The West Virginia University Hospitals (WVUH) and School of Pharmacy Residency Program was started in 1985 by then Residency Coordinator, Art Poremba. Keeley Blair was the only member of the inaugural class, completing her requirements in the summer of 1986. Current Pharmacy Director, Carol Woodward, was the lone member of the second class, and so the tradition began. Since the program’s inception in 1985, 24 classes have completed the program, consisting of 79 pharmacy residents. Richard Snow and Tanya Sutton were the members of the first multiple-resident class in 1988. Under the guidance of seven different Residency Coordinators, the classes have expanded to include up to nine residents. The program continues to gain national exposure, having had residents originally from schools located in 17 different states. The number of applicants per year has more than quadrupled since 2003.

The American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) officially accredited the General Practice Residency Program in 1987. Denise Sokos became the program’s first specialty resident when the Internal Medicine Residency was added in 1997. It was later accredited by ASHP in 2003. The Infectious Diseases and Critical Care Residency Programs were added in 2002, and 2008, respectively, and both are currently scheduled to be accredited in 2010. In 2005, the program nomenclature was changed by ASHP from General Practice Residency to Post-Graduate Year One (PGY-1) in order to match the names associated with most medical residencies. The names of the specialty residencies were subsequently changed to Post-Graduate Year Two (PGY-2) to follow suit.

The WVUH and School of Pharmacy Residency Program continues to see its graduates go on to become pillars within our profession. Past graduates have become clinical pharmacists, clinical specialists, academic faculty members, and leaders in industry and hospital administration. The program is especially proud of the 19 former residents currently employed by West Virginia University Hospitals or the WVU School of Pharmacy.