What are the responsibilities and job description for the Clinical Pharmacist Specialist position at UPMC?
Join our team as a Full-Time Clinical Pharmacist Specialist!
This position will work primarily day shifts, with some evening rotations required, supporting the 9B and 9C Hematology/Oncology Teams. This position requires availability to work every 4th weekend and 1-2 rotating holidays in the Central Pharmacy.
Clinical Pharmacist Specialists are accountable for delivering safe, effective, and efficient comprehensive medication management for specialized patient populations. They provide direct, patient-centered care and integrated pharmacy services within interdisciplinary clinical teams, collaborating closely with physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. These specialists support both centralized and decentralized medication-use systems and ensure optimal medication therapy within their area of expertise. Their responsibilities include participating in all aspects of the medication-use process, assessing patient needs, individualizing therapy based on age- and disease-specific considerations, monitoring and adjusting treatment based on patient response, and identifying, preventing, and managing medication-related adverse events.
Clinical Pharmacist Specialists are integrated into interdisciplinary programs to ensure pharmacy services are embedded throughout the care continuum. They serve as departmental resources and liaisons, contribute to clinical research and practice advancement initiatives, and lead or support quality improvement and regulatory compliance efforts related to medication-use processes. Additionally, they provide medication-related education and training, serve as preceptors for pharmacy students and residents (including PGY2 residents), and participate in quality initiatives by monitoring outcomes, analyzing data, implementing improvements, and evaluating their effectiveness.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Leads assigned service lines, clinical areas, and therapeutic programs to provide safe, effective, and evidence‑based medication management for specialized patient populations
- Provides direct patient care through decentralized and service‑based clinical pharmacy programs in collaboration with multidisciplinary healthcare teams
- Identifies high‑risk patients and optimizes medication therapy through evidence‑based recommendations, monitoring, and clinical interventions
- Participates in medication stewardship initiatives, restricted medication programs, and medical emergency response
- Performs medication reconciliation, discharge counseling, and ongoing patient monitoring to prevent and manage medication‑related problems
- Supports and evaluates medication‑use systems to ensure compliance with regulatory standards and best practices
- Contributes to quality improvement, research, and practice advancement initiatives to enhance patient safety, outcomes, and cost‑effective care
- Maintains proficiency in clinical information systems and pharmacy operations as appropriate to assignment
- Provides education and serves as a preceptor for pharmacy students and residents