Press Release

The ASHP Foundation has selected the recipients of the 2019 Pharmacy Residency Excellence Awards. This awards program, sponsored by Amgen, Inc., features three categories that recognize innovative pharmacy residency preceptors and programs.

Excellence in residency training has become more important for pharmacists than ever before and is a priority for ASHP. In fact, ASHP has advocated that all pharmacists in direct patient care roles have residency training (or equivalent experience) by 2020.  This year, the Pharmacy Residency Excellence Program Award will be given to the University of Colorado PGY2 Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Residency.

Over the past 10 years, this program has undergone significant strategic expansion, evolving into an accredited multisite program with two tracks. The core learning experiences include population health, geriatrics, internal medicine, and federally qualified health center clinics. 

This residency program uses quarters, rather than monthly rotations. This unique structure gives residents more time to master clinical skills and develop relationships with other members of the healthcare team. The PGY2 Ambulatory Care residents are also clinical role models. Under faculty supervision, they serve as preceptors for Pharm.D. students and PGY1 residents.

“We share the accomplishments of these recipients to inspire other residency programs to evaluate and improve their programs,” said ASHP Foundation Chair Jack Tighe. “This program has already invested in other residency training programs. Establishing the Colorado Pharmacy Residency Certificate program is a perfect example of their ability to inspire excellence and better prepare residents to meet future practice demands."

The other Pharmacy Residency Excellence Award recipients are:

Preceptor Award

Joel C. Marrs, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCACP, BCCP, CLS, ASH-CHC

Associate Professor

University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy

Aurora, CO

A former ASHP Fellow, Dr. Marrs has made several contributions to the University of Colorado School of Pharmacy. In 2010 he developed the Colorado Pharmacy Resident Teaching Certificate program. Dr. Marrs also developed a pharmacist-patient navigator home blood pressure monitoring program for patients with chronic hypertension and a pharmacist managed 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring service. Dr. Marrs is also a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist of Internal Medicine/Cardiology at Denver Health Medical Center as well as a Lecturer at the Oregon Health and Science University division of physician assistant studies.

New Preceptor Award

Katie E. Korte, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCCCP
Clinical Manager & Residency Programs Director

Truman Medical Centers

Kansas City, MO

Dr. Korte has served as a preceptor to both PGY1 and PGY2 residents for four years. She is a leader at Truman and represents the pharmacy department on the Critical Care Committee and Council on Communication. Dr. Korte has authored many research articles and is a frequent presenter at various conferences and meetings. She is currently the Past-President of the Greater Kansas City Society of Health-System Pharmacist and the 2019 Missouri Society of Health-System Pharmacists of the year.