Inova Alexandria Hospital PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program FAQ

We have two residency positions available.

Residents typically prefer to live in close proximity to Inova Alexandria Hospital in the Alexandria, Arlington or Washington, DC, area (or within a ten-mile radius). The hospital is conveniently located near a major DC metro area freeway (I-395), which makes it accessible from all directions.

No. We attend the residency showcase but do not conduct residency interviews in PPS.

Residents are encouraged to participate in the optional Teaching and Learning Certificate (TLC) program. Opportunities as part of the TLC include facilitating small group learning for Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy P3 students located at the Inova Fairfax Hospital satellite campus and providing a formal academic lecture for students at Shenandoah University School of Pharmacy. Residents also participate in layered learning activities with IPPE and APPE students who are completing rotations at the hospital.

Residents from Inova Alexandria and Inova Mount Vernon Hospitals join together for a fun monthly activity outside the hospital. This has included going for walks together at nearby parks and meeting for meals in nearby Old Town Alexandria. The activities are selected by the residents based on monthly themes and one or two preceptors will accompany them for the activity. Additionally, the residents each create a personalized wellness plan at the beginning of the residency year to proactively help them manage stress, and resident wellness is discussed during regular check-ins with the Residency Program Director (RPD).

Inova Alexandria provides a community hospital environment that perfectly balances challenging and supporting the resident. Pharmacists have strong working relationships with providers, nursing, and other disciplines. Residents receive a strong foundation through core rotations and gain a broader prospective due to exposure to medication safety concepts.

The residents' major longitudinal projects are tailored to their interests, and the residents can also use their two elective rotations to further explore areas of interest. The residents thrive in an environment where the preceptors and pharmacy staff genuinely care about them and prioritize their growth and development.

Our program is extremely fortunate that we have not needed to furlough residents, restrict them to virtual experiences, or disrupt their core learning experiences. Our 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 residency classes were able to complete their rotation schedules as planned. Currently, all patients, visitors, and staff are required to wear a mask, and all hospital staff are required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Residents are fit tested and provided with respirators for protection when assisting with code response from outside of COVID-19 patient rooms. To promote social distancing, interviews, local and system meetings, and resident presentations are held virtually at this time.

Inova Mount Vernon and Inova Alexandria Hospital share a Senior Director of Pharmacy, Regional Clinical Specialists, and the Residency Program Director works regionally as director of both PGY1 programs. While on rotation, residents may have opportunities to visit the other hospitals and clinics within the health-system to gain broader prospective and participate in sharing best practices between sites. Residents from Inova Alexandria and Inova Mount Vernon Hospitals meet monthly for their joint wellness longitudinal. Residents from across the Inova Health System partner together to facilitate small group activities for P3 students as part of their Teaching and Learning Certificate.

Inova Alexandria has a larger intensive care unit and emergency department. Residents also have the opportunity for on-site exposure to the neonatal ICU and OR pharmacy.