PGY2 Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency

The PGY2 Pharmacy Residency in Emergency Medicine at Medical Center Hospital is designed to prepare clinical pharmacy specialists with the qualifications needed for emergency medicine practice positions or similar appointments. Graduates will have opportunities for advanced training in all areas related to emergency medicine, critical care, and trauma management. During each learning experience, residents will work closely with preceptors, emergency medicine physicians, and other health care professionals. Medical Center Health System also offers an environment with a strong focus on education and professional development through collaboration with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

The Emergency Medicine Residency is ASHP accredited and is a one-year experience, which begins in July each year.

Residents will:

• Develop expertise, utilize knowledge and skills to provide patient care at the specialist level within the emergency department
• Exercise skill in developing clinical protocols and conducting clinical research
• Recommend patient-specific interventions to treat urgent or emergent situations
• Develop effective teaching techniques in a variety of situations including educational actives involving healthcare professionals, preceptorship, and didactic opportunities

The program is customized for each resident based on his/her goals, career plans, interests, and experiences. Completion of a PGY-1 residency is required for program admission.

Program Description 

Medical Center Hospital (MCH) is a level II trauma center that serves Ector County and the surrounding 17 counties of the Permian Basin. The emergency department is a 44-bed facility with over 60,000 annual visits for patients of all ages. Located in West Texas, MCH is the only Level II trauma center in the area and was voted ‘Best Emergency Department’ in the Permian Basin multiple years in a row. MCH ER is the only emergency department in over 100 miles to have 24/7 Emergency Department Pharmacist coverage. Our emergency department has a dedicated physician group, as well as emergency medicine fellows, whom the pharmacy team works closely with.  

Through the PGY2 Emergency Medicine program, the resident will have the opportunity to learn at various times of the day with our 24/7 pharmacist coverage. Longitudinal experiences include pre-hospital EMS rides, a monthly pharmacy newsletter, and teaching opportunities with Texas Tech fellows and residents. The PGY2 pharmacy resident works closely with physicians, nurses, and PGY-1 residents to care for an acute and clinically diverse patient population in a teaching environment. The pharmacist and resident sit in the middle of the nursing station, and directly in front of the providers, allowing easy collaboration and a high level of involvement in the ER. The resident will learn how to respond to various medical emergencies including strokes, STEMIs, cardiac arrest, traumas, and rapid sequence intubation. The resident will work closely with the EM pharmacists and the rest of the pharmacy department to improve pharmacy services at the hospital. 

The Emergency Medicine Residency is ASHP accredited and is a one-year experience, which begins in July each year.

Residents will:

• Develop expertise, utilize knowledge and skills to provide patient care at the specialist level within the emergency department
• Exercise skill in developing clinical protocols and conducting clinical research
• Recommend patient-specific interventions to treat urgent or emergent situations
• Develop effective teaching techniques in a variety of situations including educational actives involving healthcare professionals, preceptorship, and didactic opportunities

The program is customized for each resident based on his/her goals, career plans, interests, and experiences.  

Completion of a PGY-1 residency is required for program admission. 

Application Facts (using ASHP Match):          
Deadline: 2/1/2027          
Number of Positions: 1          
Starting Date: July 12th, 2027

Meet the Preceptors (from left to right):

Laura Branum, PharmD, BCEMP

Pharmacy School: D’Youville College School of Pharmacy          
PGY1: University of Vermont Health Network - CVPH          
Time at MCH: 11 years          
Clinical Interests: PALS and Emergency Response Management

Kristina Chang, PharmD, BCCCP           
Pharmacy School: Texas A&M University           
PGY1: Medical Center Hospital           
Time at MCH: 8 years           
Clinical Interests: Trauma and general surgery 

Michele Bender, PharmD, BCEMP 

Pharmacy School: Rutgers University           
PGY1: Hackensack University Medical Center           
EM PGY2: Medical Center Hospital           
Time at MCH: 4 years           
Clinical Interests: Toxicology and Stroke Management  

Kate Cowey, PharmD

Pharmacy School: The University of the Incarnate Word Feik School of Pharmacy          
PGY1: Medical Center Health System          
EM PGY2: Medical Center Health System          
Time at MCH: 7 years           
Clinical Interests: Trauma, Neurology, ACLS 

Mimi Vu, PharmD           
Pharmacy School: University of North Texas Health Science Center          
PGY1: Medical Center Health System          
Time at MCH: 4 years          
Clinical interests: Anticoagulation, Trauma, Toxicology 

Required Rotations*: 

• ED 1- Introduction (5 weeks)
• ED 2 - Critical Care (6 weeks)
• ICU/CCU (6 weeks)
• NICU (4 weeks)
• ED3- Infectious Diseases (6 weeks)
• Trauma (4 weeks)
• ED 4- Toxicology (6 weeks)
• ED 5- Teaching (4 weeks)
• ED 6- Pediatrics (5 weeks)

*at least one night shift rotation and one mid-shift rotation in the ED

Elective Rotation Options (1 chosen based on resident preference): 

• Infectious Diseases 
• Nephrology
• Pediatric Intensive Care 
• Poison Control 
• Critical Care II
• Trauma II

Longitudinal Rotations: 

• Every 3^rd weekend staffing in ER 
• Rapid Response and Code Blue coverage 
• Prehospital EMS (Odessa Fire Rescue and Aerocare) 
• Monthly Newsletter sent out to ED staff 
• Major research project 
• ER improvement projects 
• 2 didactic presentations (including one grand rounds presentation) 
• Rapid Response Training program for PGY1s

Current Resident          
Alexus Moore, PharmD          
Amoore2@echd.org          
PGY1: Medical Center Hospital

Previous Residents 

Andrew Kiracofe, PharmD           
Emergency Medicine Pharmacist at Carilion Clinic Roanoke, VA

Michele Bender, PharmD, BCEMP            
Emergency Medicine Pharmacist at Medical Center Hospital Odessa, TX

Stephanie Miller, PharmD, BCEMP           
Emergency Medicine Pharmacist at St. Luke’s Health System Meridian, ID

Kate Cowey, PharmD          
Emergency Medicine Pharmacist at Medical Center Hospital Odessa, TX

Hannah Lineberry, PharmD           
Emergency Medicine Pharmacist at Beaufort VA Outpatient Clinic Beaufort, SC

John Witucki, PharmD, BCCCP           
Emergency Medicine Pharmacist and PGY2 Assistant Program Director at University of Virginia Health Charlottesville, VA

Salary and Benefits

• $62,200 annual salary paid biweekly
• 20 paid days off
• Delayed start date allowing time off in between PGY1 and PGY2
• Health, Vision, Dental insurance 
• HSA or FSA contributions 
• TCDRS retirement pension 
• Optional 403B and 457 retirement IRAs
• BLS, ACLS, PALS certification 
• ATLS course participation 
• Flexible project weeks 
• Optional moonlighting with pharmacist salary
• Free on-site garage parking 
• No on-call requirements 
• 3 meal cards per week 
• MCH Mission Fitness discounted gym membership  

Good luck in your search and we look forward to reviewing your application!

Contact:

Michele Bender, PharmD, BCEMP          
Residency Program Director          
Mbender@echd.org          
(432) 640-1189          
500 West 4th Street          
Odessa, TX 79761