Hospital educating pharmacists
By Janet Lundquist jlundquist@stmedianetwork.com July 3, 2012 2:20PM
Updated: August 5, 2012 6:05AM
JOLIET — Over the last year, two pharmacy college graduates continued their education at Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center.
They were the first two pharmacists to enter the hospital’s new pharmacy residency program.
Taylor Post, 25, of New Lenox, and Richard Mioni, 25, of Tinley Park, say the hospital’s residency program has left them feeling better-prepared for a career.
The current job market for pharmacists is tight now, like it is in many other job fields.
“There aren’t that many jobs out there,” said Dina Porro, the residency program director for the hospital. “This gives them a competitive edge.”
The program also benefits the hospital, said Se Choi, the director of pharmacy.
“We’re trying to provide better care to our patients, and having an academic program is always a good way of improving our quality” and providing better service to patients, Choi said.
“Normally you think of a residency program with an academic program in the city, like Rush (University Medical Center) or Northwestern Medical Center,” he said. “We’re providing that level of education training here in Joliet. That’s our goal, to be a community-based hospital with academic backgrounds.”
Working in a hospital as a pharmacist is different than working at a neighborhood pharmacy, Choi said.
Hospital pharmacists focus on the patient’s acute care situation and work to get a patient healthy enough to go home.
Neighborhood pharmacists pick up where the hospital’s pharmacist left off, addressing the patient’s long-term care.
Having the hospital background helps round out the residents’ experience.
The hospital celebrated Post and Mioni finishing their residencies with a graduation ceremony and reception June 27 at the hospital.
While Post will start work at the hospital as a clinical pharmacist, Mioni has not yet decided what he will do next.
The hospital welcomed four new pharmacy residents to the program on Monday.
“I can’t tell you the amount of accolades I have been receiving from your colleagues, physicians and nurses — everyone is asking, ‘When am I getting my resident?’” Choi said at the graduation ceremony. “I’m really proud of our first class.”
