IPhO News

The IPhO Eastern Region is proud to present its Spring 2021 newsletter! Despite the virtual environment, chapters continuously worked hard to ensure that students still have opportunities to network and gain knowledge about the pharmaceutical industry career path.

Executive board members from the Eastern Region found creative ways to keep in touch with student members. This includes collaborating with other organizations and local chapters within the region, inviting speakers in industry to virtual events, holding thoughtful discussions about the impact of COVID-19 in industry, and providing resources for students on preparing themselves for job opportunities post-graduation.

In this newsletter, an event from each of the nine chapters in the Eastern Region is highlighted. It has been a pleasure working with the Eastern Region chapters this past year, and I am excited to share a brief snapshot of their accomplishments with the IPhO audience!

READ THE NEWSLETTER

Article authored by:

Vienica Funtanilla
2020-21 IPhO Regional Student Officer, Eastern Region
St. John’s University
Class of 2021

Congratulations to the IPhO chapter at University of the Sciences for being named the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy (PCP) Organization of the Year for the 2020-21 academic year!

This annual award is being presented at an upcoming ceremony on May 11, and the USciences Executive Board, led by President Jasmeen Kaur, will be recognized for excellence in fundraising, hosting innovative events, and advocacy during a very challenging year.

The 2020-21 term has been incredibly productive and exciting for our IPhO National Student Officers (NSOs) and Regional Student Officers (RSOs). We want to take a moment to thank them for their numerous accomplishments. Notably, during their tenure, the number of IPhO student chapters grew to 93! These leaders worked tirelessly to ensure that all IPhO student pharmacists were well informed about the resources and tools available to them and expertly navigated challenging remote circumstances as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

During the 2020-21 term, IPhO NSOs and RSOs:

Are you currently on the "virtual" job hunt? The IPhO National Fellows Council (NFC) compiled a helpful guide for fellows looking to transition to a full-time role, either within their company or at a different one. Get quick tips to help make sure your application stands out, excel in your interviews, and feel comfortable with salary and benefit negotiation. Check out the link in our bio, and good luck on your job search!

Note: if you are viewing on a mobile device, access the guide here.

Last year, the IPhO Annual Meeting was hosted virtually for the first time ever! Nearly 850 participants tuned in, including 600+ students from 111 schools of pharmacy, 150+ sponsor representatives, and 70+ faculty members. Attendance doubled from 2019—which was the first year that the meeting was held in person in New Jersey.

Join in virtually from the comfort of home. No need to drive, fly, or stay in a hotel to experience one of the biggest industry professional development events of the year!

Early-bird registration is now LIVE! IPhO members and guests can save $50 on meeting registration by signing up by May 31. Visit the event landing page for more information, benefits of attending for P4s and P1-P3s, and to register. We can't wait to see you there!

On Saturday, April 24 and Sunday, April 25, the IPhO chapters at Hampton University and Howard University hosted the first-ever HU Diversity Symposium—bringing together student pharmacists of color from across the nation for a weekend of professional development.

As we move forward through these unprecedented times, IPhO remains committed to increasing diversity and inclusion within the pharmaceutical industry, and this symposium offered workshops, discussions, recruitment strategies and more to help empower student pharmacists of color to pursue an industry career post-graduation.

Danielle Wiley, PharmD
Senior Medical Science Liaison
Neurocrine Biosciences
Alma Mater: Texas Southern University

How important do you feel a mentor-mentee relationship is for student pharmacists and when is the right time for them to seek an industry mentor?
I think mentorship is really important because you don't know what you don't know. As a student, you don't know what opportunities are out there or you may not know what behaviors are needed in a particular setting. When you're a student, you think as a student. As you move through any professional program, it's important to align yourself with people who have done what you're trying to do or what you are trying to accomplish. I think you should get a mentor as soon as you enter college and even before. You can have mentors in high school, it is never too early. I think that's something that needs to be developed as early as possible. It doesn't matter if you are a Pre-Pharm, Pre-Med, Pre-Dental, or anything else. Those mentors can help guide you. It is also important to note that it is okay to have more than one mentor. Get someone to serve the different areas in your life that you want to pursue.

The key is when you see people doing what you want to do or behaving in a manner that you admire or enjoy, don't be afraid to ask for help. Do not be afraid for someone to say no. Not everyone can be a mentor and/or has the time for it, but it is still important to try. If you are told no, simply seek someone else.

We are pleased to announce that Creighton University School of Pharmacy has joined our network as the 93rd chapter!

Congratulations to student pharmacists at Creighton University! IPhO now connects them to more than 5,000 student pharmacists with similar interests, as well as a national network of hundreds of industry fellows and thousands of industry pharmacists.

Several more schools are in the late stages of filing their chapter applications and will soon join the growing national network.

To start a chapter at your school, contact us here.

For the student benefits of joining IPhO, view the National Student Brochure here!

The third annual IPhO Northeast Regional Meeting (NERM) was organized and hosted by the IPhO Chapter at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences on March 19-20th, 2021. For the first time, this meeting was held virtually as a two-day event via Zoom. While the hosts faced new challenges with an online meeting, IPhO-Albany was successful not only in adapting their meeting to preserve the core values of NERM, but also in including new events tailored to the virtual format. This year, the chapter was also successful in expanding its outreach to eight different schools, including those located outside the northeast region.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2020-2021 Value of Industry Pharmacists (VIP) Case Competition. This year, 71 IPhO student chapters registered to participate in the competition—the most impressive turnout to-date! The competition also had 42 industry fellows and industry pharmacists volunteer to help judge the submissions.

The annual IPhO VIP Case Competition enables students to delve into multiple disciplines within the pharmaceutical industry as they develop their hypothetical drug, including, but not limited to: Clinical Development, Medical Affairs, Regulatory Affairs, and Commercial Functions. Each phase of the drug's development lifecycle presents a unique challenge that encourages students to think strategically and apply both their clinical and pharmaceutical industry knowledge.

Chris Fiedziuk, PharmD
Associate Medical Director
Area 23 on Hudson
Rutgers University

From the moment I was accepted into pharmacy school, I was set on becoming a community pharmacist and becoming an easily accessible healthcare resource for everyone. The path before me was set and I was ready to advance any way I could to reach my goal. I interned at a pharmacy chain during my years in pharmacy school, gathering experience not only in the practice of pharmacy but also, as I would learn, in a path that I did not want to follow. The more I interned and the closer the graduation date approached, the more anxious I felt. Which is when I realized, I did not want to pursue the community route. The more I dove into what my role at a retail pharmacy would entail and my future moving forward, the more unsure I felt. I wanted this goal since I started college, but here I was, wondering if the path I chose was the right one. Or, was I just not focusing my efforts in the correct direction? I began to seriously consider other opportunities for pharmacists that, to be honest, I did not give a second look initially.

Yumena Kawasaki
P2 Student and Fall 2020 IPhO Virtual Intern
Pacific University

Why did you apply for the IPhO Virtual Flex Internship?

Applying for the IPhO virtual flex internship was my chance to explore industry since my school does not have many industry opportunities. I thought it was a great chance to take the skills I learned as Director of Social Media and Marketing at my local chapter and further discover my strengths in industry. Being a beginner in industry pharmacy, I felt that this internship could assist me in discovering my career goals and inspire new aspirations.

Vincent Loksa, PharmD, MBA, RPh
Pharmacovigilance Scientist
Karyopharm Therapeutics
MCPHS University, Boston

I think the hardest question I have ever had to answer was, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” Even as an adult, I still find this question to be a challenge, mostly because you never know how you will like a job until you are performing it. When I was in pharmacy school, I had a hard time defining what it was I planned to do after I graduated. For the longest time, my goal had been to finish school, but I never put much thought into what came next. As I entered my 5th year at MCPHS (P3), I had to start putting some serious consideration into post-grad plans. During the early part of my 6th year (P4), I accepted an offer to work as a retail pharmacist after graduation.

I had the opportunity to speak with Enoch Kariuki, PharmD, MBA, who has an impressive and unique industry career as a biotech strategic advisor and investor. Enoch shared how growing up in Kenya influenced his decision to work in healthcare, how his pharmacy training is put to good use in his day-to-day work, tips for PharmD candidates pursuing a business degree, and much more.

As we move forward through these unprecedented times, IPhO remains committed to increasing diversity and inclusion within the pharmaceutical industry.

The HU Diversity Symposium will help do just that! We invite you to join us for this virtual professional development event to help support student pharmacists of color as they navigate an industry career.

Carolyn Seyss, PharmD
Fellowship Program Director
Rutgers Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowship Program
Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University

Recently I had the privilege of sitting down with Carolyn Seyss, PharmD, the recently appointed leader of the Rutgers Fellowship Program to discuss her successful industry career and some of her thoughts about leading the program in the coming years. Some of the highlights are detailed in this article!

We are excited to share that IPhO is now accepting National and Regional Student Officer (NSO/RSO) applications for the 2021-2022 cycle!

LEARN MORE AND APPLY

Being an NSO or RSO is an opportunity to get involved at the IPhO national level and make a significant impact on the work that the organization is doing to help prepare industry-minded student pharmacists from across the country. As a NSO or RSO, you have the opportunity to:

• Build industry valued knowledge and skills
• Gain highly visible national recognition
• Network with fellows, student and senior leaders within IPhO

Lindsay Cobbs
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Global Project Lead, Culture, Leadership & Org. Development
UCB

When did you decide that you wanted to work in industry versus retail/hospital? Was there an experience(s) that inspired that decision?
I chose a career in pharmacy for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others. Working in the pharmaceutical industry has elevated and amplified the impact I had on individual patients to help improve the lives of millions of people around the world.

I believe my unique skills and work experiences in non-traditional roles guided my career choices. As a result, I encourage pharmacy students or young pharmacists to be open to considering roles that upon first thought might not seem like a good fit for a pharmacist (in my case that was public health service and the pharmaceutical industry).

It was a busy and exciting Presidents' Day for pharmacy students, as IPhO chapters across the country kicked off Professional Development Week 2021. The first-of-its kind FREE event began on Monday, February 15 and took place over five action-packed days. And though you'd never know it based on how smoothly the events ran, it was the culmination of months of hard work from an incredibly talented team of IPhO student leaders.

The purpose of Professional Development Week, which will now be an annual IPhO initiative to kick off the spring semester, is to provide helpful information on pursuing a career in the pharmaceutical industry. Pharmacy students with an interest in Industry careers are encouraged to join in and learn about important topics. Each IPhO region hosted an event, and the lineup of topics was as follows this year:

Fellowship Sponsor Company: Rutgers / Bristol-Myers Squibb
Function/Discipline: HEOR
Fellowship Years: 2019—2021
Alma Mater: Xavier University

Have a fellowship question? Click here to ask a current fellow!