UNC Health Rex offers a hybrid of the robust clinical acuity and offerings of a large hospital, with the tight-knit, hometown feel of a small hospital. We are a nationally recognized and respected hospital, with a 5-star CMS rating and Leapfrog A rating—one of the only hospitals in the country to accomplish both feats. We offer a strong variety of rotations in critical care (4 adult ICUs and a NICU), cardiology (ICUs, stepdown units, transitions of care, outpatient), ambulatory care, administration (including our new combined PGY1/PGY2 HSPAL program), oncology (inpatient and outpatient), and many other areas. Furthermore, we offer a robust set of longitudinal activities to provide a well-rounded residency experience that will allow our residents to become strong clinicians, capable researchers, able preceptors, and future leaders. We have a strong and diverse group of preceptors who strive to provide personalized education and experiences to meet the needs of each individual resident. We also pride ourselves for providing our residents with all of the mentorship and resources needed to pursue their ultimate career goals.
The UNC Health Rex Residency Program employs an innovative approach to research that prioritizes both the potential for publication and the quality of the learning experience, all while streamlining the process of submitting research proposals to the institutional review board (IRB) and securing their approval. Starting with the incoming class of summer 2024, we will transition to a flipped model for resident research as described below.
Following the announcement of match results, incoming residents are presented with a curated list of research projects they can explore. Incoming PGY2 residents are granted priority in choosing their preferred research projects. Once a project is selected, it is promptly submitted to the IRB by the principal investigator for approval, followed by data extraction requests. This swift process enables new residents to embark on their research endeavors soon after completing their onboarding.
During the onboarding phase, new residents collaborate closely with their research preceptor to assemble their research teams and develop data collection tools. Data collection commences and residents proceed to writing abstracts and preparing posters for presentation. While the ultimate aim is to prepare and submit a manuscript for potential publication by the end of the residency year, it is important to note that this is not a mandatory requirement in our residency programs—it is only required to produce said manuscript.
Between January and March, each resident is tasked with crafting a research proposal for the upcoming cohort of residents. Our comprehensive proposals include essential elements such as research questions, hypotheses, expected outcomes, feasibility assessments, and potential impact. These proposals—if chosen by an incoming resident—are then submitted to the IRB to ensure timely approval for the next class.
2023-2024 Residency Class
Francesca Coppola: Impact of Multidisciplinary Heart Failure Medication Titration Clinic on Optimization of Guideline Directed Medical Therapy
Bill Larsen: Medical Management of Radial Artery Graft Vasospasms in Patients with Heart Failure who undergo Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
Victoria Miles: Strategies for Vasopressor De-escalation in Patients with Septic Shock
Hannah Bunn: CNS Prophylaxis in Lymphoma
Kaitlyn Coggsdale: Access to PCSK9 Inhibitors in a Cardiology Practice with our without a Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner (CPP)
Morgan Augustine: Impact of Transitions of Care Pharmacist Interventions on Patient Outcomes following Hospitalization for Acute Coronary Syndromes
Arilyn Maier: Continuous NMBA Titration to Train of Four versus Ventilator Synchrony
2022-2023 Residency Class
Brittni Gochnauer: Evaluation of DOAC Level Results and Association with Clinical Outcomes
Ramya Molleti: Management of Anemia and Iron Deficiency in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure
Megan Taylor: Treatment Modalities in the Setting of Valproic Acid-Associated Hyperammonemia in Critically Ill Patients
Francesca Coppola: Effectiveness of Doxylamine and Pyridoxine in Resolving Post-Operative Nausea and Vomiting in Non-Pregnant, Female Bariatric Patients
Victoria Miles: Impact of an Automatic Pharmacist-Led Consult Process on Anticoagulation Outcomes in Patients Receiving Ventricular Support with an Impella Device
Taylor Thompson: The Impact of BioFire BCID2 on Clinical Outcomes Among Patients with a Bacteremia
Daniel Tobben: Efficacy and Cost-Effectiveness of Methylnaltrexone and Naloxegol for the Treatment of Opioid Induced Constipation in Critically Ill Patients
2021-2022 Residency Class
Racheal Bailey: Use of Metolazone Compared to Chlorothiazide for ADHF in Open-heart Cardiac Surgery Patients
Kirsten Bell: Proton pump inhibitors in patients with atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter receiving combination anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention
Jane Chu: The Effectiveness of Intravenous Vitamin K in Correcting Shock Liver-Associated Coagulopathy
Seth Garner: Variable Dosing Strategies of Hydrocortisone in Intensive Care Unit Septic Shock Patients (HYDRO-SS Study)
Mattlyn Tart: The Effect of Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners on Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients Taking PCSK9 Inhibitors
Jenna Wojkowski: Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation Following Successful Direct Current Cardioversion with Amiodarone Versus Sotalol in Heart Failure Patients
Michelle Yi: Retrospective Analysis of Warfarin Induced Calcification in Patients with Aortic Stenosis Requiring Anticoagulation for Atrial Fibrillation or Atrial Flutter
2020-2021 Residency Class
Tyler Brouse: Investigating the Safety and Efficacy of DOACs following Ultrasound-assisted Catheter Directed Thrombolysis for VTE
Sheniece Carpenter: Evaluated the Use and Clinical Outcomes of Sodium Bicarbonate in Hyperkalemia
Rebecca Farley: Evaluation of Dexmedetomidine Duration on the Incidence of Rebound Hypertension
Gillian Leung: Patient Satisfaction and Quality of Life Post-Watchman Device Implantation
Mattlyn Tart: Investigating the Safety and Efficacy of Reduced versus Full-dose Prasugrel in Elderly Patients following ACS
2019-2020 Residency Class
Brandon Beers: Evaluation of efficacy and safety of antithrombotic regimens in patients undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedures
Rachel Diaz: Evaluation of the use of a pain, agitation, and delirium protocol in the ICU
Ethan Gerrald: Identification and evaluation of potential patient characteristics that may predispose multiple myeloma patients to develop carfilzomib-induced cardiotoxicities
Steven Skovran: Investigation of the ideal antithrombotic regimens for iliac vein thrombosis with stent placement
Olivia Witt: Use of investigational assays to validate the use of an institutional heparin nomogram for patients receiving heparin that were previously on oral factor Xa inhibitors
2018-2019 Residency Class
Justin Harrison: Management of heparin anti-Xa lab interference in patients taking direct oral anticoagulants
Becky Nickell: Impact of smoking status on the response rate to pembrolizumab in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer
Justin Wilson: Evaluation of direct oral anticoagulant safety in oncology patients with thrombocytopenia
Olivia Witt: Use of beta-blockers as cardioprotectants for anthracycline chemotherapy
2017-2018 Residency Class
Michael Crawford: Evaluating the recurrence rates of seizures in first time seizure patients receiving various antiepileptic medications
Legacy Marsolek: Comparison of intravenous n-acetylcysteine dosing strategies in acetaminophen toxicity
Nathan Wayne: Safety of uninterrupted vs interrupted anticoagulation around catheter ablation (AF-UNITE)
2016-2017 Residency Class
Rachel LaBianca: Impact of dose-capping on time to therapeutic anticoagulation by anti-Xa level for weight-based unfractionated heparin
Zachary Kritzer: Evaluation of guideline-discordant empiric vancomycin initiation in oncology patients with febrile neutropenia
J. Alex Toler: A retrospective analysis of effectiveness of accelerated dose vs standard dose sotalol initiation in patients with atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter
Elizabeth Weddendorf: Assessment of the effect of direct oral anticoagulants for acute treatment of venous thromboembolism in patients with cancer
2015-2016 Residency Class
Tramaine Young: Methodological study of vancomycin dosing in elderly patients using actual serum creatinine versus rounded serum creatinine
Taylor White: Assessment of outcomes in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation treated with nonwarfarin oral anticoagulants (NOACS) as dosed in clinical practice
2014-2015 Residency Class
Will Criswell: Evaluation of a Vancomycin Dose-Stacking Protocol in Achieving Initial Goal Trough Concentrations of 15-20 mcg/mL in a Community Hospital
Debbie Liang: Major Bleed Risk in Emergency Department (ED) Patients on New Oral Anticoagulants (NOACs) with Concomitant P Glycoprotein (PGP) or Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) Inhibitors
2013-2014 Residency Class
Madison Sasser: Subcutaneous Versus Intravenous Patient-Controlled Analgesia in Sickle Cell Pain Crisis
Nastaran Gharkholonarehe: Assessing Concomitant Aspirin and Oral Anticoagulation Therapy in Atrial Fibrillation
2012-2013 Residency Class
Matt Daniel: Dose-Range Checking Implementation Within Computerized Physician Order Entry and Medication Order Management Systems at UNC REX Hospital
Tanner Ringley: Development of a Risk Stratification System for Prediction of Recurrent Clostridium Difficile Infection (R-CDI)
Traditional PGY1 residents are required to staff the pharmacy every fourth weekend (8 hour shifts on Saturday and Sunday) and one weekday evening (6 hour shift after normal rotation day) each week in addition to their rotation hours excluding the first two weekends in December to permit attendance at the ASHP Midyear meeting. Residents will be expected to staff two holidays as defined from UNC Health Rex policies and procedures.
PGY2 Ambulatory Care Residents every 4-6 weekends in the Rex Pharmacy of Raleigh outpatient pharmacy
PGY2 Cardiology and Critical Care residents staff one weekday evening (6 hour shift after normal rotation day) per month and one weekend (8 hour shifts on Saturday and Sunday) per month.
HSPAL residents staff every fourth weekend (8 hour shifts on Saturday and Sunday) and one weekday evening (6 hour shift after normal rotation day) per month.
Please refer to program-specific pages for additional information.
At UNC Health Rex we look for well-rounded candidates who are prepared to excel in clinical practice, project/time management, teaching, and leadership. Furthermore, we seek candidates that will work well within a team environment, be receptive to feedback, and be self-motivated to work hard through the duration of the year. See program-specific pages for specific application requirements.
If eligibility requirements are met, potential candidates are required to submit a completed application to UNC Health Rex by January 2, 2025. UNC Health Rex evaluates potential candidates based on letters of recommendation, letters of intent, prior work, research, teaching experience, leadership roles, extracurricular activities, and volunteer experience. UNC Health Rex currently offers four PGY1 resident spots available for 2025, an additional PGY1 spot for our combined HSPAL PGY1/PGY2 program, and PGY2s in Ambulatory Care, Cardiology, and Critical Care. Our most qualified candidates will be invited to interview. All interviews are conducted virtually. Each year after interviews are completed and rank lists submitted, we hold an open house to allow interested candidates to see the hospital and meet candidates in person.
