Post Graduate Pharmacy Education

Message from the PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Program Director, Clinical Pharmacist, and Co-Director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Maggie Montgomery, PharmD, BCPS

PGY1 residency programs build upon Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) education and outcomes to develop pharmacist practitioners with knowledge, skills, and abilities as defined in the educational competency areas, goals, and objectives. Residents who successfully complete PGY1 residency programs will be skilled in diverse patient care, practice management, leadership, and education, and be prepared to provide patient care, seek board certification in pharmacotherapy (i.e., BCPS), and pursue advanced education and training opportunities including postgraduate year two (PGY2) residencies.

The Mission of the Department of Pharmacy Services will improve the lives and well-being of the patients we serve through dedicated service, continuous quality improvement, and vigilant promotion of safety. The Department of Pharmacy Services is committed to excellence in clinical, academic, and innovative practices.

The Vision of the PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Program is to educate and instill best practices, patient care, and quality standards for new pharmacy practitioners and develop clinical and leadership skills that contributes to the academic, scientific, and patient communities. The Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital Department of Pharmacy Services wishes to set a standard for best practices, professional development, academic excellence, and high-quality patient-centered care.

Click Here For The Full Pharmacy Residency Program Brochure

Maggie Montgomery, Pharm.D., BCPS,

Clinical Pharmacist

Director, PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program

Co-Director, Antimicrobial Stewardship Program

Dr. Montgomery received her Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York and her Doctor of Pharmacy from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. She then completed a PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency at the Department of Veterans Affairs New York Harbor Healthcare System in Brooklyn, New York and obtained certification as a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist. Dr. Montgomery has been a Clinical Pharmacist at MSLC since 2016. She has been heavily involved in the pharmaceutical management of critically ill patients and is the Co-Director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program. She is involved in numerous MSLC local and Montefiore Health System committees that focus on optimizing patient care and safety. Her areas of interest include infectious diseases, critical care, and pain management.

Meet Our 2022 Pharmacy Residents

Connor Aldridge, Pharm.D., PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident

Dr. Aldridge earned a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado in 2017. He then went to complete his Pharm.D. at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Aurora, Colorado in 2021. After briefly working at a Safeway pharmacy in rural Colorado after graduation, he matched with Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall in the inaugural pharmacy residency program as a PGY-1. With a desire to practice in a clinical setting rather than a community retail one, he wanted to complete a residency program to improve knowledge and experience of the pharmacist’s inpatient role. His main interest area is Infectious Disease but is looking forward to exploring new clinical specialties covered in the residency program.

Dorcas Adjaloko, PharmD, MBA

Dr. Adjaloko received her Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University at Buffalo. She continued to obtain her PharmD at D’Youville University where she also completed a Master’s in Business Administration.

With a background in community pharmacy, Dr. Adjaloko, has a passion for improving community health outcomes through comprehensive medication therapy management and patient education. She joined the Montefiore Medical Center’s COVID-19 Vaccination Program in 2021 where she worked with a multidisciplinary team to provide vaccine access and education. It’s with excitement as she joins the inaugural PGY-1 Pharmacy program after almost a year as a per-diem Staff Pharmacist here at Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall. Her key areas of interest are Critical Care, education and leadership.

Program Overview

The PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident curriculum is designed to expose the Resident to all aspects of general hospital pharmacy practice that includes but not limited to:

Clinical pharmacy practice in Critical Care, Internal Medicine, Oncology Care, and Infusion Services
Joint Commission Standards, Core Elements, and National Patient Safety Goals
Involvement in Antimicrobial, Anticoagulation, and Opioid Stewardship Programs to promote superior patient care and safety
Patient counseling, medication reconciliation, and pharmaceutical education
Administrative and pharmacy leadership initiatives and projects
Formulary management
Quality improvement/medication safety
Hospital Staff training and education
Transitions of care

Program Structure and Require Rotations

The PGY1 pharmacy residency program at MSLC is a 12-month, full-time commitment. After resident orientation and training, residents will rotate through all Core Leaning Experiences and select Elective Learning Experiences.

Core Learning Experiences

Internal Medicine I
Critical Care I
Pharmacy Administration
Antimicrobial Stewardship
USP Compounding Standards
Oncology & Ambulatory Care

Elective Learning Experiences*

Internal Medicine II
Critical Care II
Medication Safety
Transitions of Care
Pharmacy Informatics

Longitudinal Learning Experiences*

Research
Teaching Certificate Program

*Existing and additional Learning Experience options are currently being evaluated by the Residency Advisory Committee and may be subject to change.

Program Preceptors

Maggie Montgomery, PharmD, BCPS - Residency Program Director

John Battiato, RPh - Director of Pharmacy Services

Justin Thompson, PharmD

Olga Mironova, PharmD, BCPS

Annie Poon, RPh, BCPS

Yvette Cruver, RPh

Benefits and Residency Stipend

Our Pharmacy Residents are valuable members of our organization, and as such they have access to rich benefits afforded to all employees.

MSLC offers the following competitive salary:

PGY-1: $48,750

MSLC offers a comprehensive and generous benefits program to all eligible employees:

Professional Liability Insurance
Disability and Health Insurance
Behavioral Health Services
Travel Support to attend conferences
20 Days of Paid Time Off (PTO). PTO includes vacation, personal, and sick time
4 paid holidays off

How To Apply

Application Requirements

Candidates will submit the following:

Letter of Intent
Curriculum Vitae
College Transcript(s)
Three (3) Letters of Recommendation

Submit requested materials via Phorcas.

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 should be candidates for graduation from an accredited pharmacy degree program (or one in process of pursuing accreditation) or have a Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Committee (FPGEC) certificate form the National Association Boards of Pharmacy (NABP).
Candidates with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from an ACPE-accredited pharmacy degree program are preferred, but candidates with a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy will be considered if they exhibit a knowledge base and abilities similar to candidates with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree.
Applicants must be licensed or eligible for licensure in New York.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Due to the short one-year duration of the PGY-1 residency experience we are unable to support applicants with Visas.
Applicants shall participate in and comply with the rules of the ASHP Residency Matching Program.

Selection of Residents

Applications received are evaluated using a standardized evaluation tool. Candidates meeting or surpassing expectations of the residency program will be selected for an on-site or virtual interview.
During the interview process, candidates will have the opportunity to meet with the Residency Program Director, Pharmacy Leadership, current PGY1 Pharmacy Residents, and Clinical Preceptors.
Time will be allotted during the interview process to include a presentation on a pharmaceutical care related topic followed by a question & answer session.
After the interview process is completed, the RPD, Director of Pharmacy Services, current PGY1 residents and at least 1 clinical preceptor will evaluate the applicants using a standardized scoring tool. Those meeting or exceeding expectations of the residency will be ranked via the National Matching Services.