Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Infectious Disease
UMMC's Department of Pharmacy offers a variety of practice opportunities across all disciplines and specialty areas with unlimited potential for career advancement. As a team, we are dedicated to providing proficient and compassionate pharmaceutical care services to both our patients and health care professionals, and to setting the standards in education, research and safety.
Under limited supervision, the Pharmacy Clinical Specialist provides a high level of direct patient care pharmacy services for an assigned, specialized patient population to assure adequate patient care according to professional standards and practices. They advise and consult with patients and their families and the medical and nursing staff. They participate in research and drug use and outcome management programs within their specialty area; are responsible for publishing data or giving presentations at local, regional or national meetings and instruct and train pharmacy residents and students. They act as a mentor to other clinical pharmacists.
The Infectious Disease Pharmacy Clinical Specialist provides collaborative pharmaceutical care to all patients in various locations as a core member of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Team.
Primary responsibilities of this position include but not limited to the following:
1. Participates in direct patient care with the Antimicrobial Stewardship Team.
2. Serves as a member of the Antimicrobial Subcommittee representing the pharmacy department.
3. Works with the physician team to individualize specific drug regimens via a collaborative practice agreement.
4. Assists with therapeutic decisions such as drug product selection, drug dosing and therapeutic drug monitoring.
5. Recommends therapy or alternative approaches based on interpretation of relevant medical literature and clinical experience.
6. Makes verbal or written recommendations in a clear, succinct and appropriate manner.
7. Considers age, weight and organ function (e.g. renal, hepatic) when evaluating patients and patients’ therapies when making recommendations.
8. Interviews patients and/or caretakers and conducts physical assessments to determine medical history, previous medication regimen and response to therapy.
9. Interprets laboratory and other patient-specific data to develop treatment plans and to monitor response to therapy.
10. Applies pharmacokinetic principles in order to achieve efficacious, safe and economical pharmacotherapeutic regimens.
11. Identifies and corrects drug-related problems such as complications resulting from drug therapy.
12. Establishes procedures for detecting significant drug-drug, drug-laboratory and drug-food interactions. Makes recommendations to avoid such interactions.
13. Service as ad-hoc on the P&T Committee and assist with implementing and monitoring clinical protocol and guidelines.
14. Counsels patients and/or caregiver as to the proper administration, potential adverse reactions, storage of medications, etc when appropriate.
15. Develops, implements and evaluates antimicrobial stewardship relative initiatives and quality improvement projects.
16. Serve as mentor for pharmacy residents (both PGY 1 and PGY 2) and students.
Qualifications:
1. B.S. or Pharm.D. from an ACPE-accredited School of Pharmacy and eligibility for licensure in Maryland required. (Must be licensed prior to starting)
2. Completion of a pharmacy practice residency in addition to an infectious disease specialty residency, and/or fellowship, or at least 3 years of pharmacy experience with a focus in infectious disease.
3. Certification by Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties is strongly preferred.