PGY-1 Managed Care Pharmacy Residency Program

Program Purpose

The purpose of The Ohio State University Health Plan (OSUHP) PGY-1 Managed Care Pharmacy Residency Program is to build on the Doctor of Pharmacy education and outcomes to develop pharmacist clinicians with diverse patient care, leadership and education skills who are eligible for board certification and PGY-2 pharmacy residency training. A managed care pharmacy residency will provide systematic training of pharmacists to achieve professional competence in the delivery of patient care and managed care pharmacy practice.

The OSUHP PGY-1 Managed Care Pharmacy Residency Program is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion by fostering a culture that values our diversity of identities, experiences, and thoughts. We strive to provide an inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential while delivering equitable, high-quality patient care and optimally managing pharmacy-related plan benefits. We know each of our residents brings a unique voice and set of experiences that enriches our conversations, strengthens our awareness, and helps us grow as pharmacists and leaders. Together, we share a common goal of reducing systemic biases affecting our colleagues, patients, and our members.

Program Specifics

The OSUHP pharmacy team is responsible for managing all aspects of pharmaceutical care in health plan design and delivery. This includes maintaining the relationships with the Office of Human Resources and the Pharmacy Benefit Manager. The pharmacy team works within an integrated environment and as such the resident will encounter many learning experiences that are intermingled with related experiences and cyclical business processes. Required learning experiences are devised to provide the resident clear expectations of pre-defined residency goals and objectives while providing the opportunity for the resident to function within “real world” scenarios. Residents will acquire and refine their skills within a welcoming environment fostered by the staff-led Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Awareness (IDEA) Council and Health Equities and Outcome Workgroup (HEOW).  The PGY1 Managed Care Pharmacy Residency at the OSU Health Plan is committed to developing professionals who embrace diverse perspectives and prioritize the delivery of optimal and equitable care to all patients.

The order in which each resident completes the required learning experiences is based on an individualized development plan; however, all residents start the residency year with the orientation learning experience. Orientation includes a review of the residency manual, the practice environment, comprehensive training on plan software, policies, and procedures as well as focused clinical reviews and coaching.

Learning Experiences

REQUIRED LEARNING EXPERIENCES:

Concentrated Learning Experiences (1 month duration)

  • Orientation

Longitudinal Learning Experiences (11 month duration)

  • Comprehensive Medication Management
  • Utilization Management
  • Pharmacy Leadership
  • Clinical Data Analysis & Implementation

Extended Learning Experiences (variable durations)

  • Advanced Drug Information (3.5 months)
  • Formulary Development & Evaluation (3.5 months)
  • Clinical Programs & Account/Vendor Management (3.5 months)
  • Student Teaching (2.5 months)

ELECTIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES:

The residency program director will make every effort to customize the training program to an individual resident’s interests and needs that are identified via ongoing assessments of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and abilities. The program does not currently offer elective learning experiences, but unique projects and opportunities for participation in plan initiatives may be offered and/or accommodated at the discretion of the program director.

HOW OUR RESIDENTS BUILD A STRONG FOUNDATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

Through participation in learning experiences, and with the support of our pharmacy, nursing, data analysis, and management teams, each resident will acquire exposure and training in the following areas:

  • Pharmacy benefit design
  • Formulary management
  • Utilization management
  • Drug information
  • Comprehensive medication management
  • Account management
  • Vendor management
  • Data analysis
  • Project management
  • Program implementation
  • Policy development
  • Outcomes evaluation
  • Quality improvement
  • Population health services
  • Value-based contracting
  • Teaching (both didactic and experiential)

For more information, view our PGY1 Managed Care Pharmacy Residency Program Brochure.

What Makes Our Program Unique

While Ohio State itself is a large campus with many opportunities, our residents benefit from a small, intimate atmosphere with frequent one-on-one interactions with preceptors who are highly committed to developing and growing the residents’ knowledge and skills. Our program is designed to provide exposure to multiple aspects of managed care pharmacy, allowing our residents the opportunity to discover their passions and to advance in a variety of managed care roles. As a result of our relationship with The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, residents also have the option to obtain a teaching certificate and participate in networking opportunities with ambulatory, community, and medical center pharmacy residents.

Preceptors

Amanda Bain, PharmD, MPH, MBA
Residency Program Director
Director, Pharmacy and Care Management
Amanda.Bain@osumc.edu

Amanda Bain is the Director of Pharmacy and Care Management for The Ohio State University Health Plan. She is also the director for the managed care pharmacy residency program and serves as the primary preceptor for the clinical programs management, pharmacy leadership, and residency project learning experiences. She has had the pleasure of chairing and/or serving numerous Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) committees and representing AMCP on several expert panels and workgroups. She is a past president of The Ohio State University AMCP chapter and a past Secretary/Treasurer of the Ohio-Kentucky Affiliate. In addition to training managed care residents for their future careers, she enjoys implementing winning strategies for OSUHP’s pharmacy residents and friends team in their pursuit of further titles at the Buckeye Wellness Amazing Race to Wellness and Dodgeball Classics.

J.L. Nelson, PharmD
Residency Preceptor
Specialty Practice Pharmacist
J.L.Nelson@osumc.edu

JL Nelson is a specialty practice pharmacist at The Ohio State University Health Plan. They are a former OSU Health Plan pharmacy resident and are proud to have joined the preceptor team. JL serves as the primary preceptor for the formulary and utilization management learning experience and co-precepts the longitudinal patient care learning experience with Erika Smith. Between residency and becoming a preceptor, JL worked for Molina and Aetna in multiple managed care roles (prior authorization review, telephonic MTM services, quality improvement). As a preceptor, JL specializes in providing targeted feedback to develop policy writing skills and critical analysis of clinical trial data.

Erika Smith, PharmD
Residency Preceptor
Specialty Practice Pharmacist
Erika.Smith@osumc.edu

Erika Smith is a specialty practice pharmacist at The Ohio State University Health Plan. She is the primary preceptor for the advanced drug information learning experience and co-precepts the longitudinal patient care learning experience with JL Nelson.  Erika completed her BS and PharmD at the University of Michigan before moving out west to complete a PGY1 at the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System.  She worked in a variety of inpatient and ambulatory care settings and gained board certification before transitioning to a position in oncology and investigational drug management. Erika eventually came back to the Midwest to be near her family and found a place in the OSU Health Plan managed care pharmacy team.  As a preceptor, Erika is passionate about helping residents and students become comfortable with the “gray area” of medicine where there are no clear answers.

Ericka Hoffine, PharmD, BCACP
Residency Preceptor
Specialty Practice Pharmacist
Ericka.Hoffine@osumc.edu

Ericka Hoffine is a specialty practice pharmacist at The Ohio State University Health Plan. She received her PharmD from Ohio Northern University, where she also completed her general PGY-1 residency with a focus on ambulatory care. Ericka began her career at OSU in 2015 with the Outpatient Pharmacy. During her tenure, she led the expansion and improvement of key pharmacy services for multiple practice sites, working in partnership with inpatient teams. Ericka’s passion for improving medication access led her to managed care in 2023, and she feels fortunate to have the opportunity to explore this side of pharmacy. As a preceptor, Ericka focuses on encouraging residents and students to think critically, be creative in their problem solving, and develop their own authentic pharmacy practice.

Greg Wilson
Residency Preceptor
Director, Benefits & Analytics
Gregory.Wilson@osumc.edu

Greg Wilson is the Director of Pharmacy Benefit Services and Data Analytics for the OSU Health Plan. He precepts the Client and Vendor Management rotation, drawing on his 30+ years of experience in the private and public sector with PBM organizations. Greg is passionate about optimizing benefit design and contracting as well as identifying areas of fraud, waste, and abuse to decrease costs for our members.

Tasneem Motiwala, PhD, MPH, SMBA
Residency Preceptor
Advanced Analytics Consultant
Tasneem.Motiwala@osumc.edu

Tasneem Motiwala is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Informatics and an Analytics/Informatics Consultant at The Ohio State University Health Plan. Her work is focused on population health, outcomes evaluation for the different member intervention programs we offer, and establishing bundle payment agreements with The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Prior to completing a Masters of Public Health and transitioning her career to population health and analytics, Tasneem was a research scientist specializing in understanding the mechanisms of cancer to help identify novel therapeutic targets. As the primary mentor for the residency research projects, Tasneem is passionate about guiding the residents through the different steps of the project from inception to culmination in a poster presentation at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy Annual meeting. 

Current Residents

alexandra-weaver-pharmd

 

Alexandra Weaver, PharmD
West Virginia University
Alexandra.Weaver@osumc.edu

alex-staley-pharmd

 

Alexander Staley, PharmD
Purdue University
Alexander.Staley@osumc.edu

 

Past Residents

Sarah Taylor, PharmD

Medical University of South Carolina

LinkedIn Profile

Taylor Blevins, PharmD

Ohio Northern University

LinkedIn Profile

Courtney Reilly, PharmD

Albany College of Pharmacy

LinkedIn Profile

Nikolina Janakievski, PharmD

Ohio Northern University

LinkedIn Profile

Bryan Quinn, PharmD

State University of New York at Buffalo

LinkedIn Profile

Emma Casteel, PharmD

Butler University

LinkedIn Profile

Sterling Harpst, PharmD

The Ohio State University

LinkedIn Profile

Michelle Liang, PharmD

St. John's University

LinkedIn Profile

Emily Harrison, PharmD

University of Michigan

LinkedIn Profile

Vicky Zhang, PharmD

The Ohio State University

LinkedIn Profile

Ashleigh Cheek, PharmD

University of Cincinnati

LinkedIn Profile

Brent Milovac, PharmD

University of Pittsburgh

LinkedIn Profile

Irina Smith, PharmD

Sullivan University

LinkedIn Profile

Jenna Wood, PharmD

University of South Florida

LinkedIn Profile

Vimal Reddy, PharmD

The Ohio State University

LinkedIn Profile

Candace Zheng, PharmD, BCPS

Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

LinkedIn Profile

Faon Bridges, PharmD, BCPS

University of Charleston

LinkedIn Profile

Joy Marquez, PharmD, BCACP

The University of New Mexico

LinkedIn Profile

Matt Harman, PharmD

University of Kentucky

LinkedIn Profile

J.L. Nelson, PharmD

Butler University

LinkedIn Profile

Sonal Gupta, PharmD

Midwestern University

LinkedIn Profile

Heesung Yoon, PharmD

University of Iowa

LinkedIn Profile

Recent Residency Projects

OSU Health Plan - Pharmacy Residency Team OSU Health Plan - Pharmacy Residency Team OSU Health Plan - Pharmacy Residency

How To Apply

The 12-month program begins on or near July 1st each year.

For the 2024-2025 program year, candidates must apply through the Pharmacy Online Residency Centralized Application Service (PhORCAS) by January 8, 2024.

Visit PhORCAS to apply. OSU Health Plan participates in and adheres to the rules of the Resident Matching Program. The ASHP NMS Match code is 192514.

Candidates must include the following information with their PhORCAS application:

  1. Letter of intent
  2. Curriculum vitae (CV)
  3. Three professional letters of recommendation
  4. Official university transcript from a PharmD program at an ACPE-accredited school or university OR a record of FPGEC certification by the NABP.

Program News & Updates

To learn more about the program, join us in-person at AMCP Nexus and/or the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition. Otherwise, please feel free to send your residency program questions to Erika.Smith@osumc.edu. We are looking forward to hearing from you. 

Our Location

The OSU Health Plan Pharmacy Residency program is located on The Ohio State University campus, with the main office located on Ackerman Road. Our residents benefit from close access to popular Columbus locations, like the Short North, Arena District, Grandview Heights, and easy highway access to many surrounding suburbs. Learn more about making Central Ohio home.