Our Program

The Department of Pharmacy provides pharmaceutical care to our pediatric patient population. Pharmaceutical care involves not only medication therapy, but also decisions regarding medication selection, dosages, routes, methods of administration, and therapeutic drug monitoring. Patients’ medications, diseases, and doses are reviewed for safe and effective treatment. Pharmacists also provide drug information to other health care professionals and counseling to patients and/or their caregivers.

In addition, pharmacists at CHKD are responsible for documenting clinical interventions and reporting adverse drug reactions, and they play an important role in formulary management, medication safety, and error prevention.

While residents learn unique pediatric pharmacy considerations through time spent staffing in the inpatient pharmacy, the primary focus of this residency is direct patient care. Residents will gain clinical knowledge through 12 monthly rotations, including the core and elective rotations listed below.

Core rotations include the following:

  • General Pediatrics (2 months)
  • Hematology/Oncology
  • Neonatal Intensive Care
  • Pediatric Intensive Care
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Ambulatory Care
  • Pharmacy Operations/Staffing
  • Management and Informatics

In addition, residents will complete 2-3 elective rotations (based on availability and resident interest). 

Longitudinal residency requirements include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • MED Service: Clinical pharmacist on-call service for drug information, total parenteral nutrition writing, pharmacokinetic drug monitoring, and medical alert/trauma response
  • Staffing in the inpatient pharmacy on some evenings and weekends
  • Participation in the pharmacist-run RSV Prevention Clinic
  • Opportunity to complete a teaching certificate program through ASHP (in joint sponsorship with the University of Kentucky School of Pharmacy)
  • Resident research project
  • Formulary reviews, medication safety projects, and additional administrative projects
  • Participation in hospital committees, including Pharmacy Committee, and Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee
  • Precepting and teaching pharmacy students on rotation
  • Preparing presentations for CHKD Pharmacist Continuing Professional Development
  • Daily attendance at Pediatric Noon Conference
  • Weekly attendance at Pediatric Grand Rounds

Upon completion of this one-year program, residents will be prepared to further enhance their clinical knowledge in a pediatric specialty residency or in independent pediatric pharmacy practice.