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Pharmacy Residency Program

Current Residents

MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center provides dedicated and quality care in northeast Iowa. Our care is based on our mission and values, which emphasize the respect and dignity of all of the patients we serve. We also strive to be an integral part of bettering our community, providing over $20 million annually in charity medical care, volunteer service and education. Our Pharmacy Residency Program is focused on developing residents into competent, confident and compassionate caregivers with emphasis in providing optimal pharmaceutical care to a wide variety of patients.

 

Overview

The PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Program at MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center builds on Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) educational outcomes to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists responsible for medication-related care of patients with a wide range of conditions, eligible for board certification and eligible for postgraduate year two (PGY2) pharmacy residency training.

The MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center pharmacy department is open 24 hours daily. Distributive and order entry functions are based out of the central pharmacy with clinical functions being handled by unit and clinic-based pharmacists. Our pharmacy staffs 18 pharmacists and 18 technicians and boasts the second hospital in the state to implement a Technician Product Verification program.

Decentralized Care Units

  • Ambulatory care
  • Emergency department 
  • ICU–Adult 
  • Infectious disease
  • Medical/surgical (hospitalists) 
  • Oncology 
  • Transition of care 

Clinical Pharmacy Services

  • Antibiotic stewardship 
  • Collaborative practice with hospitalists and emergency department 
  • Renal adjustment dosing
  • Therapeutic drug dosing and monitoring 
  • Transition of care

The residency certificate will be awarded upon successful completion of the residency program requirements. The resident must:

  • Abide by the policies and procedures of department and hospital 
  • Achieve a State of Iowa Pharmacy License 
  • Achieve ACLS Certification 
  • Achieve a minimum of 85% of current ASHP Residency Objectives at Achieved Level
  • Achieve PEPPR Teaching Program Certification 
  • Fulfill meeting attendance requirements as outlined in the manual 
  • Participate in IPPE and APPE Teaching Activities 
  • Present a poster of their project at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition 
  • Present their project at the Midwest Pharmacy Residents Conference 
  • Record duty hours including any moonlighting
  • Staffing responsibilities of one evening shift and every third weekend 
  • Staff two holidays 

Pharmacy Licensure

It is the expectation that all pharmacy residents will become licensed as pharmacists in the State of Iowa within 90 days of their start date. Failure to obtain a license within the allotted time frame is considered a breach of contract and disciplinary action of immediate termination from the program will be decided by the Residency Advisory Council (RAC) and Residency Program Director (RPD) with human resources and legal representation as needed. Extenuating circumstances will be handled by the RAC and RPD on a case-by-case basis but may result in termination from the program or extending the residency experience to meet current ASHP expectations.

Required Rotations

REQUIRED LEARNING EXPERIENCES

  • Orientation to Pharmacy Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 weeks
  • Transitions of care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 weeks
  • Adult Infectious Diseases and Antibiotic Stewardship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 weeks 
  • Internal Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 weeks 
  • Pharmacy Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 weeks (divided in 2 blocks)
  • Drug Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 weeks (divided in 2 blocks)

REQUIRED LONGITUDINAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES 

  • Academia 
  • Pharmacy Practice (Longitudinal Staffing)
  • Research Project
  • Code Blue/Trauma

SELECTIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES (required in each track)

Acute Care Track

  • Critical Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 weeks
  • Oncology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 weeks
  • Emergency Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 weeks

Ambulatory Care Track

  • Ambulatory Care I  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 weeks
  • Ambulatory Care  II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 weeks
  • Inpatient Family Medicine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 weeks
  • Longitudinal Family Medicine

ELECTIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES 

  • Virology  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 weeks
  • Pediatrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 weeks
  • Retail Experience. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 weeks

The resident may choose a selective from the alternate track as an elective experience. The length elective learning experiences will be determined based on the interest of the resident and scheduling availability. 

Sequence of learning experience will depend upon resident and preceptor schedules. All residents with start with 6 weeks of orientation to pharmacy practice, usually followed by required rotations. Electives are generally completed near the end of the year when required and selective rotations have been completed.

Additional Information

NUMBER OF POSITIONS 

  • Two PGY-1 Acute Care Pharmacy Residents: Program Identification ASHP Code: 61010
  • One PGY-1 Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Resident: Program Identification ASHP Code: 61010 [Ambulatory Care track not offered for 2025-2026]

STIPEND 

  • Approximately $49,000–$50,000

Application

To apply to the Pharmacy Residency Program, please read the application requirements and follow the application process.

Application Requirements (via PhORCAS)

Submit to PhORCAS:

  • Letter of intent
  • Curriculum vitae, including APPE rotations with preceptors
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • School/college of pharmacy transcripts

Completed applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. CST on January 3, 2025.

Program Identification

  • ASHP Code: 61010
  • MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center
  • MercyOne Waterloo Cancer Center
  • University of Iowa College of Pharmacy

Contact Us

For more information about the Pharmacy Residency Program at MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center, please contact:

John Hamiel, PharmD 
Residency Program Director 
MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center 
3421 West Ninth Street, Waterloo, IA 50702 
319.272.5615 
John.Hamiel@mercyhealth.com

Arlene Wright, RPh 
Residency Program Coordinator 
MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center 
3421 West Ninth Street, Waterloo, IA 50702 
319.272.8802 
Arlene.Wright@mercyhealth.com

For additional information, please contact: 
Erin Lockard, PharmD, BCPS 
Chief Resident Preceptor 
MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center 
3421 West Ninth Street, Waterloo, IA 50702 
319.272.8800 
Erin.Lockard@mercyhealth.com

 

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