Health System Pharmacy Administration & Leadership Fellowship

The UPMC Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership (HSPAL) Fellowship Program is an integrated program that offers learning experiences at both the system level and through a dedicated scope of responsibility at UPMC Presbyterian. The Fellowship is comprised of practical, real-world experiences in management and leadership to develop skills and behaviors to prepare pharmacists to assume leadership positions in pharmacy practice.

YEAR 1: Pharmacy Integrated Management

The program is designed to provide a clinical and operational foundation of hospital pharmacy care through the first year. This year focuses on applying core leadership principles and management skills as integrated experiences. This includes pharmacy management and operations, finance and budgeting, clinical services, informatics and technology, medication safety, inventory, pharmacy service center/line management, and team collaboration with multidisciplinary groups. The fellow will also spend time in three longitudinal selected areas of interest (SAOI). They will be provided the opportunity to manage and lead projects in a hands-on environment. The fellow will have the opportunity to navigate the changing nature of the healthcare landscape through strong partnerships with administrative leaders where they can develop skills that allow them to respond effectively to these changes in a live environment. This allows them to build the knowledge base of a high-performing leader in a variety of leadership and management environments. This first year also provides the fellow the opportunity to find their passions within pharmacy through exposure to selected areas of interest, interacting with diverse patient populations and medical teams, and refining research and teaching skills as they lead and manage.

YEAR 2: Pharmacy Administrative Practice

The second year focuses on ownership and responsibility of the administrative aspects and skills of clinical, operational, and financial domains of pharmacy. The fellow will develop a detailed understanding of area specific operations and become active members of the local management team. As a result, fellows will gain direct exposure to employee relations issues and have substantial opportunities for project specific work that ties to strategic goals. The area the fellow will own is known as the designated area of interest (DAOI). This will be selected based on fellow interest and department needs. Specific requirements will differ slightly depending on the area of concentration of the particular administrative pathway chosen. This allows fellows to experience the role of a people leader and accountability for performance within their selected area.

GOALS

1. Demonstrate proficiency, confidence, and compassion in providing direct patient care to diverse populations while optimizing pharmacotherapy and safe medication practices.
2. Provide effective education to healthcare professionals, technical support team members and patients in a variety of settings.
3. Apply clinical and research concepts to professional practice, leadership approaches and strategic thought processes.
4. Demonstrate interdisciplinary problem solving and decision-making skills among clinical and administrative backgrounds.
5. Enculturate and effectively communicate leadership practices that consistently demonstrate ethical and professional form in all components of pharmacy practice.
6. Apply human resource management concepts and employee engagement principles to be effective stewards of human resources including recruitment, mentoring, evaluating, leading and inspiring professionals and technical support staff.
7. Habituate leadership and management skills essential to activities of a pharmacy administrator to be able to envision, plan, implement, coordinate, and monitor pharmaceutical care and operational services who is adaptive to changes and demands for health-system pharmacy practice and the healthcare environment in general.
8. Apply analytic and strategic planning along with innovation to be strategic thinkers and planners who see challenges as opportunities to contribute to improving healthcare delivery in an innovative manner.
9. and assume the managerial and financial responsibilities in health-system pharmacies.
10. Develop and communicate a vision for the future practice of pharmacy and possess the tools to realize that vision.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Duration: 24 months
Number Positions: 2 offerings per year
Salary:
YEAR 1 - $ 78,978
YEAR 2 - $ 85,010

Benefits: Health, life, dental, and disability insurance; ten (10) days of vacation; some travel support available.

LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Core Concentrated

• Pharmacy Management/Administration  
• Pharmacy Operations
• Finance and Budgeting 
• Clinical Services 
• Pharmacy Informatics and Technology
• Medication Safety
• Inventory, Special Procurement, 340b, Drug Shortage 
• Pharmacy Service Center Management  
• Pharmacy Service Line Management  
• Mid-Year Clinical Meeting/ Vizient: University Health Consortium  

Elective 

• Operations: Emergency Preparedness
• Pharmacy Management at other UPMC facilities

Longitudinal

• Health System Pharmacy Operations
• Formulary Review
• Pharmacy Administrator on Duty/Call
• Staffing Requirements
• Multidisciplinary Committees
• Concentrated Project
• Quality Management
• Research
• Team Member Management
• Professional Presentation
• Department Metrics
• Human Resource Management 
• Talent Acquisition
• Formulary Review
• Regional and Local Meetings 
• Staff Engagement
• Community Outreach