2021-2022 Orlando VA Pharmacy PGY-1 Residents

2021-2022 Orlando VA Pharmacy PGY-1 Residents

                  Urouge Akhtar, Pharm.D., MPH
                  PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident

                  Dr. Akhtar was born in Chicago, Illinois and grew up in Orlando,
                  Florida. She completed her undergraduate education at the
                  University of Florida (Go Gators!) where she earned a B.Sc. in
                  chemistry with a minor in religion. She went on to complete her
                  MPH at St. George’s University and her Doctor of Pharmacy degree
                  from Mercer University. Dr. Akhtar’s professional interests include
                  outpatient oncology and ambulatory care. Upon completion of her
                  PGY1 residency, she plans to pursue a PGY2 in oncology. She hopes
                  to one day serve as an outpatient oncology pharmacist at the
                  Department of Veterans Affairs.

                  In her free time, Urouge enjoys spending with her family and
                  friends, baking, horseback riding, knitting and reading. She loves to
                  travel and experience different cultures (especially the food part of
                  the culture!). Urouge is excited to be back in her hometown and
                  grateful for the opportunity to serve our nation’s veterans.

                  Anna Alexander, Pharm.D.
                  PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident

                  Dr. Alexander was born in London, England and grew up in Orlando,
                  Florida. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Food Science
                  and Human Nutrition, with a specialization in Nutritional Sciences,
                  from the University of Florida in 2017. She then continued her
                  education at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, where
                  she earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree. Some of her current
                  professional interests include primary care, mental health, and
                  emergency medicine. She is passionate about advocating for
                  reduction of health disparities in underserved populations. Upon
                  completion of her PGY-1 residency, she plans to pursue a clinical
                  pharmacist position within the Department of Veterans Affairs.

                  In her spare time, Anna enjoys traveling with her friends and family,
                  attending music festivals/concerts, and thrifting. She is grateful for
                  the opportunity to give back to
                  our nations’ veterans during her residency at Orlando VA Medical
                  Center.

Jessica Conn, Pharm.D.
PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident

Dr. Conn was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania and grew up in
Mahtomedi, Minnesota. She moved to Orlando, Florida to complete
her bachelor’s degree in Forensic Science from the University of
Central Florida and Doctor of Pharmacy from University of Florida
College of Pharmacy, Orlando campus. Her professional interests
include ambulatory care, transitions in care, cardiology, and critical
care. Jessica chose the Orlando VA Healthcare System for her PGY-
1 residency for their wide range of ambulatory care experiences and
for their team-based model of patient care. Upon completion of her
PGY-1 residency, she plans to obtain board certification in
pharmacotherapy and pursue a clinical pharmacist position within
the Department of Veterans Affairs.

In her free time, Jessica loves spending time with her chihuahua,
Snickers, and growing her collection of house plants. She also enjoys
live music, Zumba, and trying new restaurants with friends. Jessica
is excited for the opportunity to serve our nations’ veterans during
her residency at Orlando VA Healthcare System.

Deanna Cordero Da Silva, Pharm.D.
PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident

Dr. Cordero Da Silva was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She
completed her undergraduate education at the University of Puerto
Rico at Mayagüez where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in
Chemistry and a minor in Project Management in 2017. While
pursuing her Pharm.D. degree, she worked as a pharmacy intern at
AdventHealth Orlando and CVS Pharmacy. In 2021, she received her
Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Florida College of
Pharmacy. During her pharmacy school journey, she found her
passion in serving her community and the underserved. The main
reason why she decided to pursue her residency at the Orlando VA
Healthcare system is that she knew she could make a difference and
continue to serve those who have served. Dr. Cordero’s current
professional interests include ambulatory care, cardiology, and
geriatrics. Upon completion of her PGY-1 residency, she plans to
pursue a PGY-2 in ambulatory care and seek employment within the
Department of Veterans Affairs to continue to be the change she
wants to see in the world.

In her spare time, Deanna enjoys singing, traveling, playing soccer,
spending time with friends and family, and cooking. She is beyond
grateful for the opportunity to continue to impact her community
while serving our veterans.

Dalena Nguyen, Pharm.D.
PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident

Dr. Nguyen was born in Worcester, Massachusetts and grew up in
Parkland, Florida. In 2016, she received her Bachelor of Science
degree in Health Sciences Pre-Clinical, Magna Cum Laude from the
University of Central Florida. She then went on to earn her Doctor
of Pharmacy degree, Summa Cum Laude from the University of
Florida in 2021. During her advanced pharmacy practice
experiences, Dr. Nguyen had the privilege of completing her
ambulatory care rotation at the Lake Baldwin VA; this is where her
desire for direct patient care and passion to serve the Veterans
strengthened. Ultimately, she chose to pursue her postgraduate
training at the Orlando VA Healthcare System due to the robust
variety of clinics and unique scope of practice the VA had to offer.
Dr. Nguyen’s current professional interests include ambulatory
care, geriatrics, and informatics. Upon completion of her PGY-1
residency, she plans to pursue a career as a clinical pharmacist in
one of her interests and continue her service within the Department
of Veterans Affairs.

In her free time, Dalena enjoys spending time with her family,
friends, and two pugs, Boba and Gordi. Creatively, she also loves to
craft, graphic design, and edit photos. Dr. Nguyen is proud to be a
resident at the Orlando VA Healthcare System and looks forward to
furthering her education while serving our nation’s Veterans.

Riley O’Donnell Turner, Pharm.D.
PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident

Dr. O’Donnell Turner was born and raised in Orlando, Florida. She
completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Florida
where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and a minor
in French and Francophone Studies. She earned her Doctor of
Pharmacy from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy in
2021. She completed multiple advanced pharmacy practice
experiences within the VA Healthcare System during which she
discovered her calling to serve those who served and to pursue a
PGY-1 residency within the Orlando VA Healthcare System. Dr.
O’Donnell Turner’s current professional interests include
anticoagulation and cardiology in the ambulatory care setting. Upon
completion of her PGY-1 residency, she plans to pursue a PGY-2
residency in an area of interest, and to seek employment within the
VA Healthcare System.

In her spare time, Riley enjoys spending time with her family and
friends, going to Disney World, and cheering for the Gators in
Gainesville. She loves to play the ukulele, journal, and discover new
coffee shops. She is thankful for the opportunity to serve our
nation’s Veterans while furthering her training to become a clinical
pharmacy specialist.