Greater Lawrence Family Health Center’s PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency program with MCPHS University is celebrating its 10th Anniversary. To commemorate this milestone, we will be profiling graduates of our teaching program over the next few months. This is the second of three parts.
Dr. Sandy Lee, PharmD, PGY1 states that her training at Greater Lawrence Family Health Center helped her build a strong foundation in both her leadership and clinical pharmacy skills. Moreover, her residency training gave her the confidence to eventually create her own Clinical Pharmacist role at a FQHC in Arizona where she was able to participate in various clinic projects, provide recommendations to physicians and patients, and implement a collaborative practice agreement at the health center. These clinical experiences allowed her to further transition to her current role as a Clinical Pharmacist at CVS Caremark where she is currently specialized in prior authorizations, working with clinical pharmacists, physicians, and other clinical staff to help ensure appropriate usage and access to medications.
Dr. Neiloofar (Jafari) Amarshi, PharmD, APh, CDCES, credits her residency with GLFHC and MCPHS University for providing her with advanced clinical training, leadership skills, and the confidence to manage complex patient care. Her time at GLFHC offered invaluable experience in serving a diverse, underserved population—an area she is deeply passionate about. After completing her residency, Neiloofar remained with GLFHC and is now one of the Clinical Pharmacy and PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Managers. Additionally, she serves as the main preceptor for the Clinical Pharmacy Services learning experience to PGY-1 residents. She continues to work under a collaborative practice agreement, partnering with interdisciplinary teams to provide patient-centered care and improve outcomes.
Dr. Cassandra Fisher, PharmD, completed her residency alongside Neiloofar as the programs first year taking on two residents. After completing the residency program, Casey stayed on with GLFHC as a staff pharmacist. During that time, she was involved with various projects/initiatives including drive-thru Flu clinics, COVID-19 vaccine clinics, pharmacy technician vaccination training & certification, and more. In 2021, she assisted GLFHC Pharmacy and Central Rx with the clinic’s EMR transition to their current system, Athena Health. Today, she works as the Manager of GLFHC’s Central Rx Department, focusing on medication access, prior authorizations, and more. Casey credits her residency experience at GLFHC for exposing her to the diverse programs the clinic offers and growing invaluable interprofessional relationships. The program taught her the key roles that pharmacy plays in patient care teams and improving health outcomes.
Dr. Mai Yokota, PharmD, is currently working with patients mainly with diabetes and anticoagulation as an ambulatory care pharmacist at H. Claude Hudson CHC as well as leading their clinical pharmacy team. Her current practice role mirrors her training at GLFHC. Mai also has been involved with her alma mater, Kobe Gakuin University in Japan, where she was featured in their student brochure for her GLFHC & MCPHS residency experience. The residency prepared her not only in being clinically competitive but also encouraged her to become a leader by showing her what great leaders could be.
Dr. Vivian Nguyen, PharmD, is currently a Clinical Oncology Pharmacist at Boston Medical Center working in a unique role to provide patient care in both the ambulatory and inpatient clinical settings. Vivian works closely with oncologists and hematologists to provide evidence-based recommendations to guide the prevention and management of oncologic emergencies, toxicities, and infusion reactions, while also assisting with the dosing of patients’ chemotherapy, immunologic, and bi-specific agents to ensure appropriateness and safety. She is also the lead pharmacist in managing the Chemotherapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting collaborative agreement in the ambulatory clinic. In this role, she develops anti-emetic regimens for newly diagnosed cancer patients. Vivian is grateful for the time she spent at GLFHC and believes her residency provided invaluable experiences and skills that have molded her into the clinical pharmacist she is today. She is forever grateful knowing she can always reach out to her GLFHC family for help.
Dr. Hemali Patel, PharmD, MPH, is a Clinical Pharmacist on the Value Based Care team at Boston Medical Center, where she specializes in closing care gaps by managing patients hypertension and diabetes primarily through telehealth services. She attributes her pharmacy residency and her preceptors at GLFHC for shaping her leadership abilities, fostering professional growth, and inspiring her love for teaching and mentoring students, as well as motivating her to explore her passions within the field of pharmacy.
Dr. Sandy Lee, PharmD, PGY1
Dr. Sandy Lee PharmD, PGY1 (far left), at the Massachusetts State House to advocate for Provider Status for pharmacists at the Massachusetts Pharmacists Association Face of Pharmacy event.
Dr. Neiloofar (Jafari) Amarshi, PharmD, APh, CDCES (third from left), and Dr. Cassandra Fisher, PharmD (sixth from left), pictured with colleagues, joined community members to present to the Board of Health and successfully opposed a hookah smoking proposal. Their efforts led to the Board of Health removing the proposal, which had been introduced by bar and restaurant owners to allow hookah smoking in their establishments.
Dr. Cassandra Fisher, PharmD (left), and Dr. Neiloofar (Jafari) Amarshi, PharmD, APh, CDCES, are pictured at the GLFHC Health Fair, providing counseling on the benefits of the Pill Strip Pack system over traditional pillboxes to support patients in maintaining adherence to their medication regimen.
Dr. Vivian Nguyen, PharmD (left), and Dr. Mai Yokota, PharmD.
Dr. Hemali Patel, PharmD, MPH
