About ISMP & Fellowships
The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) has been a global leader in medication safety for over 30 years. We are the first non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of safe medication practices. Research, education, and advocacy are the foundation of everything we do, and our strong collaborative relationships have enabled us to help protect millions of patients.
ISMP fellowships are a challenging and rewarding experience offering a clear enhancement to career growth. ISMP Fellows have a unique opportunity to make a tangible difference in medication safety by collaborating with practitioners to undertake broad-based communication about medication errors and their prevention, developing interdisciplinary error-prevention strategies and creating educational initiatives that reach healthcare professionals and consumers with crucial medication-safety related information. Graduates of the program have been sought for employment in medication safety positions in healthcare systems, regulatory agencies, the pharmaceutical industry, and ISMP. Following completion of their fellowship, Fellows will be well equipped to become leaders in the fight to prevent medication errors, regardless of the practice area they choose.
About Ochsner Children’s
Ochsner Children’s is part of Ochsner Health, the leading nonprofit healthcare provider in the Gulf South, delivering expert care at its 46 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers. Ochsner Children’s has been recognized by U.S. News and World Report as the No. 1 hospital for kids in Louisiana for three consecutive years. For the eighth year in a row, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Ochsner Children's Hospital among the Top 50 Children’s Hospitals in the country. In 2024, Ochsner Children's Hospital ranked in cardiology & heart surgery, orthopedics and gastroenterology & GI surgery by U.S. News & World Report. Additionally, Ochsner Children’s Hospital is honored to be recognized by Newsweek as America’s Best Children’s Hospitals and ranking in pulmonology and neonatology. Recently, construction began on a new home for Ochsner Children’s Hospital as a continued focus on advancing high quality, innovative pediatric healthcare throughout the entire Ochsner footprint. Ochsner Health inspires healthier lives and stronger communities through a combination of standard-setting expertise, quality and connection not found anywhere else in the region.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Ochsner Children’s & ISMP Safe Medication Management Fellowship is a one-year program beginning in the summer of 2025. This Fellowship offers a pharmacist the unparalleled opportunity to learn from and work with some of the nation’s top experts in medication safety, while supporting medication safety initiatives and error prevention strategies in pediatrics at Ochsner Health.
This fellowship requires working on site at Ochsner Health in New Orleans, LA, with additional remote work with ISMP.
PLEASE NOTE, to be considered, you will need to include the following with your application:
- Cover letter expressing your interest in the fellowship program and future career plans
- Three letters of recommendation (professional and/or academic)
- Letters of recommendation MUST be submitted via email to ismpinfo@ismp.org prior to applications being considered complete.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Reasonable Accommodation Statement:
To accomplish this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, each essential function satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to help enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities.
Essential Functions at Ochsner Health:
- Work directly with the Ochsner Children’s Chief Quality Officer and Ochsner Health Medication Safety Officer to improve medication error reporting rate.
- Participate in medication safety activities and committee work at Ochsner Children’s. Partner and collaborate with multidisciplinary partners as part of this work. Publish a newsletter about best practices in pediatric pharmacy for Ochsner Children’s.
- Perform proactive risk assessments and gap analyses of pediatric medication safety practices across Ochsner Health.
- Develop a plan to systematize pediatric pharmacy practices within Ochsner Children’s.
- Prepare a report of findings and present to Ochsner Children’s leadership team at the end of the fellowship.
Essential Functions at ISMP:
- Communicate with healthcare practitioners and consumers related to their medication safety-related inquiries.
- Participate in networking and project-based calls with drug information vendors, regulatory agencies, and professional organizations.
- Review, categorize and analyze medication error reports submitted to ISMP’s Medication Error Reporting Program (MERP).
- Develop proactive risk assessments for specialty pharmacy medications.
- Author ISMP’s medication safety newsletters and journal articles.
- Conduct literature review and other related research on medication safety related topics.
- Contribute to medication safety consulting work, such as reviewing medication packaging and label designs for safety concerns.
- Prepare and present webinars or presentations to internal and external healthcare practitioners on medication safety topics.
- Co-precept PharmD students during their rotations with ISMP.
- Participate in medication safety-related projects and summits.
Additional Responsibilities:
- Other duties, as assigned.
The above statements describe the general nature and level of work only. They are not an exhaustive list of all required responsibilities, duties, and skills. Other duties may be added, or this description amended at any time.
Remains knowledgeable on current federal, state and local laws, accreditation standards or regulatory agency requirements that apply to the assigned area of responsibility and ensures compliance with all such laws, regulations and standards.
Ochsner Health maintains and complies with its Compliance & Privacy Program and Standards of Conduct, including the immediate reporting of any known or suspected unethical or questionable behaviors or conduct; patient/employee safety, patient privacy, and/or other compliance-related concerns.
