Program Overview

The Greater Lawrence Family Health Center (GLFHC), in collaboration with the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS)-Boston, offers a postgraduate year one (PGY1) pharmacy residency program. This program provides comprehensive, hands-on experience in ambulatory care pharmacy practice.

GLFHC is a federally qualified health center and the second-largest health center in Massachusetts, serving the diverse population of Lawrence and the surrounding Merrimack Valley area. Recognized as a National Committee for Quality Assurance level 3 patient-centered medical home, GLFHC integrates pharmacy residents into interdisciplinary teams that include physicians, medical residents, nurse practitioners, and other health care professionals. This collaborative environment enhances the delivery of primary and acute care services to a multicultural community.

Learning Experiences

Residents participate in a wide variety of required and elective learning experiences to develop a robust clinical foundation.

• Required Learning Experiences: All are longitudinal unless noted otherwise.
  • Clinical Pharmacy Services: Once a week
    • Ambulatory Care (Primary Care, Anticoagulation, and Chronic Disease Management)
    • Medication Reconciliation services
    • Implementing CDTM (collaborative drug therapy management)
  • Transition of Care: Once a week for the first half of the residency year
  • Comprehensive Care Clinic (HIV, HepC, LTBI): Once a week for the second half of the clinic year
  • Patient-Centered Dispensing: Staffing at one of the GLFHC pharmacies once a week
    • 340B pharmacy
    • Exposure to PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) and pill strip packaging
  • Teaching and Learning: Once a week
    • At GLFHC: Multiple presentations, topic discussion in collaboration with the Family Medicine residency program
    • At MCPHS: Opportunities to provide didactic lectures at MCPHS in required and elective courses. Facilitate small group seminars for fifth-year pharmacy students
    • Residency teaching certificate
  • Operations Management
    • Participating in pharmacy and therapeutics committee meetings
    • Completing 340B compliance training
    • Updating standing orders to align with current clinical guidelines
  • Research
    • 1 research project and 1 medication use evaluation required
• Elective Learning Experiences:
  • Behavioral Health: Collaborate with the health care team to provide mental health services, focusing on medication therapy management and patient/provider education for psychiatric-related illnesses.
  • Homeless Shelter: Work collaboratively with the health care team to deliver primary and preventive care to uninsured and homeless individuals. Activities include providing medication therapy management, adherence reporting, problem solving medication-related issues, and conducting educational sessions for patients and providers.
  • Geriatrics: Partner with geriatricians to address the unique challenges faced by older adult patients, including physical, mental, and social considerations. Residents assist in managing polypharmacy and improving quality of care and life for older adult patients.
  • Gender Care Clinic: Provide comprehensive medication therapy management in a safe, respectful, and affirming environment for individuals who are gender-diverse or transgender. Gain experience in managing medical and social challenges unique to this population.
  • Other learning experiences can be arranged on the basis of residents’ interests.

Staffing Commitment

Residents provide staffing support in GLFHC’s outpatient pharmacy services, where they perform medication therapy reviews, address patient counseling needs, and optimize prescription workflows. This experience ensures the development of time management skills and the ability to treat diverse patient populations in a fast-paced environment.

Why Choose GLFHC?

GLFHC offers a unique opportunity to make a meaningful difference in an urban community that is medically underserved. Residents work within a supportive environment that fosters collaboration, professional growth, and innovation. The program’s emphasis on patient-centered care equips residents with the skills to succeed in various ambulatory care settings while addressing health disparities.

Resident’s Experience: My Journey at GLFHC

My time at GLFHC has been incredibly rewarding. Working with interdisciplinary teams, I have gained practical insights into chronic disease management, patient-centered care, and health education for a diverse patient population. One of my most meaningful experiences has been contributing to the Transition of Care program, where I’ve worked closely with medical residents, helped prevent rehospitalizations, and provided valuable education to patients and their families. In addition, the chance to provide teaching at MCPHS has been extremely valuable.

The guidance from preceptors and mentors at GLFHC has been instrumental in enhancing my clinical skills, leadership abilities, and confidence in addressing challenging cases. My experience has further fueled my passion for ambulatory care pharmacy, and I feel fortunate to have trained in an environment that balances high-quality patient care with professional development.

Application Information

Prospective candidates interested in ambulatory care pharmacy practice within a multicultural and interdisciplinary setting are encouraged to apply. For more details on application requirements and deadlines, please visit the GLFHC Pharmacy Residency page at glfhc.org or https://www.mcphs.edu/faculty-and-research/fellowships-and-residencies/post-graduate-residencies/greater-lawrence-family-health-center.

Program Leadership:

Alicia Mam daCunha, Pharm.D., BCACP

Email: [email protected]

Submitted by:

Anh Tuan “Nicholas” Phan, Pharm.D., BS

PGY1 Pharmacy Resident

Greater Lawrence Family Health Center and Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences