Residents

Current Residents

Carissa Hawes, Pharm.D. 

Pharmacy school: University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, Lexington  

Interest areas: Pediatrics 

Research: Impact of Maternal Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccine and Nirsevimab on RSV Rates in Hospitalized Infants 

Why Norton Healthcare? I believe the balance between pediatric and adult experiences at Norton Healthcare will provide me with a solid foundation for my future career. Also, the workplace culture here is fantastic!  

Email: c[email protected] 

Josh D. Batson, Pharm.D. 

Pharmacy school: University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy, Aurora  

Interest areas: Emergency medicine, infectious diseases and cardiology 

Research: Impact of Sepsis Fluid Bundle Electronic Medical Record Optimization on Clinical Outcomes 

Why Norton Healthcare? I chose Norton because I wanted to return closer to home while continuing my training at a large, reputable health system. Norton’s strong reputation among both clinical staff and former colleagues, combined with the supportive and welcoming environment I experienced during my interview, made it clear this was the right place to grow as a pharmacist. 

Email: [email protected] 

Sydney Grove, Pharm.D. 

Pharmacy school: University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, Lexington   

Interest areas: Critical care, emergency medicine, pediatrics 

Research: Evaluation of Urinary Retention Agents for Facilitating Foley Catheter Removal and Reducing Catheter Duration in ICU Patients   

Why Norton Healthcare? I chose Norton Hospital for PGY-1 because from the very beginning, it felt like family. The supportive environment, collaborative culture and genuine care shown by the team made it clear that this was a place where I could grow both professionally and personally. I knew I’d be surrounded by people who truly care about each other and their patients. 

Email: [email protected] 

Sara M. Sans, Pharm.D. 

Pharmacy school: Purdue University College of Pharmacy, West Lafayette, Indiana  

Interest areas: Ambulatory care, transitions of care, internal medicine 

Research: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Prescribing Practices and Influence of Pharmacists at a Community Health System 

Why Norton Healthcare? I chose residency at Norton Healthcare because the program offers a wide range of experiences, particularly in ambulatory care. Norton also has a welcoming and encouraging work environment! 

Email: [email protected] 

Theresa Kwarciany, Pharm.D. 

Pharmacy school: University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, Lexington 

Interest areas: Oncology, critical care 

Research: Development of a Standardized Protocol for Infiltration and Extravasation Management in a Community Health System 

Why Norton Healthcare? Norton Healthcare offers a wide range of opportunities for residents to explore current interests and discover new ones!

Email: [email protected] 

Olivia Makara, Pharm.D. 

Pharmacy school: University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, Lexington 

Interest areas: Ambulatory care, primary care 

Research: Implementation of Alpha Gal Allergy Assessment 

Why Norton Healthcare? Norton has a variety of rotations to help me explore my interests, and Norton really feels like a family with everyone supporting each other!  

Email: [email protected] 

Past Residents

2024 – 2025 PGY1 PHARMACY CLASS

CJ Sadler, Pharm.D.: Oncology PGY2 at Norton Healthcare 

Megan Adams, Pharm.D.: Ambulatory Care PGY2 at UK HealthCare, Lexington, Kentucky 

Hannah Shouse, Pharm.D.: Pediatrics PGY2 at UK HealthCare, Lexington, Kentucky 

Kristen Kepley, Pharm.D.: Clinical pharmacist at Norton Audubon Hospital 

Sydney Blackmer, Pharm.D.: Clinical pharmacist at Norton Hospital  

Cystal Fiskratti, Pharm.D.: Clinical pharmacist at Norton Hospital 

2023-2024 PGY1 PHARMACY RESIDENCY CLASS

Corey Stevens, Pharm.D.

PGY2: Ambulatory care, Norton Healthcare

Current position: Ambulatory care specialist, St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Washington, D.C.

Katie Miller, Pharm.D.

PGY2: Ambulatory care, Norton Healthcare

Current position: TOC specialist, Norton Healthcare

Travis Gatewood, Pharm.D.

PGY2: Hematology/oncology, Norton Healthcare

Current position: Oncology specialist, Norton Healthcare

Justin Dino, Pharm.D.

PGY2: Internal medicine, Oklahoma State University Medical Center, Tulsa

Sophie Tilley

PGY2: Hematology and oncology, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee

Current position: Fellow at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee

2022-2023 PGY1 PHARMACY RESIDENCY CLASS

Christa Brutscher, Pharm.D.*

Current Position: Anticoagulation clinic pharmacist, Baptist Health Lexington, Kentucky

McKenzie McCammon, Pharm.D., MPH

Current Position: Clinical pharmacist, Nashville Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Tennessee

Emma Kempf, Pharm.D.*

Current position: Inpatient clinical pharmacist, Norton Healthcare

Dakota Smith, Pharm.D., M.S.

PGY2: Infectious diseases, Norton Healthcare

Current position: Infectious diseases pharmacist, Indiana University Health, Bloomington

Sarah Wise, Pharm.D., M.S.

PGY2: Critical care, ECU Health, Greenville, North Carolina

Current position: Clinical pharmacy specialist, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

2021-2022 PGY1 PHARMACY RESIDENCY CLASS

Emily Bryan, Pharm.D.

PGY2: Ambulatory care, Norton Healthcare

Current position: Oncology/hematology pharmacist, Baptist Health

Hannah Corbin, Pharm.D.*

Current position: Inpatient clinical pharmacist, Norton Healthcare

Chuck McMahan Jr., Pharm.D.

Current position: Staff clinical pharmacist, Baptist Health Hardin, Elizabethtown, Kentucky

Clark Moehlenbrock, Pharm.D.*

PGY2: Oncology, Norton Healthcare

Current position: Hematology/oncology clinical pharmacist specialist, Norton Cancer Institute

Shaina Smoger, Pharm.D.*

Current position: Inpatient pharmacist, Norton Healthcare

Xuping Yan, Pharm.D.

PGY2: Infectious diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts

Current position: clinical pharmacy specialist in infectious diseases, Mount Auburn Hospital,  Cambridge, Massachusetts

2020-2021 PGY1 PHARMACY RESIDENCY CLASS

Martin Brenneman, Pharm.D.

PGY2: Infectious diseases, Norton Healthcare

Current position: Infectious diseases pharmacist, Baptist Health Hardin, Elizabethtown, Kentucky

Emily Followell, Pharm.D.*

PGY2: Cardiology, TriStar Centennial Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee

Current position: Transitions in care clinical pharmacist, Norton Healthcare

Erin Ottman, Pharm.D.*

Current position: Inpatient clinical pharmacist, Norton Healthcare

Tori Penick, Pharm.D.*

PGY2: Ambulatory care, University of Louisville

Current position: Transitions in care pharmacist, Norton Healthcare

Rachel Sowell, Pharm.D., MPH*

PGY2: Ambulatory care, Norton Healthcare

Current Position: Transitions in care pharmacist, Norton Healthcare

Adele Venable, Pharm.D.

PGY2: Critical care, St. Joseph Hospital, Lexington, Kentucky

Current position: Critical care pharmacist, Baptist Health

2019-2020 PGY1 PHARMACY RESIDENCY CLASS

Alex Anderson, Pharm.D.

Megan Cummins, Pharm.D.

PGY2: Pediatrics, UK Healthcare, Lexington, Kentucky

Current position: Neonatal intensive care unit clinical pharmacy specialist, MUSC Children’s Health, Charleston, South Carolina

Alexandria Dingess, Pharm.D.*

Current position: Clinical inpatient pharmacist, Norton Healthcare

Ashley Jatczak, Pharm.D.*

Current position: Clinical inpatient pharmacist, Norton Healthcare

James Mitchell, Pharm.D.*

Current position: Clinical inpatient pharmacist, Norton Healthcare

Lindsay Otis, Pharm.D., MBA*

PGY2: Ambulatory care, Norton Healthcare

Current position: Ambulatory clinical pharmacy specialist, Norton Healthcare

*Denotes hired by Norton Healthcare after residency

2018-2019 PGY1 PHARMACY RESIDENCY CLASS

Evan Bryson, Pharm.D.

Research topic: Therapeutic enoxaparin in high-risk patients: An evaluation of a pharmacist-driven anti-Xa monitoring and dose adjustment protocol

PGY2: Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia

Emily Hampton, Pharm.D., MPH, BCPS

Research topic: Directed education and feedback to nonphysician providers to reduce treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria at a community hospital

Justin McCann, Pharm.D.

Research topic: Risk factors for venous thromboembolic events in patients following elective total hip and total knee arthroplasty in the community hospital setting

PGY2: Ambulatory care, Norton Healthcare

Ashley Mullins, Pharm.D.

Research topic: Optimizing use of the electronic medical record to improve transitions of care for oncology services

Joanna Towles, Pharm.D.

Research topic: Burnout among pharmacy technicians: The impact of strategic initiatives

Kimber Woodrum, Pharm.D., MPH

Research topic: A systematic approach to optimizing opioid prescribing by standardizing order sets

PGY2: Ambulatory care, Norton Healthcare

2017-2018 PGY1 PHARMACY RESIDENCY CLASS

Lars Almassalkhi, Pharm.D.

Research topic: Engaging pharmacist to effectively manage clinical decision support alerts

PGY2: Emergency medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington

Kathleen Gillen, Pharm.D.

Research topic: Evaluation of facility-specific risk factors for opioid-induced respiratory depression

PGY2: Ambulatory care, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama

Amanda Kuszmaul, Pharm.D.

Research topic: Designing a tool to standardize pharmacist workflow in an ambulatory care specialty practice

PGY2: Ambulatory care, University of Louisville

Abby Taylor, Pharm.D.

Research topic: A process for the development of clinical pharmacy tools within an electronic medical record

Brittany Wyatt, Pharm.D.

Research topic: Describing the potential impact of a pharmacist-driven protocol to prevent febrile neutropenia

PGY2: Ambulatory care, Norton Healthcare

2016-2017 PGY1 PHARMACY RESIDENCY CLASS

Danielle Henry, Pharm.D.

Research topic: Implementation of a process to ensure the safe and efficient use of cytotoxic medications for non-oncologic indications

Kelli Noel, Pharm.D.

Research topic: A retrospective review to determine the efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation via colonoscopy in a community hospital for recurrent, refractory, or severe Clostridium difficile infection

Jessica Robinson, Pharm.D., BCPS

Research topic: Evaluation of the potential impact of a darbepoetin alfa indication restriction and dosing guideline in an inpatient setting

Lauren Schmitt, Pharm.D.

Research topic: A standardized pharmacist-driven process for anticoagulation education: Evaluating the impact on patient outcomes and opportunities for optimization

Haley Willett, Pharm.D.

Research topic: Optimizing a pharmacy dashboard to improve success at implementation

PGY2: Ambulatory care, Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee

Maryam Yazdanshenas, Pharm.D.

Research topic: Rate of deviation from evidence-based protocols in neo-adjuvant and adjuvant breast cancer treatment regimens

2015-2016 PGY1 PHARMACY RESIDENCY CLASS

Rachel Connors, Pharm.D.

Research topic: Potential impact of a pharmacist-driven protocol to improve Staphylococcal bacteremia care

Kassandra Fernsler Mohler, Pharm.D., BCACP

Research topic: Defining a standardized pharmacist-driven process for inpatient warfarin education

PGY2: Ambulatory care, Norton Healthcare

Michael Frazier, Pharm.D., BCPS

Research topic: A comprehensive, systematic, and multidisciplinary approach to continuous optimization of clinical decision support

Lindsay Hazelden, Pharm.D.

Research topic: Evaluation of empiric direct thrombin inhibitor therapy with optimization of the heparin-induced thrombocytopenia laboratory testing protocol and pharmacist intervention

PGY2: Oncology, John Hopkins, Baltimore, Maryland

Jamie Kraemer Mahan, Pharm.D., BCPS

Research topic: Designing and implementing a pharmacist-driven process for inpatient novel oral anticoagulant education

Michael Robinson, Pharm.D., BCPS

Research topic: Optimization of antibiotic regimen selection and dispensing in the perioperative setting

2014-2015 PGY1 PHARMACY RESIDENCY CLASS

John Holston, Pharm.D.
Research topic: Implementing transitions of care in a health care system — pilot study on patients discharged on anticoagulants

Courtney McDonald, Pharm.D.
Research topic: Impact of a pharmacist in the patient-centered medical home

Christie Lee Scott, Pharm.D.
Research topic: Identifying operational barriers to initiation of appropriate antimicrobial therapy following a positive blood culture

PGY2: Ambulatory care, Norton Healthcare

Josh Senn, Pharm.D., BCPS
Research topic: Evaluation of intravenous immunoglobulin grams averted with implementation of an inpatient IV immune globulin restricted use and dosing guideline

Tara Haworth Wright, Pharm.D., BCPPS, BCOP
Research topic: Characterizing clinical decision support alerts within an electronic health record system
PGY2: Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston

2013-2014 PGY1 PHARMACY RESIDENCY CLASS

Ashley Stack Bane, Pharm.D., BCPS
Research topic: Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of a colistin dosing protocol

Jonathan Ptachcinski, Pharm.D.
Research topic: Impact of a pharmacist-directed intervention on duration of aminoglycoside empiric therapy for health care-associated pneumonia
PGY2: Hematology/oncology, UNC Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Yvonne Egbudin Umeh, Pharm.D., BCCP
Research topic: The Impact of a vancomycin interchange protocol on costs and length of stay

2012-2013 PGY1 PHARMACY RESIDENCY CLASS

Michael Braun, Pharm.D., BCPS
Research topic: Creating and implementing a dosing protocol for intravenous immune globulin

Khyati Desai, Pharm.D.
Research topic: Utility of gram stain to identify the pathogen in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pneumonia

Kelsi Peay, Pharm.D.
Research topic: Expansion of a generic medication pilot project within an integrated delivery network

2011-2012 PGY1 PHARMACY RESIDENCY CLASS

Jeffrey Bahng, Pharm.D., BCPS
Research topic: Engaging pharmacists to become effective stewards of the formulary system through the use of education, documentation and communication

Susan Martin, Pharm.D.
Research topic: Maximizing generic prescribing in an integrated delivery network: Impact of the pharmacist

Thomas Stoltz, Pharm.D.
Research topic: Comparison of individualized versus standardized parenteral nutrition for adult inpatients in a health care system

2010-2011 PGY1 PHARMACY RESIDENCY CLASS

Julianne Jeffries, Pharm.D.
Research topic: Impact of an antimicrobial stewardship pilot project for the treatment of candidiasis on prescribing practices patient outcomes, and cost

Kelly Kampschmidt, Pharm.D.
Research topic: Pharmacist comfort at codes: Due to knowledge or experience?
PGY2: Oncology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois

Brittany Surface, Pharm.D.
Research topic: Implementation of a basal-bolus insulin order set as a test of change

2009-2010 PGY1 PHARMACY RESIDENCY CLASS

Kimberly Blanton, Pharm.D., BCPS
Research topic: Evaluation of vancomycin trough levels before and after implementation of pharmacist-driven dosing and monitoring guidelines
Current position: Clinical oncology pharmacist, St. Joseph East Hospital, Lexington, Kentucky

Mary Douglas Miracle, Pharm.D., BCPS
Research topic: Pharmacist medication reconciliation and discharge counseling in a heart failure population

  • 58% of residents from the past five years have gone on to complete PGY2 training.
  • 45% of residents from the past five years currently work at Norton Healthcare.