Site Stats
Host Site: Welia Health
NMS Match Code: Amb Care/Community Focus - 111224
NMS Match Code: Amb Care/Hospital Focus - 111232
Site Emphasis: Rural Health
Program Length: 1 year
No. of Positions: 2 per year (1 resident is Ambulatory Care and Hospital focused and 1 resident is Ambulatory Care and Community focused; see above for Match code information.)
Site Coordinator and Primary Preceptor: Kati Dvorak, PharmD, BCACP
Additional Preceptors: Nicholas Giller, PharmD, BCPS, BCOP, BCIDP; Jenny Houglum, PharmD; Aimee Burk, PharmD; Chelsea Benson, Pharm D; Joe Dvorak, PharmD, 340B ACE
Resident(s): Meet the current resident(s)
Site Profile
As a leading provider in healthcare services in East Central Minnesota, Welia Health’s hospital, clinics and pharmacies are known for their approach to patient care. Welia Health is a self-sustaining, critical access, integrated health system. The hospital is licensed to operate 49 beds and is in Mora, MN. The clinics include a provider-based clinic attached to the hospital and two Rural Health Clinics located in Pine City and Hinckley. Welia also operates two community pharmacies, one located within the Pine City Rural Health Clinic, and one located on the Mora campus. Guided by a clear mission, vision, and values for nearly a century, Welia Health is honored to make a difference in the lives of so many individuals in these communities.
Mission: To support and improve the health of the communities we serve.
Vision: To foster a patient-centered culture and maintain a complement of services that meet the changing needs of the communities we serve.
Pharmacy Services and Resident Opportunities: Welia is excited to offer two residency opportunities. Both will offer a comprehensive rural experience with a focus on providing direct patient care and ambulatory services with one having an inpatient hospital focus and one having a community focus. Being able to understand and provide care throughout a rural health system makes the residents a vital member of the healthcare team as they help to implement quality improvement practices throughout the entire health system. We feel strongly having two residents allows for expanded learning and knowledge sharing, enhancing their experience, and creating well-rounded rural health providers.
Ambulatory Care (applies to both residents): Pharmacists provide Comprehensive Medication Management (CMM) / Medication Therapy Management (MTM) at all three Welia clinics. The pharmacists work alongside other providers using a broad collaborative practice agreement (CPA) to be able to provide services and have a real and immediate impact on patient care. They use efficient practice management techniques to run the CMM/MTM clinics and are experts in scheduling and referring patients. Documentation is exceptionally thorough and billed is done though the clinic. The clinics, hospital, and community pharmacies have a fully integrated EPIC based electronic health record ensuring continuity of care for patients as they transition throughout the health system.
Inpatient Care (amb care/hospital resident): Interdisciplinary team-based care is predominant throughout Welia. The inpatient pharmacy team works closely with providers, nurses, social workers, and many other team members to improve care and outcomes for patients. The hospital pharmacy offers complete medication and clinical services to the hospital, emergency department, urgent care, and outpatient/chemotherapy infusions. They participate in daily inpatient rounding, are experts in antimicrobial stewardship, and manage all medications given within the health system. The inpatient pharmacist serves as a safety net allowing for continued growth and innovative practice at Welia.
Community Care (amb care/community resident): The community pharmacy team works closely with all members of the health care team focusing on providing high quality patient-centered care in a community pharmacy setting. The existing CPA with Welia providers allows the community pharmacists to practice at the top of their license, giving them the ability to vaccinate, order necessary labs, provide therapeutic interchanges, and initiate therapy. Both community pharmacies provide MTM services for eligible patients and are active members of the Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Network (CPESN). The pharmacists, technicians and support staff all work to meet the individual needs of their patients to ensure medications are appropriate, safe, effective, and affordable.
Educational Experience
The residency opportunities at Welia allow residents to expand their knowledge in all areas of rural health and pharmacy practice.
Ambulatory care is the primary focus for both residencies. Residents will provide comprehensive medication management to Welia patients under a collaborative practice agreement. The residents will have an opportunity to work with ambulatory care and community preceptors to assist in their training. In addition, residents will work closely with clinic providers and nurses when providing chronic care management and caring for patients transitioning through the health system. Through the care of these ambulatory patients and through clinical discussions with preceptors, residents who complete this program will have strong clinical skills to manage patients’ diverse medication needs in a rural setting. During the ambulatory care experience, residents will have opportunities to assist in the education of APPE ambulatory care interns. In addition, the residents at the completion of this experience should possess a strong understanding of practice management skills and be capable of creating an MTM practice on his/her own.
- Residents pursuing the hospital pharmacy emphasis will have learning experiences in the management of acute care patients including participation in interdisciplinary care of hospitalized patients, discharge planning rounds, medication reconciliation on admission and discharge, pharmacist staffing, working with APPE acute care interns, and participation in clinical hospital committees. Opportunities for ACLS certification and others will be offered. Hospital pharmacy staffing will include approximately 14 weekend rotations throughout the year. Hospital pharmacy staffing will be approximately 20% of the resident’s experience and would be flexible to meet the needs of the pharmacy and resident.
- Residents pursuing the community pharmacy emphasis will have learning experiences in the management of ambulatory patients including providing interdisciplinary care, incorporating clinical knowledge and guidelines into the community pharmacy workflow, providing community pharmacy based MTM services and implementing new clinical services to improve patient outcomes. The resident will also provide education to pharmacy and clinic staff, working with APPE community pharmacy interns, and participation in clinic-based committees. The resident will staff in the community pharmacy, including approximately every 3rd weekend rotation throughout the year. Community pharmacy staffing will be approximately 20% of the resident’s experience which can be flexible to meet the needs of the pharmacy and resident.
The expectation for the residents will be to spend more than half of the residency hours in direct patient care, including caring for patients in ambulatory care and acute care settings or ambulatory care and community setting. Through this experience, the residents will develop a strong clinical foundation and practice management skills, bridging all aspects of rural care.
Site Coordinator
Kati Dvorak, PharmD, BCACP, is a Clinical Pharmacist at Welia Health, the residency site coordinator, and the primary preceptor for the Welia Health residency program. She completed an Ambulatory Care Residency with the University of Minnesota at Goodrich Pharmacy and is board certified in ambulatory care. Dr. Dvorak has been practicing in both inpatient and ambulatory care settings at Welia Health since 2009.
A leader in the pharmacy community, Dr. Dvorak has served as the Minnesota Pharmacy Association’s (MPhA) Speaker of the House and is currently a rural board member. She was honored as the 2017 MPhA Distinguished Young Pharmacist of the Year and was the recipient of the 2025 University of Minnesota Residency Preceptor of the Year Award. Dr. Dvorak thrives on the challenge of providing care to patients across diverse settings and finds great fulfillment in precepting pharmacy interns and residents.
Preceptors
Nicholas Giller, PharmD, BCPS, BCOP, BCID, is a hospital-based Clinical Pharmacist at Welia Health with over 20 years of experience in acute care. Known for his deep clinical knowledge and expertise, he has earned triple board certification as a pharmacy specialist in Infectious Disease, Oncology, and Pharmacotherapy. Dr. Giller graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2005 and has since been honored with multiple awards, including the MPhA Distinguished Young Pharmacist of the Year Award and the University of Minnesota Preceptor of the Year Award. He plays a critical role as Welia Health’s acute care preceptor for APPE interns and assists with the precepting of the acute care component of the pharmacy residency program.
Jenny Houglum, PharmD, is a hospital-based Clinical Pharmacist at Welia Health with more than 20 years of rural pharmacy experience. She focuses on acute care, emergency medicine, and oncology, collaborating with healthcare teams to provide optimal care for Welia patients. Dr. Houglum is also involved in diabetes management and healthcare-associated technologies. She is a dedicated preceptor for the acute care and educational components of the residency program. In 2015, Dr. Houglum received the prestigious Bowl of Hygeia Award, which reflects her unwavering commitment to both her team and the community she serves.
Aimee Burk, PharmD, is a Clinical Pharmacist at Welia Health, bringing diverse experience in community pharmacy, ambulatory care, and acute care. She graduated from the University of Minnesota and completed an Ambulatory Care Residency at Welia Health in 2015. Afterward, Dr. Burk worked at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby, MN, where she gained experience in chemotherapy, emergency medicine, and inpatient care. Since returning to Welia Health, she has continued to expand her expertise in these areas. Dr. Burk is actively involved in several committees at Welia, with a focus on health information technology and emergency medicine. She also serves as a preceptor for APPE interns and residents, providing guidance in direct patient care and acute care.
Chelsea Benson, PharmD is a Clinical Pharmacist and the Inpatient Pharmacy Manager at Welia Health, where she leads the inpatient pharmacy team and oversees patient care in both the hospital and the outpatient infusion center. She graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2015 and completed an Ambulatory Care Residency at Welia Health in 2016. Dr. Benson has extensive experience in Medication Therapy Management (MTM), inpatient pharmacy, chronic care management, and community pharmacy. She plays a key role in several committees within Welia Health. As a preceptor, Dr. Benson mentors residents in the inpatient setting, guiding them through direct patient care experiences and practice management opportunities. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge with students and residents at Welia Health.
Joseph Dvorak, PharmD, is a Clinical Pharmacist and the Director of Pharmacy at Welia Health. A graduate of the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, Dr. Dvorak brings a wealth of community pharmacy management experience to his role. He has worked in both small and large chain pharmacy settings and has hands-on experience opening independent community pharmacies. Dr. Dvorak is a 340B Apexus Certified Expert and leads Welia Health’s efforts in understanding, utilizing, and managing 340B funding. As Director of Pharmacy, he oversees all pharmacy operations at Welia Health, leading by example with a hands-on approach to providing exceptional patient care. Dr. Dvorak also precepts residents and interns in community pharmacy and practice management.