Post Graduate Pharmacy Education

Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall (MSLC) is a 242-bed community hospital that is officially partnered with the Montefiore Health System. MSLC is a non-for-profit hospital dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of those in the Hudson Valley. MSLC is comprised of two campuses, the Newburgh Campus and Cornwall Campus. The Newburgh Campus is a Level 3 trauma center and includes an 18-bed Intensive Care Unit, Emergency Department, Medical/Surgical Units, Step-Down unit, Birthing Center, Operating Rooms, Cardiac Cath Lab, and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The Cornwall Ambulatory Campus includes an infusion center, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, a center for sleep medicine, physical therapy, palliative care, a balance center, and a speech and swallowing center.

The PGY1 pharmacy residency program at MSLC builds on Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) education and outcomes to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists responsible for medication-related care of patients with a wide range of conditions, eligible for board certification, and eligible for postgraduate year two (PGY2) pharmacy residency training.

Click Here For The Full Pharmacy Residency Program Brochure

Program Overview

The PGY1 Pharmacy Residency curriculum is designed to expose residents to the clinical management of patient populations and expose them to all aspects of general hospital pharmacy practice. This curriculum includes but is not limited to:

• Clinical pharmacy practice in Critical Care, Internal Medicine, and Oncology/Ambulatory Care
• Involvement in Antimicrobial, Anticoagulation, and Opioid Stewardship Programs
• Transitions of Care
• Medication Safety
• Formulary Management
• Pharmacy administration
• Research
• Teaching
• Joint Commission Standards, Core Elements, and National Patient Safety Goals

Program Structure and Learning Experiences

The PGY1 pharmacy residency program at MSLC is a 12-month, full-time commitment. Residents will complete hospital and residency orientation. After resident orientation and training, residents will rotate through all core leaning experiences and select elective learning experiences. Residents will also be required to complete longitudinal learning experiences. All residency competencies will be taught and evaluated in core and longitudinal learning experiences.

Core, elective, and longitudinal learning experiences are outlined below. Learning experience options and preceptor availability are continuously being evaluated by the Residency Advisory Committee. Other learning experiences may be developed based on resident interest and preceptor availability.

Core Learning Experiences

• Orientation
• Internal Medicine I
• Critical Care I
• Pharmacy Administration
• Antimicrobial Stewardship
• Oncology/Ambulatory Care

Longitudinal Learning Experiences

• Longitudinal Research
• Longitudinal Teaching
• Longitudinal Formulary Management
• Longitudinal Transitions of Care

Elective Learning Experiences

• Internal Medicine II
• Critical Care II
• Medication Safety

Meet Our Pharmacy Residents

Nicholas Christopher Lukan, PharmD, PGY1 Pharmacy Resident

Nicholas Christopher Lukan earned his associate's degree in science from Orange County Community College in 2020 and completed his Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) at the Binghamton University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2025. His journey in pharmacy began as a pharmacy technician at a local Walgreens in Middletown, NY, where he developed a passion for patient care and the pharmacy profession, ultimately inspiring him to pursue pharmacy school. He is ecstatic to join the PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program at Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall, where he aims to further strengthen his clinical expertise. Nicholas has strong interests in critical care, infectious diseases, and ambulatory care, and he looks forward to exploring each of these specialties during his residency. His dedication to delivering high-quality patient care continues to drive his professional growth and development.

Naasiha Ahmed, PharmD, PGY1 Pharmacy Resident​

Naasiha Ahmed earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from St. John’s University in Queens, New York, in 2025. Her career in pharmacy began at CVS during her second year of pharmacy school, where she first worked as a pharmacy technician before transitioning into a pharmacy intern role. She later continued to grow her skills as a pharmacy intern in ambulatory infusion at The Mount Sinai Hospital. Naasiha is excited to be part of the PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program at Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall, where she is focused on expanding her clinical expertise and becoming a well-rounded practitioner. She has a strong interest in oncology and pharmacy operations and looks forward to exploring these areas and more throughout her residency. Above all, her dedication to patient care and clinical excellence guides everything she does as a pharmacist.

Program Preceptors

Maggie Spoor, PharmD, BCPS

Clinical Pharmacist, PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program Director

Janet Spano, PharmD, RPh

Director of Pharmacy Services

Carolyn Maness, PharmD, BCPS

Clinical Pharmacist

Olga Mironova, PharmD, BCPS

Pharmacist

Annie Poon, RPh, BCPS

Pharmacist

Yvette Cruver, RPh

Pharmacist

Mike Zeolla, PharmD, BCPS

Pharmacist

Recruitment and Selection Residents

Qualifications of the Residency Applicants

• Qualifications for applicants to the PGY-1 pharmacy residency program are in accordance with the criteria set forth by ASHP.
• Applicants must be registered with PhORCAS and ASHP Residency Matching Program.
• Applicants must be graduates or candidates for graduation from an ACPE accredited degree program (or one in the process of pursuing accreditation) or have a Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee (FPGEC) certificate from the NABP.
• Applicants must be licensed or eligible for licensure in New York by the start of the residency program.
• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for the 12 continuous months of the residency program.
• Applicants shall participate in and comply with the rules for the ASHP Pharmacy Resident Matching Program.
• Applicants must provide the Hospital with all credentialing information that the Hospital shall require him/her to provide, including but not limited to pharmacy school diploma and final transcript.
• Applicants must pass Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall’s Occupational Health Service assessment and Human Resources background screening.

Application Requirements

• Letter of intent
• Curriculum vitae
• College of pharmacy transcript(s)
• Three letters of recommendation
• Submitted by application deadline outlined in PhORCAS

Stipend

$50,000

Benefits

• Professional Liability Insurance
• Disability and Health Insurance
• Behavioral Health Services
• Financial support will be provided to residents to attend required professional meetings. The amount of financial support provided to each resident for their residency year will be up to $3,000 per resident and will be in accordance with MSLC Policy LD 1411 Travel Expense Reimbursement Policy (policy provided to all applicants invited to interview).

Paid Time Off

Residents’ paid time off (PTO) must be approved by the RPD, and stipulations are as follows:

• Pharmacy Residents shall receive 20 days of PTO. PTO includes vacation, personal, and sick time.
• Pharmacy Residents can only use 2 PTO days (personal and vacation) prior to 3 months of employment, and only if they are requesting the days to take licensing exams.
  • Pharmacy Residents can only use an additional 2 PTO days (personal and vacation) prior to 3 months of employment only if they are requesting the days to re-take failed licensing exams.
• Remaining PTO are not paid out at the conclusion of the contracted term.
• PTO cannot be used in place of assigned holiday shifts.
• Residents are required to work 4 holidays and have 4 paid holidays off.
• Residents must submit their requests for PTO in writing to the RPD and pharmacy leadership 42 days in advance.
• Any additional leave time beyond PTO and sick days must be made up in equal measure. The RPD and pharmacy leadership must approve scheduled make up days.

Program Contact

Maggie Spoor, PharmD, BCPS

Clinical Pharmacist, PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program Director

Email: mmontgomer@montefioreslc.org

Office: (845) 568-2835

Cell: (845) 275-8758

Department of Pharmacy Services

Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall

70 Dubois Street, Newburgh, NY 12550