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PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program

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PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program

The CHA PGY1 Pharmacy Residency program started in July 2017 and is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).

Program Purpose

The CHA PGY1 pharmacy residency program builds on Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) education and outcomes to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists who:

  • Are responsible for medication-related care of patients with a wide range of conditions
  • Are eligible for board certification
  • Are eligible for postgraduate (PGY2) pharmacy residency training

Overview & Application Process

The PGY1 pharmacy residency program recruits four PGY1 residents annually.

Applications are accepted through the Pharmacy Online Residency Centralized Application Service (PhORCAS).

We participate in the National Matching Services Program.


Residency Policies

All offers of appointment to CHA sponsored training programs are specifically conditioned upon a criminal background investigation and a negative drug test (uses workplace standards, including chain of custody, marijuana is excluded from the testing). Background checks will be carried out by an agency on behalf of CHA. By signing the background check release form, prospective trainees are consenting to a background investigation. The drug test must be completed within 10 days of matching (all costs are covered by CHA). It will be conducted at CHA Occupational Health for those residents within 20 miles of Boston. All others will be tested at an outside facility arranged by CHA.

Resident Guide Program

Residents will meet monthly with a group of pharmacists who have completed PGY-1 and/or PGY-2 residencies but have not yet become formal program preceptors. These pharmacists serve as a resource and will conduct monthly workshops for residents. Please see this PDF for more detailed information on the PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Guide Role.

Residency Handbook

In our Pharmacy Residency Handbook you can learn more about: CHA and our Pharmacy Enterprise; Residency Program Overview and Requirements; Residency Policies and Procedures and Residency Resources.

PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Learning Experiences

CHA offers multisite training opportunities for PGY1 pharmacy residents. It should be noted that CHA does not offer financial support (e.g., mileage reimbursement, parking fees, tolls) for traveling between sites.

The residency year begins with an orientation period approximately 4 weeks long. Throughout the training year, there are 8 block rotations with each learning experience lasting 5–6 weeks. The schedule allows for 3 elective rotations.

The table below provides an overview of block rotations, longitudinal and periodic learning experiences. Please refer to the Pharmacy Residency Handbook for more detailed information.

Overview of PGY1 Learning Experiences
Inpatient Ambulatory
Orientation (1st rotation) (R)B Ambulatory Care I (R)B
 Adult Inpatient Medicine (R)B Ambulatory Care II (R)B
Advanced Inpatient Medicine (E)B Population Health (E)B
Infectious Diseases (R)*B Advanced Ambulatory Care Management (E)B
Critical Care (R)*B Advanced Ambulatory Care with Behavioral Health Focus (E)B
Pediatric Psychiatry (E) B
Hospital Practice (R)
Clinical On-Call Program (R)
Leadership Academia and Projects
Practice Management (R)B Academic - Inpatient (E)B
Advanced Practice Management (E)B Academic - Ambulatory Care (E)B
Pharmacy Leadership Forum (R) Teaching Certificate Program (R)
  Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Continuing Pharmacy Education (CPE) Program  (R)
Research Project (R)
Case Conference  (R)
Inservice (R)
Formulary Evaluation (R)
Medication Use Evaluation (R)

 R= required
 E = elective
 B = block rotation offering
*Critical Care or Infectious Diseases is required

Summary Table of Required Longitudinal and Periodic Learning Experiences:
Required Longitudinal Experiences Required Periodic Experiences
  • Clinical On-Call Program (August-June)
  • ACPE CE Program (Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education Continuing Education)
  • Hospital Practice (August-June)
  • Case Conference
  • Pharmacy Leadership (July-June)
  • Inservice 
  • Research Project (July-June)
  • Formulary Evaluation
  • Teaching Certificate Program (September-May)
  • Medication Use Evaluation


Additional Required Opportunities:

Required Opportunities
Experience Description

Center for Health Equity Education and Advocacy (CHEEA) Interprofessional Health Equity Course

Resident is required to apply to the program; however acceptance is not guaranteed therefore not formally evaluated
  • Monthly program open to all CHA trainees during the second half of the training year (e.g., 4 hour monthly sessions from February to May)
  • Addresses social & structural determinants of health
  • Allows for interdisciplinary collaboration

Resident Guide Program

Not formally evaluated
  • Monthly workshops with group of non-preceptor pharmacists across the Pharmacy Enterprise who have completed PGY1 and/or PGY2 residencies
  • Pharmacists services as a resource and mentors to residents

Rx Resident Connect Session

Not formally evaluated
  • 2-hour, quarterly sessions with PGY1 and PGY2 residents
  • Consists of:
    • PGY1-led Clinical Conversation
    • PGY2-led session to check in on well-being and follow up discussions from recent Resident Guide sessions
    • Presentation preparation time

Pharmacy Residency General Information

  • Starting Date: 6/30/25
  • Stipend: $60,000
  • Number of Positions: 4
  • Accreditation Status: The PGY1 pharmacy residency program at CHA is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).
  • Application Process: Applications accepted through the Pharmacy Online Residency Centralized Application Service (PhORCAS)
  • Application Deadline: 1/2/2026

Application Materials

We require the standard PGY1 PhORCAS application materials which include:

  • PGY1 PhORCAS application
  • Personal Statement (Letter of Intent)
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Official College of Pharmacy Transcript
  • Three letters of recommendations using the PhORCAS standard reference template

We do not require any additional supplemental materials. However, we encourage you to include the following:

  • Letters of Recommendation: Three required letters with at least one from a clinical preceptor
  • Rotation Descriptions on CV: include the preceptor name(s) and highlight your responsibilities (e.g., pharmacist protocol management, note writing, patient counseling, pharmacokinetic monitoring)
  • Residency Program Director: Gail M. Sanchez, PharmD,  BCPS, DPLA.  Please contact her with any questions about the PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program.

Helpful Links

A Premier Pharmacy
Residency Program

Collaborative Working Environment
Highly Progressive Pharmacy Enterprise
Academic Community Health System

Leadership Opportunities
Experienced Preceptors
ASHP Accredited
Diverse Workforce
Strong Support System
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