MAD-ID and SIDP Program Highlight: Abbott Northwestern Hospital PGY2 Infectious Diseases Pharmacy Residency, Minneapolis, MN
Program Director: Emily Herstine, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP
Tell us about your PROGRAM
The Abbott Northwestern Hospital PGY2 Infectious Diseases Pharmacy Residency is an ASHP-accredited program based at a 700-bed hospital within Allina Health. The residency provides comprehensive training in infectious diseases pharmacotherapy through antimicrobial stewardship, infectious diseases consult services, immunocompromised host care, formulary management, teaching, and longitudinal emergency medicine staffing experiences, with a variety of elective opportunities including HIV, pediatrics, transplant, and public health.
What makes your program UNIQUE?
Our program offers a diverse blend of inpatient infectious diseases, antimicrobial stewardship, and system-level leadership experiences while leveraging partnerships with local organizations such as the Minnesota Department of Health to provide specialized elective rotation opportunities. A unique feature of our program is the opportunity to practice under a pharmacist collaborative practice agreement while staffing in the emergency department, allowing residents to independently manage culture follow-up workflows and optimize antimicrobial therapy, which reinforces key residency goals of developing clinical autonomy, stewardship expertise, and advanced decision-making skills. Residents also gain extensive experience in teaching, precepting, guideline development, and formulary management, preparing them to become independent infectious diseases pharmacy specialists and leaders in antimicrobial stewardship.
What opportunities are there for RESEARCH and QUALITY IMPROVEMENT in your program?
Residents complete both a longitudinal major research project and a medication use evaluation, develop a manuscript suitable for publication, and present their work locally, regionally, or nationally. Examples of recent projects include Development and Impact of an Inpatient Pharmacist-Driven Penicillin Allergy De-Labeling Protocol Utilizing the PEN-FAST Assessment and Outpatient Skin Testing and Impact of Pharmacist-Led Discharge Antibiotic Prescription Verification in a Large Community Hospital Emergency Department.
What QUALITIES are you looking for in a successful trainee?
Successful residents are self-motivated learners who demonstrate intellectual curiosity, take ownership of their clinical and longitudinal responsibilities, and can effectively balance patient care, research, teaching, and project deadlines. We value trainees who are engaged, adaptable, collaborative, and able to progressively practice with greater independence while seeking feedback and continuously striving to improve.
What CAREER paths have past trainees pursued, and how does your program support trainees in finding job opportunities?
Graduates have pursued a variety of career paths, including infectious diseases clinical specialist positions, antimicrobial stewardship leadership roles, industry medical science liaison roles, and pharmacy leadership positions. The program supports residents in securing these opportunities through individualized mentorship, networking with infectious diseases pharmacists and physicians, teaching and precepting experiences, professional conference participation, and longitudinal leadership, research, and antimicrobial stewardship training that prepares graduates for a wide range of ID-focused careers.
MAD-ID and SIDP Training Program Highlight
This series highlights ID pharmacy training programs, including PGY2 ID residency and ID fellowship programs that send trainees to the Antimicrobials Conference™. We provide an opportunity for program directors to give insights into their offerings that mean most to prospective trainees.
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