St. Joseph Health Academic and Faculty Affairs

St. Joseph Health and Texas A&M University Rangel College of Pharmacy support a PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program to advance pharmacy practice and patient care. This program builds on PharmD education, developing clinical pharmacists capable of managing medication-related care for diverse patient populations, eligible for board certification and PGY2 training.

The ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency program at St. Joseph Health offers three 12-month positions. The curriculum focuses on patient care, advancing pharmacy practice, leadership and education. Core rotations include internal medicine, critical care, trauma/surgery, emergency medicine, cardiac/stroke care and pharmacy administration. Elective rotations are available in areas such as infectious disease, ambulatory care and oncology.

Benefits

As health systems increasingly require residency training for clinical roles, completing a residency offers a competitive edge in the job market. Additionally, residents gain valuable networking opportunities and a clearer perspective on their career goals and areas of interest.

Additional benefits include:

• Competitive salary at $58,656

• Personalized lab coat

• Copier/printer/fax services

• Resident office space

• Personal computer access

• ACLS certification

• TCAR certification

• Membership in state organizations (TSHP)

• Professional meeting attendance

• Opportunity to teach and precept students

• Insurance:  medical coverage, dental coverage, life insurance, vision coverage, accidental death and dismemberment, and disability coverage

• Paid time off:  vacation leave, holiday leave, meeting attendance, and sick leave

The following guide offers essential information about our program, including application requirements, benefits, expectations and more.

How many residency spots are available each year?
Three positions are available annually.

Does the program sponsor H1B visas?
No, we do not offer H1B visas. However, we do sponsor J1 visas.

Does the program participate in the match?
Yes.

What criteria are used to evaluate and rank applicants?
Applicants are assessed based on:

• Test scores

• Letters of recommendation

• The Dean’s letter

• Medical school transcript

• Evidence of strong written and verbal communication skills

• Extracurricular activities

• Performance in the interview

How do I schedule an interview?
The program will review your application and notify you if you are selected for an interview.

What is the interview process like?
If selected, you will participate in a virtual interview via Zoom with at least two interview teams. One team will not have access to your academic record. The questions will be standardized.

What questions will be asked in the interview?
You may be asked to elaborate on your application responses. Common topics include:

• Your strengths and weaknesses

• Why you chose internal medicine

• Your long-term career vision and how our program aligns with it

• The attributes you bring to our program

What is the curriculum like?
Our curriculum integrates clinical experience, didactics, and research. Educational activities include:

• MKSAP review

• Grand rounds

• Complex case conference

• Morbidity and mortality (M&M) conference

• Journal club

What are the facilities like?
St. Joseph Health Regional Hospital, a teaching hospital located in Bryan, is home to a Level III trauma center supported by award-winning surgical and medical services including trauma surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery. Awarded the status of a Primary Stroke Center and ACC/AHA Accredited Chest Pain Center, St. Joseph Health offers specialty clinical services including cardiovascular care, critical care, pulmonology, neurology, infectious disease, radiation/oncology, diagnostic imaging, urology, gastrointestinal care, women’s services, pediatric care and neonatal intensive care.

Who will be teaching me, and what is the faculty-to-resident ratio?
Our faculty includes both experienced and early-career physicians eager to mentor residents. Most rotations maintain a 1:1 faculty-to-resident ratio, while ward rotations typically have a 2:1 ratio.

Will pharmacy students be part of my team?
Yes, pharmacy students are assigned to various clinical rotations, and residents are expected to contribute to their learning experience.

What are the contract obligations?
Upon application, you will receive a resident contract, which includes details on:

• Salary and benefits

• Vacation policy

• Recruitment and selection policies

Kim Feese, RPh, MHA
Market Director of Pharmacy, St. Joseph Health

Kimberly Feese is the director of pharmacy for the St. Joseph Health market, overseeing pharmacy services at two acute care and three critical access hospitals. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Maryland and a Master of Health Administration from New England College. Her extensive management background includes community, long-term care, critical access and acute care pharmacy, with responsibilities such as operations, performance improvement, regulatory compliance, automation, collaboration, 340b programs, budget and purchasing. She enjoys spending time with her four grandchildren.

Jessica Jones, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacy Manager, Residency Program Director and Preceptor

Jessica Jones holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Texas A&M and a PharmD from UT Austin. She completed a PGY1 residency in Arizona before joining St. Joseph Health in 2010 as a clinical staff pharmacist, later becoming a critical care pharmacy specialist (2012) and clinical pharmacy manager (2016). A board certified pharmacotherapy specialist with interests in critical care and infectious disease, she leads the antimicrobial stewardship and pain management programs and facilitates the pharmacy and therapeutic committee. 

Her clinical practice includes multidisciplinary rounding and participation in multiple hospital committees. Nationally, she contributes to CommonSpirit’s pharmacy subcommittees. Jessica is an adjunct assistant professor at Texas A&M Rangel College of Pharmacy, where she precepts students and serves on university committees. Outside of pharmacy, she enjoys watercolor painting, attending Aggie football games and spending time with family.

Derek Harvick, PharmD, LSSBB
Pharmacy Operations Manager Residency Preceptor, Pharmacy Residency Coordinator

Derek Harvick holds a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science from Texas A&M and a PharmD from the University of Houston. He joined St. Joseph Health in 2012 as a clinical staff pharmacist and has been the pharmacy operations manager at St. Joseph Health Regional Hospital since 2014. His responsibilities include pharmacy workflow, staffing, process improvement, medication safety and regulatory compliance. A Lean Six Sigma Black Belt graduate, he actively participates in the process improvement team, teaching lean processes and leading improvement projects.

He is also an adjunct assistant professor at Texas A&M University Rangel College of Pharmacy, precepting students in various pharmacy rotations. His interests include leadership development, management and process improvement.  Derek enjoys sports, driving, and spending time outdoors.

Jency Varickattu, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Critical Care, Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Residency Preceptor

Jency holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from MCPHS (Boston) and a Bachelor of Pharmacy from Manipal College of Pharmacy (India). Licensed in Texas, Michigan and Ontario, she board certified in pharmacotherapy and critical care and is also a certified ASHP sterile compounding instructor. Her clinical practice focuses on critical care and trauma, with multidisciplinary contributions to stroke and palliative care. She is a member of the critical care and pain management committees. In her free time, she enjoys walks and learning Odissi, an Indian classical dance.

Koren Dunn, PharmD, BCPS
Koren is a clinical pharmacy specialist in internal medicine and a clinical assistant professor with Texas A&M University's Rangel College of Pharmacy. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences and a Doctor of Pharmacy from Texas A&M. Koren completed a PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency at Baylor Scott & White and an Academic Pharmacy Fellowship at the University of Houston. 

At St. Joseph Health, she is an internal medicine clinical pharmacist involved in multidisciplinary rounding and serves on the anticoagulation stewardship program and residency advisory committee. Passionate about pharmacy education, her interests include internal medicine, cardiology, infectious diseases, clinical pharmacy service expansion, quality improvement, teaching innovation and student pharmacist professional development. Outside of work, she enjoys family, her dog, A&M sports, travel and outdoor activities.

McKinsey Ford, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist, Sterile Compounding, Adjunct Assistant Professor with Pharmacy Practice Texas A&M University, Rangel College of Pharmacy

McKinsey Ford earned a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science and a PharmD from Texas A&M and the University of Houston, respectively. Her pharmacy career progressed from pharmacist-in-charge at Target to director of pharmacy at two behavioral health hospitals before her current role as an IV room pharmacist at St. Joseph Health Regional Hospital.

Passionate about medication safety, process improvement, well-being and teaching, she is an adjunct assistant professor at Texas A&M University Rangel College of Pharmacy, where she precepts students and guest lectures. In her leisure time, McKinsey enjoys spending time with loved ones and a variety of hobbies.