The USC Pharmacy and UCI Health SeniorHealth Center program is affiliated with both the USC Verdugo Hills Professional Pharmacy and the UCI Senior Health Center at the UC Irvine Medical Center. This program is one of the primary sites in the USC Mann PGY1 Community-Based Pharmacy Residency Program.
The Verdugo Hills Professional Pharmacy is one of the USC Pharmacies and will give residents the opportunity to create and practice in innovative patient care settings while working alongside clinical pharmacy faculty and staff. This USC pharmacy provides numerous clinical services in partnership with the Keck Medical Center of USC and the USC Verdugo Hills Hospital. Residents will have the opportunity to practice pharmacy operations, dispense in a high-volume facility, provide clinical services, and serve as preceptors for students on clinical rotations.
The UCI Senior Health Center is a Geriatrics Primary Care practice that serves older adults. Services include general primary care, consultation service, and comprehensive geriatric assessment. This physician-run practice uses a well-developed and integrated multi-disciplinary approach as physicians care for older patients alongside the pharmacy team on all medication-related issues. Residents will have the opportunity to work alongside the geriatric care team, serve as drug information resources, and serve as preceptors for students on clinical rotations.
The home-base practice sites will include:
- USC Verdugo Hills Professional Pharmacy and Clinic
- UCI Senior Health Center
Clinical Services:
- Geriatric and senior health care (dementia, insomnia, depression, pain, anxiety, and other cognitive impairment syndromes)
- Comprehensive medication review
- Medication reconciliation
- Smoking cessation
- International travel health
- Multiple disease-state screenings
- Transition of care
Pharmacy Operations:
- Assist with all refill and prior authorization requests
- Manage selection, procurement, storage, and dispensing of medications
- Order fulfillment and verification
- Use evidence-based targeted interventions integrated into the patient-centered dispensing process
- Administer medications based on collaborative practice agreements or other treatment protocols consistent with the laws, regulations, and practice policies and procedures
- Participate in initiating, modifying, and discontinuing drug therapy, based on collaborative practice agreements or other treatment protocols consistent with the laws, regulations, and practice policies and procedures
- Participate in all Clinical, Operation and Quality Meetings
Administrative Responsibilities:
- Coordinate and facilitate monthly clinical meetings
- Generate clinical reports to track progress of clinical outcomes
- Coordinate and facilitate quarterly general pharmacy operations and quality assurance meetings
- Participate in pharmacy quality assurance, self-assessments reports, and address any new pharmacy-related questions
- Update protocols and policies to match current standards of practice
Scholarly Activities and Service:
- Serve as preceptors for students on clinical rotations
- Develop and facilitate case-based learning activities for pharmacy students
- Deliver didactic lectures for pharmacy or pre-pharmacy students
- Engage, coordinate, and precept in community activities such as health fairs and education outreach
- Design and execute research projects pertaining to pharmacy practice
The resident’s schedule may vary depending on ongoing activities and may include various longitudinal and elective rotations throughout the year. Below is a sample of a weekly schedule:
- Monday: UCI Senior Health Center
- Tuesday: UCI Senior Health Center
- Wednesday: USC Verdugo Hills Professional Pharmacy & Clinic
- Thursday: Resident Development and Teaching Activities
- Friday: USC Verdugo Hills Professional Pharmacy & Clinic