Application Process  

1. How many pharmacy residents are there each year? Do you plan to expand the number of residents?  

     Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center Residency Program was expanded to 2 PGY1 Community Pharmacy Residents during the 2015-2016 program year.  At this time we do not plan a further expansion.

2. How do I apply for a residency position at Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center (VGMHC)?  Will the program be part of the on-line application program, PhORCAS?   

     Applicants must apply for the Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center Residency Program through PhORCAS. Requirements for acceptance include eligibility for Oregon pharmacist licensure, complete application through PhORCAS including a letter of intent/personal statement, pharmacy transcripts, three references on the PhORCAS standardized form, and our required supplemental questions. 

3. Do you have a supplemental application?  

     Yes.  Responses to 3 additional questions are required to be uploaded to PhORCAS.  These questions are listed on our main-page. 

4. When is the application due?  Are all parts due then?   

     The application is due in early January via PhORCAS.  All parts of the application are due at this time. We will not review applications until they are complete. 

5. May I mail my application to you?   

     No. Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center will be using PhORCAS exclusively. For any questions regarding this process please visit http://www.ashp.org/phorcas. 

6. Who should write my letters of recommendation? Can they be mailed? Can I send in four letters of recommendation?   

     We require that one reference be from a clinical pharmacist who can speak to the applicant's patient care skills (ambulatory care pharmacist preferred).  Our recommendation for the applicant's other reference writers include: one faculty member and one reference of the applicant’s choice that would be familiar with you in a work or pharmacy setting.  Your references must complete the online reference form in PhORCAS. No additional letter is required.  

7. What is our residency selection committee looking for?

     We are looking for passionate applicants for whom our program aligns with their career goals. This is most clearly displayed in your personal statement (aka cover letter or letter of interest) and in the supplemental questions. Helpful hint: Make sure your personal statement is well written, concise, and speaks to your experience and interests (short and long term goals) and how these align with our program.

Eligibility

1. Do I need to be licensed as a pharmacist in Oregon by a certain date?

     Residents must be licensed by October 1st of their residency year. Licensure is required to complete service component of the residency program (community pharmacy staffing) and to progress to independent practice over the course of the training program. Failure to receive licensure will prevent achievement of required outcomes, goals and objectives of the residency program.  

      If needed, additional graduate intern hours may be earned at the beginning of the residency to fulfill licensing requirements.  For 2011 graduates and later, Oregon requires 1440 hours of internship or one year of practice as a pharmacist for licensure eligibility. For more information about becoming a licensed pharmacist in the state of Oregon, contact the Oregon Board of Pharmacy at (503) 731-4032 or visit www.pharmacy.state.or.us.  

 2. Would you be able to sponsor a VISA or a greencard?   

     Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center Residency Program is not able to sponsor a VISA or greencard.

3. Do I need to be fluent in Spanish or languages other than English to practice at VGMHC? 

      Applicants do not need to be fluent in Spanish as interpretation services are available; however Spanish proficiency is desired in our residents. Of the 10 residents (PGY1 and PGY2) that have completed the program, only 2 have been proficient in Spanish.

4. What other requirements exist before beginning the residency? 

      Residents must pass a criminal background check as well as the OIG-LEIE and SAM federal registries of excluded providers for Medicare.

Program

1.  Is this program accredited through ASHP? 

      Yes. Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center received Accreditation in 2015.  

2.  What experiences are required to complete the program?   

     Our program includes core rotations such as ambulatory care with chronic disease management, pharmacy administration, teaching certificate, residency project, and transitions of care.

3. What types of elective rotations are available? 

      Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center may offer psychiatric and pulmonary medicine elective rotations. Other elective rotations maybe possible depending on resident interest and scheduling availability.

4. How much experience have the preceptors had in training students and residents?

     Although this is a new residency program, the primary preceptors all have significant prior experience training pharmacy students and residents. Please see our RPD and Preceptor page to learn more about our preceptors.

5.  Do all residents earn a teaching certificate?

     Certificates are awarded after successful completion of all program requirements including approximately 20 hours of didactic workshops with pre-homework, experiential demonstration of teaching (up to 2 hours of lecture, 8 hours of group facilitation), and development of a teaching portfolio.

6. How much classroom teaching is required?

    Requirements for residents completing the teaching certificate are as noted above.  The resident will also be involved in group facilitation in the first semester pharmacy practice lab course that is focused on ambulatory medicine.  This class meets every other week for 4-6 hours. 

7. Do residents have the opportunity to precept IPPE or APPE students?

    Yes.  Our expectation is that residents will co-precept APPE students on rotation.   If IPPE students are assigned to the resident's work area they may also be involved in guiding them. Residents will also be involved in facilitation of the weekly Hillsboro APPE Hub for student journal and case presentations.