Salem Health PGY1 Pharmacy Residency
Welcome!
Thank you for your interest in pharmacy residency training at Salem Health.
The Salem Health PGY1 pharmacy residency program offers a diverse range of patient care and professional experiences at a large and well-established community-hospital setting. The residency program purpose is to builds on the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) education and 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.
Upon completion of the Salem Health PGY1 residency, we believe you will be a confident and highly capable general practitioner, and well prepared you for the next step in your career.
About Salem Health
Salem Health Hospitals and Clinics are part of a network of state-of-the-art medical facilities located within the heart of the Willamette Valley. Located in Salem, Oregon, Salem Hospital is currently a 643-bed, not-for-profit, community-based level II trauma center and operates as one of the busiest emergency departments on the West Coast. Salem Health is a Magnet-designated hospital and boasts award-winning cardiovascular and orthopedic service lines.
Learn more about life in Salem and the Willamette Valley.
Pharmacy Department services at Salem Health
The Pharmacy Department at Salem Health provides a broad range of services including a diverse inpatient practice, medication management in ambulatory care clinics, outpatient retail pharmacy, and infusion clinic.
Inpatient pharmacy services are provided throughout the hospital and includes extensive collaborative practices following evidence-based guidelines and leverages emerging technologies to provide the highest pharmaceutical care for patients. Pharmacists work side-by-side with physicians, nurses and other health care providers to ensure optimal patient outcomes and maximize patient safety, including multidisciplinary rounding on multiple care units.
At Salem Health, the pharmacy department focuses on continuous quality improvement, and as a pharmacy resident you will have an opportunity to directly contribute to this goal of providing an exceptional patient experience and improving the health of the communities we serve.
About the position
Currently there are two annual positions offered at the PGY1 Pharmacy Residency at Salem Health.
Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Be a graduate of an ACPE-accredited college of pharmacy or have a Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee (FPGEC) certificate from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
- Have a pharmacist license or be eligible for licensure in Oregon
- Prospective residents are expected to obtain Oregon pharmacist license as soon as possible, with a required deadline of Oct. 1
- Be a US citizen or permanent resident of the US
- All residency candidates must register with the ASHP Resident Matching Program, which determines all pharmacy residency position appointment
Contact us
To connect with our pharmacy residency program contacts and ask questions, please send an email to Pharmacy.Residency@SalemHealth.org.
To connect with our pharmacy residency program contacts and ask questions, please send an email to Pharmacy.Residency@SalemHealth.org.
Salary and benefits
The current PGY1 pharmacy resident salary is ~$51,000 per year.
Pharmacy residents are eligible to receive Salem Health employee benefits, including:
- Medical, dental, vision, and prescription insurance coverage
- Employer-paid life insurance and short term disability insurance
- Paid time off for vacation, recognized holidays, and sick leave
- Retirement benefit options including a 401K
- Covered expenses for professional meeting attendance and travel fees for ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and Northwestern States Residency Conference
- Free parking
Learning opportunities
As a pharmacy resident at Salem Health, you will gain broad exposure to a wide variety of patient populations and have the opportunity to further develop your skill sets in many areas including clinical pharmacy services, pharmacy operations, administration and leadership, and project management.
The following required and elective learning experiences currently offered include:
- Orientation
- Adult Critical Care I & II
- Adult Internal Medicine I & II
- Emergency Department I
- Cardiovascular Care Unit (CVCU)
- ID I: Introduction to Infectious Disease
- ID II: Antimicrobial Stewardship
- IV Room & Operating Room
- Neonatal, Pediatric and Obstetrics
- Emergency Department II
- Oncology (Adult)
- Operating Room II
- Pharmacy Operations
- Pharmacy & Therapeutics / Medication Safety Committee
- Teaching and Learning Experience - Oregon Pharmacy Teaching Certificate (OPTC) 1
- Residency Project 2
- Pharmacy Staffing 3
Additional information: See more details here.
Several learning experiences may be repeated as an elective but no more than 12 weeks can be spent in a single level of care (i.e. Critical Care, Internal Medicine).
1 Oregon Pharmacy Teaching Certificate (OPTC) program: This program is jointly operated by the Oregon State University College of Pharmacy and Pacific University School of Pharmacy. It is intended for postgraduate pharmacy trainees who are interested in didactic and experiential education activities and includes workshops, practical training and hands on teaching experiences. Residents that successfully complete all required teaching activities will be awarded a teaching certificate.
2 Residency Project: Each resident completes a year-long project during the residency year. Potential projects are identified by the Residency Advisory Committee and presented to the residents for consideration and ranking early in the year. Residents participate in all stages of the process including developing a time line, obtaining IRB approval, data collection and analysis, submitting an abstract for presentation of the project at the Northwestern States Conference for Residents and Preceptors and a poster for ASHP Midyear, and completing a manuscript.
Citywide Residency Conference: Residents participate in bimonthly meetings, intended to round out a residency experience and provide networking opportunities with Portland-area residents & Residency Program Directors. Participation in this program allows residents to share knowledge across organizations and includes educational sessions to further enhance the residency experience. Some example topics include personal and professional leadership, preceptor development, change management, project justification, and legislative advocacy. *Of note, these sessions are currently on HOLD due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.*
3 Pharmacy Staffing Commitment: Service commitment is crucial to the development of professional practice skills. Residents will gain proficiency in both operational and clinical skill sets during the staffing experience, which includes exposure to both central and decentral pharmacy practice. This exposure will provide valuable experience and insights into key inpatient pharmacy processes for acute care facilities, increasing one’s ability to lead practice improvement initiatives. Residents are expected to staff approximately 32 hours per month, 8 hours per staffing shift.
Medical Emergency Response: Residents will receive upfront training Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and will have the opportunity to actively participate in hospital-wide code blue responses throughout the residency.
Residency Leadership
Welcome and thank you for considering Salem Health as the site for your residency training! Our goal, as program leadership for the PGY1 Pharmacy Residency at Salem Hospital, is to support the development of skilled clinical pharmacists who will have a sound understanding of hospital pharmacy practice, and improve care at the patient and healthcare system levels. To that end, our preceptors will challenge you to improve your abilities to:
- Better the care of the patients you serve each day
- Improve medication safety by participating in evaluation of medication events
- Improve the system by enacting changes in the electronic health record to further enhance patient care
Our preceptors are a critical part of your journey down this path. Please take a few moments to meet some of the people who will help you improve as a clinician pharmacist if you join us. We look forward to the opportunity to provide a residency experience that will prepare you for patient care and career advancement in any healthcare setting!
Residency Program Director
Matthew Tanner, PharmD, BCPS
After graduating from Idaho State University’s College of Pharmacy in 2002, I completed an Adult Medicine Residency at the Boise VA. I helped establish swing shift ICU coverage at Salem Hospital and leapt at the opportunity to practice opposite of our day ICU pharmacist for about 8 years. In 2012, I stepped into the Clinical Coordinator position and was given the opportunity to establish our PGY1 residency. Currently, I precept the P&T and Medication Safety rotations.
I am originally a farm boy raised in Southern Idaho and my interests include hiking, reading science fiction (especially Star Wars and Battletech), Marvel Cinematic Universe movies with my son, and rollerblading and playing board games with my daughters.
I invite you to check out our residency – the website, the showcase, and asking us questions by e-mail. If you like what you see, then maybe your picture will be on our residency site next year!
Residency Program Coordinator
Wesley Porter, PharmD, BCPS
Wes graduated with his PharmD degree from the University of Colorado in 2017. He completed his PGY-1 inpatient residency training at Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, Nevada in 2018 and began working as the ICU Clinical Pharmacist at Salem Health
in 2021.
Serving as the residency program coordinator since 2023, Wes works closely with the program director, residents and preceptors to organize the residency year. In addition to the coordinator role, Wes precepts for the Adult Critical Care I & II, Teaching
& Learning, and Pharmacy Residency Project learning experiences.
When not at work, Wes loves to explore the Oregon Coast and frequent the nearby farmer’s market with his family.
Preceptors
Nathan Brabham, RPh
Nathan received his pharmacy degree from Oregon State University. Nathan has been Salem Health’s operating room pharmacist for more than two decades and has received numerous awards for service excellence from the organization over the years. He
serves as preceptor for the IV Room / OR learning experience.
Danielle Britt, MA, PharmD
Danielle received her PharmD from Washington State University in 2007. She completed a PGY-1 pediatric focused residency training program at Providence Alaska Medical Center 2008 and joined Salem Health as the Infectious Diseases/ Antimicrobial Stewardship
Pharmacist in October 2016. Danielle was awarded her MAD-ID Basic and Advance Antimicrobial Stewardship Certificates in 2014 and 2018. She serves as a preceptor for the Antimicrobial Stewardship / Infectious Disease I & II learning experiences,
leads the hospital inpatient stewardship program and is co-chair for the COVID-19 medication task force work group. Her professional interests include infectious diseases, antimicrobial stewardship, pediatrics and HIV management. In her free time,
Danielle enjoys spending time with her family and exploring the Pacific Northwest.
Stephanie Cassidy, PharmD
Stephanie received her PharmD from Pacific University in Oregon. She been with Salem Health since 2017. Stephanie serves as a preceptor for the Clinical Pharmacy Practice Council learning experience. In her spare time she likes to kayak with her dog Toby
and snowboard with her husband.
Grozdana Fundak, PharmD
Grozdana received her PharmD from University of Washington and completed an ASHP-accredited residency training at the University of Washington, Harborview Hospitals. She started at Salem Health in 2002 and has been recognized multiple times by the organization for her service excellence as an oncology pharmacist. Currently she serves as preceptor for the Adult Internal Medicine I & II, Oncology and Pharmacy Staffing learning experiences.
Caroline Houston, PharmD
Caroline received her PharmD from University of the Pacific. She has been with Salem Health since 2012 as an IV pharmacist and serves as the primary preceptor for the IV Room / OR learning experience.
Aron Howe, PharmD
Aron received his PharmD from Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions. Since 2012, Aron has been one of Salem Health’s Emergency Department pharmacists and serves as preceptor for Emergency Department I & II learning experiences.
Cejae Legal, PharmD
Cejae received her PharmD from Oregon State University. She has been with Salem Health since 2001 first as a student, a clinical pharmacist in 2004 and specialized in cardiovascular ICU in 2008. She serves as the primary preceptor for the Cardiovascular
ICU and Pharmacy Staffing learning experiences, and has received the Outstanding Resident Mentor Award three years in a row. Additionally, she teaches the cardiac pharmacology class to new cardiac nurses.
Nancy Pifer, PharmD
Nancy received her PharmD from Oregon State University. She started at Salem Health as a night shift pharmacist in 2004 and transitioned to the Family Birth Center (FBC) pharmacist in 2006. She serves as a preceptor for the Neonatal, Pediatric and Obstetrics and Pharmacy Staffing learning experiences.
Cory Rahn, PharmD
Cory received his PharmD from Oregon State University. He completed PGY-1 residency training at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. Cory serves as a preceptor for the longitudinal Pharmacy Administration learning experience.
Rick Rochetto, RPh
Rick received his pharmacy degree from Oregon State University. He started his inpatient pharmacy career at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend, OR and joined Salem Health in 1996 as an ICU Clinical Pharmacist. He has been awarded the Pharmacist Award of Excellence in 2000 and has been involved in numerous protocol work. Rick serves as the primary preceptor for the Adult Critical Care I & II learning experiences.
Tony Scavarelli, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Tony received his BS-Pharm (1997) from Northeastern University and PharmD (2012) from Shenandoah University. He started at Salem Health in 2019 as an ICU clinical pharmacist and recently switched into a management role. He brings with him a unique perspective from his varied work experiences and residency precepting in New Hampshire and Texas, primarily in the critical care area. Tony serves as a preceptor for the critical care and longitudinal project learning experiences.
Erich Schmidt, PharmD, BCPS
Erich received his PharmD from the University of Georgia. He has been with Salem Health since 2002 as a clinical pharmacist in many different areas, including Neurotrauma ICU, Medical-Surgical/ Orthopedic and Intermediate care ICU. Erich serves
as a preceptor for the Adult Internal Medicine I & II learning experiences.
Tae Yu, RPh, BCPS
Tae received his pharmacy degree from Oregon State University in 1999. After graduation, he worked retail pharmacy and started at Salem Health in 2003 as a night shift pharmacist. He was awarded his Board Certification in Pharmacotherapy in 2013. Tae serves as a preceptor for the Neonatal, Pediatric and Obstetrics and Pharmacy Staffing learning experiences.
Chelsea Zipse, PharmD, BCPS
Chelsea received her PharmD from the University of Kansas in 2017. She completed a PGY-1 residency at Saint Alphonsus in Boise, Idaho and then stayed on as an Internal Medicine Pharmacist. In 2021, she moved to Oregon and joined the Salem Health pharmacy team, where she provides patient care to several different areas, including oncology, medical-surgical, and neurotrauma units. Chelsea serves as a preceptor for the Adult Internal Medicine I & II and Oncology learning experiences.
Current residents
Daniela Shaw
About me:
After graduating from Boise State University with a BS in Chemistry I moved from Driggs, Idaho to Eugene, OR where I quickly discovered that Oregon was the place to be. I completed my PharmD from Oregon State University/Oregon Health & Science University College of Pharmacy with the support from my husband, dog and two house rabbits. My interests include neonatal & obstetrics medicine as well as ICU and emergency medicine. Outside of the pharmacy I enjoy gardening, knitting, and yarn dyeing all while listening to a great podcast.
Why Salem Health?
I had the pleasure of rotating through Salem Health as a student during the pandemic and despite the staffing difficulties, medication shortages and ever evolving COVID-19 guidelines Salem Health was able to go above and beyond to deliver quality patient care. I chose Salem Health because I valued their collaborative, respectful and innovative teamwork.
Katie Windsor
About me:
I am originally from Wind Lake, Wisconsin. I did my undergraduate studies at Concordia University Wisconsin as an accelerated Pre-Pharmacy track. I then completed my PharmD at the Concordia University Wisconsin School of Pharmacy. My practice interests
include emergency medicine, toxicology and critical care. Outside of pharmacy I enjoy hiking with my dogs, skiing and golfing!
Why Salem Health?
Finding a hospital with not only a large, fast-paced emergency department, but one that had a wide variety of pharmacy clinical practice areas is what initially drew me to Salem Health. The welcoming and personable pharmacists that I was able to interact with at Midyear and during the interview process is really what solidified my decision to want to learn and work here at Salem Health as a resident.
Past residents
Shannon Hammond
About Me:
I grew up in Forest Grove, Oregon and earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology with minors in both Chemistry and Spanish from Pacific University. I then graduated with my PharmD from Pacific University School of Pharmacy, where I focused on studying pharmacogenomics (PGx) and precision medicine. My interest areas include PGx, oncology, critical care, and pediatrics. My hobbies outside of work include learning to play the guitar, skiing, and loving on my dog and cat.
Why Salem Health?
I was fortunate to grow up in the area and witness the evolution of Salem Health from a one-building campus to a full-fledged healthcare system. This expansive growth while still maintaining a close-knit community intrigued me. I am very fortunate to
be able to give back to my own community while still experiencing the progressive practice that Salem Health has to offer.
Kristina Wright
About Me:
I am originally from Montauk, New York. I received a Bachelor of Science in pharmaceutical sciences from the Ohio State University and then completed my PharmD at the University of Colorado. My practice interests include internal medicine, infectious diseases, and critical care. Outside of pharmacy I enjoy snowboarding, camping, and spending time with my doggos!
Why Salem Health?
Discovering a health-system with a supportive yet challenging environment where I could advance my skills and be a recognized clinical pharmacist leader is what led me to choose Salem Health. The dedicated specialized pharmacy preceptors at Salem Health have made me feel so welcomed during the interview process and beyond.