
Oncology Pharmacy Residency
Gain real-world experience while advancing patient care on every level.
About us
If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work, the Geisinger Oncology Pharmacy Residency is here to challenge you. This is your chance to participate in a pharmacy residency that puts an emphasis on real-world experience rather than didactics. You’ll be part of a program that’s pushing the boundaries of what it means to be an oncology pharmacist.
Our residents learn by providing oncology pharmacy services directly to patients, and we pride ourselves on the depth and breadth of experience we offer. During our 12-month, individualized training program, you’ll encounter a diverse range of patients and clinical situations. You’ll be integrated into the entire patient experience and learn how to provide continuity of care in an integrated health system, from start to finish.
Geisinger serves a varied population of more than 1 million people, so you’ll have ample opportunity to work with patients undergoing treatment for both common and unique illnesses. As a resident, you’ll work directly with patients and providers at the Geisinger Cancer Institute, which provides care at multiple sites throughout Pennsylvania. The cancer programs at both Geisinger Medical Center (GMC) and Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center (GWV) are accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer as well as achieving QOPI® (Quality Oncology Practice Initiative) certification from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The bone marrow transplant program is Autologous Stem Cell Transplant accredited by the Foundation for Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT).
The Geisinger Cancer Institute is also an NCI-supported Community Clinical Oncology Research Program (NCORP), which is the core of the oncology clinical trials program providing a direct link to the NCI. Through the Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in pediatric inpatient and outpatient services for pediatric hematology and oncology patients.
When you complete the PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy Residency, you’ll leave the program as a competent, confident clinical expert in patient-centered hematology and oncology. And you will have developed well-rounded expertise in leadership, mediation safety, informatics, research, medical writing and medical education/preceptorship. You’ll be prepared and empowered to provide clinical pharmacy services in both acute and ambulatory care settings across an integrated health system.
Besides its learning advantages, Geisinger is a great place to work. Our oncology pharmacy group is centered in Danville, Pa., a small town that offers endless recreation opportunities and a laid-back lifestyle. You’ll enjoy short commute times and a lower cost of living, yet you’ll still be within driving distance to New York and Philadelphia.
To learn more about our program, download our program flyer.
Program overview
Department of Pharmacy
Geisinger serves more than 1 million residents throughout 45 counties in central, south-central and northeastern Pennsylvania. The enterprise pharmacy department works to ensure our patients receive the best possible pharmaceutical treatment and outcomes. As a Geisinger pharmacist, you won’t just dispense medication — you’ll play an integral role in the pharmaceutical management of patients every day.
Enterprise pharmacy covers Geisinger’s 10 hospital campuses and 130 primary care and specialty care clinics. It includes 3 standalone oncology pharmacies located in State College, Pottsville and Lewisburg; 15 Geisinger Pharmacy locations; a Geisinger Specialty Pharmacy; 2 retail pharmacies on the GMC campus; the Geisinger Health Plan pharmacy team; Geisinger Home Infusion Services Pharmacy; Geisinger’s home infusion pharmacy; and the medication therapy disease management (MTDM) team, located in more than 50 Geisinger clinics. We employ more than 545 pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, clerical and administrative staff.
In the acute care setting, enterprise pharmacy operates a decentralized clinical model in which clinical pharmacists provide patient care on the patient units at most of its hospitals, while the medication distribution model varies based on the hospital. The MTDM pharmacists assist with the treatment of patients with diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, heart failure, pain management, anticoagulation management and oral chemotherapy management.
The enterprise pharmacy is also contributing to national program development in areas such as pain medication management and a medication disposal program.
Pharmacy students from the University of Sciences in Philadelphia, Wilkes University, Temple University, Duquesne University and the University of Pittsburgh rotate through our hospital and clinics as part of their core hospital pharmacy, clinical pharmacy and ambulatory care rotations.
Curriculum
Residency requirements
As a PGY2 oncology pharmacy resident, much of your time will be devoted to comprehensive training as a member of the interdisciplinary hematology/oncology team. Direct patient care services allow you to practice providing patient-specific pharmaceutical care in a variety of settings, both acute and ambulatory. Responsibilities include development of individualized care and monitoring plans for hematology, oncology and stem cell transplant patient populations. After coaching, instructing and modeling by a preceptor, you will be constructively critiqued on how to further refine the delivery of evidence-based recommendations.
- Advanced hematology and stem cell transplant
- Clinic-based hematology/oncology pharmacy practice
- Hematology and stem cell transplant
- Infectious diseases
- Investigational drug service
- Oncology operations
- Oral chemotherapy clinic
- Orientation
- Pediatric hematology/oncology
- Advanced clinic-based hematology/oncology pharmacy practice
- Advanced oncology infusion clinic
- Benign hematology
- Critical care [hematology/oncology focused]
- Hematology/oncology preceptorship
- International medical missions
- Stem cell transplant clinic
- Neuro-oncology clinic
- Oncology pharmacy leadership
- Palliative medicine
- Hematology/oncology pharmacy education
- Hematology/oncology pharmacy staffing
- Investigational drug service
- Pharmacy cancer services: management and operations
- Pharmacy cancer services: medication safety and informatics
- Major research project
- Institutional hematology/oncology pharmacy practitioner credentialing
- Participation and leadership in departmental and health system hem/onc committees (e.g., hematology/oncology P&T subcommittee, beacon committee, oncology medication safety)
- Pharmacokinetic drug monitoring and consultations
- Preceptorship (APPE and PGY1 learners)
- Participation in hematology/oncology pharmacy on-call on same weekend as staffing
- Staffing the Henry Hood Cancer Center Infusion Center in Wilkes-Barre every third weekend on Saturday
- Staffing as needed every third Sunday at the Geisinger Danville campus
- Staffing 2 weekdays per month during last week of their active rotation site
- Possess a valid pharmacist license from the Pennsylvania State Board of Pharmacy within 120 days of starting the residency year.
- Completion of all R1 goals/objectives with a status of achieved by the end of the residency. Completion of 100% of the remaining goals/objectives for the program with at least 75% of the objectives having a status as achieved. All objectives must have a minimum status of satisfactory progress.
- All evaluations must be completed in accordance with ASHP Accreditation Standard as outlined in the Resident Agreement.
- Completion of pharmacokinetic certification by Oct. 31 of residency year.
- Completion of inpatient anticoagulation certification by Oct. 31 of residency year.
- Completion of major project, which includes meeting all project deadlines and submission of written manuscript of completed project to the RAC.
- Assigned projects (MUE, 2 drug reviews, class review and management project) completed.
- Delivery of at least 4 continuing education presentations, at the determination of the hematology/oncology education preceptor.
- Completion of minimum staffing requirements.