Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacy Fellowship

The fellow will receive orientation to the university, hospital, and antimicrobial stewardship program.  Specific clinical educational focus will be provided on antimicrobial stewardship, immunizations, microbiology and quality improvement processes.  

The majority of the fellow’s time will be participating in antimicrobial stewardship projects and initiatives. Initially, the fellow will participate in already established protocols and projects. After the first few months the fellowship director will work with the fellow to help create and focus projects within an area that the fellow is interested in.    For this passion area, the fellow will learn effective methods for conducting literature reviews, analyzing, and synthesizing the data to create a review article(s) and using this to inform best steps for development of new projects.  For these new antimicrobial stewardship project(s), the fellow will develop skills in concept generation, protocol and project design, project implementation, data analysis, determining conclusions as well as abstract and manuscript writing.  The fellow will attend at least 2 meetings where they will present projects as posters or platforms at pediatric, antimicrobial stewardship, and/or infectious diseases national meetings.  

In addition to clinical and research development, the fellow will develop lecturing skills and a teaching philosophy.  They will have the opportunity to participate in the UCONN Teaching and Learning Certificate program as well as improving and providing didactic lectures and precepting experiential activities surrounding pediatric, infectious diseases, and/or immunization.  If interested, opportunity to precept local PGY1 residents on pediatric antimicrobial stewardship rotation maybe available.

Application & Process

Required qualifications:
 Graduation from an ACPE accredited school of pharmacy
 Able to be licensed in Connecticut as a pharmacist (or temporary pharmacist) by July 1, 2023

Preferred qualifications:
 Completion of PGY1 residency or equivalent
 Experiences in pediatrics (e.g., rotation, research, job)
 Experiences in infectious disease / antimicrobial stewardship (e.g., rotation, research, job)
 Clinical hospital experience

The application process:
 Interested candidates please complete the application via the University of Connecticut Human Resources website: https://jobs.hr.uconn.edu/en-us/listing  (If you are unable to locate it, please contact Dr. Jennifer Girotto jennifer.girotto@uconn.edu and she will send you the current link).
 The application, to be considered complete, should include the following:
o letter of intent,
o curriculum vitae, and
o three professional letters of recommendations highlighting your potential to succeed in a clinical fellowship

 Candidates will be reviewed as submitted, beginning in December.
 Applicants meeting criteria will be invited to a virtual interview, beginning in early January.
 Candidates will be continued to be reviewed until the position is filled.

Benefits include: Salary, health insurance, paid time off, and tuition/travel costs to meetings to present research and/or recruit future fellows.

Allison Florack, Pharm.D.
Current Position: Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
Education and Postgraduate Training:
PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency, Children’s Mercy (2021)
Doctor of Pharmacy, University of Kansas (2020), Bachelor of Science, Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kansas (2018)

Brooke Curry, Pharm.D.
Education and Postgraduate Training:
PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency, Texas Children’s (2021)
Doctor of Pharmacy, University of Colorado (2020); Bachelor of Science, Medical Sciences, University of Colorado (2017)

Patricia Jackson, Pharm.D., BCIDP
Current Position: PGY1 Residency Program Director at St Vincent's Medical Center, Bridgeport, CT
Education and Postgraduate Training:
PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency, Hospital of Central Connecticut (2020)
Doctor of Pharmacy, University of St. Joseph’s (2017); Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of St. Joseph’s (2014)

Samantha Basco, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCIDP
Current Position: Emergency Department Pharmacist, Johnson City Medical Center – Ballad Health
Education and Postgraduate Training:
PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency, Benefis Hospital (2020)
Doctor of Pharmacy, University of Georgia (2019)

Lauren Puckett, Pharm.D., BCIDP
Current Position: Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist, Lucille Packard Hospital/Stanford Children’s
Education and Postgraduate Training:
PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency, Medical University of South Carolina (2019)
Doctor of Pharmacy, University of Houston (2018); Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry, Texas A&M University (2013)

Betool Al-Mazraawy, Pharm.D., BCIDP
Current Position: Clinical Pediatric Pharmacist, Bridgeport Hospital
Education and Postgraduate Training:
PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency, Yale New Haven Hospital (2019)
Doctor of Pharmacy, University of St. Joseph (2018); Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut (2015)

Grant Stimes, Pharm.D., MPA, BCPS, BCIDP
Current Position: Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist, Texas Children’s Hospital
Education and Postgraduate Training:
PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency, Iowa Hospital and Clinic (2018)
Doctor of Pharmacy & Masters of Public Administration, Drake University (2017)

Kailynn DeRonde, Pharm.D., BCIDP

Current Position: Infectious Diseases Clinical Pharmacist, Holtz Women and Children’s Hospital / Jackson Memorial Hospital
Education and Postgraduate Training:
PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency, Children’s Hospital Colorado (2017); Doctor of Pharmacy, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (2016)

Brittany Rodriguez, Pharm.D., BCIDP
Current Position: Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist, Texas Children’s Hospital
Education and Postgraduate Training:
PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency, Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, CHRIST'S Santa Rosa Healthcare System (2016); Doctor of Pharmacy, Feik School of Pharmacy (2015)

Aimee Dassner, Pharm.D., BCIDP
Current Position: Infectious Diseases /Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist, Children’s National
Education and Postgraduate Training:
PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency, Atlantic Health System (2015); Doctor of Pharmacy, Creighton University (2014); Bachelors of Science, Biology, Lafayette College (2010)

Heather Magsarili, Pharm.D. 
Current Position: Drug Information Pharmacist, MedImpact, San Diego California
Education and Postgraduate Training:
PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency, Children’s Medical Center Dallas (2014); Doctor of Pharmacy, University of Arizona (2013)

1: St Germain RM (Maiden name for Fallon RM), Yigit S, Wells L, Girotto JE, Salazar JC. Cushing syndrome and severe adrenal suppression caused by fluticasone and protease inhibitor combination in an HIV-infected adolescent. AIDS Patient Care STDS. 2007 Jun;21(6):373-7.

2: Fallon RM, Girotto JE. A review of clinical experience with newer antifungals in children. J Pediatr Pharmacol Ther. 2008 Jul;13(3):124-40.

3: Fallon RM, Kuti JL, Doern GV, Girotto JE, Nicolau DP. Pharmacodynamic target-attainment of oral betalactams for the empiric treatment of acute otitis media in children. Paediatr Drugs. 2008;10(5):329-35.

4: Courter JD, Girotto JE, Salazar JC. Tipranavir: a new protease inhibitor for the pediatric population. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2008 Dec;6(6):797-803.

5: Courter JD, Kuti JL, Girotto JE, Nicolau DP. Optimizing bactericidal exposure for beta-lactams using prolonged and continuous infusions in the pediatric population. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2009 Sep;53(3):379-85.

6: Courter JD, Baker WL, Nowak KS, Smogowicz LA, Desjardins LL, Coleman CI, Girotto JE. Increased clinical failures when treating acute otitis media with macrolides: a meta-analysis. Ann Pharmacother. 2010 Mar;44(3):471-8.

7: Courter JD, Teevan CJ, Li MH, Girotto JE, Salazar JC. Role of tipranavir in treatment of patients with multidrug-resistant HIV. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2010 Oct 5;6:431-41.

8: Magsarili HK, Girotto JE, Bennett NJ, Nicolau DP. Making a Case for Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs. Pharmacotherapy. 2015 Nov;35(11):1026-36.

9: Dassner AM, Nicolau DP, Girotto JE. Management of Pneumonia in the Pediatric Critical Care Unit: An Area for Antimicrobial Stewardship. Curr Pediatr Rev. 2017;13(1):49-66.

10: Dassner AM, Girotto JE. Evaluation of a Second-Sign Process for Antimicrobial Prior Authorization. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. 2018 May 15;7(2):113-118.

11: Rodriguez BA, Girotto JE, Nicolau DP. Ceftazidime/Avibactam and Ceftolozane/Tazobactam: Novel Therapy for Multidrug Resistant Gram Negative Infections in Children. Curr Pediatr Rev. 2018;14(2):97-109.

12: DeRonde KJ, Girotto JE, Nicolau DP. Management of Pediatric Acute Hematogenous Osteomyelitis, Part I: Antimicrobial Stewardship Approach and Review of Therapies for Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Kingella kingae. Pharmacotherapy. 2018 Sep;38(9):947-966.

13: DeRonde KJ, Girotto JE, Nicolau DP. Management of Pediatric Acute Hematogenous Osteomyelitis, Part II: A Focus on Methicillin Resistant 11 Staphylococcus aureus, Current and Emerging Therapies. Pharmacotherapy. 2018 Oct;38(10):1021-1037.

14: Stimes GT, Girotto JE. Applying Pharmacodynamics and Antimicrobial Stewardship to Pediatric Preseptal and Orbital Cellulitis. Paediatr Drugs. 2019 Dec;21(6):427-438.

15. Al-Mazraawy BO, Girotto JE. Comparing Vancomycin Area Under the Curve with a Pharmacist Protocol that Incorporates Trough and Maximum Doses at a Children's Hospital. J Pediatr Pharmacol Ther. 2021;26(7):740-745. doi: 10.5863/1551-6776-26.7.740. Epub 2021 Sep 24.

16. Puckett LM Newland JG, Girotto JE.  Advancing pediatric antimicrobial stewardship: Has pharmacodynamic dosing for gram-negative infections taken effect?  Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology. 2021, (in press)

17. Puckett LM, Rajkotia P, Coppola L, Baumgartner L, Roberts AL, Maldonado Y, Girotto JE. Impact of Direct From Blood Culture Identification of Pathogens Paired With Antimicrobial Stewardship Interventions in a Pediatric Hospital. J Pediatr Pharmacol Ther. 2021;26(8):802-808. doi: 10.5863/1551-6776-26.8.802. Epub 2021 Nov 10.

18. Basco SA, Girotto JE. Contemporary Treatment of Resistant Gram-Negative Infections in Pediatric Patients. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2022 Mar;36(1):147-171.