Meet the Wegmans School of Pharmacy Residents and Fellows

Over the course of the next year, four St. John Fisher College Wegmans School of Pharmacy residents will gain real world experience in a vast array of clinical settings as consulting members of health care teams.

The pharmacy residency program prepares recent graduates to become competent clinical pharmacists through experiences in a variety of health care settings. Residents are eligible to participate in a wide range of elective rotations based on their areas of professional interest.

Joy Snyder graduated from the School of Pharmacy in 2018, and is now participating in the newly created fellowship program through the School designed to integrate pharmacy into public health. In addition to her fellowship, Snyder is also currently pursuing a master of public health at Fisher.

There is no typical day for Snyder, as she splits her time between the School of Pharmacy, Wegmans Pharmacy, Anthony Jordan Health Center, and the Monroe County Department of Health. She said that the communication-heavy fellowship—where many collaborators are involved—has improved her in-person, phone, and email communication skills. And, her fellowship position excites her because of its focus on the growth of the pharmacy profession.

With interests in pharmacy advocacy and pharmacy practice expansion in New York, Snyder hopes to find a position that helps expand pharmacy practice, fosters collaboration with other health care professionals, and brings a public health focus to the community pharmacies in the Rochester area. “My fellowship encompasses those aspects and is helping me to build connections to create a position that fulfill my goals,” she said.

Jessica Klingelsmith earned her Pharm.D. degree from the University at Buffalo, and is now participating in the residency program through the infectious disease residency at St. Joseph’s Health and the Wegmans School of Pharmacy. During the four-week rotations in different clinical areas, a typical day begins with reviewing patients for the appropriate antibiotics, working with providers to optimize therapy, and follow-ups to make sure interventions were implemented.

Klingelsmith has learned the importance of gathering all possible information about a patient or situation before making a decision, because even the smallest of details can change a pharmacist’s course of action. Throughout the experience, Klingensmith has improved her precepting skills by working with students and is excited by the personal and professional growth she has seen in herself during this experience. 

With interests in being an antimicrobial stewardship pharmacist, is residency is teaching Klingelsmith about appropriate use of antimicrobials. “I am also learning how to develop her own practice so that she is ready to be fully independent next year,” she said.

Karlee Platts knows Fisher like the back of her hand. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology with a concentration in chemistry in 2014, and in 2018, she received her doctorate of pharmacy. She continued her education during a PGY1 experience at the University of Rochester Medical Center, and is now back at Fisher for PGY2 ambulatory care pharmacy residency.

Throughout the week, Platts rotates sites from working with pharmacy students, seeing patients in clinic in conjunction with nurse practitioners, seeing patients in a cardiology clinic, and working for a company called GRIPA.

Platts is interested in collaborative drug therapy management of chronic disease states, transitions of care, medical missions, and academia. After completion of the PGY2 residency and graduation, she hopes to pursue a job in ambulatory care and aims to be board certified in that specialization. “My favorite thing about my residency is that I get to see some of the same patients multiple times throughout the year. This gives me the opportunity to watch them grow and improve, and I can development a meaningful professional relationship with them,” she said.

Curtis Blow, a graduate of the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, is continuing his education in the residency program through the Wegmans School of Pharmacy and Upstate University Hospital.

Working in the ambulatory care residency at Upstate, a typical day begins with transition care reports and continues with seeing patients in clinic and following up via phone call.

Outside of patient care, Blow works on research projects, data collection, preparing lectures for pharmacy students and medical residents, or reading his favorite journals to stay current with the most recent evidence. Through the residency, Blow has learned from new experiences, like how to administer NPH Insulin with a vial and syringe and then teaching a patient to do so themselves at home.

Blow has an interest in ambulatory care pharmacy, working in a capacity that allows him to see patients in a comprehensive medication management role involving various disease states and medication regimes, specifically in HIV and hepatitis management.

“My residency allows me the unique opportunity to gain significant exposure to various clinics, specialty services, and diverse patient populations, as well as extensive clinical research and teaching opportunities. I feel that with the skills and experiences gained throughout my PGY2 residency are providing me with all of the skills and knowledge needed to pursue a successful career in any area of ambulatory care pharmacy,” he said.

This article was written by Emma Pyrak ’21, an intern with the Office of Marketing and Communications.