Fellowship Sponsor Company: Florida A&M University/Bristol Myers Squibb
Function/Discipline: Oncology Medical Affairs
Fellowship Years: 2020—2022
Alma Mater: UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy
Listen in as Raena shares what drew her to industry, the importance of keeping an open mind, and the one thing she wishes someone would have shared with her before she started interviewing.
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Fellowship Sponsor Company: Rutgers University/Bristol Myers Squibb
Function/Discipline: Oncology HEOR
Fellowship Years: 2020—2022
Alma Mater: University of Saint Joseph School of Pharmacy
Who are you? A loaded question undoubtedly. However, when prompted to answer this question in the context of my career interest and goals, this is the response that came to mind: communication strategist, educator, artist and scientist.
The connecting thread amongst all my identifiers is a commitment to impacting the lives of others and being an advocate for the voiceless. This continues to be my driving force and is my primary motivation for becoming a Rutgers University and Bristol Myers Squibb Oncology Health Economics Outcomes Research (HEOR) Fellow. I view this fellowship as the ideal opportunity to tap into growing pharmaceutical industry trends to drive innovative approaches to today’s global health challenges.
Fellowship Sponsor Company: Eli Lilly
Function/Discipline: Global Regulatory Affairs: US and International Policy and Strategy
Fellowship Years: 2019—2020
Alma Mater: Howard University, Class of 2019
Prior to pharmacy school, I coordinated pharmacology research projects in a translational medicine lab. Intrigued by the drug development process and clinical trials, I sought a career change that would allow me to explore those areas. A doctorate in pharmacy was the perfect fit for me because of the sheer amount of fellowships available at pharmaceutical companies post-graduation. While in pharmacy school, I took a clinical pharmacology internship in South San Francisco with the intention of learning about common functional areas for pharmacists. Regulatory affairs stood out to me, due to the role's liaison nature between the company and regulatory agencies. Additionally, I’ve always been interested in global roles and held two global leadership positions for the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF) on the Public Health Committee.
Fellowship Sponsor Company: UCB / IPhO
Function/Discipline: Global Regulatory Affairs
Fellowship Years: 2019—2021
Alma Mater: Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) School of Pharmacy, Class of 2019
Upon entering pharmacy school, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in industry. During my P1 year I was given the opportunity to participate in a 2-week shadowing experience at Baxalta, which helped further solidify my decision. Shortly after, I enrolled in the Healthcare Management Biopharmaceutical Industries Certificate Program offered at KGI, where I was able to learn more about the various roles available to PharmDs in industry.
Interested in impacting the drug development process and advancing patient care, I sought out a fellowship in a functional area that complemented my interests and skills. After speaking with individuals in a variety of functional areas, and receiving guidance from personal mentors, I discovered my passion for regulatory affairs.
To me, regulatory affairs is a "catch all" functional area, offering many opportunities to explore innovative approaches to meet an agency’s requirements for drug approval in order to efficiently deliver therapies to patients. My favorite aspect of regulatory affairs is that it allows me to utilize my creativity, strategic thinking, and scientific knowledge, all while addressing the needs of patients across the globe—does it get any better than that? Ultimately, the role of a PharmD in industry is valued—irrespective of the functional area you choose to pursue. Industry provides pharmacists with the opportunity to explore nontraditional roles and make a large impact on the lives of patients.
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Fellowship Sponsor Company: IPhO / BioNJ
Function/Discipline: Rotational: Business Development, Medical Affairs, Clinical Operations, Regulatory Affairs, Marketing
Fellowship Years: 2018—2020
Alma Mater: University of the Sciences, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Class of 2018
I went to pharmacy school to become a clinical oncology pharmacist so I could help those who needed it most—specifically, people without current treatment options. Fortunately for me, my school offered many round table events for students to get acquainted with a variety of different positions available to pharmacists. I was consistently drawn to the “industry” tables and found myself fascinated with everything industry had to offer someone like me. Not only did I learn that industry provides an opportunity to work on delivering medication to those in need, but I also learned that I wouldn’t have to limit my versatility to be able to get the job done.
I desired a career that would accommodate my two conflicting interests—creativity and concrete facts—making it a challenge to find a place where I belonged. It didn’t take long for me to realize that as a pharmacist in the pharmaceutical industry I could appease both sides of my character: I could contribute creative ideas in order to market a company’s medication, but also be able to back it up with the science involved, honing in on safety and efficacy. Working in industry means that no single day is the same as the last. The possibility of constant change and challenges coupled with the ability to better the lives of many by contributing to a team that is bringing new medications to the market is truly captivating to me.
Fellowship Sponsor Company: Novo Nordisk
Function/Discipline: Medical Affairs
Fellowship Years: 2019—2020
Alma Mater: University of Rhode Island, Class of 2019
How did you learn about career opportunities for pharmacists in industry?
Most of what I learned about career opportunities for pharmacists in industry I learned on my own. After having experiences in community and hospital pharmacy, I realized neither really fit with what I was looking for in a career. So, I started searching for other career opportunities that a PharmD degree could provide, and found industry. From there, I read about all of the different functional areas and felt that medical affairs would be a great fit for me. Once I decided this was the path I wanted to take, I tried to gain real life experiences in industry. I was fortunate to be able to complete an internship as well as an APPE rotation with pharmaceutical companies. While I completed these experiences, I made sure to speak with current fellows and other pharmacists in different functional areas to really understand their role to confirm that this was the path I wanted to take. This is something I would really encourage student pharmacists that are interested in pursuing a career in industry to do. Even if you are not able to have internships or APPEs in industry, reach out to current fellows to discover more about what they do to help you decide which functional area you would enjoy most.
Fellowship Sponsor Company: ECIR Medical Communications
Function/Discipline: Medical Affairs and Scientific Communications
Fellowship Years: 2019—2021
Alma Mater: Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Class of 2019
I was inspired to become an industry pharmacist from a young age. My mother worked as a pharmaceutical sales representative for nearly 15 years and informed me that several coworkers she frequently interacted with during training and company events were pharmacists. Upon meeting these coworkers, they informed me that working in industry as a pharmacist is an excellent way to be at the forefront of cutting-edge scientific knowledge while working in a flexible corporate environment. I shadowed these professionals, who ranged from medical education specialists to medical science liaisons, during summers as an undergraduate student. I found myself enthralled about the work I saw being conducted, and felt confident that pursuing a career in industry was the best decision for me.
Fellowship Sponsor Company: UNC/PPD
Function/Discipline: Clinical Research & Drug Development
Fellowship Years: 2019—2021
Alma Mater: South College School of Pharmacy, Class of 2019
Starting out in pharmacy school, I really wasn’t aware of all the career opportunities for pharmacists in the pharmaceutical industry. I always imagined that I would pursue a career as a clinical pharmacist. However, with a bit of luck, a research assistant position opened up in my program’s pharmaceutical sciences department, and I had the opportunity to take an elective course detailing the drug development process. It was through those opportunities that I became interested in researching career paths for pharmacists in the pharmaceutical industry. It was also how I first discovered IPhO. IPhO was an incredible resource of information that helped me learn about the different roles in industry and decide on the role that I felt fit my interests the best.
Fellowship Sponsor Company: Allergan, University of Southern California
Function/Discipline: Clinical Development
Fellowship Years: 2019—2020
Alma Mater: Keck Graduate Institute, Class of 2019
I knew early-on that I wanted to pursue a career in the pharmaceutical industry. Before pharmacy school, I earned my certificate in Clinical Trials Design and Management while working as a Clinical Research Associate at a hospital. From that experience, I met pharmacists working in industry and was introduced to this unique career pathway. What attracted me most about Clinical Development was the opportunity to work with investigational drugs in clinical trials. Working with data that is unknown from a clinical perspective resonated with the skills that I developed during my undergraduate studies. It was a natural transition for me to pursue Clinical Development after pharmacy school.
IPhO played an important role for me throughout pharmacy school. I was involved with the Keck Graduate Institute chapter, which started during my P2 year and I served on the executive board. I also participated in the VIP case competition and became a national student intern. IPhO provided me a network of industry professionals and exposed me to the various roles that pharmacists assume in industry. Additionally, IPhO guided me throughout the fellowship application process (which is getting more competitive every year). I joined the National Fellows Council not only to help pharmacy students but also to give back to the organization in any way possible.
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Fellowship Sponsor Company: Novartis/Rutgers
Function/Discipline: Commercial Launch Excellence
Fellowship Years: 2019—2021
Alma Mater: Purdue University, Class of 2019
I originally chose to pursue my PharmD because of the versatility of the degree. The training in the science and practice of pharmacy prepares you for many different career paths, as I still had no idea what I wanted to do when I finished pharmacy school. I discovered the industry career path through my local IPhO chapter and several students and alumni who had raved about this non-traditional pharmacy path. The beauty of industry is that you still don’t have to decide what you “want to be when you grow up,” because there is so much flexibility in job functions across the industry. Regardless of the career path you choose, the PharmD background provides the framework and base knowledge to succeed in any functional area.
For me, I chose to pursue a fellowship in commercial because of the unique opportunity to utilize both my creative skills and pharmacy knowledge. In order to successfully market a drug, a deep therapeutic understanding of the disease, doctors, and patients is vitally important, and this is where a PharmD can excel. I have a passion for advanced problem solving and strategic thinking and found that marketing roles help flex this skill with a fun, creative twist.
Specifically, in my current role, I am working on products in phase II/III development across therapeutic areas in a new department at Novartis titled Launch Excellence. I am responsible for developing the commercial strategy and activities prior to drug approval to ensure the drug is successful at launch. The unique structure of this new department allows for teams to move with the drug as opposed to the drug moving to different commercial teams as it moves to different phases of development. This would potentially allow me to work on a product from phase III strategy onward to post-approval marketing and gain a wealth of different experiences within the commercial realm.
Overall, the great part about industry is that you don’t have to know exactly what you want to do. I work on something different every day and the career path opportunities following my fellowship are endless. If you are like me and enjoy the challenge of variety and new opportunities, seek out this aspect in your potential future fellowship. I was specifically looking for ambiguity and the ability to move around to work on a variety of projects and I feel that I found this in my current fellowship. Know yourself and your passions, lean on your mentors for support, and the rest will fall into place. Pursuing a fellowship has already proven to be a rewarding professional experience and I’m excited to see what comes next.
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Fellowship Sponsor Company: MCPHS/Novartis
Function/Discipline: Clinical Quality Assurance
Fellowship Years: 2018—2020
Alma Mater: Ohio Northern University, Class of 2018
Having gone to school in the Midwest, industry wasn't on many people’s minds and it certainly wasn’t on mine. I interned at an independent compounding pharmacy and a hospital pharmacy, and always planned to become a clinical specialist at a hospital. After an internship in the Investigational Drug Service at Johns Hopkins Hospital, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in clinical research that would enable me to deliver new treatment options to patients who needed them.
I discovered that I could most actively contribute to clinical research in the industry setting, and chose a fellowship in quality assurance because of my interest in protecting patient rights and designing safe processes and systems. Although I did not have industry-specific experience when applying for fellowships, I was able to demonstrate the value of the experience that I did have to obtain my fellowship position. My favorite fellowship memory has been hosting Friendsgiving and Christmas cookie decorating with my Novartis co-fellows!
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Fellowship Sponsor Company: ECIR Medical Communications
Function/Discipline: Scientific Communications/Medical Affairs
Fellowship Years: 2018—2019
Alma Mater: Keck Graduate Institute School of Pharmacy, Class of 2018
I knew early on when I started pharmacy school that I wanted to pursue a career in industry. My interest was peaked when my pharmacy school provided a 10-day introduction to industry experience, giving me the opportunity to visit Amgen. I learned about the various roles that pharmacists in industry play and the global impact they make on patients and healthcare.
My coursework and industry experience through rotations helped me determine the areas of insdustry that interested me most. I leveraged my rotations, leadership experience gained through IPhO, and the network I built throughout pharmacy school to prepare for a fellowship.
While on rotations, I set up as many 1:1 meetings with individuals in different roles as possible, and always offered a helping hand so I could gain exposure to their day-to-day responsibilities. I took on several leadership roles, including my role with IPhO, to improve my public speaking skills as well as to learn from others. Finally (and importantly), I turned to my mentors for guidance and advice. Ultimately, I decided to pursue a fellowship in scientific communications/medical affairs to advance my skills and knowledge in pharmacy and expand my career options. As a current fellow, I am grateful for my role and being part of a supportive team and work environment that allows me to grow personally and professionally each day.
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Fellowship Sponsor Company: PRI Healthcare Solutions
Function/Discipline: Medical Communications
Fellowship Years: 2018—2019
Alma Mater: St. John’s University, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Class of 2018
Throughout pharmacy school, I always set my sights on the “bigger picture.” I felt that the knowledge I was acquiring could be used to benefit a larger group of people than just the patients I would see if I worked in a retail or hospital setting. I wanted to make a bigger impact by sharing the healthcare information I learned regionally, nationally, or even internationally. This desire sparked my interest in the pharmaceutical/medical communications industry.
After talking with former pharmacy students who shared their experiences with fellowships and industry, it became even clearer to me that pursuing this path would help satisfy my personal and professional aspirations. To better understand industry, I decided to select elective rotations in medical communications during my final year of pharmacy school. I learned all about the value of a pharmacist in the collaborative medical communications/ medical affairs field. Because of the experience gained during my rotation, I knew that pursuing a fellowship was the best next step for me.
Fellowship Sponsor Company: USC/Allergan
Function/Discipline: Medical Affairs- Global Phase IV
Fellowship Years: 2018—2019
Alma Mater: University of Cincinnati, College of Pharmacy, Class of 2018
I knew I wanted to be a pharmacist at a young age. However, figuring out my niche in the field took some exploration. During my first year of pharmacy school, a pharmacist came to campus to speak and he introduced me to industry pharmacy. His talk sparked my interest and from there, I began to research more about what industry pharmacy was, types of fellowships available, and where I would fit best. Like many other schools, my college of pharmacy was better versed in information relating to residency or community pharmacy. It became my responsibility to discover what industry opportunities existed and to take advantage of them.
Fellowship Sponsor Company: MCPHS/Sanofi Genzyme
Function/Discipline: US Medical Affairs/Medical Science Liaison (MSL)
Fellowship Years: 2018—2020
Alma Mater: Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (ACPHS), Class of 2018
Like many pharmacy students, I did not enter pharmacy school with the goal of pursuing a career in industry. Although pharmacy school prepares students for several different careers, often the pharmaceutical industry and fellowship programs are left behind. I learned about industry through friends and past fellows and was able to secure two APPE rotations at Bayer and Sanofi Genzyme during my P4 year. In fact, I met my eventual Sanofi Genzyme APPE preceptor at an ACPHS IPhO networking event my P3 year, where she agreed to work with me as a student. Two years later, I am living in Boston as a Sanofi Genzyme fellow. Talk about a small world!
Fellowship Sponsor Company: United Therapeutics (UNC)
Function/Discipline: Clinical Research & Drug Development
Fellowship Years: 2018—2020
Alma Mater: University of the Pacific, Class of 2018
My pharmacy school had an accelerated program, which meant I completed the typical 4 year pharmacy curriculum in 3 years. Consequently, we had no summer breaks, so my industry knowledge was limited by not having the time to intern at a biopharmaceutical company.
I always believed that I would pursue a traditional career path through residency. However, all of that changed when I began working on a clinical trial, spearheaded by a professor at my school, and my interest in clinical research and industry grew immensely.
This opportunity, along with my involvement with IPhO, solidified my decision to pursue a career in industry. Obtaining a fellowship in clinical research was the next logical step for me.
I’m happy to have found a career path that combines my passion for novel research with the ability to apply my clinical knowledge. I look forward to all the new skills I’ll learn during my fellowship.
Fellowship Sponsor Company: UCB/IPhO
Function/Discipline: Global Regulatory Strategy
Fellowship Years: 2018—2020
Alma Mater: University of Illinois at Chicago - College of Pharmacy, Class of 2018
Pursuing a career in the pharmaceutical industry comes easy to some, but can be a discovery process for others. For me, I felt it was a little of both. I knew I wanted to pursue a non-traditional career path and I knew I wanted it to be in industry, but the discovery for me was deciding which function was the best fit. Industry provides opportunities for pharmacists to grow exponentially, which is what initially intrigued me and drew me in. Regardless of which company you choose, you will be faced with challenges and opportunities that will require the scientific knowledge gained in pharmacy school, and will allow you to apply skills such as critical thinking and strategic planning. The growth acquired from these opportunities can completely change the dynamic of a pharmacist's career. After learning more about industry I came to understand that not everything is black and white, and pharmacists have been and can continue to be trained to create the grey that is necessary to ensure medications in development are truly meeting an unmet global need.
Fellowship Sponsor Company: GlaskoSmithKline (GSK) and UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy (UNC)
Function/Discipline: Global Regulatory Affairs
Fellowship Years: 2017 – 2019
Alma Mater: Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU), Class of 2017
My strong interest in regulatory affairs originated from my cooperative education placements, and my employment within the Federal Government. I witnessed the dynamics between policy and science and developed an understanding of regulatory affairs and drug development through various employment experiences. My positions within Health Canada, community pharmacies internationally, and industry settings at Novartis and Becton Dickinson helped me become familiar with pre-market regulatory review and post-market surveillance.
Fellowship Sponsor Company: DDB Health (Omnicom Health Group)
Function/Discipline: Pharmaceutical Advertising and Marketing
Fellowship Years: 2017-2019
Alma Mater: Rutgers University, Class of 2017
I never imagined that one day I would use my pharmaceutical background to assist with virtual reality experiences, video shoots, and podcasts. I knew early on in pharmacy school that I was interested in a somewhat non-traditional path. Before applying to pharmacy school, I was only aware of community and hospital pharmacy. After taking a class about the pharmaceutical industry at Rutgers, I learned that pharmacists have the potential to impact patients and healthcare on a national or even global level. I decided to explore that path further and took an Pharmaceutical Advertising and Marketing elective course. I was intrigued by the fact that this career path would allow me to use my scientific knowledge while incorporating creative elements. I was fortunate to intern at two pharmaceutical advertising agencies, RevHealth and Harrison and Star, which solidified my interest in this career path.
Fellowship Sponsor Company: GlaxoSmithKline (UNC)
Function/Discipline: Global Regulatory Affairs
Fellowship Years: 2017-2019
Alma Mater: Rutgers University, Class of 2017
Industry is full of new and exciting innovations that drew me in from early in my pharmacy school career. I knew from my involvement in the Rutgers student chapter of DIA and my experiences within industry that I wanted to be a part of this dynamic environment and continue to grow as a life-long learner. I have always been passionate about wanting to help patients on a macro scale, and the pharmaceutical industry provides an ideal outlet for these ambitions.
