Pharmacy residency

The PGY1 program at HCA Florida North Florida Hospital is a year-long, full-time curriculum that provides the essential elements to mold a well-rounded clinical pharmacist. Each resident will function as a key member of the healthcare team and be accountable for achieving optimal drug therapy outcomes for their patients. The intensive training involves the resident participating in the following activities:

• Designing, recommending and managing drug treatment regimens for hospitalized patients in general medicine and a variety of specialties
• Playing a key role in the continuity of care of patients through medication reconciliation discharge counseling
• Participating in pharmacy practice management and patient safety activities to broaden the resident’s understanding of the role of pharmacy and its integration into the healthcare system

The PGY1 program builds on the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) education to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists. The program is geared towards pharmacists who are eligible for board certification; those who are eligible for postgraduate year-two (PGY2) pharmacy residency training; and those we are currently responsible for medication-related patient care.

We are committed to ensuring the PGY1 experience is customized to meet the future career goals of the resident. To demonstrate that commitment, PGY1 residents are allowed to tailor the length of their rotations, required and elective, to best match the interests of the resident and what needs the resident has to achieve those future career goals. In addition to the required 42-week hospital practice and research rotations, pharmacists have the following required rotations:

• Administration
• Ambulatory care
• Cardiac critical care or critical care
• General medicine
• Infectious diseases
• Medication safety
• Orientation
• Research
• Transitions of care

Pharmacists can also take part in electives, including:

• Cardiac critical care or critical care
• Emergency department
• Neonatal intensive care unit
• Geriatrics
• Surgery

Residents will also have opportunities to develop teaching skills by participating in presentations to pharmacy staff and students, as well as didactic lectures to faculty, residents and students in other healthcare professions.

Completion of a research project is required, with the results to be presented at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and the Florida Residency Conference (or an approved alternate) for Pharmacy Residents and Preceptors.

Residents have the opportunity to learn from knowledgeable preceptors in a variety of specialty areas.

Meet our current preceptors

Some of our residents have gone on to take the knowledge they acquired here and apply it to real-world positions with other medical centers.

• Paige Tulcewicz — PGY1 2023-2024 (Northeast Ohio Medical Center)
  • Research project — “Pharmacists Intervention in Inappropriate Aspirin Prescribing in a Geriatric Primary Care Clinic”
  • Current position — PGY2 Geriatric pharmacy resident at Northeast Ohio Healthcare System – Louis Stokes VAMC (Cleveland, OH)
• Julia Mogilevskiy — PGY1 2023-2024 (University of Wisconsin – Madison)
  • Research project — “Impact of Adding Methylene Blue to Vasopressors in Patients with Refractory Septic Shock”
  • Current position — Clinical Pharmacist at HCA Florida North Florida Hospital (Gainesville, FL)
• Joel Weimer – PGY1 2022-2023 (UF College of Pharmacy)
  • Research project – “Comparison of Early versus Delayed Transition from Intravenous to Subcutaneous Insulin in Postoperative Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery Patients: Outcomes and Glycemic Control”
  • Current position – Clinical Pharmacist at HCA Florida North Florida Hospital (Gainesville, FL)
• Lucie Sikes — PGY1 2021-2022 (Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy)
  • Research project — "Impact of a pharmacist-led anti-factor Xa level monitoring protocol for enoxaparin in high risk patients"
  • Current position — Clinical Pharmacist at Prisma Memorial Hospital (Greenville, SC)
• Ty Reales — PGY1 2021-2022, PGY2 Pediatrics at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital (Hollywood, FL) (Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy)
  • Research project — "Impact of pharmacist-managed caffeine monitoring protocol in a community hospital level III NICU"
  • Current position — Clinical Pharmacist at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital (Hollywood, FL)
• Latoy Waite — PGY1 2020-2021 (University of Florida College of Pharmacy)
  • Research project — "Impact of microbiology testing cascade on time to susceptibility result for multi-drug resistant organisms"
  • Current position — Clinical II Pharmacist at Baptist Hospital Miami (Miami, FL)
• Hayley Cooper — PGY1 2020-2021 (University of Florida College of Pharmacy)
  • Research project — "Impact of mandatory stop dates and indication documentation on duration of antibiotic treatment in hospitalized adults with bacterial pneumonia"
  • Current position — Clinical Pharmacist at HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital (Jacksonville, FL)
• Darren Yum — PGY1 2019-2020 (Philadelphia College of Pharmacy)
  • Research project — "Impact of negative methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nasal swab on total duration of MRSA therapy for pneumonia patients"
  • Current position — Critical Care Pharmacist at Ocean Medical Center (Brick, NJ)
• Sonnia Zambrano — PGY1 2018-18, PGY2 2019-20 Pharmacy Administration & Leadership HCA (Nashville, TN) (Taneja College of Pharmacy USF)
  • Research project — "Evaluation of direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) treatment failure in patients with class III obesity"
  • Current position — Division Director of Clinical Pharmacy at HCA West Florida Ambulatory Surgery Division (Tampa, FL)
• Kristina Gill — PGY1 2018-19, PGY2 2019-20 Cardiology UMass Memorial Medical Center (Worcester, MA) (Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy)
  • Research project — "Evaluation of erythropoietin stimulating agents (ESA) and its efficacy on blood optimization for cardiac surgery"
  • Current position — Associate Chief, Clinical Pharmacy and Education Services at VA Tennessee Health Care System (Nashville, TN)

We are proud to spotlight several of our current residents.

• PharmD or equivalent experience
• Eligible for licensure in Florida
• On-site interview of selected applicants
• Application form including:
  • Letter of intent
  • Curriculum vitae
  • College of Pharmacy transcripts
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Additional application submitted through HCA Healthcare Careers

For any questions about the residency program or application process, please contact the Pharmacy Residency Program Director.

Abigail D. Antigua, PharmD, MHA, BCCCP
PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program Director

Email: Abigail Antigua

Office: (352) 333-4541
Fax: (352) 333-4093