By Sandy Lee, GLFHC PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident

Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, in collaboration with MCPHS University, offers an accredited PGY-1 pharmacy program with a unique focus in ambulatory care pharmacy practice. During this one-year training, the pharmacy resident participates in direct patient care and assists with the management of chronic disease states including, but not limited to anticoagulation, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and latent tuberculosis.

Additional learning experiences include patient-centered dispensing, pharmacy operations management, transitions of care, and academia. Throughout the year the pharmacy resident also has the opportunity to teach both at the Health Center and at MCPHS University through formal lectures, presentations at Pharmacy & Therapeutics committee meetings, pharmacotherapeutics seminar class facilitation, and in-services. In addition to these teaching opportunities, the pharmacy resident also serves as a preceptor for pharmacy interns that rotate at GLFHC, conducts a year-long research project, and presents a professional poster at two national pharmacy conferences.

Community service has always been one of my passions and during my residency training, I had the opportunity to volunteer for the Mobile Market and Science Squad. This past December, I also conducted the second annual GLFHC Sock Drive. With the help of our GLFHC staff, we were able to raise a total of 241 pairs of socks/winter accessories to help our homeless shelter patients! In addition to my interests in service, I was also able to tailor my year-long residency project in another one of my passions, behavioral health. The results of my project, which focused on identifying the impact vary doses of mirtazapine on sleep, will be presented at the 2019 American Pharmacists Association poster forum.

As the beginning of the next residency cycle approaches, we are pleased to announce that we matched with two residents for the 2019-2020 year. In July, Casey Fisher and Neiloo Jafari will be joining our team.

Casey will be joining our team after earning her Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from the University of New England. Though she has spent the last six years in Maine earning her Doctor of Pharmacy degree, she proudly supports the city of Boston where she was born and raised. Unsurprisingly, she is a diehard Boston sports fan! Casey is very passionate about helping the community and is excited to share her love of pharmacy to make a difference at GLFHC.

Neiloo will be earning her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Keck Graduate Institute School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Her areas of interest include mental health and combating medication barriers. She hopes to demonstrate her passion for the field of Pharmacy by optimizing patient centered care and providing medication education. Born and raised on the West Coast, she hopes to bring that California sunshine into the Lawrence community.