Clinical Pharmacist Specialist- Ambulatory Care – Primary Care and Weight Loss Clinic- Full-Time Days

Be a part of a world-class academic healthcare system at UChicago Medicine. 

Clinical Pharmacist Specialists offer advanced and specialized knowledge and skillsets in a variety of clinical areas allowing them to serve as clinical experts in the implementation of pharmaceutical interventions to optimize patient outcomes and ensure efficient and appropriate use of medications. Clinical Pharmacist Specialists proficiently provide direct patient-centered care and integrated pharmacy operational services in various practice settings including primary care and weight loss clinic. Patient care provided will be through centralized pharmacy services, ambulatory clinics, and outpatient pharmacy programs. Clinical Pharmacist Specialists work as members of interdisciplinary teams, to deliver medication therapy management within specialty patient care services and to ensure pharmaceutical care programs are appropriately integrated throughout the institution. In these clinical roles, Clinical Pharmacist Specialists participate in all necessary aspects of the medication-use system while providing comprehensive and individualized pharmaceutical care to the patients in their assigned areas. 

Eligible for a Sign-On Bonus up to $5,000

Essential Job Functions 

• Maintains proficiency in clinical pharmacy programs and pharmacy operations as applicable to clinical specialty/role 

• Places priority on the delivery of patient-centered care

• Works as an active member of multidisciplinary team and collaborates with healthcare providers 

• Establishes collaborative pharmacist-patient relationships

• Proficiently maintains patient information and efficiently interprets patients’ health care needs including patient problem lists and prioritized pharmacist interventions

• Complete accurate patient medication histories and reconcile discrepancies versus orders

• Identifies high-risk patients and implements interventions to improve quality and safety

• Makes appropriate evidence-based, patient-centered medication recommendations

• Implements, evaluates, and redesigns pharmaceutical care plans based on patient progress and evolving goals for medication usage, including drug dosing, monitoring 

• Provides written documentation in the patient’s medical record when requested or directed

• Participates in the management of medical emergencies, as applicable

• Provides discharge medication review, reconciliation, and counseling as appropriate

• Provides evidence-based medication education to physicians, nurses, and other professionals

• Educates patients regarding safe and effective use of medications, possible medication side effects, and the role of prescribed medications in the overall therapeutic care plan

• Maintains proficiency in hospital computer systems and medication ordering systems

• Provides accurate, safe, timely, and appropriate medication therapy based on patient specific factors and needs

• Assures timely medication dispensing and accurate medication availability on patient care areas

• Interprets, evaluates, and accurately processes medication orders

• Identifies, mitigates, prevents, and documents problems with medication orders or therapeutic regimens,

• including medication errors or adverse drug reactions

• Completes critical patient monitoring and reviews patient profile/chart to identify, prevent, or mitigate drug related problems, improper drug or dose selection, 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

• Provides timely, comprehensive, and appropriate drug information to patients and healthcare providers

• Actively participates in stewardship activities and restricted medication programs

• Follows established standard work parameters and maintains standard work environments

• Documents pharmacist interventions 

• Maintains proficiency in the four preceptor roles and actively emulates education/mentorship skills

• Serves as a preceptor/educator for UCMC pharmacy residency and student experiential education

• programs, including maintaining training and experience in pharmacy practice areas appropriate for

• teaching assignments

• Develops student, resident, and staff training experiences/competences 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

• Represents the department at health system meetings, committees, and events as requested

• Participate in relevant professional pharmacy organizations, as applicable

Required Qualifications 

• Graduate of an ACPE accredited College of Pharmacy.

• Completion of ASHP accredited PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency.

• Eligible for licensure as a pharmacist in the state of Illinois (complete licensure process within 60 days of employment).

• BPS Certification or a pharmacy-related certification in the expertise area within 18 months of hire (e.g. BCPS, BCOP, BCACP, BCIDP, BCTXP, AAHIVP, CSP, etc.).

Preferred Qualifications 

• Doctor of Pharmacy or other advanced degree.

• Completion of ASHP accredited PGY-2 Pharmacy Residency.

  • If no PGY-2 pharmacy residency, relevant clinical experience and/or certification may be considered in lieu of formal residency training.

Position Details 

• Job Type/FTE: Full-Time (1.00)

• Shift: Day Shift 

• Work Location: Rotational (onsite and offsite) Hyde Park, South Loop and Burr Ridge 

• Unit/Department: DCAM Pharmacy- Hyde Park 

• CBA Code: Non-Union