Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences at UH Portage Medical Center
Founded in 1894, University Hospitals Portage Medical Center is a 99-bed nonprofit, acute care facility providing care to residents of Summit, Stark, Mahoning, Portage, and Trumbull counties in Northeast Ohio. It is located on a picturesque rural campus in the heart of Portage County two miles north of historic downtown Ravenna. Services encompass an array of inpatient, outpatient, medical, surgical, and specialties (oncology, infectious disease, cardiology, pulmonary, critical care, orthopedics, women’s health, and emergency care). UH Portage Medical Center is part of University Hospitals, one of the nation’s leading health care systems, providing high-quality, patient-centered medical care and health and wellness education at locations throughout Northeast Ohio.
Clinical Rotations
- Community Outpatient Pharmacy
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Preceptor: Stephanie Ryan, Pharm D
During this month-long rotation, the student will develop competencies in typing, dispensing, and verifying prescriptions under supervision. They will receive instruction on effective patient counseling techniques, including comprehensive explanations of medication usage and potential side effects. Additionally, the student will be trained to identify opportunities to optimize cost savings for patients. This rotation will enable students to apply their academic knowledge in practical settings, thereby enhancing communication skills, deepening their understanding of the medication dispensing process, and fostering professional confidence.
- Transitions of Care
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Preceptor: Stephanie Ryan, PharmD
This month-long rotation emphasizes collaboration with the pharmacist and interdisciplinary healthcare team to enhance patient safety and promote positive outcomes. The student will provide medication education, identify strategies to improve patient adherence, and work closely with healthcare professionals to ensure a safe and streamlined hospital discharge process. The rotation will particularly focus on high-risk patients, with the goal of developing effective interventions to support safe transitions to home care.
- Infectious Diseases
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Preceptor: Maria Ganios, PharmD
The Infectious Diseases rotation at UH Portage Medical Center is designed to equip students with the necessary skills for effective antibiotic stewardship and interdisciplinary collaboration. The core learning experience involves active participation in daily rounds with the infectious disease specialist. Antibiotic interventions will be discussed to optimize patient therapy. Students will also engage in the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, with responsibilities including review of positive cultures, evaluation of antibiotic safety and efficacy, and assessment of appropriate therapy duration. Additional learning opportunities include patient education, disease state topic discussions, and the opportunity to participate in the outpatient infectious diseases clinic.
- Ambulatory Care
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Preceptor: Megan Castelli, PharmD
The Ambulatory Care rotation at UH Portage Medical Center is focused on outpatient anticoagulation management. Students will develop clinical skills in medication management, patient counseling, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Emphasis will be placed on adjustment of anticoagulation therapy based on patient-specific factors and perioperative anticoagulation management consultations.
- Critical Care
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Preceptor: Lindsay Finnerty, PharmD
The Critical Care rotation at UH Portage Medical Center includes an intensive care component and an emergency medicine component. For the intensive care component, the student will round with the critical care service, gain skills in collecting and analyzing patient information, design evidence-based drug regimens and monitoring plans, evaluate patient outcomes, and adjust drug therapy in response to emerging data. Interdisciplinary rounds with other healthcare providers will occur daily. For the emergency medicine component, the student will respond to any critical events in the emergency department with the preceptor including, but not limited to - stroke alerts, cardiac/respiratory arrests, STEMI alerts, and traumas. Emphasis will be placed on evaluation of medical literature, communication skills, and the development of a commitment to life-long learning.
- Oncology Infusion
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Preceptor: Erin O'Connell, PharmD, BCPS
The Oncology Infusion rotation at UH Portage Medical Center / UH Seidman Cancer Center is intended to provide APPE students with exposure to hematology/oncology pharmacy practice in the ambulatory setting. Students will learn the role of the oncology infusion pharmacist and have the opportunity to encounter the following topic areas: USP <797> and <800>, supportive care strategies, solid tumor treatments (e.g. lung, breast), and liquid tumor treatments (e.g. multiple myeloma). Daily activities include performing profile reviews and therapeutic drug monitoring, responding to drug information requests, and providing patient education as necessary.
- Internal Medicine
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Preceptors: Ashley Conger, PharmD and Richard Chan, PharmD, BCPS
The Internal Medicine APPE rotations offer students the opportunity to participate in interdisciplinary, patient-centered care. Students round with multidisciplinary teams that may include a physician, physician assistant, medical students, and/or physician assistant students. Responsibilities include reviewing patient charts, presenting pharmacotherapy plans to preceptors, collaborating with team members, and providing medication education to patients. In addition, students prepare and deliver approximately one topic discussion per week to their preceptors and peers.