Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - Solid Tumor

UT MD Anderson Cancer Center • Houston, TX

12d • Onsite

About The Position

The Pharmacy Division is dedicated to ensuring safe, effective, and cost-conscious medication use while collaborating with healthcare professionals to achieve optimal drug therapy outcomes. Through innovative programs in patient care, research, and education, the division leads in delivering premier, patient-centered care. Embracing change and discovery, it leverages new technologies, maximizes resources, and fosters a culture of caring to continuously enhance the quality of pharmaceutical services. MD Anderson’s Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Program is designed to provide advanced, patient-centered pharmaceutical care within a leading cancer treatment and research institution. Specialists in this program collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams to optimize medication therapy, ensure safe and effective drug use, and contribute to cutting-edge oncology practices. At MD Anderson, we offer careers built on care, growth, and balance.

Requirements

• Doctorate of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree.
• Pharmacy Practice Residency (PGY 1).
• Residency in the area of specialization (PGY 2).
• Experience as a clinical pharmacist in the area of specialization may substitute for the required residency on a one to one basis.
• Texas State Board of Pharmacy Pharmacist license within 90 days of job entry.

Nice To Haves

• Residency in the area of specialization (PGY 2).
• Experience as a clinical pharmacy specialist.

Responsibilities

• Develops and/or maintains an active clinical pharmacy practice on the assigned service(s), actively participates in inpatient rounds and/or outpatient clinic coverage, including on-call and weekend coverage as assigned.
• Collaborates with the multidisciplinary healthcare team to optimize the pharmacotherapeutic aspects of patient care.
• Manages the medication therapy of individual patients (in collaboration with the healthcare team); develops, recommends, implements, monitors, and redesigns drug therapy regimens to optimize therapy; performs these tasks within the position/professional scope of practice and institutional and department policy and procedures.
• Manages daily patient medication problems and emergency situations as they arise and documents activities in the electronic health record appropriately (interventions, notes, handoffs, etc).
• Provides timely follow-up on the clinical effects of the medication regimen with adjustments as necessary to achieve optimal outcomes and documents actions.
• Provides drug and clinical information to other healthcare professionals.
• Develops and communicates specific pharmacotherapeutic plans for individual patients.
• Provides accurate and timely medication reconciliation and updates of medication list.
• Identifies and intervenes appropriately to resolve potential medication problems of all assigned patients.
• Evaluates and provides recommendations on pharmacokinetic or nutrition consults as applicable.
• Participates in discharge planning for assigned inpatients.
• Proactively assesses patient’s financial status and addresses barriers.
• Appropriately participates in and guides medical staff to comply with institutional standards, initiatives, and guidelines (ABN’s, prior authorization requirements, reimbursement optimization, formulary management, REMS programs, drug shortage programs.
• Provides effective medication and practice-related education or counseling to patients and caregivers.
• Provides accurate and timely medication, treatment guidelines, formulary, and other pertinent information to members of the healthcare team.
• Demonstrates a desire and an aptitude for teaching that includes mastery of the four preceptor roles when teaching clinical problem solving (instructing, modeling, coaching, and facilitating) to trainees.
• Demonstrates the ability to provide comprehensive and constructive criteria-based feedback and evaluation of resident/student performance including an assessment, identification of opportunities for improvements and an actionable plan.
• Serves as an effective preceptor for resident, student, and other trainee clinical learning experiences.
• Effectively precepts other trainee-required experiences including oncology forum, research projects, grand rounds, MUEs, etc.
• Collaborates with student and residency leadership to coordinate individual learning experiences.
• Attends and actively participates in trainee learning activities including grand rounds, student presentations, pharmacy pearls, journal club, grand rounds workshops, etc.
• Provides didactic lectures, in-services, shared student instruction or attends case conference presentations to trainees.
• Models professional behavior to orient, mentor, and train new clinical staff on patient care services, policy and procedures, and normal operating procedures (in collaboration with the Clinical Manager).
• Appropriately uses technology to facilitate safe and efficient delivery and communication of patient care (electronic health record, mobile devices, lap tops, VPN, etc.).
• Participates in medication-related processes to assess, evaluate, maintain and improve the delivery of patient care.
• Actively participates in institutional initiatives to develop, improve, validate and implement research and standard of patient care tools (ordersets, treatment plans, algorithms, patient education materials, etc.) to optimize patient care and safety.
• Adheres to regulatory/compliance policies and procedures that govern the profession and scope of practice.
• Completes pharmacy protocol reviews to facilitate the IRB submission processes.
• Critically analyzes their own practice, experience, medical literature, and other information resources for the purposes of self-improvement.
• Obtains/maintains required and preferred licenses, certifications, training, and continuing education prior to the deadlines including but not limited to preceptor certificate, pharmacist license, BLS, ACLS, service specific competencies, DTM, sterile compounding certification and process validation (as assigned), etc.
• Consistently documents and reviews clinical activity/interventions appropriately.
• Uses professional judgment and language to report safety events utilizing the institutional and federal government systems (UHC Safety Intelligence System, Medwatch, etc.).
• Consistently models service excellence.
• Attends and actively participates in committees/meetings (e.g., Division of Pharmacy, Disease Site and Institutional).
• Demonstrates effective oral and written communication skills.
• Aligns all patient care activities and project work with departmental and institutional policies, business model/needs, goals, and vision.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Paid employee medical benefits (zero premium) starting on first day for employees who work 30 or more hours per week
• Group Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D and Disability coverage
• Paid time off (PTO) and Extended Illness Bank (EIB) paid leave accruals
• Paid institutional holidays, wellness leave, childcare leave, and other paid leave programs
• Tuition Assistance Program after six months of service
• Teachers Retirement System defined-benefit pension plan and two voluntary retirement plans
• Employer paid life, AD&D and an illness-related reduced salary pay program
• Extensive wellness, recognition, fitness, employee health programs and employee resource groups

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree