Our nursing residency program is a one-year program designed to support new nurses during the transition to professional practice. It is part of the CommonSpirit Health National Nurse Residency Program and follows the nationally standardized, evidence-based practice for newly licensed and new-to-practice nurses to transition to practice safely, effectively and efficiently. The program is available across CHI Saint Joseph Health facilities in Kentucky. For more information, email ky.nnrp@commonspirit.org.
Our paid nurse externship program provides nursing students with invaluable hands-on experience through an 8-week summer externship or a flexible PRN opportunity available year-round.
As an extern, you'll work alongside experienced registered nurses at one of our CHI Saint Joseph Health facilities across Kentucky, applying your academic knowledge in a real clinical setting. This opportunity is open to students in the summer before their final year of nursing school, helping bridge the gap between education and practice.
Program objectives
Our nurse extern program strives to help participants:
Increase patient care management, organizational and time management skills
Demonstrate greater proficiency with clinical skills
Experience professional growth and increased self-confidence in caring for patients
Qualifications
Candidates must:
Be enrolled in an accredited school of nursing
Be actively enrolled in an ADN, BSN or LPN program and in good academic standing
Have successfully completed the nursing fundamentals course (or related equivalent)
Be certified in Basic Life Support (BLS) through the American Heart Association
Our pharmacy residency programs provide comprehensive, hands-on training designed to develop clinical expertise, leadership skills and a strong foundation in patient-centered care. Residents gain experience across diverse practice areas, including critical care, internal medicine, infectious diseases, cardiology and more. With personalized mentorship and a focus on professional growth, our residents graduate as highly skilled and confident practitioners, ready to excel in any pharmacy setting. Explore our facilities and the residency programs they offer.
Saint Joseph East
Saint Joseph East's post-graduate year one pharmacy residency program prepares graduates for positions in clinical pharmacy practice or specialty residency training in a focused area of practice. We regularly review and update the program to meet residents’ individual goals and expectations.
Saint Joseph East is a 215 bed community hospital that offers a variety of rotational as well as longitudinal experiences to help refine in-depth knowledge and skills in independent practice. Rotations are offered in a variety of therapeutic areas and are tailored to the interests of the individual.
Saint Joseph Hospital
Through its affiliation with the UK College of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph Hospital’s residency program provides broad exposure to patient-centered care in a dynamic, goal-driven environment. It emphasizes independent practice in comprehensive pharmacy care, clinical and didactic teaching, research methodology and self-evaluation. Regular updates ensure the program aligns with residents' individual goals and expectations.
Residents engage in an interactive teaching environment, precepting pharmacy students and delivering classroom lectures. The on-call program highlights their critical role in patient care, with residents serving on the Adult Cardiac Code and Medical Rapid Response teams during emergencies. The chief resident program fosters leadership skills, with responsibilities including coordinating the pharmacy and therapeutics committee, attending medical staff meetings and organizing residency events.
A diverse mix of rotational and longitudinal experiences sharpens residents’ expertise in independent practice. Rotations span various therapeutic areas and are tailored to individual interests. While in clinical service, residents collaborate with health care teams and independently monitor drug therapy to ensure optimal patient care. Graduates emerge highly competitive for clinical and leadership roles within the profession.
Saint Joseph Hospital serves as an advanced pharmacy practice experience site for up to 40 Doctor of Pharmacy students each year. Student experiences include community hospital practice and clinical pharmacy practice in the areas of internal medicine, critical care, cardiology and infectious diseases. All members of the clinical pharmacy staff have faculty appointments at the college and serve as preceptors for student practice experiences. In addition, members serve as course coordinators at the College of Pharmacy.
The PGY1 Pharmacy Residency provides diverse learning experiences in direct patient care and hospital practice. Residents collaborate with healthcare teams through multidisciplinary rounds, monitor drug therapy, provide drug information and pharmacokinetic consultations, counsel patients, and help prevent medication errors.
Core Learning Experiences
Orientation – Introduction to central pharmacy functions, policies, electronic medical records, patient monitoring, clinical documentation, ACLS training and research project timelines.
Internal Medicine – Manage drug therapies for medical/surgical patients, respond to consults, identify and resolve drug therapy issues and collaborate with the health care team.
Critical Care (Medical/Surgical) – Participate in ICU rounds, assess therapeutic needs, develop treatment plans and monitor for efficacy and toxicity.
Cardiology/Cardiothoracic Surgery – Gain expertise in managing cardiovascular conditions, including heart failure, arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, interventional procedures and post-surgical care.
Comprehensive Site Care (Saint Joseph East) – Provide pharmacy services across various levels of care, including ICU and general admissions, with responsibilities in clinical interventions, drug monitoring and multidisciplinary rounds.
Ambulatory Hematology/Oncology – Learn chemotherapy preparation, patient education and management of hematology/oncology treatments in an outpatient setting.
Infectious Diseases/Antimicrobial Management Team (AMT) – Participate in daily AMT activities, review culture and susceptibility data, round with the ID consult team and optimize antimicrobial therapy.
Neurology/Stroke Care – Monitor and manage patients with CVA, TIA and seizures in the neurology/telemetry unit.
Elective learning experiences (Select 2)
Emergency Medicine
Transitional Care
Long-Term Acute Care
Ambulatory Hematology/Oncology Selective
Critical Care (Medical/Surgical) Selective
Cardiology/Cardiothoracic Surgery Selective
Infectious Disease/AMT Selective
Palliative Care
Electrophysiology Selective
Other program activities
Adult Cardiac Code, Stroke, and Sepsis Response
Rapid Response Team
Anticoagulation Service
Drug Information
EKG 12-Lead Interpretation
Nutritional Support
Pharmacokinetics Service
Teaching Certificate Program
Virtual/Remote Clinical Pharmacy Services
This program equips residents with the skills and experience needed to excel in diverse pharmacy practice settings.
Phone: (859) 313-2181 or (859) 313-2181
Fax: (859) 313-2974 or (859) 313-2974
Email: kevin.poe@commonspirit.org
The PGY2 Critical Care Residency Program at Saint Joseph Hospital is a one-year training program designed to develop expertise across various critical care settings. Residents gain hands-on experience in critical care, surgery, cardiology, infectious disease, and emergency medicine, with most rotations following a multidisciplinary rounding model to enhance teamwork and leadership skills. Graduates will be well-prepared for advanced career opportunities and specialty board certification.
Qualifications
Graduate of an ACPE-accredited pharmacy school
Completion of an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency
Eligible for Kentucky pharmacist licensure
Application Requirements
Application materials and instructions are available on the Saint Joseph Hospital Pharmacy Residency Program webpage. Required materials include:
Pharmacy Residency Application Form
Personal Cover Letter
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Official Academic Transcripts
Three Letters of Recommendation
Application Deadline: January 2
Learning Experiences
Core Rotations (5 weeks each, unless noted)
Orientation PGY2
Ambulatory Pulmonology
Cardiothoracic Vascular Unit
Comprehensive Critical Care
Critical Care PGY2
Neurology/Neurosurgery ICU
Emergency Medicine
Infectious Disease
Elective Rotations
(Select two, 5 weeks each)
Cardiovascular Critical Care
Intensified Infectious Disease
Electrophysiology
Palliative Care
Pulmonology/Critical Care
Longitudinal Experiences (52 weeks)
Inpatient Staffing
Leadership & Management
Research & Quality Improvement
Medication Use Evaluation
Teaching & Education
Drug Monograph and Formulary Review
Additional Program Activities
On-call program (rapid response, cardiac arrest, stroke, sepsis)
Clinical conferences (weekly)
Protocol and policy development
Antimicrobial stewardship
Therapeutic drug monitoring consult service
Teaching and precepting
Residents will gain teaching experience through a certificate program, weekly clinical conferences, and leading educational in-services for pharmacy, nursing and medical staff. Additionally, residents will co-precept pharmacy students from local colleges.
Research and conferences
Residents will conduct a clinical research project, including IRB submission, data collection, analysis, poster presentation and manuscript writing. They will present findings at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and may attend an additional regional or national conference, such as the Society of Critical Care Medicine Annual Meeting.
Application Timeline
Application deadline: January 2
Interview notifications: By January 31
This program provides comprehensive critical care training, equipping residents with the skills and experience to excel in specialized pharmacy practice.
Questions? Contact our clinical pharmacy staff for more information.
Kevin Poe, PharmD, BCPS
Manager, Clinical Pharmacy
PGY1 Residency Program Director
CHI Saint Joseph Health
One Saint Joseph Drive
Lexington , KY 40504
Phone: 859.313.2181
Email: kevin.poe@commonspirit.org
Shawn King, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Cardiology/Cardiovascular Surgery
PGY2 Critical Care Residency Program Director
One Saint Joseph Drive
Lexington , KY 40504
Phone: 859.313.7651
Email: Shawn.King@CommonSpirit.org
The CHI Saint Joseph Health Foundations offer academic scholarships for students pursuing health care careers, funded by generous employees and donors. Awards range from $1,000 to $5,000 for those studying nursing, allied health, medical fields or health care management.
The following medical, nursing and allied health scholarships are offered to graduating high school seniors and secondary and post-secondary students in central Kentucky:
Scholarships for graduating seniors
John R. Gaines Scholarship for Medical Excellence
Established in 2005, this scholarship honors John R. Gaines, a visionary horseman, philanthropist and founder of the Breeders' Cup. He played a key role in creating the Kentucky Horse Park, the Maxwell H. Gluck Center for Equine Research and the National Thoroughbred Association. His generosity also supported Holy Spirit Catholic Parish at the Newman Center and other educational initiatives.
With the support of his wife, Joan, family and friends, the Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation created the John R. Gaines Scholarship to assist students pursuing medical degrees. This competitive $2,500 scholarship supports students in various medical programs and helps CHI Saint Joseph Health employees enhance their credentials.
Robert & Donna Hewett Scholarship
Robert Hewett, the longest-serving board chair in Saint Joseph Health’s history, and his wife, Donna, established this scholarship through a generous gift in 2008. This $2,500 scholarship is awarded to students pursuing a nursing degree.
Joseph K. Ford Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship
This scholarship honors Joseph K. Ford’s commitment to Catholic values and service. A co-founder of the Dean, Dorton & Ford accounting firm, he played a key role in its success and dedicated years to Catholic education. He chaired Lexington Catholic High School’s board of directors and helped strengthen its financial and athletic programs.
A $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to a graduating senior from Lexington Catholic High School pursuing a career in allied health, nursing or public service.
Sr. Michael Leo Nursing Scholarship
Established in 2020, this scholarship honors Sr. Michael Leo Mullaney for her leadership at Saint Joseph Hospital. During her 22-year tenure, she eliminated the hospital’s $1 million debt, modernized operations, expanded services and introduced innovations like the first physician-staffed ER and cardiac intensive care unit in central Kentucky.
This $1,000 scholarship is awarded to first- or second-year nursing students.
Scholarships for secondary and post-secondary students
John R. Gaines Scholarship for Medical Excellence
Established in 2005, this scholarship honors John R. Gaines, a visionary horseman, philanthropist and founder of the Breeders' Cup. He played a key role in creating the Kentucky Horse Park, the Maxwell H. Gluck Center for Equine Research and the National Thoroughbred Association. His generosity also supported Holy Spirit Catholic Parish at the Newman Center and other educational initiatives.
With the support of John’s wife, Joan, his family and friends, the Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation established the John R. Gaines Scholarship. The Gaines Medical Excellence Program provides annual funding for candidates seeking various medical program degrees, while supporting clinical and educational opportunities that advance credentials for CHI Saint Joseph Health employees. The competitive scholarship in the amount of $5,000 will be awarded to (a) qualified applicant(s) seeking a degree in the medical field.
Phyllis Cronin Nursing Scholarship
Created in 2003, this scholarship honors Phyllis Cronin’s dedication to Saint Joseph Hospital. A charter member of the Foundation Board of Directors, she served as president of both the Foundation and the STARS Committee and founded the Patient Financial Assistance Fund.
This $2,500 scholarship supports students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) who have demonstrated strong potential in the field.
Larry & Casey Schumacher Nursing Scholarship
Established in 2023, this scholarship recognizes the careers of Larry and Casey Schumacher, both registered nurses. Larry dedicated over two decades to Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI), now part of CommonSpirit Health.
This $1,000 scholarship is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students pursuing nursing credentials to serve within CommonSpirit Health.
Robert & Donna Hewett Scholarship
Robert Hewett was the longest serving board chair in Saint Joseph Health’s history. Together with his wife, Donna, they established the Robert and Donna Hewett Nursing Endowment through a generous gift to the Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation in 2008.
This $2,500 scholarship is awarded to individuals who wish to obtain a nursing degree.
Sr. Liz Wendeln Scholarship
Sr. Liz Wendeln was a servant leader dedicated to health care and social justice. She served as president of the Sisters of Nazareth, chaired the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Health System Board and was a board member of KentuckyOne Health.
In her honor, this $1,000 scholarship is awarded annually to a student pursuing a degree in nursing or allied health.
Application details
These scholarships support students committed to making a difference in health care. If you're passionate about serving others, apply today.
Application deadline: All applications and supporting materials must be submitted by April 11, 2025.
Eligibility criteria: Applicants must be enrolled and accepted in an undergraduate or graduate program from an accredited institution and pursuing an advanced degree in the health care field.
Application requirements: Applications must include a 500-word essay, a current resume, professional/volunteer/educational accomplishments, current or impending status with a college or university and two typed recommendation letters.
How to apply
Download and submit the scholarship application and supporting documents by mail or email to:
Jennifer Douglas
CHI Saint Joseph Health Foundations
1451 Harrodsburg Road, Suite D308
Lexington, KY 40504
The Patti Mink Scholarship Endowment supports nursing and allied health students in the London area, honoring the legacy of Patti Mink, a respected leader who served as director of pharmacy at Saint Joseph London for 34 years. Her lasting impact on health care continues through this permanent endowment, which helps educate future health professionals.
A $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to a student pursuing a degree in nursing or allied health.
Application details
These scholarships support students committed to making a difference in health care. If you're passionate about serving others, apply today.
Application deadline: All applications and supporting materials must be submitted by April 11, 2025.
Eligibility criteria: Applicants must be enrolled and accepted in an undergraduate or graduate program from an accredited institution and pursuing an advanced degree in the health care field.
Application requirements: Applications must include a 500-word essay, a current resume, professional/volunteer/educational accomplishments, current or impending status with a college or university, and two typed recommendation letters.
How to apply
Download and submit the scholarship application and supporting documents by mail or email to:
Jennifer Douglas
CHI Saint Joseph Health Foundations
1451 Harrodsburg Road, Suite D308
Lexington, KY 40504
Our job shadowing program is designed to introduce high school and college students with an interest in health care to exciting careers at our facilities. The program allows students to follow and observe a health care professional for 40 hours or less. The program is for education and development purposes. If you need hands-on experience, please call the facility you’re interested in and ask for the education department.
More about the program
Job shadowing experiences for students are scheduled in 2-, 4-, 6-, or 8-hour increments on an individual basis. All requests are subject to department manager approval and may be limited based on staff availability or workload. Some departments may have additional requirements that must be met.
While we strive to accommodate your learning needs, there may be instances where a job shadow request cannot be granted. You will be notified of your application status regardless of the outcome. Please note that submitting an application does not guarantee placement.
Availability and application considerations
Job shadowing experiences are available Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. CHI Saint Joseph Health reserves the right to deny applications as necessary.
Placement process
Approval will be considered once we receive your completed job shadowing application, which requires the following:
Review and acknowledgment of the Job Shadowing Policy
Completion of all required documents
Proof of current immunizations that meet CHI Saint Joseph Health’s requirements
Documentation of a flu vaccination, including your name and date of birth, type of vaccine received, date of injection and the signature of the administering health care provider
If you have traveled outside the United States in the past 12 months, proof of a QuantiFERON TB Gold (QFT) or T-spot test result
Completion of the New Employee Orientation presentation and the Orientation Verification form.
Job shadowing application
Complete the job shadowing application form form and submit it to the address below. Once received, your application will be automatically forwarded to the local sponsor at your chosen location. The sponsor will contact you to confirm the date and time and provide additional details. Contact LaCrystal Green at (859) 313-2663 for additional information.
Saint Joseph Hospital
Attn: Human Resources
1 Saint Joseph Drive
Lexington, KY 40504
We are dedicated to supporting our team members, leaders and the community by providing world-class training, development and accountability. Through continuous growth and excellence, we strive to make a meaningful impact—both in the lives of those we serve and those who serve alongside us.
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