Program Overview

Erlanger Baroness Hospital, located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is a leading level 1 trauma and academic medical center. Serving as the region’s only tertiary referral center, Erlanger is dedicated to providing compassionate care to populations that are medically underserved. Our PGY1 pharmacy practice and PGY2 critical care programs offer residents exceptional training in a multidisciplinary setting with guidance from board-certified clinical pharmacy specialists. Graduates are well prepared for impactful careers as clinical specialists, in academia, and in health system leadership.

Program Types

• PGY1 Pharmacy Practice
• PGY2 Critical Care

Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga, known as the Scenic City, offers a unique blend of outdoor adventure and urban vibrancy. Surrounded by mountains and the Tennessee River, residents enjoy stunning views, hiking, rock climbing, and whitewater rafting. A thriving local food scene, numerous music festivals, and easy access to Nashville, Knoxville, Birmingham, and Atlanta make Chattanooga an ideal location. Furthermore, Chattanooga boasts a robust business innovation district and the fastest city-owned fiber internet service in the nation.

Training Area: Erlanger Baroness Hospital

Erlanger, the region’s only tertiary referral, level I trauma center, provides a dynamic learning environment. Pharmacy residents gain exposure to a variety of specialized areas, including critical care, which includes 9 ICUs and 2 EDs; robust infectious diseases rotations; renal transplant management; numerous ambulatory care clinics; various neonatology and pediatric experiences; and multidisciplinary management of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. As an academic medical center affiliated with the University of Tennessee College of Medicine Chattanooga, Erlanger fosters a collaborative learning experience. Pharmacy residents train alongside 207 medical residents and fellows across 10 residency programs and 15 fellowships.

Key Features of the Residency

• Residents per year:
• PGY1: 4
• PGY2 Critical Care: 1
• Customized Learning Experience: Flexible rotation scheduling to meet individual learning needs
• Clinical Skills Development: Expertise in pharmacologic management across acute and primary care settings
• Leadership Training: Participation in quality improvement, committee work, and interdisciplinary initiatives
• Teaching and Precepting: Numerous opportunities through affiliation with 5 colleges of pharmacy, including an optional Teaching Certificate Program
• Research and Scholarship: Longitudinal research projects with structured mentorship and publication opportunities. Data are presented at state and national conferences.
• Staffing and On Call: Balanced staffing responsibilities:

PGY1: 1 weekend per month and one 4-hour weeknight shift per week

PGY2 Critical Care: 1 weekend every third week in the ED

Unique Program Opportunities

• Resident Mentorship Program
• BLS/ACLS certification
• Optional Teaching and Learning Certificate Program
• Leadership training through monthly resident development seminars
• Code Blue Emergency Response
• Longitudinal Nutrition Support experience
• Multidisciplinary teaching through didactic and informal experiences
• Local and national conference attendance

Current Resident Perspectives

Since training at Erlanger, I have gained hands-on training through a wide variety of rigorous clinical rotations, including in both children and adults. The ability to learn about nutrition support and write TPN orders for patients has been an invaluable experience and something that I believe sets the program apart. The preceptors and people involved with the program also help make it unique. Throughout, I have truly felt that the preceptors are invested in my success, and it has made all the difference. Living in Chattanooga has been great, and there’s always something fun to do—whether going out to eat, going on a walk, or listening to live music downtown!

Emily Hardy, Pharm.D.

PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Resident at Erlanger Health (2024-2025)

Pharmacy School: University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy

Erlanger has afforded me the ability to autonomously care for a wide variety of critically ill patients, including those with traumatic brain injuries, refractory septic shock, and many types of mechanical circulatory support. The mentorship I have received from pharmacy preceptors and providers has been invaluable to my development this year both personally and professionally. The critical care team at Erlanger has gone above and beyond to help train and challenge me as I rotate through each of our ICUs and the ED. I can confidently say that I feel fully prepared to step into my new role as a critical care pharmacist after residency, thanks to our fantastic preceptor group!

Tilyn DiGiacomo, Pharm.D., MSHIA

PGY2 Critical Care Pharmacy Resident at Erlanger Health (2024-2025)

PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency: University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital

Pharmacy School: Samford University

For more information, visit our website: Pharmacy Residency

Contact Information

• PGY1 Program Director: Brittany White, Pharm.D., BCPS
• Email: [email protected]
• PGY2 Critical Care Program Director: Tia Collier, Pharm.D., BCCCP
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: Erlanger Pharmacy Residency
• X: @ErlangerRX
• Instagram: @ErlangerPharmResidency