other decentralized pharmacists to maintain seamless medication administration. Residents are expected to regularly share patient updates across pharmacist care areas and participate in team rounds, patient education, discharge planning and transitions of care. They are also responsible for identifying and discussing medication-related issues and advocating for patients by promptly addressing concerns with the care team. During IM II, the resident will be expected to independently care for patients on the internal medical service using expertise gained during IM I. 
Infectious Diseases

The Infectious Diseases learning experience is a core rotation focused on antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and infectious diseases (ID) at Geisinger Lewistown Hospital and across the Geisinger system. Residents engage in clinical activities such as prospective audit and feedback, ID consult rounds and ask-a-docs to build expertise in ID and AMS. They apply core stewardship principles and make interdisciplinary recommendations to enhance communication and teamwork. System-level exposure includes attending meetings, reviewing formulary changes, policies and guidelines, and educating team members. Overall, the rotation integrates patient-level and system-level stewardship practices to develop well-rounded clinical and collaborative skills.
Institutional Intravenous Hematology/Oncology

The Institutional Hematology/Oncology is a required learning experience focused on expanding residents' clinical and interdisciplinary skills in an outpatient chemotherapy infusion clinic and inpatient setting. Key activities include identifying and resolving medication-related issues, patient education, discharge planning and transitions of care. The primary clinical focus is on malignancy treatment and monitoring, supported by topic discussions, journal clubs and tailored didactic sessions.
Inpatient Psychiatry

The psychiatry and behavioral health learning experience is a 4-week required rotation focused on developing residents’ ability to care for psychiatric patients in the inpatient setting. Residents will manage psychiatric medications, participate in interdisciplinary rounds and provide medication counseling, reconciliation, and support during transitions of care. They will also attend and lead group sessions, conduct private medication reviews and collaborate with nursing staff and other healthcare providers. Throughout the rotation, residents will engage in topic discussions with their preceptor covering medications, psychiatric conditions and non-pharmacological treatments.
Critical Care

This required rotation is designed to familiarize the resident with the critical care setting and gain experience working up critically ill patients with an extensive system-by-system approach. Residents gain valuable clinical and communicative skills by being a part of a multidisciplinary team through bedside rounding, collaborative practice and discharge/transition of care planning.
Ambulatory MTDM Cardiology

The Cardiology Medication Therapy Disease Management Clinic is an 11-month longitudinal rotation where pharmacy residents join the outpatient cardiology team to manage chronic cardiac conditions. Residents collaborate with cardiologists, advanced providers and nurses to provide in-person and virtual patient care. They work under a collaborative practice agreement to manage cardiometabolic conditions such as heart failure, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, while also supporting medication access. Responsibilities include patient education, clinical assessment and medication adjustments, documentation and facilitating prior authorizations and cost assistance. This experience builds residents’ confidence and competence in cardiology-focused ambulatory care.
Independent Practice and Precepting

Independent Practice and Precepting is the culminating learning experience of the residency program, designed to help residents transition to independent pharmacy practice. Through progressive responsibility and mentorship, preceptors facilitate the resident's development as a confident, autonomous pharmacy practitioner.

Frequently asked questions

What is a PGY1 pharmacy residency program?

Geisinger's PGY1 Pharmacy Residency is designed to train and educate pharmacists like you in the fundamentals of exemplary pharmacy practice in organized healthcare systems. Your residency focuses on total pharmacy practice, including the concepts and philosophies of contemporary pharmaceutical care. It builds upon practice experience and academic education and acts as the foundation for practice competence. Your residency will provide experiences and knowledge that can’t easily be achieved in a staff role — which will boost your career when you graduate. If you’re a more seasoned pharmacist, your residency will accelerate a career move to a higher level of practice.
How is the Geisinger Lewistown Hospital PGY1 Pharmacy Residency designed to meet the individual career aspirations of the residents?

Each PGY1 pharmacy resident completes all core learning experiences. Elective learning experiences are selected by each resident to meet their career goals. Experiences are sequenced to facilitate goal achievement. Residents are free to change elective selections throughout the year as they discover new areas of interest. Residents can design both acute care and ambulatory care-focused curricula based on their unique goals and aspirations. A vast array of opportunities are available to promote professional development and self-discovery. The residency director works closely with everyone to make sure their year is a success.
How is the residency offered at Geisinger Lewistown Hospital?

The residency is a full-time, approximately 12-month program that is conducted in accordance with American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) duty hour requirements through the accomplishment of formal learning objectives and activities. The start date is Monday, June 14, 2027.
Is participation in the ASHP Matching Program ("the Match") required?

Yes, participation in the Match for the PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program is required. Our program code number for the Resident Matching Program is 23115.
Does the program offer opportunities to engage in teaching or instructional activities?

Absolutely! Our program provides a variety of meaningful opportunities for residents to participate in teaching and instructional roles. Our PGY1 residents regularly deliver monthly educational sessions to family medicine residents, covering a broad range of clinical topics. PGY1 residents may also have the opportunity to precept IPPE/APPE pharmacy students and/or medical students, depending on availability and scheduling.

One of the standout features of our program is the optional Clinician Educator Track — a specialized pathway designed to enhance residents' teaching and precepting skills. This is a year-long optional program that prepares pharmacy residents to become effective clinician educators and mentors for pharmacy students, fellow residents, and interprofessional learners. It’s ideal for pharmacists who are passionate about clinical practice and committed to fostering growth and learning within the healthcare team.

How many resident positions are available and what are the requirements?

There are 2 PGY1 pharmacy resident positions at Geisinger Lewistown Hospital. 

Requirements are:

  • Doctor of Pharmacy or equivalent degree from an ACPE-accredited school of pharmacy or successful completion of Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee (FPGEC) certification
  • Licensed or eligible for licensure in Pennsylvania 
  • Application containing:
    • Curriculum vitae 
    • Letter of intent
    • Pharmacy school transcripts
    • Three professional references
What are the staffing requirements?

As a pharmacy resident, you’ll participate in staffing activities every other weekend, alternating morning and evening shifts in addition to a 4-hour shift 1 evening every other week. The residents will also have exposure to the remote order verification process for other hospitals while staffing. Your staffing learning experience fosters the achievement of the residency goals outlined by the ASHP. Staffing promotes your growth and professional practice maturity.
What is the stipend, and what benefits are included?

The stipend is $63,000 per year. This is paid in 2-week intervals and is taxed as salary. Other benefits include an excellent healthcare benefits package, paid time off and paid administrative leave for educational meetings (ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and Eastern States Residents Conference). You’ll have a dedicated workspace in an office with access to a computer and wireless rounding computer.
What clinical services does your program provide to your patients?

Currently, we have pharmacists practicing in anticoagulation, infectious disease, cardiology, critical care medicine, emergency medicine, hematology and oncology, internal medicine, psychiatry, and ambulatory care. Our pharmacists are involved in drug therapy management, multidisciplinary patient care, decentralized pharmacy practice, pharmacokinetic consultations, adult code team, stroke response and medication utilization. Pharmacists also lead educational programs geared towards nurses, nursing students, providers, medical students, pharmacists and pharmacy students.
What should I expect at the time of the interview?

All interviews for the 2027 – 2028 residency candidates will be conducted virtually. More information regarding the interview process will be provided prior to the interview. Interviews will take place in January and February 2027.

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