Reaching out to our current residents is a great way to gain information about each particular BayCare residency program. For our featured residents, you will discover some background information regarding why our residents decided to pursue residency training as well as how they became interested in their current practice sites and programs.
Listed below are our current pharmacy residents along with their contact information from each BayCare Pharmacy Residency site. Please contact residents with any questions you may have about the program.
2025- 2026 Residency Class
Noshin Mahmud
Annie Alexis
Colin Kehus
Victoria Isgett
Jessica Simmons
Roselee Loiz
Bethanie Budlong
Kaitlyn Kauff
Shelby Brooks
Isis Rollins
Jacob Smith
Ilyarosa Perez Palacios
Christa Epperson
Joshua Ehlers
Lindsey Council
Medina Ibisevic
Ashley Harriott
Matthew Kurisunkal
Jessica Schneid
Christian Viola
Jena Schanze
Merna Sawaris
Paola Hernandez Velez
Liza Harpley
Sarah Seward
Rachael Weingarten
Featured Residents
Matthew Kurisunkal
PGY1 - St. Joseph's Hospital
Why did I choose to complete a residency?
With my varied interests in informatics, transitions of care, ambulatory care, and internal medicine, pursuing a pharmacy residency was the natural next step for me to expand my clinical background and further explore my career interests. The experience that I gain from residency will be a step towards attaining the high level of clinical knowledge that many of my mentors have demonstrated in their practice.
Why did I choose St. Joseph’s Hospital at BayCare?
After working at BayCare as a Certified Nursing Assistant and then continuing at St. Joseph’s Hospital as a pharmacy intern, I was excited to bring these previous experiences I had into a residency here. Since it was the largest of the BayCare institutions, the hospital provided avenues for exploring all of my diverse interests. St. Joseph’s Hospital has fostered a supportive learning environment, and I look forward to learning more from the pharmacy staff.
Matthew Kurisunkal| PGY1 - St. Joseph's Hospital
Why did I choose to complete a residency?
With my varied interests in informatics, transitions of care, ambulatory care, and internal medicine, pursuing a pharmacy residency was the natural next step for me to expand my clinical background and further explore my career interests. The experience that I gain from residency will be a step towards attaining the high level of clinical knowledge that many of my mentors have demonstrated in their practice.
Why did I choose St. Joseph’s Hospital at BayCare?
After working at BayCare as a Certified Nursing Assistant and then continuing at St. Joseph’s Hospital as a pharmacy intern, I was excited to bring these previous experiences I had into a residency here. Since it was the largest of the BayCare institutions, the hospital provided avenues for exploring all of my diverse interests. St. Joseph’s Hospital has fostered a supportive learning environment, and I look forward to learning more from the pharmacy staff.
Annie Alexis
PGY1 – Health System Pharmacy Administration
Why did I choose to complete a residency?
I chose to pursue a residency to accelerate my growth as a clinical pharmacist and develop the leadership skills necessary to contribute meaningfully to patient care and healthcare systems. Residency offers the structured, hands-on training I need to strengthen my clinical judgment, gain exposure to diverse disease states, and confidently manage complex therapies. I am also deeply committed to improving health outcomes and advancing equity in healthcare, and I believe residency equips me with the tools to lead in those efforts. This experience is not only helping me refine my clinical and operational skills, but also shaping me into a well-rounded, compassionate pharmacist who can adapt to the evolving needs of patients and the profession.
Why did I choose St. Joseph’s Hospital at BayCare?
The HSPAL residency at BayCare St. Joseph’s and across the BayCare Health System offers a unique opportunity to become a compassionate, well-rounded clinical pharmacist and visionary leader within an integrated health system. What drew me to BayCare was its strong emphasis on patient-centered care, innovative pharmacy practice, and a collaborative culture that values continuous improvement and leadership development. As a resident, I am actively involved in both clinical and operational experiences by engaging in initiatives that span local hospital pharmacy services and system-level enterprise projects. The dual focus of this program, along with access to seasoned mentors and progressive leadership within BayCare, provides the ideal setting to cultivate my skills in medication safety, formulary management, and health system leadership. I am particularly inspired by BayCare’s commitment to excellence, health equity, and its support of resident well-being and growth. The residency leadership and preceptors are not only invested in developing residents as clinicians, but also as influential, forward-thinking leaders prepared to meet the evolving challenges of healthcare.
Annie Alexis| PGY1 – Health System Pharmacy Administration
Why did I choose to complete a residency?
I chose to pursue a residency to accelerate my growth as a clinical pharmacist and develop the leadership skills necessary to contribute meaningfully to patient care and healthcare systems. Residency offers the structured, hands-on training I need to strengthen my clinical judgment, gain exposure to diverse disease states, and confidently manage complex therapies. I am also deeply committed to improving health outcomes and advancing equity in healthcare, and I believe residency equips me with the tools to lead in those efforts. This experience is not only helping me refine my clinical and operational skills, but also shaping me into a well-rounded, compassionate pharmacist who can adapt to the evolving needs of patients and the profession.
Why did I choose St. Joseph’s Hospital at BayCare?
The HSPAL residency at BayCare St. Joseph’s and across the BayCare Health System offers a unique opportunity to become a compassionate, well-rounded clinical pharmacist and visionary leader within an integrated health system. What drew me to BayCare was its strong emphasis on patient-centered care, innovative pharmacy practice, and a collaborative culture that values continuous improvement and leadership development. As a resident, I am actively involved in both clinical and operational experiences by engaging in initiatives that span local hospital pharmacy services and system-level enterprise projects. The dual focus of this program, along with access to seasoned mentors and progressive leadership within BayCare, provides the ideal setting to cultivate my skills in medication safety, formulary management, and health system leadership. I am particularly inspired by BayCare’s commitment to excellence, health equity, and its support of resident well-being and growth. The residency leadership and preceptors are not only invested in developing residents as clinicians, but also as influential, forward-thinking leaders prepared to meet the evolving challenges of healthcare.
Merna Sawaris
PGY1 - St. Joseph's Hospital North
Why did I choose to complete a residency?
I chose to pursue a pharmacy residency because I wanted to becoming a confident and well-rounded clinical pharmacist who can provide high-quality, evidence-based patient care in a multidisciplinary setting. I value the opportunity to explore and refine my interests in various specialties through hands-on learning. I see residency as an essential step toward not only clinical competence but also leadership, teaching, and research involvement.
Why did I choose St. Joseph’s Hospital North at BayCare?
I was fortunate to complete a few of my APPE rotations at BayCare, I was drawn to the supportive and collaborative environment within the institution. What stood out to me about St. Joseph’s Hospital North was the warm and welcoming energy I felt after my interview as well as the diverse range of rotations offered which aligns perfectly with my interests. This program is the ideal place for me to continue my professional training and growth.
Merna Sawaris| PGY1 - St. Joseph's Hospital North
Why did I choose to complete a residency?
I chose to pursue a pharmacy residency because I wanted to becoming a confident and well-rounded clinical pharmacist who can provide high-quality, evidence-based patient care in a multidisciplinary setting. I value the opportunity to explore and refine my interests in various specialties through hands-on learning. I see residency as an essential step toward not only clinical competence but also leadership, teaching, and research involvement.
Why did I choose St. Joseph’s Hospital North at BayCare?
I was fortunate to complete a few of my APPE rotations at BayCare, I was drawn to the supportive and collaborative environment within the institution. What stood out to me about St. Joseph’s Hospital North was the warm and welcoming energy I felt after my interview as well as the diverse range of rotations offered which aligns perfectly with my interests. This program is the ideal place for me to continue my professional training and growth.
Jessica Simmons
PGY1 - Winter Haven Hospital
Why did I choose to complete a residency?
I chose to pursue a PGY-1 residency as a way to challenge myself and continue growing as a pharmacy professional. My goal is to expand my clinical knowledge, strengthen my decision-making skills, and become a well-rounded pharmacist capable of delivering the highest quality of care to my patients. I believe that residency training will play a vital role in helping me achieve my long-term career goals by providing the advanced experience, mentorship, and professional development opportunities essential for success in today’s evolving healthcare landscape.
Why did I choose Winter Haven Hospital at BayCare?
After being an intern at Winter Haven Hospital throughout pharmacy school, I had the opportunity to experience the unique culture that sets this hospital apart. What stood out to me most was the genuine sense of community I felt here. The RPD and preceptors are incredibly kind, approachable, and truly invested in your growth. It’s a place where I feel valued, challenged, and inspired to give my best every day. I’m excited for the opportunity to continue my journey here and grow alongside a team that has already played such a meaningful role in my development!
Jessica Simmons| PGY1 - Winter Haven Hospital
Why did I choose to complete a residency?
I chose to pursue a PGY-1 residency as a way to challenge myself and continue growing as a pharmacy professional. My goal is to expand my clinical knowledge, strengthen my decision-making skills, and become a well-rounded pharmacist capable of delivering the highest quality of care to my patients. I believe that residency training will play a vital role in helping me achieve my long-term career goals by providing the advanced experience, mentorship, and professional development opportunities essential for success in today’s evolving healthcare landscape.
Why did I choose Winter Haven Hospital at BayCare?
After being an intern at Winter Haven Hospital throughout pharmacy school, I had the opportunity to experience the unique culture that sets this hospital apart. What stood out to me most was the genuine sense of community I felt here. The RPD and preceptors are incredibly kind, approachable, and truly invested in your growth. It’s a place where I feel valued, challenged, and inspired to give my best every day. I’m excited for the opportunity to continue my journey here and grow alongside a team that has already played such a meaningful role in my development!
Isis Rollins
PGY1 - Morton Plant Hospital
Why did I choose to complete a residency?
My time as an inpatient pharmacy intern combined with my clinical rotation experiences as a student, was instrumental in solidifying my desire to become a clinical pharmacist. Through my involvement in providing antibiotic stewardship recommendations, evaluating the correlation of pharmacokinetic drug properties to clinical outcomes, and preparing medications at the bedside during rapid sequence intubations, I developed a deep appreciation for the impact clinical pharmacists have on patient outcomes. These opportunities underscored the critical contributions of pharmacists in delivering evidence-based patient care in high-pressure clinical environments, igniting my passion to seek out a pharmacy residency.
Why did I choose Morton Plant Hospital at BayCare?
The residency program at Morton Plant Hospital offers comprehensive training and a dynamic learning environment essential to achieve my career goals. With its emphasis on patient safety and interdisciplinary collaboration, this program aligned seamlessly with my professional aspirations. As an institution with multiple critical care units, Morton Plant Hospital provides unmatched opportunities to manage complex, high-acuity patient cases while fostering the development of critical thinking and advanced clinical skills. The rigorous training would equip me with a strong, well-rounded clinical foundation and refine the specialized skills needed to deliver exceptional care to acutely ill patient populations.
Isis Rollins| PGY1 - Morton Plant Hospital
Why did I choose to complete a residency?
My time as an inpatient pharmacy intern combined with my clinical rotation experiences as a student, was instrumental in solidifying my desire to become a clinical pharmacist. Through my involvement in providing antibiotic stewardship recommendations, evaluating the correlation of pharmacokinetic drug properties to clinical outcomes, and preparing medications at the bedside during rapid sequence intubations, I developed a deep appreciation for the impact clinical pharmacists have on patient outcomes. These opportunities underscored the critical contributions of pharmacists in delivering evidence-based patient care in high-pressure clinical environments, igniting my passion to seek out a pharmacy residency.
Why did I choose Morton Plant Hospital at BayCare?
The residency program at Morton Plant Hospital offers comprehensive training and a dynamic learning environment essential to achieve my career goals. With its emphasis on patient safety and interdisciplinary collaboration, this program aligned seamlessly with my professional aspirations. As an institution with multiple critical care units, Morton Plant Hospital provides unmatched opportunities to manage complex, high-acuity patient cases while fostering the development of critical thinking and advanced clinical skills. The rigorous training would equip me with a strong, well-rounded clinical foundation and refine the specialized skills needed to deliver exceptional care to acutely ill patient populations.
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