PGY2 Pediatrics
The pharmacy residency in pediatrics builds on experiences in the PGY1 year and is designed to provide a well-rounded experience leading to the development of expert knowledge, skills, and clinical leadership in the practice of pediatrics pharmacy. This 12-month program at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York (MSCHONY) and Komansky Children’s Hospital offers training opportunities through a variety of clinical rotations and interactions with the healthcare teams. We offer a flexible program that focuses on the goals of the resident and is intended to provide clinical, research, and teaching experience. Residents will participate in activities to develop the knowledge and skills required to provide evidence-based, patient-centered medication therapy as an integral part of the interdisciplinary team. Activities are designed to refine the resident’s abilities to educate health care professionals, patients, and the community on drug therapy. Residents will develop acumen in conducting research and demonstrating administrative skills in pediatric pharmacy practice.”
Required Rotations (4-5 weeks)
- General Pediatric Medicine – Komansky Childrens Hospital only (Cornell Campus)
- Neonatal Intensive Critical Care (NICU)
- Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (PCICU)
- Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases/Antimicrobial Stewardship
- Pediatric Intensive Critical Care (PICU)/Emergency Medicine
- Pediatric Pharmacy Administration (2 weeks)
- Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant (kidney, liver, small bowel)
- Pediatric Heart Transplant / Heart Failure Ambulatory Care Clinic (Longitudinal)
Elective Rotations (4-5 weeks; 2 electives)
- Academia (St John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences)
- Heart Failure/Heart Transplant/Mechanical Circulatory Support
- NICU II (Infant Cardiac Intensive Care Unit focus)
- Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation
- PICU II (PICU, PCICU, Pediatric Neurosciences ICU)
- Any required rotation may be repeated as an advanced elective
Compensation and Benefits
Residents earn an annual stipend of $53,000. Paid time off is allotted for vacation/personal time, holidays, interviews, and professional meetings. Additional benefits include travel stipend for professional meetings, comprehensive health insurance, and subsidized housing (pending availability).
This residency program participates in the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Residency Matching Program and is in candidate status by ASHP.
Staffing Coverage
PGY2 pediatrics pharmacy residents work on-site every third weekend in two phases. The first phase (~3 months) focuses on operational and distribution functions at Komansky Children’s Hospital. The second phase (~9 months) includes pediatric critical care (PICU) coverage in a decentralized-based model at MSCHONY.
To Apply
For more information on the requirements for submitting an application to our program, please visit our To Apply page.
Our Team
Pediatrics

Densley E. Perez, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS
Specialty - Neonatal Intensive Care
Residency Program Director, PGY2 Pediatrics
Primary Campus: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital / Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital
Pharmacy Education: Jefferson College of Pharmacy
Post Graduate Training:
PGY1: SUNY Upstate University Hospital
PGY2 Pediatrics: Golisano Children's Hospital/Upstate University Hospital
Research/Professional Interests: Neonatal/pediatric pharmacotherapy/ critical care, pediatric infectious diseases, infant/pediatric cardiac critical care, pharmacokinetics
[email protected]

Jennifer Cheng, PharmD, BCIDP
Specialty – Infectious Diseases/Antimicrobial Stewardship
Primary Campus: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital / Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital
Pharmacy Education: Rutgers University Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy
Post Graduate Training:
PGY1: Hackensack University Medical Center
PGY2 Infectious Diseases: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
Research/Professional Interests: Pediatric infectious diseases, antimicrobial stewardship, infections in immunocompromised hosts, HIV management
[email protected]

Eileen Chung, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP, BCPPS
Specialty – Pediatrics
Primary Campus: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital /Brooklyn Methodist Hospital
Pharmacy Education: St Johns’ University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
PGY1: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital /Brooklyn Methodist Hospital
PGY2 Critical Care: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital /Brooklyn Methodist Hospital
Research/Professional Interests: Neonatal and pediatric pharmacotherapy, critical care, medication safety
[email protected]

Heather Corbo, PharmD
Specialty - Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant
Primary Campus: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital / Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital
Pharmacy Education: Mercer University College of Pharmacy
Post Graduate Training:
PGY1: Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)
PGY2 Solid Organ Transplant: Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)
Research/Professional Interests: Pediatric transplantation, heart failure, anticoagulation, immunosuppression, adolescent medication adherence
[email protected]

Elena Mendez-Rico, PharmD
Specialty – Pediatric Critical Care
Primary Campus: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital / Komansky Children's Hospital
Pharmacy Education: University of Florida College of Pharmacy
Post Graduate Training:
PGY1: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Research/Professional Interests: Pediatric Adverse Drug Events; Medication Safety; Pediatric ICU pain, sedation & delirium
[email protected]

Caitlin Murtagh, PharmD
Specialty - Neonatal Intensive Care
Primary Campus: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital / Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital
Pharmacy Education: University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy
Post Graduate Training:
PGY1: Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center
PGY2 Pediatrics: Northwell Health Cohen Children's Medical Center
Research/Professional Interests: Neonatal PK&PD, NAS, peds ID, med safety in NICU, peds respiratory disorders
[email protected]

Sara Rostas, PharmD, BCPPS
Specialty - Neonatal Intensive Care
Primary Campus: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital / Komansky Children's Hospital
Pharmacy Education: Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS)
Post Graduate Training:
PGY1: Brigham and Women's Hospital
Neonatology Pharmacy Fellowship (Non-accredited): Brigham and Women's Hospital
Research/Professional Interests: Neonatal analgesia & sedation; PDA; NAS; medication safety in the NICU
[email protected]

Dimitrios A. Savva, PharmD, BCPPS
Specialty – Pediatric Critical Care
Primary Campus: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital
Pharmacy Education: St Johns’ University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Post Graduate Training:
PGY1: Children’s National Health System
PGY2 Pediatrics: University of Maryland School of Pharmacy/University of Maryland Children’s Hospital
Research/Professional Interests: Pediatric critical care & infant/pediatric cardiac critical care pharmacokinetics, ECMO, PICU Pain/Sedation; Medication Safety in Children, academia/preceptorship
Email: [email protected]

Drew Seidel, PharmD
Specialty - Pediatric Oncology/Stem Cell Transplantation
Primary Campus: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital / Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital
Pharmacy Education: St. John Fisher College Wegmans School of Pharmacy
Post Graduate Training:
PGY1: University of Rochester Medical Center
PGY2 Pediatrics: University of Maryland School of Pharmacy/ University of Maryland Children’s Hospital
Research/Professional Interests: Risk stratification and treatment of pediatric ALL, AML, targeted and cellular therapies, antimicrobial prophylaxis and management of infections in immunocomprimised patients, GVHD, CINV, medication safety, academia/precepting
[email protected]

Sarah Smith, PharmD, BCPPS
Specialty – General Pediatrics
Primary Campus: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital / Komansky Children's Hospital
Pharmacy Education: University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy
Post Graduate Training:
PGY1: University of Kentucky
PGY2 Pediatrics: University of Kentucky/Kentucky Children’s Hospital
Research/Professional Interests: academia/preceptorship, neurology
[email protected]

Leanne Svoboda, PharmD, MBA, BCPPS
Specialty – Pediatric Critical Care
Primary Campus: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital
Pharmacy Education: Oregon State University/Oregon Health & Science University
Post Graduate Training:
PGY1: Oregon Health & Science University
Research/Professional Interests: Pediatric pharmacy operations, pediatric critical care, pediatric pain, patient safety
[email protected]
Contact us
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
Department of Pharmacy
Densley E. Perez, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS
Program Director PGY2 Pediatrics