JobsAdvocate Health

Clinical Pharmacist Specialist

Advocate Health · Menomonee Falls, IL

Posted Aug 24, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Tell me about a time you had to counsel a patient who was scared or resistant about starting a specialty medication with serious side effects. What did you say and how did it go?

skill at translating clinical information into language a frightened patient can actually absorb and act on

Tell me about a situation where you caught a medication error or a near-miss. What happened and what did you do about it afterward?

honesty and follow-through around safety reporting culture, since this role explicitly owns medication safety and QI activities

Describe a time you trained or precepted a pharmacy student, resident, or new tech. What was hardest about it and how did you adjust your approach?

actual teaching ability and adaptability, since precepting is a stated job duty, not a nice-to-have

Tell me about a quality improvement project you led or contributed to in a pharmacy setting. What was the problem, what did you change, and how did you know it worked?

whether they can drive measurable process change, not just identify problems

This role rotates shifts and includes an occasional Saturday. How do you typically manage a schedule that isn't the same every week?

realistic fit with the variable schedule and reliability under a rotating structure

Technical

Walk me through how you'd design a therapy regimen for a patient starting a high-cost specialty medication, say for a condition like rheumatoid arthritis or hepatitis C. What biomedical literature would you pull, and how would you decide the final plan?

whether the candidate has a real, repeatable process for evidence-based regimen design rather than just naming drug classes

How do you keep up with new specialty drug approvals and changing formulary guidelines, and can you give an example of a recent one that changed how you counsel or dispense?

currency of clinical knowledge in a fast-moving specialty space, not just general CE compliance

How would you explain to a caregiver the proper storage and handling of an injectable specialty medication that requires refrigeration and specific administration steps?

ability to convert regulatory and handling requirements into clear, actionable patient education

Situational

A prescriber sends an order for a limited-distribution drug that doesn't match what you'd expect based on the patient's labs or history. What do you do before you fill it?

whether the candidate will stop and verify rather than defer to authority, and how they'd approach the prescriber

You've got a patient on a non-formulary or compassionate-use medication that insurance is fighting. Walk me through how you'd handle getting that patient access.

practical knowledge of prior authorization, compassionate use pathways, and persistence in navigating payer barriers

If you noticed a tech consistently making small dispensing errors, but they're well-liked and hardworking, how would you address it?

comfort giving direct feedback and holding a line on accuracy while managing team relationships

What's your approach to handling a phone call from a patient who is clearly in distress about side effects, while you also have a queue of other calls waiting?

triage judgment and composure in a high-touch, high-volume phone environment

If two providers give you conflicting instructions on a patient's therapy plan, how do you resolve that before anything gets dispensed?

clinical judgment and communication skill in mediating between physicians while keeping the patient safe

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 38590 API Specialty Pharmacy - Retail Pharmacy Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 40 Schedule Details/Additional Information: The Aurora Specialty Pharmacy team provides high-touch care for a variety of patients on delicate, high cost, and limited distribution medications. Join a team of 50+ highly skilled and motivated tech specialists and clinical pharmacist specialists, based out of the closed-door Menomonee Falls specialty pharmacy on Whittaker Way and with an opportunity to be based out of our location in Arlington Heights IL!   Providing superior care in a fast-paced environment, our team is involved in patient and provider phone calls, managing complex specialty conditions, various exciting projects, and more!   Find excellent hours here: Our pharmacist position will work rotating shifts within the hours of 8am-6pm (Mon-Fri), along with a Saturday (9am-1pm) roughly every few months. Flexible hybrid position after an approximate 6 month onsite onboarding. Closed on major holidays. Applicants must have an active IL and WI license to apply. Pay Range: $63.45 - $95.20 Major Responsibilities: Oversees pharmaceutical care, including retrieving and evaluating biomedical literature and designing medication therapy regimens  Uses effective patient education techniques to provide counseling to patients and caregivers, including information on medication therapy, adverse effects, compliance, appropriate use, handling, and medication administration   Designs, recommends, monitors, and evaluates patient specific pharmacotherapeutic regimens based on relevant biomedical literature. Implements recommendations effectively and utilizes policies and procedures and documents in the appropriate format.    Reviews and accurately interprets medication orders and prescriptions   Participates in the management of medical emergencies when applicable  Actively supports department medication safety and quality improvement activities, including the reporting of events through appropriate channels  Performs quality assurance and performance improvement of the medication use system as appropriate   Collaborates with the healthcare team to manage formulary adherence and the medication-use process. Assists in the acquisition of non-formulary, compassionate use, and investigational medications.    Practices in compliance with organization’s policies and procedures, as well as local, state, and federal regulations  Prepares, dispenses, and oversees the proper storage and handling of medications in accordance with best practice, policies and state and federal regulations  Serves as preceptor for pharmacy students, residents, and healthcare learners as assigned    Mentors, orients, trains, and assists with the performance evaluation of pharmacy teammates, residents, and students as assigned  Directs and checks the accuracy of the work of pharmacy support team members in accordance with the organization’s policies and procedures to ensure safe and efficient workflows, service standards, and regulatory compliance Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served. Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the department's policies and procedures. Age-specific information is developed further in the departmental job standards. Licensure, Registration, and/or Certification Required: Licensed in the state(s) of practice or eligible for reciprocity required  Board certification in area of practice or certification approved by region/area pharmacist career ladder required  Immunization and non-vaccine injectable certification required based on area of practice  Credentialing and privileging required based on area of practice  Education Required: Bachelor’s or Doctorate degree in pharmacy from an ACPE-accredited school of pharmacy required, or an FPGEC certificate from NABP  Experience Required: Requires at least 3 years of experience as a licensed pharmacist, including residency (years)  Pharmacy residency training or equivalent experience required   Direct experience with training, education or preceptor roles required   Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required: Knowledge, skills, and abilities shall include, but not limited to the following:   Maintains skills in area of practice  Strong computer skills  Excellent communication and organization skills  Excellent presentation, facilitation, and training development skills  Demonstrates decision making, team building, customer service, and conflict resolution skills  Life support training courses may be required dependent upon department discretion  Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: Requires considerable walking, standing, pushing mobile cart of 50 pounds maximum and lifting 35 pounds of material without assistance  Exposed to various conditions throughout the workday such as walking on hard surfaces, climbing stairs and changes in temperature and humidity  May be required to frequently stretch, bend, squat, or kneel to perform job   Utilizes appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure to hazardous agents   Takes necessary precautions to avoid inadvertent needle sticks, minor cuts or bruises   Must be able to perform manipulative skills such as writing, typing, and data entry into the computer and automated dispensing machines  Must have use of both hands, be able to see clearly and read small font such as that on unit-dose medication packages and syringes  Must have functional speech, vision, and hearing  Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job  Exposed to normal office environment  DISCLAIMER All responsibilities and requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only responsibilities to be performed by an employee occupying this job or position.  Employees must follow any other job-related instructions and perform any other job-related duties requested by their leaders. Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health  Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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