ASHP Accredited 

Program Director: Aaron Cumpston, PharmD, BCOP
Email: cumpstona@wvumedicine.org
Positions: 2
Application Due: January 2, 2024
Starting Date: July 1, 2024
Estimated Stipend: $53,000 + benefits

Purpose Statement & Program Overview

PGY2 pharmacy residency programs build on Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) education and PGY1 pharmacy residency programs to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists in specialized areas of practice. PGY2 residencies provide residents with opportunities to function independently as practitioners by conceptualizing and integrating accumulated experience and knowledge and incorporating both into the provision of patient care or other advanced practice settings. Residents who successfully complete an accredited PGY2 pharmacy residency are prepared for advanced patient care, academic, or other specialized positions, along with board certification, if available.

Individuals completing the Post-Graduate Year Two (PGY2) Oncology Pharmacy Specialty Residency at WVU Medicine shall be highly qualified independent providers of pharmacist care in the oncology setting. The resident shall be an integral member of the interdisciplinary healthcare team with the ability to manage therapeutic decisions and clinical outcomes, conduct practice-related research, and educate healthcare professionals and patients. The resident shall be a leader in medication safety. The resident will exhibit a commitment to the profession of pharmacy and be able to develop his or her own personal plan for professional development. Residents completing this program will be specialists in Hematology / Oncology pharmacy practice. They will be abundantly prepared for employment as an oncology clinical pharmacist in a variety of practice settings including but not limited to acute or ambulatory care, solid tumor, malignant hematology, and stem cell transplantation. 

Rotational Learning Experiences

Required Rotational Experiences:

  • Ambulatory TCT/Hematologic Malignancy - 1 (Introductory) [4-6 weeks]
  • Cancer Center Satellite [2 weeks]
  • Inpatient Oncology - Solid Tumor [4-6 weeks]
  • Inpatient Stem Cell Transplant/Hematologic Malignancies [4-6 weeks]
  • Outpatient Oncology - Solid Tumor - 1 [4-6 weeks]
  • Pediatric Oncology [4-6 weeks]
  • Medication Safety [Longitudinal]
  • Oncology Leadership and Management [Longitudinal]
  • Investigational Drug Services [Longitudinal]
  • Oncology Practice Management [Longitudinal]

Elective Rotational Experiences:

  • Ambulatory TCT/Hematologic Malignancy 2 (Advanced) [4-6 weeks]
  • Outpatient Oncology - Solid Tumor - 2 [4-6 weeks]
  • Benign Hematology and Medical Oncology Consult Service [2-5 weeks]
  • Supportive Care [2-5 weeks]
  • Pediatric Elective [4-5 weeks]

Longitudinal Learning Experiences:

Oncology Practice Management
Oncology Practice Management is a longitudinal learning experience that will ensure the oncology resident develops the necessary skills to become a leader in oncology pharmacy practice. Residents will meet regularly with the RPD to ensure the required goals and objectives are met. Evaluations will take place on a quarterly basis.

Investigational Drug Service
The resident will spend time with the Investigational Drug Service pharmacist(s). They will also attend one IRB meeting and one site initiation visit with them. The resident will attend the monthly Protocol Review Monitoring Committee (PRMC) meetings, when available.

Medication Safety
The resident will participate in the longitudinal Medication Safety rotation. They will participate in scheduled topic discussions with the medication safety pharmacy team, as well as assist in reviewing patient safety events that are reported in oncology locations and participate in the monthly medication safety meetings to discuss these reports.

Oncology Administration and Leadership
The resident will participate in a longitudinal experience in Oncology Administration and Leadership. They will participate in schedule topic discussions with the oncology administration team. As well as participate in ongoing meetings or projects as assigned by the oncology administration team.

Additional learning experiences include the development and completion of practice-related research, development of oral and written communication skills through the completion of a Medication-Use Evaluation and ACPE Accredited Continuing Education Presentation, patient education, and participation in various departmental committees. 

PGY2 Oncology Residency Director

Aaron Cumpston, PharmD, BCOP, is a Pharmacy Clinical Specialist at West Virginia University Medicine, specializing in the areas of blood and marrow transplant and hematologic malignancies.  He is an active member of the Osborn Hematopoietic Malignancy and Transplantation Program and the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center.  Dr. Cumpston has worked with these services for over 15 years, becoming an integral part of their clinical and research endeavors.  Dr. Cumpston also serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor with the West Virginia University School of Pharmacy.  Nationally, he is a member of the Pharmacy Committees for Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) and the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN).  He is also a member of the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT) Pharmacy Special Interest Group and an active participant in the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) Working Groups for Lymphoma, Acute Leukemia, Late Effects and Quality of Life, and Plasma Cell Disorders.