Baptist Pharmacy Residency PGY1 Residents
Victoria Altenberg, PharmD
PGY1 Resident
Undergraduate degree
Bachelor of Science in human development and family sciences; Texas Tech University; Lubbock, TX; 2022
Pharmacy degree
Doctor of Pharmacy; University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy; 2026
About Victoria
Victoria Altenberg grew up in Texas but her family is from Argentina. She usually travels there once a year to spend time with her family and brush up on her Spanish. Her professional interests include internal medicine, critical care and transitions of care. Outside of pharmacy, Victoria likes to read, travel and try new coffee shops with her fiancé.
Why did you choose pharmacy as a career?
I chose pharmacy as a career due to the influence of my mom, a nephrologist who has always loved to tell me the importance of the role of a pharmacist. As I started to look more into this career, I realized how important it is to have a medication expert as part of your care team. Medication is all around us, but it is constantly changing. I hope to continue to be able to make a positive impact to patient care as a board-certified pharmacist one day.
Why did you choose Baptist?
I chose Baptist because of the welcoming atmosphere. It was immediately clear to me that everyone who I encountered enjoyed their job and was excited to teach. I also have a lot of interests, so the wide variety of electives such as transitions of care, transplant and critical care rotations caught my interest.
What is your day like?
Each day is different depending on the rotation that we are on, but we are currently on our clinical services rotation where we are working on consults. These consults include antibiotic dosing, stroke medication interventions, anticoagulation and total parenteral nutrition. I enjoy seeing how my interventions and recommendations affect the patient day-to-day.
What's your favorite thing about Memphis?
I am still discovering so much about Memphis, but my top three things are the people, the food and the live music.
Why would you recommend Baptist to a prospective applicant?
I would highly recommend Baptist due to the variety of rotation opportunities, and the supportive environment that allows you to grow as a confident, independent pharmacist. There is a rotation for everyone here.
Molly Bohanon, PharmD
PGY1 Resident
Undergraduate degree
Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences; University of Mississippi; Oxford, MS; 2023
Pharmacy degree
Doctor of Pharmacy; University of Mississippi; Jackson, MS; 2026
About Molly
An Arkansas native, Molly Bohanon is passionate about providing patient-centered care while continuously expanding her clinical knowledge and skills. She believes residency is an opportunity for growth and encourages future residents to stay curious, ask questions and embrace feedback. Outside of pharmacy, Molly enjoys spending time with her fiancé and family, running, strength training and exploring local restaurants.
Why did you choose pharmacy as a career?
I chose pharmacy as my career because I wanted to combine my passion for science with the desire to make a meaningful impact on patients' lives. I enjoy critical thinking and problem solving, educating patients and health care teams, and working collaboratively to optimize medication therapy. Pharmacy allows me to build lasting relationships with patients while continuously learning and contributing to improved health outcomes. When I was in high school deciding what I wanted to do when I graduated, my grandmother was one of my biggest influencers. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and ever since then, I was determined to try and make an impact in the health care profession to advocate for her and all other patients who have experienced any type of cancer or other condition.
Why did you choose Baptist?
I chose Baptist for my PGY1 residency because of the supportive people I have encountered here, their strong commitment to patient-centered care, and the diverse learning opportunities. The program offers a well-rounded training experience that will help me build confidence as a clinical pharmacist while allowing me to grow professionally through collaboration with other providers and a wide variety of patient care experiences.
What is your day like?
My day is full of shadowing and lunch-and-learns as a new resident. I am getting the lay of the land and meeting all the preceptors and pharmacists in the department. The most rewarding part of my day is the constant learning and growing I am experiencing. Talking to experienced pharmacists, I learn something new about the profession every day and I get so eager to come here every morning. The people are so welcoming and inviting and my co-residents are already turning to family.
What's your favorite thing about Memphis?
My favorite thing about Memphis is the amazing food options. I am a big foodie and love trying new restaurants (especially Mexican and sushi).
Why would you recommend Baptist to a prospective applicant?
I would recommend Baptist to a prospective applicant because of its supportive learning environment, approachable preceptors and diverse clinical experiences. The program encourages residents to grow both professionally and personally while providing meaningful opportunities to develop clinical decision-making skills, collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and care for a wide variety of patients. Baptist fosters a culture where residents are challenged, supported and well-prepared for their future careers.
Monica Lewis, PharmD
PGY1 Resident
Undergraduate degree
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry; Alabama State University; Montgomery, AL; 2009
Graduate degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Cancer Biology; University of Alabama at Birmingham; 2016
Pharmacy degree
Doctor of Pharmacy; University of Tennessee Health Science Center; Memphis, TN; 2026
About Monica
Originally from Tuscaloosa, AL, Monica Lewis earned a doctoral degree in cancer biology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham before completing her PharmD at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Outside of pharmacy, she enjoys working on jigsaw puzzles, singing karaoke, recreating her favorite restaurant dishes at home and spending quality time with family and friends.
Why did you choose pharmacy as a career?
I became interested in pharmacy at a young age when I was intrigued by the amount of medicine my grandfather had to take. As I grew older, it was my duty to fill his pill organizer, and my curiosity about pharmacy continued to grow as well. In high school, I became a pharmacy technician at an independent pharmacy. My experiences there made me very interested in pharmacy as a career.
Why did you choose Baptist?
I chose Baptist because of the sense of support that I got during my interview. I truly felt like the preceptors and administrators were invested in ensuring that I grow and succeed. The culture at Baptist was also very welcoming. The current residents did not seem stressed or overworked, and I could see myself fitting in well with the people at Baptist.
What's your favorite thing about Memphis?
There is always a festival, concert or new restaurant to try out. You can easily find something to do on the weekend.
Why would you recommend Baptist to a prospective applicant?
Baptist feels like home. You feel how much you are genuinely cared about, and the preceptors here are very approachable and fun to be around. The residency is set up to build on your foundations and help you explore new interests.
Patrick Lindsey, PharmD
PGY1 Resident
Graduate degree
Master of Business Administration; University of Memphis; 2025
Pharmacy degree
Doctor of Pharmacy; University of Tennessee Health Science Center; Memphis, TN; 2026
About Patrick
Patrick Lindsey was born and raised in Memphis, TN. His clinical interests vary, and he is excited to explore different interests. Outside of pharmacy, Patrick enjoys going to the movies, reading books and spending time with his friends and family.
Why did you choose Baptist?
I chose Baptist because of my positive experiences with the preceptors as a pharmacy student, and I can tell how dedicated they were to making sure their residents succeed. I also chose it for the diverse rotations that they offer to explore my different interests.
What is your day like?
While it depends on the rotation we're currently on, mornings are when we do consults for our assigned patients, which includes reviewing labs, reading notes, determining which labs we need to order, assessing the levels that come back, making sure medications are dosed correctly, putting in notes and following up with our preceptor about patients. In the afternoon, we work on different projects. The most rewarding thing is seeing how our interventions positively impact our patients.
What's your favorite thing about Memphis?
All the different activities. There's always something going on. Memphis has a lot to offer, like good food, music and the Pyramid. I'm glad to call it home.
Why would you recommend Baptist to a prospective applicant?
I recommend Baptist mainly because everyone here is friendly and wants to make sure you learn and succeed. And this program in particular gives you the freedom to explore your different clinical interests through the various rotations.
Leia Wentzler-Lara, PharmD
PGY1 Resident
Undergraduate degrees
Bachelor of Arts in Health and Human Concern; Florida International University; Miami, FL; 2020
Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences; Miami Dade College; Miami, FL; 2022
Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences; University of Tennessee Health Science Center; Memphis, TN; 2024
Pharmacy degree
Doctor of Pharmacy; University of Tennessee Health Science Center; 2026
About Leia
A native of Tarpon Springs, FL, Leia Wentzler-Lara moved to Miami to pursue her undergraduate education. While earning her degrees, she met her husband and welcomed their daughter. In 2022, her family relocated to Memphis, TN, where she earned her pharmacy degree. Leia joined Baptist as a PGY1 pharmacy resident in 2026 and is excited about the arrival of her son and growing family.
Why did you choose pharmacy as a career?
I chose to become a pharmacist because I enjoy science and math as well as helping others.
Why did you choose Baptist?
I chose to complete my residency at Baptist because of the welcoming and friendly workplace environment. Everyone I have encountered is always willing to lend a helping hand or answer a question without hesitancy.
What is your day like?
I shadow various aspects of pharmacy in a hospital setting, including our clinical services rotation where we will learn more about consults and clinical aspects of pharmacy. Hopefully there will not be great challenges in the first part of the year, but overcoming these challenges is also rewarding.
Why would you recommend Baptist to a prospective applicant?
I would recommend Baptist because of the culture that is engrained into all the employees. It has been a great place to have a residency.
Shania Zadeh, PharmD
PGY1 Resident
Undergraduate degree
Bachelor of Science in biology with a minor in chemistry; University of Memphis; 2022
Pharmacy degree
Doctor of Pharmacy; University of Tennessee Health Science Center; Memphis, TN; 2026
About Shania
Shania Zadeh was born in Tehran, Iran and raised in Memphis, TN. She loves cooking, spending time with family and friends and walking her dog. Her professional interests include oncology and ambulatory care, and she’s excited to continue growing as a pharmacist during her residency at Baptist. When Shania is not at the hospital, she’s probably planning her wedding or creating a new recipe she found.
Why did you choose pharmacy as a career?
I've always been drawn to health care because I wanted a career where I could make a meaningful difference in people's lives. Pharmacy stood out to me since it was the perfect combination of science, patient care and problem solving. Plus, I grew up in a Persian household in which pursuing a higher education was always highly encouraged.
Why did you choose Baptist?
I chose Baptist because of its welcoming and supportive culture. It truly felt like home. I was also really excited about the wide variety of learning opportunities offered.
What is your day like?
Every day is a little different, which is why I love it. Most days include patient workups, interdisciplinary rounds, topic discussions, projects and much more. So far, my biggest challenge has been adapting to a new environment and balancing regular work hours with project deadlines. But the most rewarding part of the day is when we all get to come back to the resident office and just talk about how our days went.
What's your favorite thing about Memphis?
The people – 1,000%.
Why would you recommend Baptist to a prospective applicant?
I would recommend Baptist to anyone looking for a residency program that truly invests in its residents. I've felt support and encouragement consistently since I started here. This program also values your professional development and your overall well-being.