Managed Care Pharmacy Residency

Group Health Cooperative offers a postgraduate year one (PGY1) residency in managed care pharmacy, accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (ASHP/AMCP). The training sites include pharmacy administration, primary care, and specialty care.

Also see: Pharmacy Residency Application Information

Program Mission

To develop clinically adept, managed care pharmacists with strong leadership qualities who can manage projects, communicate effectively, and critically analyze data.

About the Residency

Through a series of core, required learning experiences, the residency offers experience in population-based care such as formulary management, pharmacy benefit manager (PBM), and contracted network relations, medication use management strategies, medication therapy management (MTM), prior authorization, pharmacy benefit design, and medication safety.

Residents also have the opportunity to develop and implement clinical practice guidelines, ensure quality and safety of medication use, and create patient-specific pharmaceutical care plans.

Statement of Purpose

Upon completion of the residency, residents will be prepared for specific positions such as clinical program manager, formulary pharmacist, utilization management pharmacist, MTM pharmacist, pharmacy benefit pharmacist, and clinical review pharmacist.

Program outcomes:

• Design and implement clinical programs to enhance the efficacy of patient care.
• Ensure the safety and quality of the medication use system.
• Provide medication and practice-related information, education, and/or training.
• Collaborate with plan sponsors to design effective benefit structures to service a specific population's needs.
• Exercise leadership and practice management skills.
• Demonstrate project management skills.
• Manage the drug distribution process for the organization's members.

Learning Experiences

Requirements for Successful Completion

• Satisfactorily complete all learning experiences based on summative evaluation of preceptor.
• Complete a final residency project and complete a manuscript in a form adequate for submission for publication.
• Participate in the evaluation process and provide feedback on how the residency can be improved for future years.
• Complete Washington pharmacist licensure by Sept. 30, 2013.
• Receive a final evaluation of "achieved" for all required competency goals of the residency program.

Residency Project

We require residents to complete an official residency project, which may be in the form of original research, a problem-solving exercise, or development or enhancement of some aspect of our pharmacy services. We expect residents to make formal presentations of their projects.

Presentation opportunities include:

• Western States Conference for Pharmacy Residents, Fellows, and Preceptors
• Seattle-area Society of Health Systems Pharmacists
• Group Health Pharmacy Administration

Fringe Benefits

In addition to an estimated stipend of $54,800, benefits include:

• Medical and dental coverage (cost and cost shares vary by health plan)
• Seven days of vacation per year
• Educational leave
• Travel allowance for select professional conferences

About Group Health

Group Health Cooperative, based in Seattle, Wash., is a nonprofit, integrated, managed care system that offers health plans and a delivery system. Our health plans provide medical and pharmacy benefits to more than 650,000 residents in Washington state and North Idaho. Group Health is changing the way health care is delivered by successfully implementing the medical home model in each of our 24 primary care facilities.