Clinical Pharmacist

Life in Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

UPMC is seeking a Clinical Pharmacist to deliver direct patient care in a collaborative, patient-centered environment. You will optimize therapy with physicians and nurses across critical areas including ICU, neonatal, oncology, obstetrics, and medical-surgical care.

The role emphasizes medication safety, quality improvement, and education, with opportunities to engage in research and practice advancement while mentoring students and residents.

Qualifications

• Graduate of an ACPE-accredited College of Pharmacy.
• PharmD degree preferred; BS in Pharmacy acceptable.
• Current pharmacist licensure in the practicing state is required.
• Completion of ASHP-accredited PGY-1 or 3 years clinical experience.
• Knowledge of advanced pharmacy practice and evidence-based medicine.

Responsibilities

• Provides direct patient care across diverse clinical areas and collaborates with the care team to optimize therapy.
• Participates in medication-use systems, safety monitoring, and regulatory compliance.
• Contributes to education, quality improvement, and research initiatives within the department.

Skills

Direct patient care

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Medication safety

Clinical decision making

Education

ACPE accredited College of Pharmacy

PharmD degree; PharmD preferred

Tools

Hospital computer systems

Medication ordering systems

Job description

Join our team as a Clinical Pharmacist and build your clinical experitse in a collaborative, patient-centered environemnt!

In this role, you'll provide direct patient care and work alongside physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to optimize medication therapy and improve patient outcomes. You'll gain experience across a diverse range of specialities, including critical care, neonatal intensive care, oncology, obstetrics, and medical-surgical care, providing an excellent opportunity to expand your clinical knowledge and develop as a well-rounded pharmacist.

In addition to decentralized clinical practice, you'll maintain and strengthen your operational skills through central pharmacy staffing, including medication distribution, sterile and hazardous compounding, and pharmacy technician oversight. You'll also contribute to medication safety, quality improvement, evidence-based practice, drug information, and responsible medication stewardship.

This position is ideal for a pharmacist looking for a role that offers variety, meaningful patient-care experience, interdisciplinary collaboration, and opportunites for continued professional growth.

This position will work rotating day/evening shifts. Every 4th weekend, one summer and one winter holiday is required to support the hours of operation.

Purpose:

Clinical Pharmacists are responsible and accountable for the provision of safe, effective, and efficient comprehensive medication management for specialized patient populations. They provide support of centralized and decentralized medication-use systems as well as deliver optimal medication therapy. Clinical Pharmacists provide direct patient-centered care and integrated pharmacy operational services in a clinical practice setting with physicians, nurses, and other members of the care team. These clinicians are aligned with interdisciplinary programs and services to provide comprehensive medication management to ensure clinical pharmacy is appropriately integrated in the care process. Clinical Pharmacists participate in all necessary aspects of the medication-use system while providing comprehensive and individualized clinical pharmacy services to patients. Clinical pharmacy services include but are not limited to assessing patient needs, incorporating age and disease specific characteristics into drug therapy and patient education, adjusting care according to patient response, and providing clinical interventions to detect, mitigate, and prevent medication adverse events. Clinical Pharmacists serve as departmental resources and liaisons to other departments, health care team members, or external groups. They also conduct clinical research and practice advancement projects in their area of expertise as well as support and/or lead patient care quality and regulatory compliance initiatives designed to improve medication-use processes or pharmacy practice. Clinical Pharmacists provide medication and practice-related education/training and actively serve as preceptors for pharmacy students and pharmacy residents. If applicable, participation in the quality initiatives is expected with the goal of improving clinical pharmacy services by monitoring processes, analyzing data, implementing interventions, and evaluating the effectiveness of those interventions.

Responsibilities:

• Leads assigned patient service lines, clinical areas, and therapeutic programs. Facilitates pharmaceutical care services, direct patient care programs, medication utilization systems within assigned services and care areas to assure drug utilization activities are aligned with patient care needs, evidence-based best practices, and regulatory standards. Designs and implements stewardship activities and restriction/surveillance programs. Tracks and evaluates assigned pharmacy programs for operational, quality, and financial efficiency and routinely benchmarks against local and national best practices. Actively identifies practice related issues which require evaluation and facilitate clinical research projects, quality improvement initiatives, or healthcare provider education as needed to advance practice. Develops and oversees policies and procedures for drug purchasing, drug usage, drug distribution, and drug control. Assures pharmacy is an integral part of the health-care delivery system and facilitates enhancement and expansion of pharmacy services/programs. Delivers direct patient care and clinical practice, including decentralized and service-based programs. Maintains proficiency in decentralized pharmacy services and clinical pharmacy programs.
• Works as an active member of multidisciplinary team and collaborates with healthcare providers within decentralized patient care areas to provide patient-centered care Identifies high-risk patients and implements interventions to improve quality and safety. Makes appropriate evidence-based, patient-centered medication recommendations Participates in the management of medical emergencies. Provides discharge medication review, reconciliation, and counseling as appropriate. Provides pharmaceutical services throughout medical center. Maintains proficiency in hospital computer systems and medication ordering systems. Provides accurate, safe timely, and appropriate medication therapy based on patient age and needs. Completes critical patient monitoring and reviews patient profile/chart to identify, prevent, or mitigate drug-related problems, improper drug or dose selection, sub therapeutic dosage, over dosage, adverse drug reactions, drug interactions, failure to receive drugs, untreated indications, medication use without an indication, and treatment failures.
• Communicates effectively and appropriately with healthcare providers and caregivers (physicians, nurses, etc.) and assures continuity of pharmaceutical care between shifts and among staff Actively participates in stewardship activities and restricted medication programs. Participates in pharmacy operations and medication dispensing Maintains proficiency in and actively engages in operational programs, central dispensing pharmacies, satellite dispensing pharmacies, and specialty pharmacy areas as appropriate for job assignment. Facilitates specialty medication procurement, ordering, and dispensing procedures including but not limited to chemotherapy, parenteral nutrition, controlled substances, etc. as appropriate for assignment Oversees pharmacy operations and technician practice/activities. Facilitates experiential education and practice advancement. Maintains proficiency in preceptor roles and actively emulates education/mentorship skills. Develops student, resident, and staff training experiences/competencies and creates new relationships for teaching and training opportunities. Identifies, designs, and implements improvements in the medication-use system to advance patient safety, maximize therapeutic outcomes, or control costs.

Qualifications:

• Graduate of an ACPE accredited College of Pharmacy
• B.S. degree in Pharmacy Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree; PharmD preferred.
• Required: Current licensure as a Pharmacist in practicing state
• Completion of ASHP accredited PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency or 3 years clinical pharmacy experience
• Knowledge and expertise in advanced pharmacy practice and service, comprehensive medication management, and evidence-based medicine in specialized area appropriate for clinical assignments
• BPS Board Certification preferred.

Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances:

• Pharmacist
• Act 34

UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran