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PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency

Building the Future of Clinical Pharmacy Practice at HSHS St. Elizabeth’s

Pharmacy residents Pharmacy residents

About the Program

The ASHP-accredited PGY1 Pharmacy Residency at HSHS St. Elizabeth's Hospital in O'Fallon, Illinois, provides an exceptional environment for developing confident, well-rounded clinical pharmacists prepared to excel in today's evolving healthcare landscape. Designed to build upon the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum, the program combines comprehensive clinical training, individualized mentorship, leadership development, longitudinal research, and teaching opportunities within a collaborative community hospital setting. 

Graduates of the HSHS St. Elizabeth's Hospital PGY1 Pharmacy Residency leave the program with advanced clinical expertise, leadership experience, research proficiency, teaching skills, and the confidence to pursue a wide range of career paths, including clinical specialist positions, ambulatory care practice, or competitive PGY2 residency training. Through comprehensive education, individualized mentorship, and diverse clinical experiences, the program is committed to developing compassionate, innovative pharmacists who are prepared to make a lasting impact on patient care.

Learning Experiences

Residents gain extensive, hands-on clinical experience through a structured and diverse curriculum designed to build both clinical expertise and practice versatility. Required block rotations include Internal Medicine I and II, Critical Care, Cardiology, Orientation, and Administration. In addition, residents are required to complete longitudinal learning experiences in Ambulatory Care, Pharmacy Operations, Research, and Critical Response, ensuring consistent development of clinical, operational, and leadership competencies throughout the year.

To further individualize training, the program offers a wide range of elective rotations, including Emergency Medicine, Medical/Surgical Populations, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Ambulatory Care, Critical Care II, Transitions of Care, and Pharmacy Informatics. This flexibility allows residents to tailor their learning experiences to align with personal interests and long-term career goals, while still ensuring a strong foundation in core areas of pharmacy practice.

Learn More

St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Residency participates in the PhORCAS program and the required documents include curriculum vitae, letter of intent, official college transcripts and three electronic reference forms.  Completed application forms and required supplemental materials are due by January 1.

Visit ASHP for more information.

*Please note that this position will not provide visa sponsorship.

Meet Our PGY-1 Residency Program Team

Residents

Audrey Slankard

Audrey Slankard

PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident

Hometown: Chatham, IL


Dr. Slankard earned her PharmD from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in May 2026.  In addition to her role as a Pharmacy Resident, she serves as an affiliate faculty member at SIUE School of Pharmacy.
Her practice areas of interest include infectious diseases, ambulatory care, and cardiology.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and partner, watching movies and tv shows. She also enjoys reading, going on walks, and doing arts and crafts.

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Noah Landers

Noah Landers

PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident

Hometown: Edwardsville, IL

Dr. Landers earned his PharmD and MSPS from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in May 2025 and 2026, respectively. In addition to his role as a Pharmacy Resident, he serves as an affiliate faculty member at SIUE School of Pharmacy.

His practice areas of interest include cardiology, infectious disease, and oncology.
Outside of the pharmacy, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, reading, and collecting vinyl records. He is also an avid St. Louis CITY SC fan and a season ticket holder.

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PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Leadership

Kourtney Engele, Pharm.D., BCCCP

Kourtney Engele, Pharm.D., BCCCP

PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Program Director
Clinical Pharmacist Specialist | Critical Care 
  • PharmD: St. Louis College of Pharmacy 
  • PGY1: HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital  
Preceptor: Critical Care I, Critical Care II 
 
 
 
 
 

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Ashley Unger, Pharm.D., BCPS

Ashley Unger, Pharm.D., BCPS

PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Program Coordinator
Clinical Pharmacist Specialist | Transitions of Care 
  • PharmD: St. Louis College of Pharmacy 
  • PGY1: HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital 
Preceptor: Transitions of Care (Inpatient) 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Julia Schimmelpfennig, Pharm.D., MS, DCPS

Julia Schimmelpfennig, Pharm.D., MS, DCPS

Manager - Pharmacy
  • PharmD: St. Louis College of Pharmacy 
  • PGY1: University of Louisville Hospital 
Preceptor: Administration 
 
 
 
 
 

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PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Rotation Preceptors

Elizabeth Eastman, PharmD, BCPS

Clinical Pharmacist Specialist | Antimicrobial Stewardship

  • PharmD: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy
  • PGY1: SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Fenton

Preceptor: Antimicrobial Stewardship


Sarah Fredericks, PharmD, BCPS

Clinical Pharmacist Specialist | Internal Medicine

  • PharmD: St. Louis College of Pharmacy at UHSP
  • PGY1: HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital  

Preceptor: Internal Medicine I, Internal Medicine II


Chris Herndon, PharmD, BCACP, FASHP, FCCP

Advance Practice Pharmacist | Pain Management and Substance Use Disorder
Professor at SIUE School of Pharmacy

Clinical Associate Professor St. Louis University School of Medicine

  • PharmD: St. Louis College of Pharmacy
  • PGY1: University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy

Preceptor: Ambulatory Care in Pain Management

Dana Leefers, PharmD, CDCES

Ambulatory Care Clinical Pharmacist 

  • PharmD: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy
  • PGY1: HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital
  • PGY2: Ambulatory Care- Hospital Sisters Health System

Preceptor: Ambulatory Care


James Reimer, PharmD, BCPS

Clinical Pharmacist Specialist | Emergency Medicine

  • PharmD: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy
  • PGY1: Saint Louis University Hospital

Preceptor: Critical Response


Jennifer Rosselli, PharmD, BCACP, BC-ADM, CDCES

Clinical Pharmacist | Ambulatory Care

Clinical Professor at SIUE School of Pharmacy

  • PharmD: St. Louis College of Pharmacy
  • PGY1: HSHS St Elizabeth’s Hospital

Preceptor: Ambulatory Care in Chronic Disease Management  


Erica Saltsgaver, PharmD

Clinical Pharmacist

  • PharmD: St. Louis College of Pharmacy

Preceptor: Medical/Surgical Populations  


Adam Schulte, PharmD, BCPS

Clinical Pharmacist Specialist | Emergency Medicine

  • PharmD: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy  
  • PGY1: HSHS St Elizabeth’s Hospital

Preceptor: Emergency Medicine


Jared Sheley, PharmD, BCPS

Clinical Pharmacist Specialist | Internal Medicine
Clinical Associate Professor at SIUE School of Pharmacy

  • PharmD: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy
  • PGY1: St. Lukes Hospital
  • PGY2: Internal Medicine: St. Lukes Hospital

Preceptor: Internal Medicine I, Internal Medicine II

Stephen Tung, PharmD, MHIIM

Pharmacy Informaticist

  • PharmD: University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy  
  • PGY1: Confluence Health
  • PGY2: Informatics – Hospital Sisters Health System

Preceptor: Pharmacy Informatics


Sydnie Twillmann, PharmD, BCACP

Ambulatory Care Clinical Pharmacist  
Clinical Assistant Professor at SIUE School of Pharmacy

  • PharmD: St. Louis College of Pharmacy at UHSP
  • PGY1: HSHS St Elizabeth’s Hospital

Preceptor: Ambulatory Care in Chronic Disease Management


Jason Votrain, PharmD

Clinical Pharmacist Specialist | Cardiology

  • PharmD: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy
  • PGY1: St. Lukes Hospital

Preceptor: Cardiology

FAQ's

PGY1 pharmacy residents at HSHS St. Elizabeth's Hospital receive a competitive annual stipend along with a comprehensive benefits package available to HSHS employees. In addition to financial support, residents benefit from paid time off, health insurance options, professional development opportunities, travel support for required conferences, and access to educational resources. 

Current annual stipend: $59,000 (effective for the current residency year)
Staffing is an integral component of the PGY1 Pharmacy Residency at HSHS St. Elizabeth's Hospital, providing residents with the opportunity to strengthen their operational and clinical pharmacy skills while contributing to high-quality patient care. Residents currently staff every third weekend, working 8-hour shifts on both Saturday and Sunday, as well as one weekday evening shift each week from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
At St. Elizabeth's, residents are valued as integral members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team. They work closely with experienced, board-certified clinical pharmacists, physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, progressively assuming greater responsibility for direct patient care while developing critical thinking, clinical decision-making, and leadership skills essential for independent practice.
One of our program's greatest strengths is its supportive, resident-centered culture, where residents are encouraged to grow both professionally and personally. Established in 2021, our Residency Resilience and Well-Being Program (RRAWP) has been developed and expanded to provide a comprehensive, intentional approach to supporting resident well-being through structured mentoring, stress monitoring, resilience-building activities, and evidence-based stress mitigation strategies.
The HSHS St. Elizabeth's Hospital PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program has a strong track record of preparing residents for successful and fulfilling careers in pharmacy. Over the past 10 years, 90% of all our graduates have secured clinical pharmacist specialist positions in a variety of practice settings immediately after residency or have successfully matched with a PGY2 program. Whether graduates choose to continue their residency training or transition directly into practice, they leave the program equipped with the clinical expertise, leadership skills, research experience, and confidence needed to excel in today's healthcare environment.
Yes. Our residents are required to complete the Teaching Certificate Program through the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) School of Pharmacy. This longitudinal program is designed to develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to become effective pharmacy educators and preceptors.

As part of the teaching certificate experience, residents serve as affiliate faculty with the SIUE School of Pharmacy and actively engage in a variety of academic and educational activities. Residents precept pharmacy students during clinical rotations, facilitate small-group learning sessions, deliver continuing education presentations, provide educational programs for healthcare professionals, and develop teaching and assessment skills under the mentorship of experienced faculty and preceptors.
We offer two positions in our PGY1 Pharmacy Residency program and one position in our combined PGY1/PGY2 Pharmacy Informatics Residency program each year.
The HSHS St. Elizabeth's Hospital PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program utilizes a comprehensive review process to identify candidates who demonstrate the knowledge, professionalism, leadership potential, and commitment to patient-centered care necessary for success in the program. Applicants are evaluated using weighted selection criteria that include their overall application, curriculum vitae (CV), letter of intent, academic performance, letters of recommendation, and interview.
The application deadline for the 2026-2027 cycle is January 1, 2027.
O'Fallon, Illinois, offers the perfect balance of small-town charm and metropolitan convenience, making it an ideal place to live during residency. Consistently recognized as one of the best places to live in the Metro East region, O'Fallon is known for its safe neighborhoods, welcoming community, excellent parks, and affordable cost of living.

Residents can enjoy miles of walking and biking trails, local parks, golf courses, fitness centers, farmers markets, seasonal festivals, and a variety of locally owned restaurants, coffee shops, and boutiques. The city also hosts community events throughout the year, providing opportunities to connect with neighbors and enjoy life outside of work.

Located just 20 minutes from downtown St. Louis, residents have easy access to world-class attractions including professional sports, live entertainment, concerts, museums, performing arts venues, and a vibrant food scene. Outdoor enthusiasts can explore nearby hiking trails, state parks, and scenic recreation areas, while families can enjoy destinations such as the Saint Louis Zoo, City Museum, Forest Park, the Missouri Botanical Garden, and the St. Louis Aquarium.

Contact Kourtney Engele if you are an interested candidate.