PGY2 PROGRAM
PAIN MANAGEMENT AND PALLIATIVE CARE

Residency Program Director
  • Justin Kullgren, PharmD, FAAHPM

    • PGY2 Pain and Palliative Care Residency Program Director
    • Palliative Medicine Clinical Pharmacy Specialist
    Contact
Previous Year Residents
  • Leslie Siegel, PharmD

    Palliative Care Pharmacist, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
  • Maximillian Stevenson, PharmD, MA

    Palliative Medicine Clinical Pharmacist Specialist, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, James Cancer Hospital
  • Jessica Hirsch, PharmD

    Specialty Practice Pharmacist, Palliative Medicine, The Ohio State University James Cancer Hospital
  • Allie Dolan, PharmD, BCGP

    Pain Stewardship Clinical Pharmacist, Summa Health, Akron, OH
  • Gary Houchard, PharmD

    Specialty Practice Pharmacist, Palliative Medicine, The Ohio State University James Cancer Hospital
  • Tiffany Michalowski, PharmD, BDGP

    Pain and Palliative Care Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD
  • Claudia Rondon, PharmD

    Clinical Pharmacist, Critical Care Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, NY
  • Amanda Lovell, PharmD, BCGP

    Clinical Pharmacist, Optum Hospice Pharmacy Services, Westerville, OH
  • Lacey A. Davis, PharmD, BCPS

    Clinical Pharmacist, Hospice, Palliative Care & Post-Acute Care, Aultman Hospital, Canton, OH
  • Candice Tavares, PharmD

    Palliative Care Clinical Specialist, Medstar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C.

About the PGY2 Pain Management and Palliative Care Residency Program

Purpose

PGY2 pharmacy residency programs build on Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) education and PGY1 pharmacy residency programs to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists in specialized areas of practice. PGY2 residencies provide residents with opportunities to function independently as practitioners by conceptualizing and integrating accumulated experience and knowledge and incorporating both into the provision of patient care or other advanced practice settings. Residents who successfully complete an accredited PGY2 pharmacy residency are prepared for advanced patient care, academic, or other specialized positions, along with board certification, if available.

The Ohio State University PGY2 Pain Management & Palliative Care (PMPC) residency offers patient care experiences in outpatient and inpatient care settings, as well as the opportunity to participate in the Teaching and Learning Program through classroom experiences at The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy. Graduates of the program will be well prepared to provide pharmaceutical care for patients with pain management or palliative care needs in both inpatient and outpatient practice settings, to precept pharmacy trainees, to support safe opioid use within the health system, and to conduct clinical practice research.

Residency Sites

Most of the training and learning experiences for the PGY2 Pain Management and Palliative Care residency program take place at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. The resident focuses on learning opportunities in inpatient and outpatient palliative care and pain management in a large academic medical center with experiences in both acute and chronic care. The Palliative Medicine Division at Ohio State is well networked with other Central Ohio Palliative Medicine fellowship and residency programs, creating a broad educational network with interdisciplinary preceptors, mentors, and colleagues for the resident. Partnership with other Central Ohio practice sites provides a diverse experience in hospice and end of life care for the resident.

At all practice sites, caring for patients with palliative care needs is integrated with becoming an expert in pain and symptom management across a wide variety of disease states and disease trajectories. The resident will also have many experiences in managing pain and other symptoms for patients with comorbid substance use disorders and terminal disease. The diversity of educational forums and patient care experiences provides a well-rounded program that can be tailored to fit the interests of the resident and facilitate achievement of professional goals. Program graduates will be well prepared to provide pharmaceutical care for pain, palliative, and hospice patients in both inpatient and outpatient practice settings.

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More about The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

The Palliative Medicine consult service at OSUWMC serves patients with serious or life-limiting illness at variable stages of disease across the institution, including University Hospital, The James Cancer Hospital, and The Ross Heart Hospital. The outpatient palliative clinic serves patients with symptoms related to cancer and cancer therapies.

University Hospital (UH)

University Hospital (UH) is the flagship hospital with over 900 beds. UH is a major referral center for patients throughout Ohio and the Midwest. Palliative Medicine completes consults on patients in the surgical and medical ICUs and on general acute care floors for a variety of disease states and to help establish goals of care.

The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute

The OSUCCC – James strives to create a cancer-free world by integrating scientific research with excellence in education and patient-centered care — a strategy that leads to better methods of prevention, detection and treatment. Ohio State is one of 51 National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers and one of only a few centers funded by the NCI to conduct both phase I and phase II clinical trials on novel anticancer drugs sponsored by the NCI. As the cancer program’s 356-bed adult patient-care component, The James is one of the top cancer hospitals in the nation as ranked by U.S. News & World Report and has achieved Magnet® designation, the highest honor an organization can receive for quality patient care and professional nursing practice. With 21 floors and more than 1.1 million square feet, The James is a transformational facility that fosters collaboration and integration of cancer research and clinical cancer care.

The Ross Heart Hospital

The Ross Heart Hospital is a leader in cardiology and heart surgery and is the only nationally ranked heart hospital in the area. The Ross is one of the largest centers for the implantation of LVAD devices in the world in addition to providing heart and lung transplants. Palliative medicine is highly integrated into the care of cardiac patients at all stages, including establishing goals of care prior to aggressive interventions.

Center for Palliative Care Outpatient Clinic

The outpatient palliative care team is comprised of physicians, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, social workers, nurses, chaplains, psychologists, and harm reduction counselors who together work to provide whole person care to cancer patients experiencing symptoms related to cancer and cancer therapies. The clinic operates 5 days per week and actively follows approximately 1200 patients. An extension of the clinic, the Palliative Care Harm Reduction and Resiliency Clinic, cares for patient with comorbid cancer-related pain and substance use disorders. Additionally, palliative care clinicians provide embedded palliative care within the Thoracic Oncology Clinic, Geriatric Palliative Care Clinic, Stephanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center, and Ross cardiac clinic.

Key rotations/experiences

In addition to direct patient care experiences, the resident will also deliver didactic lectures at The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy and has the opportunity to earn a Teaching and Learning Program certificate. Professional development programming is coordinated by The OSU College of Pharmacy and The Wexner Medical Center throughout the residency year. The resident is expected to complete and publish at least one major research or quality improvement project with collaborative support from the Resident Research Committee, the preceptors, and practitioners from the clinical practice sites. The resident will precept IPPE and APPE students and be involved in layered learning while interacting with other pharmacy, medical, and nursing trainees at the practice sites.

Core Required Learning Experiences

Learning Experience Duration
Orientation 1-4 weeks
Acute Pain Management 4 weeks
Chronic/Interventional Pain Management 6-month longitudinal
Inpatient Palliative Care in Oncology 4 weeks
Inpatient Palliative Care in Internal Medicine 4 weeks
Inpatient Palliative Care in Cardiology 2 weeks
Outpatient Palliative Care 4 weeks
Pain Management and Substance Use Disorders 4 weeks
Inpatient Hospice Care 4 weeks
Hospice Home Care 3-month longitudinal
Independent Practitioner Capstone 4 weeks
Practice Management & Professional Development 1-year longitudinal
Research Project 1 year longitudinal
Teaching & Precepting 9-month longitudinal
Staffing 1-year longitudinal

 

Elective Learning Experiences

Learning Experience Duration
Opioid Stewardship 3-6 month longitudinal
Psychiatry 2-4 weeks
Pediatric Hospice & Palliative Care 4 weeks plus competency training
Sickle Cell Pain Management 2-4 weeks

Key Preceptors

Marliese Gibson, PharmD, BCPP
Pharmacy Coordinator Kobacker House
OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital

Jessica Hirsch, PharmD
Palliative Medicine Clinical Pharmacist Specialist
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
James Cancer Hospital

Gary Houchard, PharmD
Palliative Medicine Clinical Pharmacist Specialist
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
James Cancer Hospital

Melissa Hunt, PharmD
Pediatric Clinical Pharmacist
Optum Hospice Pharmacy Services

Justin Kullgren, PharmD, FAAHPM
Palliative Medicine Clinical Pharmacist Specialist
PGY2 Pain Management & Palliative Care Residency Program Director
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
James Cancer Hospital

Bridget McCrate Protus, PharmD, MLIS, BCGP, CDP
Director of Drug Information
Optum Hospice Pharmacy Services

Max Stevenson, PharmD, MA
Palliative Medicine Clinical Pharmacist Specialist
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
James Cancer Hospital

Maureen Saphire, PharmD, BCGP, CDP
Opioid Stewardship and Palliative Medicine Pharmacist
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
James Cancer Hospital

Selected Resident Research

  • Intravenous Dosing Strategy for Ketamine in the Treatment of Cancer Pain. Siegel L, Quirk K, Houchard G, Ehrman S, McLaughlin E, Hajmousa O, Saphire M.

    • Virtual presentation for Palliative Medicine Grand Rounds June 2022
    • Poster presentations for Society of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacists 2022 Annual Conference and Vizient Residency Poster Session Midyear 2021
  • A Pharmacoeconomic Study of Respiratory Medications for Hospice Patients with End-Stage Respiratory Disease. Stevenson MH, Protus BM, Lovell AG, Saphire ML.
    • Published in J Palliat Med 2022
    • Virtual presentation for Palliative Medicine Grand Rounds June 2021 and Great Lakes Pharmacy Residency Conference 2021
    • Poster presentations for Society of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacists 2021 Annual Conference and Vizient Residency Poster Session Midyear 2020
  • Transdermal Buprenorphine Use for Pain Management in Palliative Care. Hirsch JM, Kale SS, Saphire ML, Palettas M, Kullgren JG.
    • Published in J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother 2021
    • Virtual presentation for The Ohio State University Pharmacy Residency Conference 2020
    • Poster presentations for Vizient Residency Poster Session Midyear 2019 and Society of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacists 2020 Annual Conference Virtual Poster Session
  • Palatability of Crushed Over-the-Counter Medications. Lovell AG, Protus BM, Dickman JG, Saphire, ML.
    • Published in J Pain Symptom Manag 2020
    • Poster presentations for Vizient Residency Poster Session Midyear 2019 and Society of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacists 2020 Annual Conference Virtual Poster Session
  • State Legislation to Prevent Diversion of Opioids in Hospice Programs: A Deeper Look Into Ohio Law. Kneuss TG, Protus BM, Lovell AG, Kullgren JG.
    • Published in J Hosp Palliat Nurs 2019
    • Podium presentation at Great Lakes Pharmacy Residency Conference 2018
  • Hospital Opioid Requirements Following Continuation Versus Discontinuation of Buprenorphine for Addiction – A Retrospective Cohort Study. Houchard G, Abel S, Kullgren JG, Saphire M.
    • Accepted for publication to J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother
    • Podium presentation at Great Lakes Pharmacy Residency Conference 2018
  • Evaluation of QTc interval prolongation among patients with cancer using enteral methadone. Lovell AG, Protus BM, Saphire ML, Kale SS, Lehman A, Hartman A.
    • Published in Am J Hosp Palliat Med
    • Podium presentation at Ohio Pharmacy Residency Conference 2016
  • Petroleum jelly (Vaseline balls) for the treatment of constipation: a survey of hospice and palliative care practitioners. Tavares CN, Kimbrel JM, Protus BM, Grauer PA.
    • Published in Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2014
    • Podium presentation at Great Lakes Pharmacy Residency Conference 2013
  • Impact of opioid prescribing restrictions on non-opioid adjuvant use in a palliative oncology population. Dolan A, Saphire ML, Kullgren JG, Hopkin T, Ansari H.
    • Poster presentation at ASHP Midyear Vizient Meeting 2018
    • Podium presentation at Great Lakes Pharmacy Residency Conference 2019
  • Pharmacist-Guided Methadone Opioid Rotation in Hospice Patients through an Interdisciplinary Methadone Follow-up Program. Davis LA, Collier K, Jones M, Protus BM, Kimbrel J.
    • Poster presentation at ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting 2013
    • Podium presentation at Great Lakes Pharmacy Residency Conference 2014.

Benefits and Additional Requirements

Application Deadline:

January 2

We welcome applications from non-U.S. citizens who have a “green card” (permanent resident status) or a current visa valid through the entire duration of the residency program. The Ohio State University pharmacy residency programs are NOT able to sponsor visas for pharmacy residents (PGY1 or PGY2).

Number of Positions: 1

Start Date: July 1

Annual Salary – $58,700

Vacation Days – 10 days

Support for up to two national conferences

Staffing Requirements at The James – 19 weekends per year

Completion of a major quality improvement or research project

Contact the program director for a complete list of completion requirements

TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES

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