PGY1 Community-Based Residency
Residency Alumni
2022-2023
Sarah McGrath, PharmD, MCSR
Research Project: Evaluation of appropriate antithrombotic prescribing in patients with primary ASCVD in a community hospital
First Position after Residency:
I was initially attracted to the Community-Based Residency Program at Cape Fear Valley because of the family-like environment and the community outreach opportunities. All of the preceptors are welcoming and available for support. The most valuable aspect of the PGY1 program for myself has been the opportunity for growth, both personally and professionally. My biggest takeaway from the year is that the bad days happen to help us grow.
My favorite experience as a resident has been the genuine patient appreciation from each learning experience. Being able to hear the positive remarks not only from our preceptors, but also the patients make all of our hard work and efforts throughout the year worth it.
One piece of advice that I would give to the incoming residents would be to regularly write down the positive things that happen each week, such as the patient comments, impactful interventions, or the encouraging words from your preceptors. It is very easy to solely focus on a negative situation or experience rather than looking at our overall positive impact.
2021-2022
Amy Wangerin, PharmD
Research Project: Impact of pharmacist-completed discharge follow up phone calls on 30-day readmission rates in Medicare patients
First Position after Residency: PGY-2 Ambulatory Care Residency, Fayetteville VA Medical Center, Fayetteville, N.C
I was originally attracted to the Community-Based Residency Program at Cape Fear Valley by the unique rotation opportunities. These included the outpatient areas of transitions of care and ambulatory care. Cape Fear Valley also offered various teaching opportunities with Campbell University, allowing me to tailor my teaching approach for a variety of audiences.
I had several memorable moments throughout the year. These included being able to work alongside great preceptors and co-residents, through which I developed great mentors. Furthermore, giving didactic lectures to variety of health care professionals including medical students, residents and pharmacy students developed my confidence and teaching ability, which has set me up for success in my future PGY-2. The program at Cape Fear Valley pushed me outside of my comfort zone on all rotations and developed me as a clinical pharmacist during each of these experiences.
One piece of advice I would give to incoming residents is to keep an open mind in every learning experience and take advantage of each opportunity to learn this year.
Halee Simpson Parham, PharmD
Research Project: Impact of an outpatient pharmacist-led discharge medication optimization program in a community hospital
First Position after Residency: Clinical Pharmacist in Diabetes and Endocrinology, Cape Fear Valley Health System, Fayetteville, NC
I was originally attracted to the Community-Based Residency Program at Cape Fear Valley because of the numerous community service opportunities such as volunteering at The Care Clinic and teaching “Take Charge of Diabetes” classes at Better Health. I am from Fayetteville, NC and I was very interested in finding ways to serve my hometown community through my profession. I was also very excited about the opportunity to earn a teaching certificate through Campbell University, and co-precept pharmacy students.
I am so grateful for the mentorship and opportunities I have received from this experience. One of the most memorable moments of my residency year was teaching a lecture on Heartburn/Dyspepsia to first year pharmacy students in the same room I once listened to that lecture as a pharmacy student at Campbell University. Another memorable experience of my residency year was learning how to educate patients on multiple insulin pump delivery systems and becoming a certified trainer. I discovered my passion for diabetes and endocrinology through my residency learning experiences, and I am so blessed to continue my career at Cape Fear Valley Diabetes and Endocrine Center.
My preceptors encouraged and challenged me to achieve all my goals, and I am thankful for all their guidance throughout this residency year.
2020-2021
Paige Greene, PharmD
Research Project:Identifying barriers to utilization of a medication access program among referred patients surveyed after discharge from an acute care hospital
First Position after Residency: Clinical Pharmacist in Medical Oncology, Cape Fear Valley Health System, Fayetteville, N.C.
I was originally attracted to the Community-Based Residency Program at Cape Fear Valley because of the welcoming environment at my interview. All of the preceptors genuinely cared about seeing their residents succeed and were dedicated to ensuring I achieved my career goals.
The most memorable and rewarding experience of my PGY1 residency year was being part of developing and implementing the COVID vaccine clinics. It was incredible to see how much the health system relied on outpatient pharmacy residents to coordinate and facilitate vaccination clinics throughout the region. We were provided with a lot of responsibility to help protect the community. Another memorable moment was getting the opportunity to teach my first lecture on OTC medications to first year pharmacy students at Campbell University. It was rewarding to transition from a recent graduate to a pharmacy school professor. I feel my greatest accomplishment this year was developing the confidence to make clinical decisions independently by balancing what I know versus how to solve what I do not know. I feel like this skill will allow me to be successfully in any area of pharmacy practice.
Cape Fear Valley is a growing health system, which promotes the scope of pharmacy to grow as well. The health system works very hard to integrate pharmacists as part of the healthcare team, giving residents a multitude of opportunities to determine areas of practice they enjoy. I am looking forward to continuing my passion for working with underserved populations in Fayetteville as the Clinical Pharmacist in Medical Oncology at Cape Fear Valley Health System!
Tiffany Kahl, PharmD
Research Project:Impact of outpatient transitions of care pharmacy program on interventions for discharge patients in a community hospital
First Position after Residency: Staff Pharmacist Valley Pharmacy, Cape Fear Valley Health System, Fayetteville, N.C.
I was originally attracted to the Community-Based Residency Program at Cape Fear Valley because of the numerous rotation opportunities in community pharmacy as well as ambulatory care. I had the opportunity to participate in various practice settings, from Infectious Disease to Family Medicine. The unique rotation experiences set have helped me develop into a well-rounded clinical pharmacist.
One of the most memorable things from my residency year was developing strong relationships with my preceptors and residency leadership. This residency program offers a welcoming and encouraging environment. The pharmacy staff has created a wonderful learning experience and I am so grateful to be able to continue to work alongside them as I begin my first post-residency position at Cape Fear Valley! This year I grew through each of my rotations and teaching opportunities that pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I have become more comfortable when facing new challenges and now feel prepared to transition into a clinical pharmacist role. One piece of advice I would give to incoming residents is to keep an open mind throughout the residency year to gain the most from each learning opportunity!
2019-2020
Taylor Wells, PharmD, MBA
Research Project:Feasibility of implementing point-of-care influenza testing and protocol driven oseltamivir dispensing by outpatient health system pharmacists
First Position after Residency: Transitions of Care Pharmacist, Cape Fear Valley Health System,Fayetteville, N.C.
I was originally attracted to the Community-Based Residency Program at Cape Fear Valley because of the unique opportunities within the health system, including the partnership with Campbell University. I knew these opportunities would provide the Ambulatory Care experiences that I was hoping for and allow me to earn a teaching certificate in the process. Working in areas of Community Pharmacy beyond the standard retail experience is really what sets this program apart.
I had several memorable experiences throughout the year: I witnessed an open-heart bypass surgery,served patients at the local health department, and gave didactic lectures to a variety of healthcare professionals. However, my most memorable experience was working alongside my Residency Program Director to create a new Transitions of Care Pharmacist position at the hospital. Through this residency program, I found a true passion for Transitions of Care and I am so excited to continue my career at Cape Fear Valley by serving in this role. During this next year, I would encourage the incoming residents to seek out opportunities you are interested in. The preceptors at Cape Fear Valley are absolutely supportive and want to help you achieve your goals!
Facing the COVID-19 pandemic posed a unique learning experience during my residency year. I was challenged to prove my adaptability through the many changes the health system faced. I was able to provide an extra set of hands for my patients, my co-workers, and other members of my healthcare team. It was inspiring to see the need for pharmacists during this time and it made me especially grateful to have chosen a career in pharmacy.