IPhO News

Namareq Musa, PharmD
US Medical Information/Publications Fellow
Pfizer / Howard University

When I first started my fellowship journey, I knew I had to do more than just apply—I had to truly understand what I was getting into. I wanted to learn everything I could, not just about the functional areas, but also about the therapeutic space and the role of a fellow within these pharmaceutical companies.

So, I started reaching out to current fellows, former preceptors, classmates, and anyone willing to share their experiences. There were moments when the process felt overwhelming. I found myself constantly refreshing my inbox, second-guessing whether I had prepared enough, and wondering how I’d ever manage to stand out in such a competitive field. But looking back, fellowship season turned out to be one of the most fulfilling times in my professional life.

Shelby Matthews, PharmD, RPh
UCB/IPhO Medical Affairs - Immunology Fellow
Alma Mater: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM)

Meet Shelby, a current UCB/IPhO Medical Affairs - Immunology Fellow and a member of our National Fellows Council Publications Committee!

What fellowship project are you most proud of so far?

Creating medical leave behind resources

What is the most exciting place you've traveled?

Alaska

What is your favorite hobby?

Yoga

Finish this sentence: The greatest movie of all time is...

The Pursuit of Happyness

Avare’ Smith
Sanofi, Incoming Clinical Sciences and Operations Fellow

What was your motivation to pursue the pharmaceutical industry as a career path?

A career in the pharmaceutical industry aligns with my passion for transforming patient lives through scientific innovation and improving healthcare outcomes. Witnessing firsthand the challenges my family faced with drug therapies reinforced my commitment to being an asset in the drug development process to address unmet patient needs. Through my experiences I have gained a deeper appreciation for the critical role pharmaceutical professionals play in bridging the gap between research and patient access. My goal is to contribute to advancing personalized medicine and ensuring that treatment options are both accessible and effective, particularly for diverse and underserved populations.

Taysir Chamem, PharmD, RPh, MS
UCB/IPhO Global Clinical Sciences and Operations Fellow
Alma Mater: UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy

Meet Taysir, a current UCB/IPhO Global Clinical Sciences and Operations Fellow and our National Fellows Council Co-Chief!

What fellowship project are you most proud of so far?

Improving collaboration between education and medical communications to scale across programs

What is the most exciting place you've traveled?

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

What is your favorite hobby?

Reading

Finish this sentence: The greatest movie of all time is...

The Notebook

Aakash Patel, PharmD, MBA
UCB/IPhO Medical Affairs - Immunology Fellow
Alma Mater: University of Tennessee

Meet Aakash, a UCB/IPhO Medical Affairs - Immunology Fellow and a member of our Professional Programming National Fellows Council Committee.

What fellowship project are you most proud of so far?

Supporting strategic planning

What is the most exciting place you've traveled?

Cyprus

What is your favorite hobby?

Photography

Finish this sentence: The greatest movie of all time is...

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Izzabella Christian, PharmD
UCB/IPhO Global Regulatory Affairs Fellow
Alma Mater: University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy

Meet Izzabella, a UCB/IPhO Global Regulatory Affairs Fellow and a co-lead of our Publications National Fellows Council Committee.

What fellowship project are you most proud of so far?

Contributing to an NDA

What is the most exciting place you've traveled?

Alaska

What is your favorite hobby?

Going on walks

Finish this sentence: The greatest movie of all time is...

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

Leen Alyaseen, PharmD, MBA
Clinical Education Alliance/IPhO Healthcare Education and Outcomes Fellow
Alma Mater: Texas A&M University Irma Lerma Rangel School of Pharmacy

Meet Leen, a Clinical Education Alliance/IPhO Healthcare Education and Outcomes Fellow and a co-lead of our Marketing and Social Media National Fellows Council Committee.

What fellowship project are you most proud of so far?

REMS Project - Manuscript

What is the most exciting place you've traveled?

Dubai

What is your favorite hobby?

Watching historical documentaries

Finish this sentence: The greatest movie of all time is...

The Devil Wears Prada

Shaliyah A. Sledge, PharmD
Abbott Diabetes Care/Northeastern University Global Medical Affairs Fellow
Alma Mater: Howard University

Meet Shaliyah, an Abbott Diabetes Care/Northeastern University Global Medical Affairs Fellow.

What fellowship project are you most proud of so far?

Facilitated medical resources

What is the most exciting place you've traveled?

India

What is your favorite hobby?

Workout classes

Finish this sentence: The greatest movie of all time is...

Finding Nemo “just keep swimming”

Veedhi Shah, PharmD, RPh
Biogen/MCPHS Regulatory Strategy Fellow
Alma Mater: Midwestern University College of Pharmacy

Meet Veedhi, a Biogen/MCPHS Regulatory Strategy Fellow and a member of our Fellowship Central National Fellows Council Committee.

What fellowship project are you most proud of so far?

Regulatory Strategy Leadership

What is the most exciting place you've traveled?

Banff

What is your favorite hobby?

Singing

Finish this sentence: The greatest movie of all time is...

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Paige Madariaga, PharmD
IPhO/UroGen Medical Affairs Fellow
Alma Mater: University of Florida

Meet Paige, an IPhO/UroGen Medical Affairs Fellow and a member of our Professional Programming National Fellows Council Committee.

What fellowship project are you most proud of so far?

A Data Gap Analysis

What is the most exciting place you've traveled?

Milan, Italy

What is your favorite hobby?

Fantasy Football

Finish this sentence: The greatest movie of all time is...

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Joelle Odigie, PharmD
UCB
Global Medical Affairs Fellow
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelleodigie/

What was your motivation to pursue the pharmaceutical industry as a career path?

When I worked as a marketing specialist for a Customer Relationship Management company, I had the opportunity to collaborate with medical affairs organizations, which inspired me to pursue a career where I could make a tangible impact on patient outcomes. This experience ignited my passion for combining strategic thinking with science to have meaningful change in the pharmaceutical industry.

Srayant Gayam, PharmD
Fellow
PumasAI

I am a Class of 2023 graduate from Rutgers University. My story is rather unusual. Going into pharmacy school, I wanted to be like my father, a pharmacist proudly serving his community over the past 20 years. However, I kept an open mind to other perspectives. My journey started in 2018 after networking with Dalton Fabian, who had a unique blend of data science framed within a pharmacy background.

After our discussion, I had an inclination that data science/AI would be the next big break and wanted to get my hands on it to increase my professional skillset and leverage the demand. I grew a liking to data science but was not sure how to incorporate it with my clinical knowledge and strived to find an answer to this question over time. Shortly after starting pharmacy school and hearing IPhO discuss nontraditional ways pharmacists can use their clinical knowledge; this fueled my curiosity to explore an industry career further.

Maria Reji, PharmD
IPhO/UCB Medical Safety and Pharmacovigilance Fellow
Alma Mater: Midwestern University College of Pharmacy Downers Grove Campus

Meet Maria, an IPhO/UCB Medical Safety and Pharmacovigilance Fellow and a member of our Diversity & Representation National Fellows Council Committee.

What fellowship project are you most proud of so far?

Trend Analysis of the Signal Detection System. This project involved analyzing data trends within our signal detection processes. It was particularly meaningful to me because it provided valuable insights that could be applied to future projects. Working on this project was an invaluable learning experience that underscored the critical role of thorough data analysis.

What is the most exciting place you've traveled?

San Francisco, CA

What is your favorite hobby?

Hiking

Finish this sentence: The greatest movie of all time is...

Home Alone

Ifreke King, PharmD
IPhO/Becton Dickinson Marketing Fellow
Alma Mater: PCOM Georgia

Meet Ifreke, an IPhO/Becton Dickinson Marketing Fellow and a member of our Marketing and Social Media National Fellows Council Committee.

What fellowship project are you most proud of so far?

Leading the website development for all Home Care products within my business unit.

What is the most exciting place you've traveled?

Ghana

What is your favorite hobby?

Cooking and any form of physical activity.

Finish this sentence: The greatest movie of all time is...

The Lion King

Mackenzie Quirk, PharmD, MS, RPh
Curia Global/ACPHS/FDA OPMA Clinical Development Fellow
Alma Mater: Albany College of Pharmacy (ACPHS)

Meet Mackenzie, a Curia Global/ACPHS/FDA OPMA Pre-Clinical/Clinical Development Fellow and one of the current leads of our VIP Case Competition National Fellows Council Committee.

What fellowship project are you most proud of so far?

The development of MIC assay for a client that had no previous FDA precedent.

What is the most exciting place you've traveled?

Monterey, CA

What is your favorite hobby?

I love to exercise!

Finish this sentence: The greatest movie of all time is...

Caddyshack

Aliyah Balogun, PharmD
Johnson & Johnson Global Regulatory Affairs Fellow
Alma Mater: Florida A&M University

Meet Aliyah, a Johnson & Johnson Global Regulatory Affairs Fellow and one of the current members of our Professional Programming National Fellows Council Committee.

What fellowship project are you most proud of so far?

Patient Focused Drug Development. I feel proud of this project because it allows me to make a tangible impact on improving the lives of patients. By advocating for patient input and working to ensure that drugs are developed with their needs in mind, I am helping to bridge the gap between regulatory requirements and patient needs.

What is the most exciting place you've traveled?

Zanzibar, Tanzania

What is your favorite hobby?

International traveling

Finish this sentence: The greatest movie of all time is...

The Princess Diaries

Carley Yawn, PharmD
IPhO/Clinical Education AllianceHealthcare Education and Outcomes Research Fellow
University of Georgia College of Pharmacy

Meet Carley, an IPhO/Clinical Education Alliance Fellow and one of the current leads of our VIP Case Competition National Fellows Council Committee.

What fellowship project are you most proud of so far?

I would say it's our ACCP Visual Abstract. The ACCP Visual Abstract Challenge is an opportunity for postgraduate trainees, including residents, fellows, and full-time graduate students to blend their ability to evaluate primary literature with the art of creatively communicating key research components through visual representations. In our digital age, visually representing research can significantly enhance its impact, making complex information more accessible and engaging.

I’m particularly proud of this project as it perfectly aligns with my dual passions for creating visually appealing content and for clear, innovative scientific communication. My background includes working in the marketing department of InpharmD, an AI-driven startup dedicated to providing clinical pharmacists with drug information answers. The Visual Abstract Challenge honed my skills in making scientific content both easily digestible and aesthetically pleasing.

What is the most exciting place you've traveled?

Alaska

What is your favorite hobby?

Thrifting vintage home decor.

Finish this sentence: The greatest movie of all time is...

Barbie!

Megan Griffin, PharmD, NFC Diversity and Representation Co-Lead, sits down with Collins Asamoah, PharmD, MS, RPh to learn more about his Fellowship journey thus far.

Ngoc Phuong Mai Le, PharmD, B.S

Medical Affairs Postdoctoral Fellow

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill & United Therapeutics

When I started pharmacy school at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) – Boston, I was intrigued by various career pathways that a pharmacist can pursue after graduation. I attended multiple networking events and spoke with fellows, residents and pharmacists working in various fields, hoping to find my niche. Outside of the regular pharmacy curriculum, I also pursued additional coursework, including Business certificates with Harvard Business School, Precision Medicine certificate with Harvard Medical School and Clinical Research certificate with Boston College. The additional coursework certificates, along with research projects and professional organization activities, have shaped my interest in pursuing a post-graduate fellowship.

Belen Gonzalez, PharmD
Scientific Communications/Medical Affairs First-Year Fellow
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.

What project are you most proud of so far in your fellowship?

I am most proud of my involvement in creating a publications and scientific platform for a medical device we are looking to develop for Social Anxiety Disorder. Being able to be a co-author and a Scientific Communications lead on the development of this product’s scientific story is extremely impactful and important experience relating to the beginning of a product’s life cycle. It is exciting to get involved on a project from the beginning and it sheds a light on all the research and exchange of information it takes to understand the utility of pharmaceutical products.