Press Release
ASHP Foundation Announces Grants Awarded to Expand Pharmacy Residency Programs
The ASHP Foundation, through the generous and continued support of Merck, has awarded three grants of $25,000 to establish new residency positions through the Pharmacy Residency Expansion Grant Program.
Well-trained pharmacists are vital to the entire healthcare system. Residency training gives pharmacists opportunities and experiences to better prepare them for work in acute and ambulatory settings. The Pharmacy Residency Expansion Grant Program supports ASHP's efforts to facilitate the preparation of the pharmacist workforce by expanding the number and diversity of residency positions. Since the program's inception in 2011, the ASHP Foundation has awarded more than $3.5 million to create over 100 new PGY1 and PGY2 residency positions.
"Healthcare challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic illustrate that there is an increasing demand for pharmacists with advanced training," said ASHP Foundation Chief Executive Officer Steven A. Rubloff. "Supporting new residency positions is particularly important in advancing pharmacists' skills and competence as healthcare leaders and clinicians."
The recipients of the 2022 Pharmacy Residency Expansion Grants are:
University of California Davis Medical Center
PGY2 Pediatrics Residency Program
Residency Program Director: Brent Hall, PharmD
Director of Pharmacy: Chad Hatfield, PharmD, MHA
Sacramento, CA
Lehigh Valley Health Network
PGY1 Residency Program
Residency Program Director: Kristin Held Wheatley, PharmD
Director of Pharmacy: AnnMarie Higgins, PharmD, MBA
Allentown, PA
University of Mississippi Medical Center
PGY2 Infectious Diseases Residency Program
Residency Program Director: Kayla Stover Hielscher, PharmD
Director of Pharmacy: Zachery Somers, PharmD
Jackson, MS
Merck supports Pharmacy Residency Expansion for the Eighth Year in a Row
The ASHP Foundation has provided funding to create new pharmacy residency positions for over ten years through donors' contributions. One of the most generous supporters of residency expansion has been Merck. Merck has contributed to this critical program since 2014 by providing $940,000 in funding. The ASHP Foundation is pleased to announce that Merck has renewed its support for the Pharmacy Residency Expansion Grant for 2023. Their support reflects their commitment to corporate responsibility, increasing access to health care services and enhancing the quality of life. The ASHP Foundation thanks Merck for their continued partnership and dedication to building leaders in pharmacy and improving patient outcomes.
Additional information about the grant is available at ashpfoundation.org/residencyexpansion.
About the ASHP Foundation
The ASHP Foundation was established in 1968 by ASHP as a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization. As the philanthropic arm of ASHP, the Foundation shares ASHP's vision that medication use will be optimal, safe, and effective for all people all of the time. Our mission is to support ASHP by advancing the professional practice of pharmacists and the pharmacy workforce by funding research and education that improves health outcomes through optimal, safe, and effective medication use. To learn more about the Foundation’s programs, visit ashpfoundation.org.