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SpringerBriefs in Pharmaceutical Science & Drug Development Victoria Langas · Victoria Flood
From PharmD to Industry A Fellowship Guide
SpringerBriefs in Pharmaceutical Science & Drug Development
SpringerBriefs in Pharmaceutical Science & Drug Development present concise summaries of cutting-edge research and its applications in the fields of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Featuring compact volumes of 50 to 125 pages, the series covers a range of content from professional to academic. Typical topics might include: • A timely report of state-of-the art analytical techniques • A bridge between new research results, as published in journal articles, and a contextual literature review • A snapshot of a hot or emerging topic • An in-depth case study or clinical example • Practical information and background to allow researchers to transition into new areas SpringerBriefs in Pharmaceutical Science & Drug Development will allow authors to present their ideas and findings to their scientific and research communities quickly and will allow readers to absorb them with minimal time investment. Both solicited and unsolicited manuscripts are considered for publication in this series.
Victoria Langas • Victoria Flood
From PharmD to Industry A Fellowship Guide
Victoria Langas, PharmD Pharmacy MCPHS University Boston, MA, USA
Victoria Flood, PharmD Pharmacy MCPHS University Boston, MA, USA
ISSN 1864-8118 ISSN 1864-8126 (electronic) SpringerBriefs in Pharmaceutical Science & Drug Development ISBN 978-3-031-35786-2 ISBN 978-3-031-35787-9 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35787-9 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors, and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
Thank you to our family, friends, mentors, and fellow colleagues for their love and inspiration throughout the years. You have supported us through thick and thin, and we would not be the people we are today without your presence in our lives. We owe our achievements to you and dedicate this book in your honor.
Preface
For many Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) candidates, post-graduate training is a highly prestigious and sought-after experience that can further one’s pre-existing education. Some of these post-graduate training opportunities include but are not limited to pharmacy residencies, pharmaceutical industry fellowships, and PhD/ Masters programs. There is a large gap in the current Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum about pharmaceutical industry fellowship programs and potential pharmaceutical industry opportunities. To our knowledge, there is no available resource that contains a repository of industry programs, application processes, key functional areas, and real-world perspectives from current fellows/professionals all in one place. This contrasts significantly from the numerous available resources for obtaining and participating in pharmacy residency programs. Our goal is to educate pharmacy students, graduates, and professionals about pharmacy opportunities in industry and the pathways to achieve a pharmaceutical industry fellowship. Through the eyes of current industry fellows and professionals, this handbook serves as a resource to learn more about fellowship opportunities and their respective application processes. In addition, this handbook aims to help provide a clear and concise roadmap to achieving a career in industry through a fellowship program. Whether you are a current student pharmacist, post-graduate pharmacy trainee (pharmacy resident), or industry professional, this handbook addresses the current landscape of industry fellowship programs, an overview of industry opportunities, and a glimpse into what being a fellow entails. Readers of this handbook can expect to gain: • • • •
An overview of pharmaceutical industry fellowship programs and opportunities Helpful advice and insight from current fellows and industry professionals A streamlined pathway to navigating the fellowship application process An understanding of the journey from being a student, to achieving a fellowship, to becoming an industry professional
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Overall, our hope with this fellowship handbook is to bridge the gap in education surrounding pharmaceutical industry fellowships and pharmacy careers in industry. Through this handbook, we will be able to increase access to first-hand information and real-world perspectives of current professionals and help provide a firm foundation for those interested in pursuing a career in industry or learning more about fellowship programs. Boston, MA, USA
Victoria Langas Victoria Flood
Thank You to Our Contributors
Contributors are listed in the order their content appears in the text. The affiliation of the contributor is listed based on their role at the time their contribution was submitted. Name and MCPHS fellowship affiliation Pranita Chilakamarri, PharmD Clinical Research Pharmacy, Pfizer BeiBei Ding, PharmD, MBA Global Commercial Strategy, Sanofi Genzyme Jessica Lynn, PharmD Medical Information/Global Medical Affairs, Takeda Pharmaceuticals Stephanie Kustos, PharmD Medical Information/Medical Affairs, Sunovion Patrice Gabriel, PharmD MSL/Medical Affairs, Sanofi Genzyme Laurie Lee, PharmD Global Pharmacovigilance, Takeda Pharmaceuticals Lane Anson, PharmD, MBA, RPh US Medical Managed Care, Sanofi Genzyme Mason Benjamin, PharmD US Public Affairs & Patient Advocacy, Sanofi Genzyme Jonathan Hui, PharmD, RPh Clinical Supply Strategy and Management, Pfizer Himani Dholakiya, PharmD Global Regulatory Affairs, Sanofi Genzyme
Sarah Kovalchik, PharmD Global Regulatory Affairs, Sanofi Genzyme Helen Pervanas, PharmD, RPh Evan Horton, PharmD, BCPPS Amee Mistry, PharmD Phung On, PharmD, BCPS
Contribution Clinical Development Commercial Medical Affairs
Pharmacovigilance/Drug Safety Health Economics and Outcomes/ Managed Care Patient Advocacy
Quality Affairs Midyear applications, interviews, and receptions Appendix 2: Fellowship programs and positions Navigating the virtual landscape Appendix 1: Internships Faculty advisors and editors
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Disclaimer: The views and content expressed in this handbook are solely the responsibility of the authors/contributors and do not reflect the official views of our respective companies and fellowship programs. In addition, the content is supported by publicly available information and not intended for specific promotion or representation of any particular company or fellowship program.
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Fellowship 101�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 1 1.1 Introduction���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 1 1.2 What Is a Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowship?�������������������������������� 2 1.3 What Fellowship Positions/Functional Areas Are Available?������������ 3 Clinical Development ���������������������������������������������������������������������� 5 Commercial�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 7 Regulatory Affairs���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 9 Medical Affairs �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 10 Pharmacovigilance/Drug Safety ������������������������������������������������������ 13 Health Economics and Outcomes/Managed Care���������������������������� 14 Patient Advocacy������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 16 Quality Affairs���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 18 1.4 What Is the Duration and Structure of a Pharmaceutical Fellowship Program?�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 19 1.5 What Programs and Companies Are Offering Fellowships?�������������� 20 1.6 Why Should I Pursue a Fellowship? �������������������������������������������������� 20 1.7 Is a Fellowship Required to Obtain a Job in the Pharmaceutical Industry? �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 21 1.8 What Is the Difference Between a Fellowship and an Entry-Level Position?�������������������������������������������������������������� 21
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The First Professional Year (P1) �������������������������������������������������������������� 23 2.1 How Do I Know If the Pharmaceutical Industry Is the Right Career Choice for Me?������������������������������������������������������������������������ 24 2.2 What Are Some Popular Industry-Related Professional Organizations to Be a Part of?������������������������������������������������������������ 27 2.3 What Are Some Industry-Related Internships Available? What Resources Can I Use to Find Internships?�������������������������������� 27 2.4 Is an Industry Internship or Experiential Rotation Required to Obtain a Fellowship?���������������������������������������������������������������������� 27
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2.5 I Have Decided That I Would Like to Pursue a Career in Industry. What Are Some Other Things I Can Do in My First Professional Year to Help Prepare Me?���������������������������������������������� 29 3
The Second Professional Year (P2) ���������������������������������������������������������� 31 3.1 Why Is Hands-On Experience Important to Try and Obtain Following the First Professional Year? ���������������������������������������������� 31 3.2 What Experiences Outside Industry May Be Valuable to Look Into?�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 32 3.3 How Do I Start Narrowing Down Which Functional Areas to Pursue?�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 33
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The Third Professional Year (P3) ������������������������������������������������������������ 35 4.1 Now That I Have Chosen the Specific Functional Area I Would Like to Pursue, Where Can I Go to Dive Deeper into These Subjects?��������������������������������������������������������������������������� 36 4.2 How Do I Begin and Continue Building My Industry Network and Finding Mentors? ������������������������������������������������������������������������ 36
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The Fourth Professional Year (P4) ���������������������������������������������������������� 39 5.1 What Are the Main Things I Need to Be Focusing on for This Application Cycle?������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 40 5.2 I’ve Narrowed Down my Functional Area, But How Do I Choose What Program/Company Is Right for Me?�������������������� 41 5.3 When and How Should I Ask for Letters of Recommendation?�������� 44 5.4 How Do I Start Developing my Curriculum Vitae (CV) and Letter of Intent (LOI)? ���������������������������������������������������������������� 45 5.5 What Are General Things to Keep in Mind When Constructing my CV? ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 46 5.6 What Makes a “Great” CV?���������������������������������������������������������������� 46 5.7 What Is a Letter of Intent (LOI) and How Is It Generally Structured?������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 47 5.8 What Tips and Tricks Do You Have Regarding an LOI?�������������������� 48 5.9 What Is Some General Advice You Can Provide About Preparing for Interviews?������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 48
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Midyear Applications, Interviews, and Receptions�������������������������������� 51 6.1 How Do I Navigate Midyear and Personal Placement Service (PPS)? ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 51 6.2 What Should I Bring to Midyear/PPS?���������������������������������������������� 52 6.3 What Is the Interview Process Like at Midyear?�������������������������������� 53 6.4 What Questions Should I Ask the Interviewers?�������������������������������� 54 6.5 What Is the Next Step After Midyear?������������������������������������������������ 55
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Transitioning from Student to Fellow������������������������������������������������������ 57 7.1 How Can I Continue My Education and Bridge Any Knowledge Gaps I Have?������������������������������������������������������������ 58 7.2 What General Advice Would You Give to an Incoming Fellow?�������� 58
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Navigating the Virtual Landscape������������������������������������������������������������ 61 8.1 How Has COVID-19 Affected the Application Process?�������������������� 61 8.2 How Can I Be Successful in Virtual Interviews?�������������������������������� 62 8.3 How Do I Prepare My Technology for Interviews?���������������������������� 62 8.4 How Else Should I Prepare for Virtual Interviews?���������������������������� 63 8.5 What Are Common Virtual Interview Mistakes?�������������������������������� 64 8.6 Has the Pandemic Affected Fellowship Activities?���������������������������� 64 8.7 How Has the Virtual Environment Affected Networking Within the Fellowship Programs?������������������������������������������������������ 64 8.8 Are All Positions Now Remote? �������������������������������������������������������� 65 8.9 How Do I Navigate a Virtual Environment? �������������������������������������� 65
Appendices���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 67 References ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 87 Index�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 91
List of Figures
Fig. 5.1 Why’s and the What’s ������������������������������������������������������������������������ 45 Fig. 5.2 Interview question categories�������������������������������������������������������������� 49 Fig. 6.1 Program questions������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 55
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List of Tables
Table 1.1 Functional areas, descriptions, and positions ���������������������������������� 4 Table 2.1 Professional organization chart�������������������������������������������������������� 28 Table 3.1 Potential learnings from pharmacy experiences������������������������������ 32 Table 3.2 Functional area, criteria, and skills�������������������������������������������������� 34 Table 4.1 Questions to ask during a 1:1 meeting �������������������������������������������� 37 Table 5.1 Affiliated program application process examples based on 2020–2021 application cycle�������������������������������������������� 40 Table 5.2 How to differentiate a “good” and “great” CV�������������������������������� 47
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Fellowship 101
Abstract Pursuing a post-graduate industry fellowship program can help support and expedite a career path within the pharmaceutical industry. The common functional areas available for fellows often include clinical development, commercial, regulatory affairs, medical affairs, pharmacovigilance/drug safety, health economics and outcomes/managed care, and quality affairs. This chapter focuses on the general structure of fellowship program and assessment of the industry landscape, available roles, and future career opportunities. Keywords Functional area · Fellowship · Position · Program · Role
1.1 Introduction Residency or retail? This question swirls around the minds of many Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students as they begin their education. At the end of their doctorate education, pharmacy students will have completed countless hours becoming medication/drug experts through didactic learning and hands-on practice in hospital and community settings. However, few will have the experience of spending time in a pharmaceutical industry setting. Within the realm of potential careers after pharmacy school, a pharmaceutical industry fellowship is definitely one of the more elusive options. One of the main reasons is frankly due to the number of available fellowship positions. According to a study completed by the Industry Pharmacists Organization (IPhO), there were approximately 495 total positions in the 2022–2023 application cycle [1]. For comparison, the American Society of Health System Pharmacists announced that in their 2022–2023 application cycle, over 4900 students were able to match with a residency program across the country [2]. Another reason why many schools do not incorporate industry experiences in the curriculum is due to a lack of proximity to preceptors/mentors and rotational opportunities for students. Most pharmaceutical companies are isolated to the west coast and northeastern United States, which © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023 V. Langas, V. Flood, From PharmD to Industry, SpringerBriefs in Pharmaceutical Science & Drug Development, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35787-9_1
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means that pharmacy schools located throughout the rest of the country are unable to connect students to these opportunities. Despite the difference in available opportunities in industry compared to hospital or community roles, hundreds of students across the country are pursuing competitive industry fellowships, with numbers continuing to grow with each passing year. Whether you are a current PharmD student, pharmacy school faculty member, or pharmacist/post-graduate student, this handbook will provide a glimpse into the world of pharmaceutical industry fellowships and will be your guide to understanding more about this growing career path.
1.2 What Is a Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowship? Fellowship programs are designed to provide PharmD graduates with specialized training within the biopharmaceutical industry. They can span across numerous functional areas (a term we will dive into later in this section), and each position provides significant experience in a corporate setting. Since many pharmacy students do not learn about the pharmaceutical industry in their general curriculum, fellowship programs provide a foundation for fellows to learn about how to succeed in their roles, mentor and build students into strong leaders, and eventually guide students to obtain a full-time position in the biopharmaceutical industry. Overall, fellowship programs can generally be divided into two groups: academic institution- affiliated programs and non-affiliated programs. For institution-affiliated programs, companies will partner with a pharmacy school/university to manage their fellows. In other words, fellows will be employed by the university but dedicate most of their time to the pharmaceutical company. These programs aim to expose fellows to a variety of industry experiences, academia-based opportunities, and a large network of alumni and fellows. There are usually multiple companies partnered with the institution, and these programs generally have a larger number of fellows than non-affiliated programs. In some cases, regulatory bodies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will also partner with these institutions to provide additional experience. For fellows to graduate from these fellowship programs, institutions may have additional requirements such as teaching, community service, and completing research/ scholarship opportunities. In addition, institution-affiliated programs may also provide opportunities for professional development through program-specific conference days, access to professional organizations/memberships, and faculty/ alumni mentorship. For prospective fellows who are interested in building their academic portfolio and potentially planning on furthering their education, these programs provide a well-rounded experience that is flexible to your interests. However, for students who would rather focus their time solely on their industry position, these programs may not be the best fit.
1.3 What Fellowship Positions/Functional Areas Are Available?
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In non-affiliated fellowship programs, fellows are the sole responsibility of the pharmaceutical company. In other words, this program was created and is managed by the company. These programs are generally smaller in size and do not carry any of the teaching, service, and scholarship requirements that academic institution- affiliated programs require. Some fellows feel that these programs are a more streamlined process for obtaining a position within industry since their time is dedicated to their role in the company and is not split with academic requirements. In addition, these programs may not necessarily have a large alumni network, and accessing professional development opportunities is the responsibility of the fellow. Regardless of which functional area you are interested in, there are positions available in both institution-affiliated and non-affiliated programs. It is important to reflect, explore, and research these programs in detail prior to applying to best understand which program may be the right fit for you. Other factors such as location, salary, program length, and drug products may also influence your decision, and it is imperative to evaluate which companies/programs will be the best foundation for your future in industry. Even though it may be difficult to picture what programs to pursue, one thing remains certain – all fellowship programs will provide you with hands-on experience in your area of expertise and prepare you for a lifelong career in the pharmaceutical industry.
1.3 What Fellowship Positions/Functional Areas Are Available? The term “functional area” is generally used to describe a specific field/role within a pharmaceutical company. This is the general field that you intend to pursue and can be viewed as the “department” you are working in. Within each functional area are various positions that are more specific to the day-to-day tasks and projects you would be working on. When applying to fellowship programs and companies, you will have to select a specific functional area that you would like to pursue. However, depending on the program, you may have to go one step further and select a specific position within that functional area. For other programs, you may have the opportunity to rotate through various positions within a functional area and have exposure to a wide variety of experiences. This information can be found in program-specific brochures, webinars, and program websites and is a vital consideration when applying to fellowship programs. A summary of the main functional areas available for a fellowship is listed in Table 1.1 below. It is important to note that this is not a fully comprehensive list, and there may be more or less positions recruiting during your application cycle. Depending on the program and company structure, the actual titles and tasks within a functional area may vary. For a more detailed perspective, please review the following pages written by fellows who participated in the MCPHS Fellowship Program.
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4 Table 1.1 Functional areas, descriptions, and positions Functional area Brief description Clinical Development A professional in this role helps determine the safety and efficacy of medication therapies through managing research development and clinical trials, maintaining clinical documents, creating and maintaining protocols, and/or constructing statistical plans and strategies Commercial A professional in this role helps develop the brand/product marketing strategy. Positions in this functional area can sometimes cross over into budgeting, finance, and supply maintenance Regulatory Affairs
Medical Affairs
Pharmacovigilance/ Drug safety
Health Economics and Outcomes/ Managed Care
Potential roles and positions Clinical Operations Biomarker Development Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics (PK/ PD) Clinical Research
U.S. Commercial Strategy Global Commercial Strategy Clinical Marketing Supply Chain Management Global Regulatory Affairs A professional in this role acts as the U.S. Regulatory Affairs strategist for U.S. and international programs. They are also the liaison between Advertising and Promotion the company and health authorities around Global/Regulatory the world (e.g., FDA, European Medicines Agency (EMA), etc.). In addition, they may Medical Writing Chemistry, also have a key role in the labeling, Manufacturing, and manufacturing operations, and advertising Controls (CMC) and promotional materials Clinical Trial Applications Management Medical Science Liaison A professional in this role acts as the U.S. Medical Affairs medical/scientific expert on therapies to gather safety and efficacy insights from key Global Medical Affairs U.S. Medical opinion leaders, train and educate others, Communications and ensure that all communications Global Medical regarding the product are scientifically Communications accurate Medical Information/ Drug Information Professionals in this role evaluate the safety Global Drug Safety profiles of products throughout all stages of U.S. Pharmacovigilance Global Pharmacovigilance a product life cycle and provide resources/ Medical Safety information for prescribers and patients to Risk Management make educated decisions. In addition, they are an important part of safety surveillance and evaluating risk management strategies Professionals in this role will help evaluate Health Economics and Outcomes Research the impact of therapies on the population, Market Access construct health economic models to Market Value/Payment improve patient care, provide support to Patient Advocacy commercial strategies, create new Competitive Intelligence opportunities for research and medical Medical Outcomes education, and engage with payers and Liaison patients (continued)
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1.3 What Fellowship Positions/Functional Areas Are Available? Table 1.1 (continued) Functional area Quality Affairs
Brief description Professionals in this role help define operating procedures, ensure regulatory compliance, and construct supply strategy. They oversee promotion of goods manufacturing and clinical practice principles and are involved throughout a products’ life cycle. (Note: Some of these roles may also fall under clinical development)
Potential roles and positions Global Clinical Supply Clinical Quality Assurance Clinical Supply Strategy and Management Supply Chain Management
Clinical Development What Is Clinical Development? [3] Clinical Development is the functional line that supports the crucial and complex process of bringing new pharmaceutical drug candidates to the market. For drug candidates to reach the market where pharmaceutical drugs are safely and effectively given to patients based on indication, there are a myriad of drug discovery processes. While assessing the timeline for each drug candidate, the entire drug development process can be divided into pre-clinical and clinical phases. The Clinical Development departments within pharmaceutical companies are responsible for supporting drug candidates through all four clinical phases. The purpose of the four clinical phases is to assess efficacy, effectiveness, and safety, which allows the pharmaceutical company to gather data for registration and market access via regulatory bodies for approval. • Early-Stage Clinical Development initiates testing in small groups of healthy volunteers, corresponding to Phases I and II exploratory studies. These studies focus on the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, dose finding, and pilot efficacy studies. • Late-Stage Clinical Development primarily focuses on demonstrating efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness through Phases IIb through IV. The drug candidate within Phase II and III trials is tested in a larger targeted population to compare the therapeutic gold standard or standard of care treatment options. Lastly, Phase IV studies are conducted post-approval and review the long-term effects of the drug through drug surveillance systems, observational studies, and randomized controlled trials. Roles and Responsibilities [4, 5] Within Clinical Development, there are four general divisions (Early-Stage Clinical Development, Late-Stage Clinical Development, and Clinical Research and Clinical Operations) that focus on the numerous characteristics of the clinical trial phases, the investigational product, and the clinical trial operations.
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• Early-Stage Clinical Development –– In the Translational Medicine role, professionals are responsible for designing and conducting early-phase clinical trials that explore the safety, tolerability, and first assessment of efficacy in the healthy volunteers. Scientists in this role will contribute to developing a clinical study protocol, designing case report forms, and conducting dose escalation studies. The unique aspect of Translational Medicine is the opportunity to support the first-in-human, proof-of-concept, and dose-finding studies for the drug candidates. –– In the Clinical Pharmacology role, professionals work closely in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics as they are engaged in the analysis of the PK/PD data that is generated to help support the later clinical trial phases. As Clinical Pharmacologists, they can author the clinical pharmacology sections of the clinical protocol, investigator brochure, and clinical study reports. Additionally, this role will provide an opportunity to gain expertise in guidances from the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and European Medicines Agency (EMA). • Late-Stage Clinical Development –– In the Late-Stage Clinical Development role, Clinical Scientists will gain the opportunity to support the clinical development plan for Phase 3, Phase 4, and Post-Marketing studies. Professionals in this division will gain in-depth exposure to study start up, study conduct, and study close-out activities. Additionally, this role will provide familiarity with the development of clinical protocols, clinical study reports, investigator brochures, safety reports, case report forms, and other study-related documents. The unique aspect of this division is the ability to constantly collaborate with other cross-functional team members like clinical directors, statisticians, regulatory affairs, and data management to accurately report clinical trial results. • Clinical Research –– In the Clinical Research role, the Clinical Research Pharmacist provides pharmacy expertise in the development, management, and handling of investigational products at a protocol and program level. This role supports drug product design, dosage preparation, administration, and step-by-step training of investigational products. Professionals in this division have the sole responsibility to create the Investigational Production Manual and provide education to the clinical site personnel through Investigator Meetings and Site Initiation Visits. This role is unique within drug development as there is collaboration with Formulation Scientists, Supply Chain Leads, Global Trial Managers, Study Physicians, and Quality to confirm that IP administration is safe and effective for study participants.
1.3 What Fellowship Positions/Functional Areas Are Available?
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• Clinical Operations –– In the Clinical Operations role, Clinical Trial Managers (CTM) or Clinical Trial Leads (CTL) are based in Study Management and will work collaboratively to support key activities in the clinical trial start-up, maintenance, and close out. These key activities include study feasibility, country and site selection, patient enrollment planning and oversight, along with site monitoring visits. In this role, professionals review clinical study budgets and timelines with the Clinical Research Organizations and vendors to ensure all internal and external partners are aligned. This role is unique as the CTM or CTL serves as the operational point of contact between the central sponsor study team and the country study team. Career Opportunities Pharmacists within the Clinical Development functional line are highly valued members of the drug development team. Professional roles within this functional line include but are not limited to: Clinical Scientist, Clinical Pharmacologist, Clinical Director/Medical Director, Clinical Trial Manager/Clinical Trial Lead, and Clinical Research Pharmacist. PharmDs can utilize their clinical knowledge and management skills to transition into a myriad of roles and move laterally to various therapeutic areas of interest.
Commercial What Is Commercial Strategy? Commercial strategy is a functional area within the pharmaceutical company that oversees the design incorporation of sales and marketing materials [6]. Professionals in commercial optimize a company’s marking, sales, and pricing in order to develop the best strategies for business decisions to focus investments. The main goal of commercial is to achieve a successful launch, including pre-launch market forecasting as well as post-launch in market surveillance and asset library management to consider pricing and access considerations that may hit the molecule down the line [6]. Key functions of commercial strategy professionals [6, 7]: • Collaborating and aiding in brand marketing, product value messaging, and disease-state informational elements. • Assist in the design and development of digital and omnichannel strategies to secure effective reach of core messages. • Identify gaps in product information through market research activities. • Gather and distribute competitive intelligence information across the company.
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• Provide commercial assessments regarding business development opportunities for optimal drug portfolio management. • Contribute to global brand plan development, long-range disease state planning, and financial forecasting. Roles and Responsibilities • Marketing [7] –– Marketing strategy is a function within commercial with the goal of creating core messages to generate sales and achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. Specifically, creating a “game plan” for reaching prospective consumers (either patients or prescribers) and eliciting action. • Market Research [8] –– Market research collects data surrounding target markets and potential customers, which greatly aids a product’s competitiveness. • Market Access [9] –– Market access is the process used by both pharma and biotech companies to provide availability and reimbursement of the drug in as many countries as possible. • Competitive Intelligence [10] –– Competitive intelligence helps a company generate valuable insights into competitor actions to provide insights to identify the strengths and differentiators of a brand. • Business Development [11] –– Business development (BD) plays a role in developing new acquisitions and business opportunities. BD aims to increase business marketability and profitability by ensuring an increase in revenues, business expansion, and cultivating relations with strategic partnerships. Career Opportunities Various career options can be obtained within each sub-function of commercial, depending on your area of interest, therapeutic area, and drug development stage. Each sub-function may require additional training and education depending on your background, scientific knowledge, and project requirements. There is a potential for vertical movement, and occasionally, you might see colleagues transition laterally from one sub-function to another.
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Regulatory Affairs What Is Regulatory Affairs? Regulatory affairs is a functional area composed of many skills and occupations within the pharmaceutical industry. Professionals in regulatory affairs mainly act as a liaison between government agencies, regulatory bodies, and other pharmaceutical industries to ensure compliance with regulations and maintain a product throughout its life cycle [12]. According to the Organisation for Professionals in Regulatory Affairs (TOPRA), key functions of regulatory affairs professionals include [13]: • Identifying changes in legislation in all the regions to aid in company submissions. • Advising on stipulations and requirements for global applications. • Submitting registration documents to regulatory agencies and conducting any correspondences, negotiations, and subsequent authorization for the products to be marketed. • Giving strategic and technical advice for both commercial and scientific teams to aid in success developmental programs. • Maintaining program records and receipts of different drug products and submissions. Roles and Responsibilities • Strategy [12] –– Regulatory strategy refers to a specific specialty under regulatory affairs. This core role helps formulate strategic plans for interacting with global agencies to secure responses, submissions, and communications for products in development. This area of regulatory plays a crucial role in the drug discovery and development process. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of a strategist to accurately represent the science and scientific drive to regulatory authorities. Regulatory strategists have many roles in the submission of important documentation such as Investigational New Drug (IND) applications, New Drug Applications (NDA), and marketing applications. Using guidances and Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), strategists build tactics to formulate conclusive documents for submission with the agencies. • Advertising and Promotion [14] –– Professionals in advertising and promotion evaluate various forms of media and labeling (e.g., brochures, TV/radio advertisements, billboards, marketing materials, etc.) to ensure a fair balance and accurate dissemination of information. The term ‘fair balance’ describes how informations relating to
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risks such as contraindications/precautions are presented in comparable scope and detail as information relating to the benefits. Colleagues in this field work cross-functionally, often with medical and commercial colleagues, to ensure that accurate information is provided to patients and providers around the world. • Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) [12] –– CMC professionals are dedicated to ensuring quality product development from early-stage processes to post-approval and marketing stages. CMC colleagues specialize in manufacturing processes and collaborate with regulatory colleagues, manufacturing sites, and product supply chain teams to develop a clear strategy for new and registered products. In addition, CMC professionals act as liaisons between the company and regulating bodies with any changes in manufacturing, quality, or product status. • Labeling [12] –– Labeling specialists are responsible for composing and maintaining labeling records throughout the life cycle of a product. The responsibility of a labeling is to ensure that products meet regulatory labeling requirements for global distribution. Labeling also includes written, printed, and graphic material with drug information that is distributed by the pharmaceutical company or on behalf of the sponsor for healthcare professionals. Career Opportunities Various career options can be obtained within each sub-function of regulatory affairs, depending on your area of interest, therapeutic area, and drug development stage. Each sub-function may require additional training and education depending on your background, scientific knowledge, and project requirements. There is a potential for vertical movement, and occasionally, you might see colleagues transition laterally from one sub-function to another (e.g., CMC to Strategy).
Medical Affairs What Is Medical Affairs? [15] Medical affairs is a functional area of the pharmaceutical industry focused on communicating unbiased scientific information to stakeholders and generating new scientific data for product-related communications and resources. Professionals in medical affairs are tasked with continuously ensuring the accuracy of medical materials that the company produces, including publications and posters, education and training materials, promotional materials, and more. Depending on the
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organization, medical affairs may encompass numerous departments, such as medical strategy, medical operations/excellence, field medical affairs, scientific/ medical communications, health economics outcomes research (HEOR), pharmacovigilance, and medical/drug information. According to the Industry Pharmacists Organization (IPhO), the role of a medical affairs professional includes [16]: • Overseeing scientific communications, publications, and dissemination of clinical study information. • Directing medical, research and development (R&D), and marketing strategy. • Facilitating communication with key opinion leaders (KOLs), stakeholders, healthcare professionals, disease state advocacy groups, professional organizations, and customers. • Understanding products, therapeutic landscape, and medical literature to present educational information and respond to healthcare provider inquiries. • Ensuring medical/scientific accuracy and adherence to regulatory guidelines. • Supporting research initiatives. Roles and Responsibilities [16] • Medical Strategy –– Medical strategy is responsible for formulating strategic plans to identify and resolve issues, gaps, and opportunities in the medical community regarding medical products and disease states. • Medical Operations/Excellence –– Medical operations or medical affairs excellence professionals are involved with the logistics of implementing strategies. Responsibilities can include system and disease state training, gathering insights, and supporting studies. • Scientific Communications –– Scientific communication includes both strategic publication planning and continuing medical education (CME). Professionals facilitate the presentation of new information through appropriate scientific conferences and journals. The scientific communications role also works to develop scientific education resources and training materials. • Medical/Drug Information –– Medical information specialists communicate to ensure timely, truthful, and balanced material is disseminated to any inquiring healthcare professionals and patients. These specialists search multiple sources to appraise scientific data, which aids in the development of evidence-based medical information. Depending on the organization, medical information may also include a review of promotional and non-promotional materials.
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• Field Medical Affairs/Medical Science Liaison (MSL) –– Medical science liaisons (MSLs) work to educate healthcare providers and gather insights to drive medical strategy. MSLs also foster collaboration with academic centers of excellence for research, study necessities, product advisory, and IIS study identification. –– While MSLs are meant to be experts in their disease states and products, they also have the luxury of engaging in two-way education. Resource and relationship building are the key components of the MSL role. The MSL serves as a resource to key opinion leaders (KOL) and provides value to these KOLs through education on disease states and company products. Every meeting (or engagement) with a KOL is an opportunity to learn more about how the disease state is progressing, learning more about new treatments and diagnostic criteria, and learning about unmet needs in the real world. When an MSL learns something valuable from an engagement with a KOL, they are responsible for returning that information to the company. This return of information is called an insight. Insights are valuable because they allow for adjustments in strategy by the company. In addition, insights keep all MSLs up to date on important advancements in medicine, which makes MSLs more valuable to KOLs. To summarize, pharmaceutical companies make medication, physicians treat patients, and patients experience the disease state and the treatment. The MSL serves as the bridge between all these entities. Internally, MSLs can also be involved in other aspects of information dissemination, including but not limited to training, competitive intelligence, scientific education, and content development/approval. Career Opportunities The Medical affairs functional area offers many career options, depending on interest in a particular sub-function. Some opportunities for medical affairs professionals include but are not limited to the following: medical directors, medical advisors, scientific managers, medical leads, MSLs, medical information officers, clinical trial liaisons, health economics and outcomes researchers, medical affairs trainers, pharmacovigilance scientists, and publications managers. In terms of industry fellowships, there are a variety of opportunities available in medical affairs. One can find fellowships in general medical affairs, field medical/ MSL, medical information, scientific/medical communications, HEOR, PV, and medical director roles. Depending on the size of the company and how their medical affairs department is structured, the titles and duties of the fellow may slightly differ. Some fellowships have distinct roles, such as only field medical/MSL or only medical information. However, there are fellowships that also expose the fellow to a range of functions within medical affairs. Post fellowship, an entry-level MSL will oversee a given territory and engage, educate, and build relationships with KOLs in that territory. MSL is a field-based role and allows for autonomous work. Based on the company, the MSL will be gauged on various standards or “metrics” that will likely be based on the number of interactions with KOLs per year.
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If one is interested in a medical affairs fellowship, they must consider whether there is a particular therapeutic area of interest since most fellowship positions specialize in one or two therapeutic areas. In addition, general medical affairs, medical information, and scientific/medical communications may be specific to the US or may be global positions. Overall, medical affairs is a very diverse functional area within industry, and multiple opportunities exist to enter and explore this field.
Pharmacovigilance/Drug Safety What Is Pharmacovigilance (PV)? Pharmacovigilance (PV) participates in the assessment, uncovering, explanation, and prevention of adverse effects or any other drug-related complications [17]. According to the World Health Organization, the main goals of PV include the following [18]. • Enhance the patient safety and use of medicines by intervening in medical and paramedical activities. • Detect medical and communication errors in adequate time. • Assess benefits, harms, efficacy, and risks of medicines, aiding in the prevention of harm and maximization of benefit. • Advocate for the safe use of medicines. • Provide education and clinically relevant information across pharmacovigilance teams and the general public. PV is centered around patient safety and risk mitigation measures to ensure a favorable benefit-risk profile throughout a product’s lifecycle. Roles and Responsibilities The role of PV teams entails safety signal evaluations for investigational or marketed products, routine safety monitoring and surveillance, and development and implementation of risk mitigation strategies. The PV functional area typically consists of three groups, including PV operations, routine PV activities, and risk management. PV operations is responsible for case processing, database entry, and case submission. Data is collected through various sources, such as solicited reports, unsolicited (spontaneous) reports, or literature reports [18]. Routine PV activities include signal detection, assessment, and management of safety concerns. PV teams identify and characterize risks to determine if a suspected medicinal product caused an adverse event [19]. In addition, PV teams prepare and review aggregate safety reports, analyzing cumulative safety data to present a comprehensive evaluation of the product’s risk-benefit balance [20]. Lastly, risk management ensures products are properly prescribed, dispensed, and used for the correct indication or intention [21].
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Note: The organizational structure of the functional groups varies depending on the pharmaceutical company. Some fellowship programs offer a rotational component for exposure to the different subgroups. PV Career Options Pharmacovigilance career options include pursuing a global safety lead (GSL) or pharmacovigilance scientist (PV scientist) role within pharmaceutical industry companies. GSLs oversee the full product portfolio and are responsible for the safety surveillance and risk management for assigned products. PV scientists support the GSLs and contribute to activities such as signal management, preparation and finalization of aggregate safety reports, and ad hoc safety analyses.
Health Economics and Outcomes/Managed Care What Is a Medical Outcomes Liaison? [22–25] A Medical Outcomes Liaison (MOL) is also referred to as many other titles, including Health Outcomes Liaison, as well as other company-specific titles. Although the titles may differ, the overall role is very similar between companies. MOLs serve as a bridge between the company and population-based healthcare decision-makers (HCDM) such as insurance companies, pharmacy benefit managers, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and others. MOLs work to provide information necessary for HCDMs to make coverage decisions regarding therapies, including medical education, as well as information regarding clinical data, pharmacoeconomics, and real-world evidence. MOLs also work to understand the HCDM to help build medical strategy and meet the needs of their audience. You may notice that the role of a MOL sounds very similar to that of a Medical Science Liaison (MSL) but targets and engages with a different audience. As MOLs work with HCDM who make decisions about drugs across therapeutic areas, it is key to note that MOLs will often cover either the entire portfolio or a broader range of therapeutic agents than may be seen in the MSL role. Additionally, MOLs will frequently provide nonbranded materials, which may be educational or provide disease state awareness. Roles and Responsibilities [22–25] • Education –– MOLs are a subgroup of Medical Affairs; however, the exact department they fall under may vary from company to company. MOLs are uniquely poised to discuss a breadth of data, both from a therapeutic as well as pharmacoeconomic perspective. In addition, MOLs are permitted to discuss pharmacoeconomic data with HCDMs.
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• Data Generation –– MOLs may work within their team or with other internal colleagues, such as Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR), to not only identify areas for further study but also to generate data. Many studies produced by MOLs rely on claims databases and often focus on real-world evidence or pharmacoeconomics. • Strategy –– As the HCDM market in the United States is relatively unique, understanding these customers is crucial to creating an effective strategy and value proposition. MOLs work to utilize their unique perspective of the HCDM landscape to create a medical strategy to provide justification for the value of a drug. As such, some MOL teams will work to create the content for their own presentations as well as develop other tools, such as population estimators or budget impact models, that are consistent with their strategy. • Insight Gathering –– As a liaison, it is vital for MOLs to “speak the language” of HCDMs, including understanding the landscape as well as relevant clinical endpoints that matter to the HCDMs and understanding not only the question they are asking, but also “why” they are asking it. Through understanding HCDMs, MOLs bring back meaningful insights that may inform medical strategy as well as highlight data gaps that may steer towards opportunities to work with internal colleagues and external partnerships to generate this data. Career Opportunities [22–25] MOLs are a recently developed role relative to other positions in the pharmaceutical industry. A study from 2018 identified that approximately 56% of companies have an MOL team, many of which are within larger pharmaceutical companies. This is all to say that despite being relatively new, the MOL role is expanding across both large and small pharmaceutical companies, with the responsibilities varying greatly from company to company. Additional considerations include that as there are fewer HCDMs than prescribers, MOLs are typically responsible for larger territories, covering multiple states or even national HCDMs. Overall, the MOL role is relatively new and, as such, may vary significantly from company to company on the exact roles and responsibilities. Some roles may have a greater focus on data generation, whereas others may involve working with vendors to draft their own presentation materials. What remains consistent is that MOLs work to understand and relate to HCDMs. MOLs may transition to leadership positions or opportunities in alternative roles such as market access or as medical directors.
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Patient Advocacy What Is Patient Advocacy? [26–30] Patient Advocacy is the functional area in the pharmaceutical industry which manages a biopharmaceutical company’s external relationships with Patient Advocacy Groups (PAGs), medical and professional societies, health foundations, and other active stakeholders in the broader patient advocacy community. The Patient Advocacy team serves as a bridge between the company and external advocates by acting as liaisons with various advocacy stakeholders who serve patient communities affected by diseases and conditions which overlap with the company’s therapeutic area interest(s). Beyond the patient advocacy team’s external interactions with advocates, this role requires active engagement and extensive collaboration with various internal, cross-functional teams across all parts of the company. This communication-centric role involves sharing insights gained externally with the appropriate internal teams as well as tracking down the right internal experts to provide appropriate, official answers to external questions about different topics (for example, requests for details about a clinical study, drug information about a marketed therapy, or questions about patient assistance programs). By the nature of their role, it is also common for those working in patient advocacy to become de-facto project managers for external projects, especially those related to gaining internal approval by compliance for presentations to PAGs as well as for any materials presented at annual PAG conferences. It is also common for biopharmaceutical companies to give funds to PAGs, either in the form of charitable contributions (which are not tied to any particular activities but rather serve to help the PAG maintain their daily operations) or sponsorships that relate to a specific project or initiative intended to benefit patients. These contributions are reactive and are thus requested by the PAG without the company’s prompting or influence. Patient advocacy will often meet with PAGs to help the company better understand these requests before they are reviewed. It is also common for biopharmaceutical companies to contract PAGs to help them with different types of work that PAGs are uniquely suited for. Some examples of these types of projects would include having the PAG send surveys out to their patient community, helping find patients to serve on advisory boards, or locating patient speakers to educate the company’s employees about their experience as patients. Ultimately, working in patient advocacy means being a dedicated listener, focusing on the unmet needs of patients, and finding collaborative and creative solutions that improve patient health, accelerate medical innovation, or facilitate access to therapies. Roles and Responsibilities [27–30] • Serve as a bridge between the external patient advocacy community and the company, representing the company at external events and serving as the key point of contact for any advocacy-focused communications.
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• Strategically networking to build and maintain external advocacy relationships with patient advocacy groups, medical and professional societies, health foundations, and other stakeholders in the patient advocacy community to inform internal decision-making and guide the informed development of patient-centric initiatives. • Actively engage with various internal, cross-functional teams across all parts of the company and share external insights, as appropriate, to help the company form a big-picture understanding of the issues that matter most to patients. • Develop accurate, evidence-based, and timely patient-centric solutions for issues impacting patient health. • Advance medical innovation by advocating for policies that spur innovation, driving disease awareness and diagnosis efforts, providing insights on unmet patient needs, capturing longitudinal patient data and trends to help build real- world-evidence, and accelerating clinical trial participation. • Help facilitate appropriate access to therapies by ensuring that patient perspectives are incorporated into health authority risk/benefit assessments, insurance formulary decision-making, and drug utilization management with relevant stakeholders. • Improve patient health by helping create educational materials on diseases or conditions, incorporating patient journey insights into target product portfolios during drug development, helping empower patients to engage with their healthcare team, and advocating for healthcare system quality improvements. Career Options Patient advocacy is an up-and-coming role in the biopharmaceutical industry that is now common at most major companies in the industry, whether at large pharma companies or in small biotech startups. The role can be either therapeutic area- specific or cross-portfolio, depending on the company’s size and the scope of their pipeline and portfolio. Due to the prevalence and number of PAGs around the world, there are normally patient advocacy roles on both the country and global levels. The structure of this role at each company can look different, and depending on the company, it may sometimes overlap with certain workflows from other functional areas such as public affairs, government relations, scientific and public policy, corporate social responsibility, patient engagement liaisons, or charitable access programs. Broadly speaking, the larger the company, the more likely that these roles all have separate departments, and the smaller the company, the more likely that patient advocacy team members will take on some of these types of responsibilities as well. Due to the communication-heavy nature of the role, requirements to build connections across all parts of the company, and understanding big-picture perspectives gained by focusing on external insights, it is common for those in patient advocacy to cooperate closely with the company’s management. This sets them up to either continue as effective front-line advocates or to get involved as effective corporate leaders.
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Quality Affairs What Is Clinical Supply Chain? [31–33] Clinical Supply Chain is a functional area within the pharmaceutical industry composed of many different professionals that helps facilitate the sequences of production and distribution of an investigational product. Professionals in this area play a critical role in the drug development process, as no drug can be approved without first testing for safety and efficacy through a clinical trial. Key areas of involvement include packaging, labeling, and distribution, as well as training and handling of investigational products at a clinical site. Supply Chain Management is a sub-function under Clinical Supply Chain responsible for overseeing all materials, corresponding information, and finances as they transition from supplier, manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer, and finally to the consumer. The main goal of Supply Chain Management is creating a robust supply chain strategy for investigational products while minimizing potential risks for patients enrolled in a clinical trial. Key Functions of Supply Chain Management professionals include: • Influence and manage cross-functional teams to coordinate and handle the delivery of clinical supplies for specified assets. • Serve as a key point of contact for stakeholders across different departments including Clinical Operations, Pharmaceutical Development, Quality Assurance, and Regulatory Affairs to advance the development of clinical assets. • Provide oversight in forecasting, packaging, labeling, distribution, inventory management, financial planning/ budgeting of supply needs, and Trial Master File (TMF) filing of Clinical Supply documents. • Support Interactive Response Technology (IRT) development and system oversight, as well as utilize systems to actively manage clinical trial material. • Act as a consultant on information regarding the global use of investigational material in clinical studies: Forecasting, Packaging, Distribution, Inventory Management, Project Management, and Financial Planning/Budgeting. Roles and Responsibilities [31–33] • Packaging and Labeling –– Packaging Coordinators oversee the creation of packaging requests, develop packaging strategies, and manage packing and labeling operations while ensuring these activities are completed within appropriate timelines and that the final packaged product meets the initial request parameter. –– Labeling Specialists print clinical label artwork, initiate labels/label formats/ Label Material Identifiers (LMIDs) for approval, communicate with packaging coordinators and provide them with label artwork PDFs and reports for approved label formats, add pictograms to the label utilizing the phrases on
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the approved clinical label request (CLR), and document and apply country- specific and regulatory template information with CLR content to support the creation of the CLR. • Distribution –– Distribution is correlated to transitioning materials from a particular source to a destination. Major distribution considerations include the duration of shipping, unique country regulations, temperature monitoring, and handling of investigational products. Distribution specialists collaborate with external vendors to develop distribution plans. Distribution specialists may also assist in managing global customs compliance, import/export considerations, and inventory management of external vendors, including receipt, warehousing, and destruction of clinical trial materials. • Systems –– Interactive Response Technology (IRT) and other system-based technologies are utilized to enhance physical and digital clinical supply strategies. Interactive Response Technology can help screen/randomize patients, facilitate inventory management, assign drug product, and generate resupply orders. Professionals that work in this area help with the design and support of IRT for clinical sites. Career Opportunities There exist many different career opportunities within each sub-function of Clinical Supply Chain, depending on your area of interest. Each sub-function adds value to the Clinical Supply Chain Process and may require additional training depending on previous experience, technical background, and business needs. There is potential for lateral transitions from one sub-function to another as well for vertical career growth.
1.4 What Is the Duration and Structure of a Pharmaceutical Fellowship Program? An industry fellowship program is typically 1–2 years depending on the company and institution affiliation. Towards the end of the fellowship program, fellows will begin applying to companies and/or receiving hiring offers at their program company. The general structure of the program is that you will be dedicated to your designated role and functional area for the duration of your time as a fellow; however, some programs offer rotation experiences across different specialties and functional areas in addition to your assigned responsibilities. For example, if your position is Global Regulatory Affairs, your main tasks and responsibilities may be
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rooted in global strategy. Depending on interest and availability, you may have the opportunity to shadow or take on other projects in labeling, advertising/promotion, and/or CMC in your free time to gain a more well-rounded perspective on your functional area. Not all programs have these “rotational experiences” available, and this can be a potential deciding factor as you navigate which programs you would like to apply to. On some occasions, fellows receive job offers prior to their 1–2 years being finished and completing the fellowship. For institution-affiliated programs, you may have to engage with your program director to accelerate your graduation from the program or, alternatively, leave the fellowship program to accept a full-time position. (Note: The term “full-time position” in this handbook refers to a job offer received at a company with a full salary and no ties to the fellowship program or having the title of fellow. In general, you will be working “full-time” as a fellow (at least 40 hours/week), but your position/role is not necessarily equal to that of a full-time employee (FTE) hired at the company.)
1.5 What Programs and Companies Are Offering Fellowships? The number of fellowship programs and positions is continuing to grow each year, and the wide variety of available options can often be intimidating. Pictured in Appendix 2 are some of the fellowship programs you could be a part of across the country. It is important to note that the pharmaceutical industry is a very fluid field to work in – companies are acquired, programs/products are frequently started and discontinued, managers come and go, and some companies even merge/partner together. It is your responsibility to thoroughly research the program, company, and functional areas you would like to apply for, keeping in mind that what was available last year may be entirely different from this coming year.
1.6 Why Should I Pursue a Fellowship? As mentioned earlier, most PharmD programs have limited didactic curricula or rotations dedicated to the pharmaceutical industry. Even though companies recognize the inherent value of a pharmacist in industry, they also understand that there needs to be additional training prior to obtaining a full-time position at the company. This mindset is the foundation for the creation and development of fellowship programs. For those who have not had working experience or previous exposure in the pharmaceutical industry, fellowships are a fantastic way to expand beyond the PharmD education and gain unparalleled, hands-on opportunities in industry.
1.8 What Is the Difference Between a Fellowship and an Entry-Level Position?
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1.7 Is a Fellowship Required to Obtain a Job in the Pharmaceutical Industry? Many students often ask if you need a fellowship to obtain a position within industry. Simply put, the answer is no – a fellowship is not required to obtain a position within industry. However, the reality is that to obtain a more senior position, most companies value the fellowship experience and recognize the skills you have gained during your time in the fellowship. In other words, without prior industry experience or fellowship, you may only be able to obtain an entry-level position. Not every functional area has entry-level positions available, which can also be an extra challenge to navigating industry positions.
1.8 What Is the Difference Between a Fellowship and an Entry-Level Position? The roles and responsibilities of a fellow and an entry-level employee can definitely overlap. For the most part, fellows and entry-level employees may have the same general commitments to their company, such as hours worked per week, onboarding, company-specific training, and travel requirements. In addition, the projects, assignments, and meetings can also be very similar between a fellow and an entry- level employee. The most notable differences lie within the flexibility of work requirements, salary, and general career trajectory, which are discussed in the following paragraphs. As a fellow, you are awarded the luxury of being able to help dictate what projects to participate in, explore other roles within your functional area, and even pursue opportunities from other functional areas. Even though you have committed yourself to a specific position, your managers and preceptors recognize the desire to deeply learn about the pharmaceutical industry as a whole and will help guide your fellowship experience based on your interests. (Still keeping in mind that your managers/preceptors will still be providing you with the required training and opportunities to become proficient in your role.) By the time you reach the end of your fellowship or matriculate into your full-time position, you will have all of the skills necessary to smoothly transition into your role and also have a well-rounded perspective about the industry landscape. Your salary as a fellow will be determined 1 by − 1the specific fellowship program 2 the salary of an entry-level you are a part of and is generally about 3 employee. Even though this doesn’t seem very enticing, the “unspoken” rule about fellowship is that completing a 2-year program is equivalent to approximately 5 years of working experience, where you could potentially receive the title and salary of someone who has been in the industry for approximately 5 years. In other words, the reduced salary is offset by the future gains. This is just a testament to how rigorous and impactful pursuing a fellowship can be and why the majority of
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fellows are able to obtain a manager/ associate director/lead role post-fellowship. The investment in a fellowship could be your fast-track to a leadership position within your field, and this is something that should be taken into consideration when deciding whether to pursue a fellowship versus an entry-level position. As an entry-level employee, you will most likely be assigned to a specific task, department, functional area, and/or product that will be your responsibility to follow through with. Opportunities to explore other roles and functional areas would depend on your manager and are not generally built into the position. In addition, the amount of say you have in projects and moving between products may be limited based on team availability, timing, and open positions. Some benefits of being an entry-level employee are the full salary as well as more defined roles and career trajectory. For example, a company may have a clear path for entry-level associates that states it would take approximately 5 years to be promoted to a director. A nuanced difference between an entry-level position and a fellowship is the amount of pressure to perform and responsibility given. As a fellow, managers and preceptors recognize that you are still learning and provide a “safe space” to make mistakes and lead projects. There is a high level of managerial oversight, especially in the beginning of a fellowship. Over time, a fellow will have more space to lead and manage projects/teams, but this is all dependent on the manager. As an employee, the pressure to perform is much greater, and there is often less oversight and mentorship. On the flip side, you may have more clout as an entry-level employee and be able to overcome some of the “red-tape” of being a fellow quicker. What does this mean? As a fellow, you may still be viewed as a student and not quite “equal” to your colleagues. Often, fellows feel that they have to advocate for themselves, educate team members about what a fellow is, and be proactive in finding opportunities. This may still be the case for entry-level employees, but it is much less. The industry landscape is constantly evolving as more students choose this career path and more industry positions become available. Regardless of which pathway you choose into industry, both will provide valuable experience as you transition from being a PharmD student or pharmacist into an industry professional.
Chapter 2
The First Professional Year (P1)
Abstract The first professional year (P1) for most pharmacy students is an exploratory year where you start to identify what field you would like to pursue following graduation. This process involves self-reflection as well as potential participation in professional organizations and internships to gain insight into whether to pursue a career within the pharmaceutical industry. This chapter will provide introductory advice on how to find potential resources for internships and professional organizations, as well as what you can start doing to support your fellowship journey. Keywords P1 · Professional organization · Internship · Resource *Disclaimer: We recognize that there are many pharmacy programs throughout the country, each with their own unique structure, courses, and requirements. To try and standardize the timelines and processes, we have utilized a traditional four-year program schedule with fall and spring semesters that generally have a summer break in between each semester. Please see the below table as an example between a traditional program and an accelerated program. Traditional program Accelerated program
Year 1/P1 Year 1/P1
Year 2/P2
Year 3/P3 Year 2/P2
Year 4/P4 Year 3/P3
The first professional year of pharmacy school is filled with many new experiences and decisions. Whether that is getting settled into taking rigorous scientific courses or discovering what organizations and committees you would like to be a part of, there is always room for exploration and discovery. Some students come into their P1 year already knowing exactly what path they would like to follow, and many others will still be deciding which one of the many careers a pharmacist can have post-graduation. If you decide that the pharmaceutical industry may be the place for you, it is never too early to start exploring what this field has to offer. This
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023 V. Langas, V. Flood, From PharmD to Industry, SpringerBriefs in Pharmaceutical Science & Drug Development, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35787-9_2
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section will help guide you through some of the items you should consider when starting to explore a potential career in the industry.
2.1 How Do I Know If the Pharmaceutical Industry Is the Right Career Choice for Me? There is no single definition of the type of person who enters into a fellowship or the pharmaceutical industry. In general, choosing a career involves a multitude of experiences and decisions that reflect what you find the most interesting and fulfilling. While you can read brochures and articles about fellowships, nothing can quite replace hands-on experiences and opportunities to interact with current fellows and professionals. One suggestion would be to attend a webinar/online workshop to learn more about a specific functional area or fellowship program. These opportunities can be found by joining professional organizations or even sourcing directly from fellowship programs themselves. Another suggestion would be to pursue some kind of internship in the summers between your professional years or part-time during the year if your school schedule allows. An internship with places like a pharmaceutical company, contract research organization (CRO), and/or third- party company (e.g., competitive intelligence, advertising, medical writing, etc.) can all provide you with important skills and opportunities to further explore if working in this field is right for you. Lastly, try to find time to reflect on your strengths, areas of opportunity, life/academic experiences, and projects that energize you. Activity 1 will help guide your path and reveal some areas you may want to pursue.
2.1 How Do I Know If the Pharmaceutical Industry Is the Right Career Choice for Me?
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Activity 1: Lets Reflect It is important to recognize and reflect on your reasons for pursuing a fellowship. The following questions will aid you in solidifying your motives and assist in your critical thinking before you choose specific programs or companies. Honesty in this reflection is crucial, as these questions will help guide your future career path. Why am I interested in applying for fellowship? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ How will a fellowship program support my future career goals? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Why would I make a great fellow? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ What are some skills/traits that would make me a strong fellow? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ What functional area am I interested in? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________
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Why does this functional area interest me? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ What role within this particular functional area interests me? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ What credentials do I need to apply for each program? Do I have and/or meet the program’s credentials? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ How would pursuing a fellowship impact my future and career goals? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Do I have any experience within this role? If not, what previous experiences and transferable skills can I bring to the role? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________
2.4 Is an Industry Internship or Experiential Rotation Required to Obtain a Fellowship?
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2.2 What Are Some Popular Industry-Related Professional Organizations to Be a Part of? When building knowledge and repertoire within the pharmaceutical industry, it is important to take advantage of the many learning and development opportunities that professional organizations provide. Listed below in Table 2.1 are various pharmacy organizations one can become a member of within a desired functional area. Some pharmacy schools even have student chapters in place to support further growth opportunities. For example, the Industry Pharmacists Organization (IPhO) has a student chapter called the Student Industry Pharmacists Organization (SIPhO) which you may want to consider joining. If there is not already a chapter in place at your school and you are interested in building more of an industry presence at your program, do not be afraid to reach out to your faculty and inquire about starting your own chapter! Additional Tips and Tricks: • Try and see if your school has partnerships with certain professional organizations for workshops, online classes/continuing education, and webinars • See if the organization has student membership discounts for students
2.3 What Are Some Industry-Related Internships Available? What Resources Can I Use to Find Internships? If you are starting to realize you may want to pursue a career in industry or fellowship, it would be helpful to start researching internship opportunities with pharmaceutical companies as well as narrowing in on what functional area you would like to pursue. Most opportunities can be found through a general online search, but you may have to start your research with companies that already offer fellowships or pharmacy rotations. Although opportunities may vary from year to year, you can find a general list of internships in Appendix 1.
2.4 Is an Industry Internship or Experiential Rotation Required to Obtain a Fellowship? This is one of the most popular questions fellows get asked during the application process. No, an industry internship or rotation is not required to obtain a fellowship. The most important thing is that you understand the role you are pursuing and how it fits into the industry landscape. In addition, interviewers want to see that you understand the roles/responsibilities and have carefully assessed this career path over more traditional ones such as residency, retail pharmacy, and academia. The
2 The First Professional Year (P1)
28 Table 2.1 Professional organization chart Desired membership area General industry memberships
Regulatory affairs
Medical affairs
Commercial Clinical development
Pharmacovigilance/drug safety
Insight generation and access
Quality affairs
Organizations Industry Pharmacists Organization (IPhO) American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) American Pharmacists Association (APhA) American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS) Drug Information Association (DIA) The Organization for Professionals in Regulatory Affairs (TOPRA) Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) BioProcess International American Society for Pharmacy Law North Carolina Regulatory Affairs Forum Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) Accreditation Council for Medical Affairs (ACMA) American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) FiercePharma The Association of Clinical Research Drug Information Association (DIA) The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) The American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (ASCPT) The Society of Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA) The International Society of Pharmacovigilance (ISoP) Pharmaceutical Information and Pharmacovigilance Association (PIPA) The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Society of Quality Assurance (SQA) Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) Association for Accessible Medicine American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM) Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) Medical Device & Manufacturing (MD&M) International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA)
Note: This table is not extensive. Some organizations may cross over into other functional areas
2.5 I Have Decided That I Would Like to Pursue a Career in Industry…
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easiest way to achieve this level of understanding is by having industry experience because you are immersed in the role and can “try out” the position before applying. However, many students do not have access to these types of experiences and are able to leverage webinars, their network, and participation in professional organizations/case competitions in their pursuit of industry knowledge. Regardless of your circumstances, if you are proactive towards seeking industry-related experiences and can demonstrate a detailed understanding of the role you are pursuing, you should be able to be a competitive applicant for a fellowship.
2.5 I Have Decided That I Would Like to Pursue a Career in Industry. What Are Some Other Things I Can Do in My First Professional Year to Help Prepare Me? Outside of joining professional organizations or applying for internships, there are other ways that you can prepare for a future in the pharmaceutical industry. To navigate the fellowship process, it may be helpful to seek out a mentor in a position in pharmacy/industry that can guide you. To find a mentor, it would be helpful to start with your faculty members and advisors to connect with and develop a strong professional relationship. To expand beyond this network, see if your advisors have any connections to pharmacists in the industry or peruse LinkedIn for any alumni that have pursued a fellowship or industry career. We will dive into this subject in more detail in Chap. 4: The Third Professional Year (P3). In addition to joining organizations and finding mentors, it is never too early to start building your curriculum vitae (CV) and connecting with those who may be your future recommendation letter writers. For example, explore research projects with faculty members, participate in the Value of Industry Pharmacist (VIP) Case Competition, and apply for leadership positions. It is a bonus if you start choosing things relating to the functional area you are interested in!
Chapter 3
The Second Professional Year (P2)
Abstract In the second professional year (P2), it is helpful to determine what kind of impact you would like to make as a future pharmacist. Therefore, a variety of hands-on experiences can support the decision-making process and even help foster some key skills that will be necessary for your professional development. In addition, these experiences can also help narrow down functional areas of interest and guide you towards a specific industry career path. This chapter will help steer you through the process of choosing a functional area and assist you with your search for hands-on experiences. Keywords P2 · Hands-on experience · Skills · Learning · Opportunity · Functional area Your first year may have seemed like a complete blur, but you made it to your second year! Even though you’ll be diving deeper into pharmacotherapy, this is also your opportunity to start defining what your passions are and how you want to impact the world as a future pharmacist. As you move into your second year, continue all the activities you have been pursuing in your first year and start refining where you see yourself within the pharmaceutical industry landscape.
3.1 Why Is Hands-On Experience Important to Try and Obtain Following the First Professional Year? Much like a residency program, it is important that you start showing that you have spent time in the field utilizing your clinical acumen, critical thinking abilities, and communication skills. These experiences could look like performing intern duties in a pharmacy or even participating in an industry internship! In addition, it is important to spend time developing why you are pursuing industry and not a residency, community position, etc. Interviewers want to know that you have explored other © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023 V. Langas, V. Flood, From PharmD to Industry, SpringerBriefs in Pharmaceutical Science & Drug Development, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35787-9_3
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areas and know how those roles are important to the industry as well. For example, it may be helpful for a regulatory fellow to work in a community pharmacy to provide further understanding of the importance of labeling and pharmaceutical dosing (capsule, once-daily dosing, etc.). Having work experience also shows that you were able to manage your time with a busy school schedule as well as build upon other professional skills such as communication, organization, and teamwork.
3.2 What Experiences Outside Industry May Be Valuable to Look Into? Although an industry internship seems easy to obtain, the reality is that opportunities in your area of interest may be few and far between. In addition, participation in a pharmaceutical industry internship can involve costly travel and conflict with your school schedule/curriculum. If you are struggling to find an internship in this area, you are not alone. Even if you are unable to obtain an industry internship, you can still build upon your current talents and develop an arsenal of transferable skills to arm yourself with. Listed below are a few alternative opportunities to investigate so that you can continue to build upon your resume (Table 3.1): Table 3.1 Potential learnings from pharmacy experiences Pharmacy experience Community pharmacy (CVS, Walgreens, independent pharmacy, etc.) Hospital pharmacy (inpatient hospital pharmacy, outpatient hospital pharmacy, infusion clinic, specialty care clinic, etc.) Contract research organizations (CRO)
Investigational drug service (hospital setting)
Managed care organizations
Potential learning opportunities/skills Teamwork, communication, labeling/packaging, understanding patient needs/perspectives, inventory management, clinical knowledge, working in a fast-paced environment, multi-tasking, payer/insurance challenges, audits and regulatory requirements Teamwork, communication, labeling/packaging, understanding patient needs/perspectives, audits and regulatory requirements, inventory management, clinical knowledge, working in a fast-paced environment, multi-tasking, pharmacy and therapeutics committee meetings Clinical trial management, teamwork, communication, investigator manuals/brochures, clinical trial implementation, data insights and analysis, understanding trial participant needs/ perspectives, understanding needs of the sponsor company, review of clinical trial design, patient and trial monitoring, teamwork, record-keeping Clinical trial implementation, investigator manuals/brochures, investigational review board (irb) meetings and review, administration of investigational drug product, patient reporting, review of clinical trial design, patient monitoring, teamwork, record-keeping Payer interactions, drug therapy utilization, patient access programs and strategy, teamwork, communication, understanding relationship between key parties (pharmacy benefit manager (PBM), insurer, payer)
3.3 How Do I Start Narrowing Down Which Functional Areas to Pursue?
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3.3 How Do I Start Narrowing Down Which Functional Areas to Pursue? Narrowing your search and starting to finalize the 2–3 functional areas you want to explore for your future career can be daunting. There is unfortunately no crystal ball that can define which functional area is best for you; however, you can refine your list by listing the qualities of the profession and seeing which functional area is most similar to your interests and working style. You can review Table 3.2 to see the following criteria that align with each functional area. Please note that this is a general overview, and criteria can vary depending on the specific program, drug product, and role you are a part of. In addition, answering some of these questions below can also help guide your decisions: • • • • • • • • • • • • •
What motivates me to wake up each day? How much of my clinical knowledge do I want to utilize each day? Do I prefer working independently or on a team? Do I like a lot of variety in my day-to-day work? Would I like to travel frequently for my position? Do I like giving presentations, being a writer, or both? Am I passionate about a specific therapeutic area? Am I an organized individual, and do I like to manage projects? Who do I like engaging with most (patients, prescribers, internal management, health authorities, etc.)? Do I want the ability to move vertically quickly? Do I want the ability to move laterally? Do I like working cross-functionally or more within my own team? Do I prefer working locally, internationally, or both?
Criteria Utilizes clinical/pharmacy knowledge Strong presentation skills Communication with external stakeholders Early-Stage development Late-Stage development Travel required Strong writing skills Prescriber-facing Patient-facing Therapeutic area focused Therapeutic area flexible
X
X
X
Clinical development X
Table 3.2 Functional area, criteria, and skills
X
X
X X
X
X
X X X X X X X X
X X
X X
X
Medical affairs X
Regulatory Commercial affairs
X
X
Pharmacovigilance/ Safety X
X
X X
X X
X X
Insight Generation and Access
X
X X
Quality affairs
34 3 The Second Professional Year (P2)
Chapter 4
The Third Professional Year (P3)
Abstract The third professional year (P3) is a pivotal period where you can develop a deeper understanding of your chosen functional area and interact more heavily with current fellows and industry professionals. This brief chapter provides some suggestions on how to find more resources about your chosen functional area, build your industry network, and effectively ask meaningful questions during one-on-one (1:1) meetings. Keywords P3 · Resources · Network · Mentor · Meeting For most students, the third professional year marks the halfway point of their pharmacy education. Whether you just completed your Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPEs), finished an industry internship, or spent your summer working in a community pharmacy or laboratory setting, these hands-on experiences should help point you towards the functional area you want to pursue post- graduation. For example, for those that really enjoyed their Pharmacokinetic/ Pharmacodynamic courses as well as participated in laboratory research, you may be more inclined to pursue clinical development and strategize how to test a novel therapy in patients. On the other hand, for those that particularly liked working up patients, analyzing side effects, and assessing risk, a career in pharmacovigilance may be in your future. Regardless of what you decide, your third professional year is all about building your knowledge in specific functional areas and setting a foundation for your upcoming application.
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023 V. Langas, V. Flood, From PharmD to Industry, SpringerBriefs in Pharmaceutical Science & Drug Development, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35787-9_4
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4.1 Now That I Have Chosen the Specific Functional Area I Would Like to Pursue, Where Can I Go to Dive Deeper into These Subjects? Even though the number of pharmaceutical industry positions has grown significantly, the education surrounding these career paths is still growing and changing from year to year. For those wanting to conduct simple, independent research, nothing beats an Internet search. Through this method, you may not only find resources on popular industry organizations, but you may also find student forums and blogs with first-hand information. Another resource that is extremely valuable is going to be fellowship brochures. Fellowship brochures are often updated yearly to support the upcoming application cycle and contain detailed information about the roles/responsibilities of fellows in their functional area. Not only can you see general activities of a specific functional area, but you can also compare brochures between companies and programs to provide a fuller picture of a specific functional area. For example, if you were pursuing regulatory affairs, you may find that some programs focus on early-stage programs versus late-stage programs. In seeing this, you may ask yourself: 1 . What is the difference between early- and late-stage regulatory programs? 2. Based on my current skills and career goals, would a program focused on early or late stages suit me better? Questions like these are very important to define and understand because they will deepen your knowledge about the functional area (which is very impressive to interviewers) and also help guide you towards the right fellowship program/company for you. Lastly, other helpful resources would be to attend webinars and directly speak to individuals in your desired functional area. These webinars can range from functional area-specific presentations to application advice that incorporates panels with current fellows and alumni. Many organizations allow students to subscribe to email notifications for upcoming events and webinars. In addition, following your favorite fellowship programs on social media platforms, such as LinkedIn and Instagram, will also keep you updated on the latest news. After attending one of these webinars, if there is a specific speaker that really resonated with you and offered their contact information, do not hesitate to connect with them and set up a one-on-one (1:1) meeting. By reaching out and meeting other fellows, you can get personalized advice on becoming a fellow and start building your network of industry professionals.
4.2 How Do I Begin and Continue Building My Industry Network and Finding Mentors? As mentioned in earlier sections, the easiest way to start building your network is to begin with your closest connections. Other students in your program, faculty, and pharmacists you encounter on a shift or during rotations can directly connect you to
4.2 How Do I Begin and Continue Building My Industry Network and Finding Mentors?
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people they know in the industry. Even if their connection isn’t the exact person you are looking for, that person could probably connect you to someone they know and, so on. Beyond using your immediate connections, you can always attend webinars as well as scan through company brochures and LinkedIn to find fellows in your functional area, company, or program of interest. It may feel difficult to “cold call” and reach out to fellows, and you may question the process, but weighing the pros and cons the answer is clear. In the worst-case scenario, you receive no response or even “no” as a response. However, the best-case scenario is that you may receive a new connection and a lifelong mentor. Once you have started reaching out and building initial connections, it is important to continue to maintain these connections and ensure that you’re receiving valuable insight and growth in your professional relationship. Make sure you come to initial 1:1 meetings prepared with a list of questions that are insightful and not just searchable online (see below for a few examples). In addition, your engagement, enthusiasm, and curiosity during meetings will create a space for conversations to flow and leave a positive, lasting impression on everyone you meet. In the following weeks, months, or even years, don’t be afraid to reach back out to old connections and update them on your career and catch up on any news from their side. Who knows, maybe your old connection could become your next manager! Pharmacy is a small world. As students, we get told this time after time, and it is a reminder to always remain professional and seek out meaningful connections. It is never too early to start building your network, and know that no matter what career path you choose, your network is your net worth. In Table 4.1, you will find questions you may consider asking in various meetings with fellows, employees, or managers. Table 4.1 Questions to ask during a 1:1 meeting To current fellows: What drew you to the pharmaceutical industry? What was your journey to obtaining a fellowship? How did you choose your specific functional area/company/program? If you could give a few pieces of advice to a prospective fellow, what would you say? What mentorship opportunities have you gained from your fellowship? Where do you see yourself post-fellowship? How are fellows assessed throughout their fellowship? What resources would you recommend to learn more about the role/company/program? What would you attribute to your success in obtaining a fellowship? To employees/managers: What has been your career journey thus far? What drew you to the pharmaceutical industry and what has made you stay? What projects or events would you attribute to your current career success? If you could give a few pieces of advice to a prospective employee, what would you say? What are some of your greatest challenges? What have you looked for when evaluating company culture? What does vertical movement look like in this functional area/company? What are some key attributes your team looks for when hiring new colleagues? What professional organizations are you a part of?
Chapter 5
The Fourth Professional Year (P4)
Abstract The fourth professional year (P4) is an exciting year due to pharmacy rotations and finishing up any last requirements before graduation. In addition, this is usually the first large step pharmacy students take towards their future careers by working, interning, and applying to their desired jobs. Navigating the fellowship application process can be challenging, and this chapter focuses on guiding applicants through the development of their curriculum vitae (CV), letter of intent (LOI), and letter of recommendation (LOR). In addition, this chapter provides some key advice for choosing programs and preparing for interviews. Keywords Application · P4 · Curriculum vitae · Letter of intent · Letter of recommendation · Interview preparation After all your research, studying, and consideration, the time has come for you to start finalizing your applications and preparing yourself for the interview process. Even though your focus is on obtaining a fellowship position following pharmacy graduation, the most important thing to remember is that this year is all about balance. Juggling rotations, studying, work, applications, interviews, and life responsibilities simultaneously is no easy feat. This year will probably test you to your limits, but the most important thing is to take care of your mental and physical self above all things. In addition, be honest with yourself and with others in your life (managers, preceptors, family, and friends) about your priorities and boundaries as you navigate this process. This year is all about you and your goals…after all you have worked hard for it! And lastly, know that you have prepared well for this journey, and if anyone can succeed, it is going to be you!
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023 V. Langas, V. Flood, From PharmD to Industry, SpringerBriefs in Pharmaceutical Science & Drug Development, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35787-9_5
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5.1 What Are the Main Things I Need to Be Focusing on for This Application Cycle? Prior to sending in your application, the top things you should be planning and organizing are the list of companies you would like to apply to, updating your curriculum vitae (CV), writing your Letter of Intent (LOI), practicing interview tactics, and planning/obtaining letters of recommendation (LORs). If you are having difficulty finding a place to start, please refer to Activity 2 for a personal reflection activity that should help kick off the application journey. We will dive deeper into these subjects in the following pages, but remember to stay organized as best as you can. It is easy to get lost in the whirlwind of fourth-year Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) rotations, and adding fellowship applications on top of that can throw you for a loop! Applications/positions usually start opening in early October (depending on the year and program) and do not always use a central system like the Pharmacy Online Residency Centralized Application Service (PHORCAS). Do your research! Make sure to look at specific program or company websites to learn more about their application process. Develop a timeline and make your personal deadlines at least a week prior to actual deadlines so you’ll keep yourself on track. Also, give yourself some leeway in case unexpected circumstances and delays arise. Most preliminary applications will be due prior to Midyear, and many screening interviews are scheduled on a rolling basis. It would be in your best interest to apply as early as possible. Some examples of application processes are listed below (Table 5.1):
Table 5.1 Affiliated program application process examples based on 2020–2021 application cycle Rutgers affiliated programs: MCPHS affiliated programs:
Northeastern affiliated programs:
Upload the CV and LOI to their designated platform. On the deadline, you will be assigned a randomized number. This number will be used at Midyear to determine in what order you can choose your programs and first-round interview time slots. Upload the CV and LOI to their designated platform along with any other requested materials from the company. Once the application is completed, companies that require a phone screen will reach out to you and schedule a time for the interview. Otherwise, you will be contacted to schedule a first-round interview that will take place at Midyear. Email the CV and LOI to the designated email address along with the name of the company you are applying for. If a phone screen is required, it will be conducted prior to Midyear. Otherwise, you will be contacted to schedule a first-round interview that will take place at Midyear.
5.2 I’ve Narrowed Down my Functional Area, But How Do I Choose What…
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5.2 I’ve Narrowed Down my Functional Area, But How Do I Choose What Program/Company Is Right for Me? The process of choosing a program/company will vary from person to person and revolve around your personal career goals. As you can see in Appendix 2, there are numerous programs to choose from and fellowships can even vary depending on the year. The three easiest ways to start narrowing down the list are by filtering the companies based on: • If the program offers your desired functional or therapeutic area • If you would prefer an affiliated or non-affiliated program (please refer back to Sect. 1.2 for more clarity on affiliated versus non-affiliated programs) • The location of the program/company For the first bullet, make sure to review the previous application cycle’s brochures to get a better understanding of what roles and positions were available. Starting a few months before applications open, programs should be publishing their updated brochures with more accurate information. For most people, narrowing down companies based on the aforementioned criteria provides a clean list to start with. Leading up to applications, many programs and companies will offer webinars, opportunities to meet fellows, and even host events where you can learn more about their program, such as Rutgers FIND or MCPHS Fellows Day. Attending as many of these events as possible may also help filter out which companies you would like to apply to. If you have a very specific question, do not hesitate to reach out to your personal network or current fellows on LinkedIn to help gather more information. There is no magic number for how many companies you should apply to, but keep in mind the rigor of the application process and whether or not you truly want that specific company/position. It shows throughout the interview process when applicants are not passionate about the company they are applying to.
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Activity 2: Questions to Ask Yourself Prior to Applying for Fellowships It is important to ask yourself multiple questions before you decide if pursuing a particular program or fellowship is right for you. Use this exercise to assist in your decision-making process. Where is this fellowship located? Am I flexible to any location, or am I restricted to a certain region? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ How will this fellowship help me achieve my long-term career goals? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ What is the company culture like? Can I picture myself working there? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Do I know anyone who works for the company and/or do I have any networking connections within the company? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Are my resume and cover letter(s) personalized to the company and the fellowship description? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Will I be challenged financially and personally by obtaining a fellow salary, relocating, etc.? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________
5.2 I’ve Narrowed Down my Functional Area, But How Do I Choose What…
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Do my social media profiles represent me well? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Do I fit the candidate job description? Do I qualify for the fellowship? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ What kind of personal and professional growth will I gain? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ How would pursuing a fellowship impact my future and career goals? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Are there any educational institutions affiliated with this role? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Are there any teaching opportunities affiliated with this role? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________
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5.3 When and How Should I Ask for Letters of Recommendation? Letters of recommendation are a key part of the application process because they provide another perspective to interviewers about your work ethic, personality, and professionalism. It is generally good practice to find letter authors from different parts of your life so that you can cover a wide variety of perspectives. For example, if a program requires three letters of recommendation, it would be to your advantage to choose a faculty member/professor, a manager/supervisor, and a preceptor from your current rotations. (*Note: Some programs may specify specific people they would like letters from, so you should research this prior to seeking out authors.) Having this variety shows interviewers your strengths across a myriad of different settings and situations. Another factor you should take into consideration is how well you believe your letter author can attest to your positive traits and experiences. If you are ever in doubt, there is no problem in asking the author if they can provide you with a strong letter of recommendation. You don’t want to be in a situation where a bad letter of recommendation messes up your whole application! Once you have chosen your letter writers, it would be in your best interest to reach out about one month prior to when you are planning on submitting applications so they have ample time to complete their responses and so you can schedule to meet with them to discuss any requirements, processes, and content. When initiating LOR conversations, make sure you are conscientious of your writers’ time and express gratitude for their efforts. Here is an example of a simple LOR request: Dear Dr. Smith, I hope this email finds you well. Thank you very much for having me as a student pharmacy intern on rotation. I have truly enjoyed my time serving with you as well as getting the opportunity to build upon my teaching and communication skills through counseling patients, conducting presentations, and participating in overall patient care. In addition, our work with patients has always inspired me to continue influencing the community around me and find novel, large-scale ways to impact the healthcare space. I have decided to pursue a fellowship in industry following graduation and was wondering if you would consider writing me a strong letter of recommendation in pursuit of this career. I would be happy to meet with you, provide an updated CV, or assist you further in any way necessary. Once again, thank you for your time and consideration. I would be honored to have you as a writer for one of my letters of recommendation and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Warm regards, Jane Doe
Following initial conversations, consider providing letter writers with your LOI and/or CV to assist with the process, and make sure to keep them up-to-date with any deadlines or procedures. You may have to coordinate different usernames/ passwords, portals, and LOR formats depending on the program/company you apply to.
5.4 How Do I Start Developing my Curriculum Vitae (CV) and Letter of Intent (LOI)?
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5.4 How Do I Start Developing my Curriculum Vitae (CV) and Letter of Intent (LOI)? To start building content for your CV and LOI, let’s take a step back and understand the purpose of these documents. A CV is more than just a list of all your accomplishments and experiences, and an LOI is more than a cleverly articulated love letter to your favorite company. Instead, both application materials are supposed to be the best representation of who you are on a sheet of paper. When an interviewer reads what you place onto the page, they are trying to build a picture of their next fellow and even their future employee. This means that it is incredibly imperative that you don’t just focus on specific events/accomplishments but on your transferable skills. Transferable skills are the traits you have that are applicable to the specific roles and responsibilities of the position you are applying to. Yes, it was cool that you were Vice President of your pharmacy volunteering group, but what skills did you learn from this experience, and how could it be applied to your future fellowship position? Identifying your transferable skills and articulating them well are the keys to every CV, LOI, and interview question you will ever cross paths with. If you can master this skill, everything else will fall into place. With that said, how do we start identifying transferable skills and applying them to CV and LOI content? 1. Make a list of traits and skills that define you • Example: hard-working, detail-oriented, empathetic, etc. 2. Identify specific experiences that support the trait that you listed • Example: Organized and strong communicator = coordinating and leading meetings between my volunteer organization and hospital leadership. In addition to making a list of traits and supporting experiences, it is important to develop your personal story about why you have chosen this career journey, what you could bring to your fellowship program, and how this fellowship is imperative to your future in this field. This is the foundation for all your application materials and interview questions. If you can confidently and clearly answer the “Why’s and the What’s” in Fig. 5.1, you will be able to successfully tackle every part of the application process!
Fig. 5.1 Why’s and the What’s
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5 The Fourth Professional Year (P4)
5.5 What Are General Things to Keep in Mind When Constructing my CV? There is no “magic” number for how many pages a fellowship CV should be. However, if you think about how many documents a single interviewer may have to review, it would be best to tell your story in the most concise and effective way possible. For most students, 2–4 pages are sufficient to capture their most important accomplishments and highlight the associated transferable skills. In addition, making sure that your CV is readable and easy to navigate can help make the review process for interviewers very efficient. Some general rules to follow are: • • • •
Fonts: Calibri, Arial, Times New Roman Font Size: 10–12 pt. Ensuring aligned and consistent formatting/margins Utilizing section headers/dividers and bullets
Lastly, how you organize the information on your CV is critical to telling your story. Always highlight your most valuable experiences and organize the sections on your CV based on where you see your most significant accomplishments. For example, most applicants will highlight their relevant industry experience (if applicable) on the first page of their CV since that is what is most relatable to a fellowship role. However, just like there is no “magic number” of pages, there is also no perfect way to format a CV. Choose the way that tells your story the best!
5.6 What Makes a “Great” CV? Your CV is one of the first things an interviewer looks at prior to meeting you and sometimes even before offering you a first-round interview. This snapshot must not only list out all your greatest accomplishments but also create a picture of who you are as a person. As mentioned before, a critical part of your CV is telling your story. Your life story shouldn’t be a regurgitated list of experiences and jobs. Instead, clearly show the readers what your passions and interests are through your achievements, leadership positions, and job opportunities. Maybe you have a favorite volunteering opportunity or a research presentation you are most proud of. Utilize your sub-bullet points/description to really highlight your passions behind these experiences and why they have significantly impacted your pharmacy journey. In addition, show what you have learned from these experiences AND what you can bring to a future fellowship. (Refer back to your initial list of traits/transferable skills!) In other words, when someone reads your CV, they should be able to parse out what your transferable skills are and what kind of impact you made. You will find an example in Table 5.2. Lastly, here are some general tips and tricks for your CV that current fellows recommend after completing their application process:
5.7 What Is a Letter of Intent (LOI) and How Is It Generally Structured?
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Table 5.2 How to differentiate a “good” and “great” CV “Good” CV Vice President – Pharmacy Organization • Presented agenda and slide deck for monthly meeting • Participated and planned monthly volunteer events • Created monthly newsletters for the organization
“Great” CV Vice President – Pharmacy Organization • Led and organized monthly meetings based on committee accomplishments and priorities • Designed content for monthly newsletters and developed proficiency in Adobe InDesign • Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with the leadership team to create monthly volunteer events that impacted over 100 local clinics
• Prioritize the MOST important information. –– Choose experiences/accomplishments that you could speak about in an interview for at least 2 min. –– When deciding whether to keep or cut something from your CV, ask yourself: “Does the item on my CV take away from another, more important experience?” • Ensure your CV is clear, concise, and easy to read. –– Does your message get lost in blocks of texts or is it easily discernible? –– Is your design and formatting distracting to the reader? Highlight your UNIQUE qualities –– Focus on the things that make you different from other candidates! –– Always start off a bullet point with a strong “action verb” such as led, demonstrated, constructed, designed, etc.
5.7 What Is a Letter of Intent (LOI) and How Is It Generally Structured? A LOI is an introductory correspondence to an employer that expresses your interest in the position and showcases the experiences/skills you have that are applicable to the role. A LOI is generally one page in length; however, depending on your story, two pages can also be acceptable. It is structured as follows: • Greeting/Salutation: name of company, address, hiring manager, date • Introduction: personal details such as current education/job status, explanation of primary interest in the role/company, summary of overall experiences • Body: detailed accounts of experiences, learnings, transferable skills, and any other information supporting your application • Call to Action/Closing: thanking the employer, hopes for the future, how this position can help you further your career, final remarks, formal sign-off (e.g., warm regards, sincerely, etc.), and signature
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5.8 What Tips and Tricks Do You Have Regarding an LOI? At the end of the day, an LOI is an outpouring of all the reasons why you feel you deserve a fellowship position and why that company would be the best fit for you. Beyond what you have listed in your CV, you are able to dive into more detail about the experiences that you are most passionate about and the achievements that led you to where you are today. If you feel lost or like you have writer’s block, refer back to the list of experiences and traits you made and try to connect these together into a seamless story. Also, it is critical that you keep your transferable skills relevant to the position you are applying to. Oftentimes, it is helpful to look at current job postings in your desired functional area online to see what qualifications are necessary for the role. Outside of the general content of the LOI, make sure you stay organized and keep track of all the specific requirements needed in the LOI. For example, some programs may specify a specific person to address the letter to or a certain way to structure the header. Check company brochures and websites for the most up-to-date requirements and processes.
5.9 What Is Some General Advice You Can Provide About Preparing for Interviews? Another important aspect of the application process is practicing and preparing for interviews. Interviews are arguably the most important part of the entire process because this is where the teams can get to know you better through situational and behavioral questions and decide whether you would be a good asset for the team. Likewise, interviews provide an opportunity for you to assess the company and team members and solidify whether or not this is the right company/program for you. In order to start preparing for interviews, refer back to your initial answers to the “Why’s and the What’s” from earlier in this section. You would be surprised to know that many applicants can’t clearly articulate answers to these eight questions! Beyond just being able to answer those questions, always remember to tie your interview responses back to your “Why’s and What’s”. It can be easy to get lost in describing an experience on your CV and completely forget to show the interviewers why you want a fellowship and what you can bring to the table! Another important thing to remember is that anything written on your CV is fair game for an interview question. Be sure that you are confident in articulating your role and key takeaways/ transferable skills from the experience. In general, interview questions can be divided into three categories: situational, behavioral, and technical. (Please see Fig. 5.2 for more information.) The reason why it is important to understand the different categories is so that you better understand the interviewer’s perspective and what they may be looking for. For example, if you are asked a situational question such as, “tell me about a time where you led a team,” it can be inferred that your role may entail a lot of collaborative
5.9 What Is Some General Advice You Can Provide About Preparing for Interviews?
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Fig. 5.2 Interview question categories
teamwork that you may have to manage. Now that you understand the reason behind the question, you can better tailor your answer to match the company’s needs and highlight your transferable skills more effectively. Next, it is important to structure your responses in a clear and concise manner. One popular way to do this is by utilizing the STAR method: situation, task, action, and result. First, briefly describe the setting and provide a general context of the situation. Whether it is due to nerves or overall excitement, many applicants spend a significant time on explaining the situation, which can sometimes detract from the overall response. Try your best to not ramble, and if you notice yourself straying from the original prompt, take a moment to pause and bring yourself back to the original question. After you describe the situation, outline your role/responsibility and what actions you took to accomplish the task at hand. Lastly, be sure to articulate the final results of your actions and tie it back to how you can apply what you did/learned to a future fellowship position. Depending on which stage of the interview process you are in, you may have more behavioral questions than technical questions, and vice versa. Therefore, it is very important to develop responses to all different types of questions, whether that is simply writing down a few bullet points or even having your favorite preceptor or classmate conduct a mock interview. For examples of popular interview questions, see Appendix 3 for practice questions and challenge yourself to develop your own responses!
Chapter 6
Midyear Applications, Interviews, and Receptions
Abstract After the preparation of key application materials has begun and the desired programs are chosen, the focus then shifts towards Midyear applications, interviews, and receptions. This part of the fellowship journey involves a significant amount of coordination and prioritization due to the nature of applying to multiple companies/programs across the country as well as the variability in application processes. This chapter aims to educate readers about the end-to-end interview process, from registration at Midyear and personal placement service (PPS) to on-site interviews. Keywords P4 · Midyear application · Interview · Receptions · Personal placement service The time has finally come! You’ll probably have a lot of mixed emotions filled with anxiety, excitement, and nervousness (which is completely normal, we have all felt this way). Fellowship applications and Midyear can be intimidating, but don’t doubt yourself now!
6.1 How Do I Navigate Midyear and Personal Placement Service (PPS)? Midyear is a whirlwind. You will be navigating multiple rounds of interviews, dinner receptions, and luncheons, as well as the conference center, which in itself is a challenge. The most important thing is to stay calm, stay fed/hydrated, and stay organized. Most of your interviews and events following your first-round interview will be scheduled through email, phone, or PPS, so it is of the utmost importance to have a central calendar to keep track of everything. Please see our central calendar
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023 V. Langas, V. Flood, From PharmD to Industry, SpringerBriefs in Pharmaceutical Science & Drug Development, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35787-9_6
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example template in Appendix 4 and our checklist for the PPS/Fellowship Process at the end of this section to assist in your success. *Note: For some programs, the interview process will start on a Saturday. Therefore, depending on where you apply, you may be required to arrive a day earlier than some of your peers. Please keep this in mind when budgeting and booking your flights and hotels. In addition, it is highly advised that you review the PPS room layout and map of booths prior to Midyear (some fellows suggest keeping a copy on your phone for easy access at Midyear). Know where you must be for each interview, and arrive at least 5 min early! Institution-affiliated programs (i.e., Rutgers, MCPHS, Purdue, etc.) will typically have a designated waiting area where you will have to check in prior to your interview. If they don’t have a check-in service, then you will be waiting along with other fellow applicants until your name is called. Be sure to keep an eye out for your name because after it is called a few times and you miss it, you may forfeit your time slot. Other programs/companies will have you meet them directly at their assigned booth.
6.2 What Should I Bring to Midyear/PPS? In terms of paper goods, it is recommended that you bring on average three copies of your CV for each position you applied to. Some companies may already have it printed or have it pulled up on their computers/tablets, but it is best to have printed copies to be on the safe side. In addition, any notes for presentations or other required materials for your interview as specified by the company would also be important to keep in an organized folder. Third, consider bringing plenty of “Thank You” cards to write thank you notes to your interviewers throughout your process. Lastly, a business card to trade with those you network with (employees, fellows, other applicants, etc.) can also help you keep track of who you have encountered, and maybe you’ll even make a lifelong connection along the way! In general, Midyear is hectic. Your days will be spent interviewing and prepping for those interviews, and sometimes you are forced to schedule interviews back-to- back. Many people don’t have enough time for a meal, so it is highly advised that you bring a water bottle and plenty of snacks to help get you through the day without crashing. On-the-go, quick and easy things like granola bars or nuts are great to pack. Comfortable shoes are another essential item, or a change of shoes to carry around since you will be doing A LOT of walking. Other personal items to bring include a laptop (in case you want to further research companies/programs) and a watch (to keep track of time without having to look at your phone during an interview). Please see our essentials for Midyear/PPS checklist at the end of this section for more information on what to bring.
6.3 What Is the Interview Process Like at Midyear?
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6.3 What Is the Interview Process Like at Midyear? Interviews for fellowships can range from a single interview to up to three rounds of interviews plus dinner receptions/cocktail hours for each company. Outside of this, you may also be offered an on-site or “final” interview with additional colleagues. (*Note: You may not be offered an on-site interview until the last day of Midyear or after Midyear is over.) In general, interview questions get harder in terms of difficulty with each subsequent round. Most phone screens and first-round interviews are behaviorally focused, and each round following will incorporate more situational and technical questions. Phone Screens: If a phone screening interview is required, it will be conducted on a rolling basis throughout October/November once the application portals are open. Therefore, it would be in your best interest to apply as early as possible. After the phone screen, you may then receive an offer to schedule an in-person interview at Midyear. Some programs require you to work through a scheduler, while others have an online scheduling system or utilize the PPS system. First-Round Interviews: For most programs, this is the first time you will be meeting with them face-to-face, so it’s important to make a good first impression. You will usually be in a booth with one to four interviewers, ranging from current fellows and preceptors to employees. The first thing you will commonly be asked for is your CV. At the end of your interview, feel free to ask the interviewer(s) for their business card and/or contact information. If you receive their business card, you can even jot down a quick note about that person to help you personalize thank you notes and ensure you aren’t misspelling their name. If you make it beyond this point, you will be contacted to schedule a second-round interview. Second/Third Round Interviews: These interviews are scheduled after each prior round and are usually coordinated by a fellow. It will either be done right at the end of the prior interview, or you will receive a phone call/email shortly after. Be sure to have your central interview calendar on hand because you will need to carefully schedule your next interview based on your availability and theirs. It would be helpful to leave at least 15–30 min between interviews to give yourself time to prepare for the next interview, take a short break, or navigate to the next booth, but sometimes this is not possible. If you have back-to-back interviews scheduled, try to keep track of time, and know where your next interview is located in the conference hall. Presentations: Some positions may require a presentation to be given as part of the interview process. This may be given virtually or in-person, depending on the timing and availability of the interviewers. If you are required to deliver a presentation, you will be notified in advance, and the company will generally provide some guidelines/topics to help you prepare. Receptions, Cocktail Hour, and Luncheons: If a company/program sees you as one of their top candidates, they may extend an invitation to a reception, cocktail hour, or luncheon. These events are invitation-only, and it is important to try your absolute best to attend all of them – even if it is only for a shorter period of time. Receptions are your chance to have dedicated networking time and learn more
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about the company in a more casual setting. In addition, this is also a great opportunity to show them your genuine personality and dive deeper into what your interests are. Dress code is usually professional cocktail attire. Quick tip: While there will be food and drinks at the reception and it is acceptable to have some, try to always keep your right hand free so you can shake hands with people you meet. There are generally two types of events: • Company-Specific Receptions. –– These receptions can occur throughout the day in the form of a luncheon or “happy hour” as well as in the evenings. They usually occur during the middle of the Midyear week and are offered to applicants that companies are interested in and want to learn more about in a more casual setting. Invitations can be offered after the first, second, and/or third round interviews. Attending a company-specific reception does not guarantee you a spot at a program- specific reception or subsequent interviews. –– Note: Many receptions occur at the same time, so make sure to divide your time wisely and consider travel time to different locations. When deciding which receptions to attend, go with the company that interests you more first, and then the other one if you still have time. Some fellows also suggest ending the night with your top company so that you will be freshest in their mind as they go into discussions about who should receive on-site interviews. Keep in mind that if you get an invite and you do not make an appearance at the event, it may show the company you are not interested in them. • Program-Specific Receptions: –– These receptions are held by the institution (i.e., Rutgers, MCPHS, etc.) and usually occur in the evening towards the end of the Midyear week. If you applied to more than one company within a program, it is very important that you carefully divide your time to meet with each company. This is your last chance to leave a final impression before Midyear ends. Be sure to enjoy the event, and as always, be yourself!
6.4 What Questions Should I Ask the Interviewers? Even though it may seem like Midyear is all about the company determining if they want you as their next fellow, interviews are just as important for you to decide if the company/program is the right fit for you. Therefore, it is important to develop meaningful questions for your interviewers. Depending on the questions you ask, this will ensure that the program can support your personal and professional career goals. In addition, this helps the interviewer gauge your level of interest in and understanding of the company and specific role. Here are some examples of questions to ask (Fig. 6.1):
6.5 What Is the Next Step After Midyear?
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Fig. 6.1 Program questions
6.5 What Is the Next Step After Midyear? Congratulations, you’ve made it through Midyear! Be proud of yourself, as we all know it wasn’t an easy process. So, what comes next? On the last day of Midyear and the following days after, companies will begin offering on-site interviews and fellowship offers to their top applicants. Prior to on-sites, be sure all your application materials have been submitted, such as LORs, since offers cannot be made until all application materials have been submitted. On-Site Interviews: On-site interviews can occur as soon as the following week after Midyear, across the Christmas break, and leading into the first 2 weeks of January (timing subject to change depending on program). It is very important that you leave these few weeks open and are flexible if you are offered on-site interviews. Gratefully, travel and lodging are usually paid for by the company. During the onsite interview, you can meet with other employees, ranging from immediate team members all the way to directors. You will also have a chance to tour the office and have more casual dinners/lunches planned. Most of the time, on-sites last an entire day, but sometimes they are split across 2 days, such as a dinner the night before and a full day of interviewing the next day. As a part of a company’s on-site interview, some may have a presentation component, and more details on this should be provided by the company prior to the on-site interview (Note: this is not a requirement for all companies). Once you’re done with the on-site interview, the company may respond that same day or wait until all applicants have been interviewed before providing offers. The ball is now in their court. Be patient, have faith, and most of all be excited because you made it through the entire fellowship application process!
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CHECKLIST FOR A VIRTUAL FELLOWSHIP PROCESS
PRIOR TO INTERVIEWS □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □
Review CV (and update if applicable) Ask for letters of recommendation Craft a letter of intent specific for each company and/or program Create company profiles for each company/program you are applying to Send in all applications and all other required materials Register for Midyear and PPS (if applicable) Review schedule to include times & dates Ensure all links and wi-fi are properly working before the interview Find a professional setting for your interviews (i.e., quiet space, neutral background, etc.) DURING INTERVIEWS
□ □ □ □ □ □
Be early to all interviews by at least 5–10 minutes, if possible Keep a schedule of all interview times and video/call links Wear professional yet comfortable attire Ask questions and be curious Be attentive toward the camera Be yourself while staying stay calm, cool, and collected AFTER PPS
□ □ □ □ □
Send “thank you” emails or notes Reflect on your interviews Create lists of top choices Coordinate and prepare for on-site interviews, if applicable Stay positive!
ESSENTIALS FOR MIDYEAR/PPS PROFESSIONAL CHECKLIST □ Curriculum vitae (~3 copies/company) □ Copies of a project related to industry (~10 copies) □ Copies of a prominent article written (~10 copies) □ “Thank You” notecards (~30 total) □ Padfolio or binder □ Business cards □ Questions for the programs PERSONAL CHECKLIST □ Professional attire □ Snacks and beverages □ Comfortable shoes □ Phone charger □ Interview schedule □ PPS badge □ Watch □ Laptop/computer (optional to review/research companies)
Chapter 7
Transitioning from Student to Fellow
Abstract Navigating the fellowship application journey and obtaining a position is a huge feat and something to be celebrated. Following all the excitement, most students wonder what happens in the time between accepting a position and their first day of work. This brief chapter provides general advice to help students smoothly transition to becoming fellows and continue building their knowledge base through activities such as networking and joining professional organizations. Keywords Transition · Education · Incoming fellow · Network · Professional organization Congratulations! You have worked diligently throughout your pharmacy curriculum and survived the application process to finally obtain a fellowship position! So, what comes next after you accept your offer and graduate from pharmacy school? Besides taking some well-deserved time off for yourself and celebrating your major accomplishments, the thought of starting a new role in a corporate environment may seem a little daunting. Know that you are not alone and that many other students are also feeling the exact same emotions as you are. The important thing to remember is that most of the things you will experience in the coming years will be new. The learning curve is HUGE. For most incoming fellows, working in a highly matrixed corporate environment is considered uncharted territory. On top of that, having to learn a whole new role and participate in projects you were never exposed to in pharmacy school is also very challenging. Because of this, you will have to rely heavily on your preceptors, second-year fellows (if applicable for your position), and managers to help you navigate your role. If you remain curious, open-minded, and dedicated to your work, you will be able to succeed in anything that you do in fellowship and beyond.
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023 V. Langas, V. Flood, From PharmD to Industry, SpringerBriefs in Pharmaceutical Science & Drug Development, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35787-9_7
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7.1 How Can I Continue My Education and Bridge Any Knowledge Gaps I Have? To find out what areas you could build upon and supplement with extra education, start by asking managers/preceptors and other fellows in your functional area what they wish they would have learned before starting their role. In addition, ask them what resources they referred to when starting a new project. Not only will this help you build your knowledge base, but this will also show your preceptors and managers that you are willing to go above and beyond to become more proficient in your role. Another way to continue your education is by joining a professional organization. Each functional area generally has a few organizations that hold in-person classes, webinars, conferences, and certification classes to support your professional growth. Please refer back to Table 2.1 for some popular organizations that fellows can be a part of. Some of these experiences can be a bit pricey, so don’t be afraid to ask your preceptor or program director if certain experiences can be reimbursed or funded by the company.
7.2 What General Advice Would You Give to an Incoming Fellow? Overall, take pride in the fact that you obtained a fellowship and accomplished many great things over the years in pharmacy school. Everything that you have learned (both soft skills and technical skills) will help guide you on your fellowship journey and make you a great asset to any team that you join. By leveraging your pharmacy knowledge, problem-solving skills, and communication skills, your insight and expertise can have a huge impact on the team. However, even though you have obtained a fellowship position, keep the end goal in mind of finding a full-time role post-fellowship. Build your network while you are at the company, and feel free to set up 1:1 meetings with colleagues and team members. In addition, don’t be afraid to ask your preceptor/manager and other fellows to connect you to colleagues in other roles and even members of the leadership team. Remember, your netWORK is your netWORTH. Another important tip is to ask curious questions. You don’t know what you don’t know, and the only way to start building your knowledge base is by asking questions. When you receive a task, try and understand the “why” behind it. Why is this specific task important, and how is it contributing to the overall project and success of the team? In the beginning, you may have minimal autonomy over the projects/tasks you are doing; however, over time, your managers will start increasing your responsibility. Therefore, it would be in your best interest to learn as much as you can about a task (even if it seems very mundane) so you can later have ownership and even lead future iterations of the same project. Also do not hesitate to ask for general help and support. Fellowship is incredibly busy, and once you add on things
7.2 What General Advice Would You Give to an Incoming Fellow?
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like scholarly projects, teaching requirements, and life responsibilities, things can get out of control. If you are confused about a project, be transparent about what you know and don’t know so that a team member can assist you. If you have too much on your plate between program requirements (for affiliated programs) and company responsibilities, sit down and be honest with your manager about your priorities and strategize your projects accordingly. Lastly, remember that this fellowship is all about you and your professional journey in the pharmaceutical industry. Take this time not only to learn and grow in your new role but also to discover what kind of impact you want to have on the world around you. This fellowship and every path you choose from this point forward are all stepping stones towards something really amazing. Strive to be the best version of yourself each day and stay curious about the adventures ahead. You never know what new doors may open for you! No matter which door you take, you should feel very proud knowing that you were able to make a significant change in the lives of many patients and people around you. Cheers to you, and best of luck in all your future endeavors!
Chapter 8
Navigating the Virtual Landscape
Abstract Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, industry fellowship programs and companies have had to adapt to a flexible working environment. Companies and fellowships have started incorporating more virtual components in their interview processes, and fellows are frequently working with a “hybrid” schedule with some days of the week working remotely and other days working in the office. With all these changes, students should be prepared for both an in-person and virtual landscape, as this could likely evolve in the coming years. This chapter aims to help educate readers about the virtual environment and provide tips for success when interviewing and starting a role with an online component. Keywords Virtual · Technology · Interview · Networking · Remote · Activity The COVID-19 pandemic has presented many new challenges to fellowship programs, affecting application processes, travel, relocation, and the virtual work environment. Though the pandemic has led to many changes, one thing is certain: fellowship programs are still desirable to aid in your professional development for your desired functional area.
8.1 How Has COVID-19 Affected the Application Process? Due to the pandemic, a virtual environment and application process is becoming more common. When navigating this process, it is important to remember a few things: 1. Just because this is a virtual environment does not mean the application process is any easier From experience, fellows and preceptors have found that they are able to successfully conduct virtual interviews and select their desired candidates. In addi-
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023 V. Langas, V. Flood, From PharmD to Industry, SpringerBriefs in Pharmaceutical Science & Drug Development, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35787-9_8
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tion, students are now able to participate in a vast number of interviews that are just as competitive as before. It is important to note that a virtual environment makes it more challenging for students to stay organized and focused on interviews. Each interview is individually important. Just as you would for PPS or in-person interviews, take the time to utilize your resources to prepare, reflect, and focus on each interview for best results. 2. Put your best foot forward Agility and adaptation are important traits in the pharmaceutical industry. There are times when it will be stressful and fast-paced, and other times when waiting on responses and offers will be slow and anxiety-inducing. Therefore, be yourself in interviews and remain positive throughout the process. 3 . Take the Process Seriously Just because these interviews are conducted virtually, this does not mean these interviews are any less important or valuable for progression in your interview process. Take the virtual landscape just as seriously as you would an in-person event. Virtual interviews allow preceptors, fellows, and companies to gauge your skills in a new and enhanced landscape. In addition, now that most companies have moved to a hybrid model of working, you will most likely have to be proficient at working in a virtual environment. Therefore, virtual interviews can provide a glimpse of your working style and demeanor in a virtual environment.
8.2 How Can I Be Successful in Virtual Interviews? Just like in-person Midyear, keeping organized during interview season is essential. Application deadlines and interview scheduling can span multiple weeks and months, so it is important to stay on top of your schedule to avoid conflicts with other interviews, rotation responsibilities, or work. Maintain a calendar with all of your application deadlines and interviews to ensure you do not miss any submissions or interviews. It may also be a good idea to dedicate a folder in your email that is specific to fellowship recruitment activities. The other key to success in virtual interviews is adequate preparedness. Like inperson Midyear, you will want to spend some time practicing interview questions. In addition, you should also prepare for all virtual components. The next section will detail some best practices.
8.3 How Do I Prepare My Technology for Interviews? For online interviews, it is essential that you ensure your technology is working prior to your scheduled interviews. There are a few things to consider, such as the video platform, sound and microphone quality, and wireless connection. Different
8.4 How Else Should I Prepare for Virtual Interviews?
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companies may also use different interviewing platforms. Popular video platforms include but are not limited to: • • • •
Zoom Microsoft Teams WebEx Google Meet
Your interview invite should detail what video platform you and the team will use to conduct the interview. It is important to download the application, make an account, and practice using the interface a few days prior to your interview. Additionally, you should test both the video application and wireless connection a few hours prior to your interview to ensure everything is running smoothly. Do not be afraid to try out the interview link prior to your interview. If you are worried about your Wi-Fi, consider dialing in on your phone in addition to using video. This will ensure that your audio maintains a connection even if you experience Wi-Fi issues. Also, consider using headphones during your interview, as they have a clearer sound and reduce potential background noise. You should also test out your sound and microphone on your computer prior to your interview. By testing all of the technology out beforehand, you may avoid some unwanted technical issues during your interview that may distract both you and the interviewers. It is also important to note that technical problems happen both on the interviewer and interviewee side. Having been in the virtual environment since the beginning of the pandemic, the fellowship team is used to navigating technical issues. If something unexpected happens, do not worry too much. Just focus on performing your best in the interview and taking ownership of any hiccups that may happen.
8.4 How Else Should I Prepare for Virtual Interviews? It is important to maintain professionalism even in the virtual environment. Fellows recommend dressing how you would in an in-person environment, which typically includes business and professional clothing. Additionally, it is recommended to have a simple background that is clean and free of distractions. If needed, you could add a virtual background. If you choose a virtual background, ensure it is simple and professional, such as an office or library background. Also, try to eliminate any potential distractions beforehand by choosing a quiet, secluded, and well-lit area. Alert anybody nearby that you are in an important interview to avoid interruptions. If you are sitting in front of a window, account for potential weather changes that might affect your lighting or sound throughout your interview. In addition, it is a good idea to log into your interview 5–10 minutes prior to the official start time. This provides an opportunity to troubleshoot any last-minute technical issues without detracting from your interview time. This also allows you
64
8 Navigating the Virtual Landscape
to test your lighting, microphone, and sound. Please see our virtual interview checklist at the end of this section for information to aid in your success.
8.5 What Are Common Virtual Interview Mistakes? It is important to read your interview invitation instructions thoroughly. There are fellowship programs throughout the entire country, and therefore, different companies may be in different time zones. Double check your interviewer’s time zone and make sure to convert it to your own time zone so you don’t accidentally miss your interview. In addition, just because you are conducting your interview virtually does not mean you should prepare any less than an in-person interview. A common mistake fellows see when conducting interviews is the candidate reading off of their computer screen. This is usually obvious to the interviewer and indicates ill- preparedness. You should practice interviewing as if you were in person, and this includes maintaining eye contact with your interviewers through the screen and being able to speak about your experiences without notes.
8.6 Has the Pandemic Affected Fellowship Activities? In this new hybrid working environment, it has been extremely difficult to resume “normal” activities. Each company and program have individual protocols for handling remote-work and in-office activities so policies will vary across fellowships. Most programs are eager to return to the office and host in-person networking/team- building events. For more information, it is important to reach out to prospective programs regarding their current policies.
8.7 How Has the Virtual Environment Affected Networking Within the Fellowship Programs? With many, fellows and employees operating outside of the office, it can be difficult to network. Many fellowship programs have adapted to the remote environment by implementing creative networking opportunities, even during the pandemic. Programs may host virtual, hybrid, or even in-person events. These opportunities will continue to vary from program to program and fluctuate depending on the hybrid in-person/remote working environment. There are plenty of ways you can continue to network within the fellowship, even in the virtual environment. One of
8.9 How Do I Navigate a Virtual Environment?
65
the best ways to do this is by setting up 1:1s with people in your program, including other company fellows, your fellowship team, and current employees/managers you work with.
8.8 Are All Positions Now Remote? Each program and company nationwide handles remote and in-office conditions differently. Depending on the company and its protocols, in-person work schedules and events vary. Many programs are requiring relocation to a new area with anticipation of returning to the office; however, some programs and companies are providing a hybrid approach or completely remote experiences for their prospective fellows. When applying to programs and companies, it is important to verify the requirements for in-person fellowship experiences and relocations. This may be an important deciding factor when choosing the programs or companies you apply to.
8.9 How Do I Navigate a Virtual Environment? Many of us struggled with transitioning to a new environment. With this new way of working comes unfortunate technical difficulties, many questions, and new training. Each company and program are unique in how they conduct day-to-day operations. In addition, each functional area is also different in their ways of working, depending on what kind of position you hold (e.g., global positions, regional positions, etc.). When starting virtual work, it is important to remember a few things: 1. Do not be afraid to ask technical questions 2. Make one-on-one meetings with important colleagues to learn more about your position 3. Attend training sessions to better utilize new programs, company-specific technology, and navigate the workspace 4. Take notes in all meetings for a better understanding of your work 5. Read all guidances and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for your company 6. Meet with your preceptor or manager often to stay up-to-date and discuss your development 7. Stay professional – maintaining appropriate video call backgrounds and attire 8. Be on time for all necessary meetings 9. Be proactive by jumping into projects and seeking out professional experiences 10. Stay calm and confident in your abilities
66
8 Navigating the Virtual Landscape
CHECKLIST FOR PPS/FELLOWSHIP PROCESS
PRIOR TO PPS □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □
Review CV (and update if applicable) Ask for letters of recommendation Craft a letter of intent specific for each company and/or program Create company profiles for each company/program you are applying to Send in all applications and all other required materials Register for Midyear and PPS Review schedule to include times, dates, and locations Prepare for interviews Review the PPS room layout and map of booths Coordinate Flights and Hotel/Lodging DURING MIDYEAR/PPS
□ □ □ □ □ □
Be early to all interviews by at least 5–10 minutes, if possible Keep a schedule of all interviews, receptions, socials, etc. Wear professional yet comfortable attire Stay hydrated and nourished throughout the day Ask questions and be curious Be yourself while staying stay calm, cool, and collected AFTER PPS
□ □ □ □ □
Send “thank you” emails or notes Reflect on your interviews Create lists of top choices Attend any receptions or luncheons Coordinate and prepare for on-site interviews, if applicable
Appendices
Appendix 1: Internships Many pharmaceutical companies offer internships to students and new professionals to gain hands-on experience in the field and functional area desired. Internships are usually a few months in duration and provide an excellent opportunity to learn about the pharmaceutical industry outside of pharmacy school. These experiences can be particularly helpful in deciding early on if industry is right for you and what functional area(s) you may want to pursue long-term. Internships can also help build your resume for fellowships and support preparation for interviews. A table of companies that provide internshipopportunities in the pharmaceutical industry is listed below. (Note: This is not an extensive list, andpositionsare subject to change.) Company/Organization Abbvie
AstraZeneca Biogen
Boehringer Ingelheim Bristol Myers Squibb Catalent Eli Lilly Genentech Gilead
Internship subject (if applicable) Clinical trial operations Commercial Experiential program (medical affairs, regulatory affairs, etc.) See company website for more information Clinical development Commercial operations Market access See company website for more information Product development Project management Product development See company website for more information See company website for more information See company website for more information
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023 V. Langas, V. Flood, From PharmD to Industry, SpringerBriefs in Pharmaceutical Science & Drug Development, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35787-9
67
Appendices
68 Company/Organization GSK IPhO Johnson & Johnson Kite Pharma
Merck Novo Nordisk Pfizer
Regeneron Vertex
Internship subject (if applicable) See company website for more information See company website for more information Marketing Research and development Research Development Regulatory affairs Medical affairs Clinical operations Business operations Research and development Marketing See company website for more information Clinical research Marketing Medical affairs Regulatory affairs Science R&D See company website for more information See company website for more information
Appendix 2: FellowshipPrograms and Positions Applying for fellowships can be overwhelming, especially when you don’t know about all the positions and opportunities out there. In the table below, you will find a list of programs and companies that offer post-doctoral pharmaceutical and/or biopharmaceutical fellowships, along with the positions they offer. Use this table to help narrow down the list of positions you want to apply to based on the following general categories: affiliated program, company, functional area, duration, and location. (Note: This list is not extensive and is subject to change depending on the company and business needs.) Additional List of Companies/ProgramsThat OfferFellowships: • • • • •
University of the Pacific Seagen Wilkes University Butler University TG Therapeutics
Disclaimer: * This list is not all-inclusive. ** Duration is subject to change depending on position obtained and business needs. *** Location is subject to change depending on position obtained and business needs.
Appendices
69
Abbreviations: BD Becton, Dickinson and Company, CMC Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls, GSK GlaxoSmithKline, HCP Healthcare Provider, KOL Key Opinion Leader, MCPHS Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, MSL Medical Science Liaison, PFMES Patient Focused Medical Education and Strategy, UCB Union Chimique Belge, UNC University of North Carolina, USC University of Southern California Fellowships* Program affiliation MCPHS MCPHS
Company Agios Agios
MCPHS
Agios
MCPHS MCPHS MCPHS
Agios Alexion Alexion
MCPHS MCPHS MCPHS MCPHS MCPHS MCPHS
Alexion BD BD Biogen Biogen Biogen
MCPHS
Biogen
MCPHS MCPHS MCPHS MCPHS
Biogen Biogen Biogen Novartis
MCPHS
Novartis
MCPHS
Novartis
MCPHS
Novartis
MCPHS MCPHS MCPHS MCPHS
Novartis Pfizer Pfizer Pfizer
Functional areas/Positions offered Clinical Supply Chain Medical Safety & Risk Management Regulatory Affairs – Clinical Strategy Regulatory Affairs – CMC Global Drug Safety Global Medical Communications/Global Medical Affairs Global Regulatory Affairs Global Medical Affairs US Clinical Marketing Global Safety Regulatory Sciences Regulatory Sciences – Advertising & Promotion Regulatory Sciences – Global Medical Writing Therapeutics Development US Medical Worldwide Medical Biomarker Development (BMD) Clinical Operations – General Medicine Clinical Operations – Translations Clinical Oncology (TCO) Clinical Quality Assurance (CQA) Regulatory Affairs (RA) Clinical Research Pharmacy Clinical Supply Operations Clinical Supply Strategy and Management
Duration (years)** 2 2
Location*** Cambridge, MA Cambridge, MA
2
Cambridge, MA
2 2 2
Cambridge, MA Boston, MA Boston, MA
2 2 2 2 2 2
Boston, MA Franklin Lakes, NJ Franklin Lakes, NJ Cambridge, MA Cambridge, MA Cambridge, MA
2
Cambridge, MA
2 2 2 2
Cambridge, MA Cambridge, MA Cambridge, MA Cambridge, MA
2
Cambridge, MA
2
Cambridge, MA
2
Cambridge, MA
2 2 2 2
Cambridge, MA Groton, CT Groton, CT Groton, CT
Appendices
70 Fellowships* Program affiliation MCPHS
Company Pfizer
MCPHS
Sanofi
MCPHS
Sanofi
MCPHS MCPHS MCPHS
Sanofi Sanofi Sanofi
MCPHS
Sanofi
MCPHS
Sanofi
MCPHS
Sanofi
MCPHS
Sanofi
MCPHS
Sanofi
MCPHS
Sanofi
MCPHS
Sanofi
MCPHS MCPHS
Sanofi Sanofi
MCPHS
Sanofi
MCPHS
Sanofi
MCPHS
Sanofi
MCPHS
Sanofi
MCPHS
Sunovion
MCPHS
Takeda
Functional areas/Positions offered Innovative Sciences Operations Global Commercial Strategy: Oncology Global Commercial Strategy: Rare Diseases Global Pharmacovigilance Global Regulatory Affairs Global Regulatory Affairs: Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls & Devices Global Regulatory Affairs: Clinical Documentation/ Medical Writing Global Scientific/Medical Communications: Immunology Global Scientific/Medical Communications: Multiple Sclerosis and Neurology Global Scientific/Medical Communications: Oncology Global Scientific/Medical Communications: Rare Blood Disorders Global Scientific/Medical Communications: Rare Diseases Global/US Medical: Oncology US Medical Managed Care US Medical/Medical Director: Multiple Sclerosis and Neurology US Medical/Medical Science Liaison: Immunology US Medical/Medical Science Liaison: Multiple Sclerosis and Neurology US Medical/Medical Science Liaison: Rare Diseases US Public Affairs and Patient Advocacy Medical Information/Medical Affairs Global Medical Communications
Duration (years)** 2
Location*** Groton, CT
2
Cambridge, MA
2
Cambridge, MA
2 2 2
Cambridge, MA Cambridge, MA Cambridge, MA
2
Cambridge, MA
2
Cambridge, MA
2
Cambridge, MA
2
Cambridge, MA
2
Cambridge, MA
2
Cambridge, MA
2
Cambridge, MA
2 2
Cambridge, MA Cambridge, MA
2
Cambridge, MA
2
Cambridge, MA
2
Cambridge, MA
2
Cambridge, MA
2
Marlborough, MA
2
Cambridge, MA
Appendices
71
Fellowships* Program affiliation MCPHS
Company Takeda
MCPHS
Takeda
Non-affiliated
Eli Lilly & Company Eli Lilly & Company Eli Lilly & Company
Non-affiliated Non-affiliated
Non-affiliated Non-affiliated Non-affiliated Non-affiliated Non-affiliated Non-affiliated Non-affiliated Non-affiliated Non-affiliated Non-affiliated Non-affiliated
Non-affiliated Non-affiliated
Eli Lilly & Company Eli Lilly & Company Eli Lilly & Company Eli Lilly & Company Eli Lilly & Company Eli Lilly & Company Eli Lilly & Company Eli Lilly & Company Eli Lilly & Company Eli Lilly & Company Eli Lilly & Company Eli Lilly & Company Eli Lilly & Company
Non-affiliated
Novo Nordisk
Non-affiliated
Novo Nordisk
Non-affiliated Non-affiliated
Novo Nordisk Novo Nordisk
Functional areas/Positions offered Global Medical Information & Review Global Patient Safety Evaluation Clinical Design Hub
Duration (years)** 1
Location*** Cambridge, MA
2
Cambridge, MA
1
Indianapolis, IN
Clinical Systems and Supply Planning Clinical Trial Commercial Supply Planning and Regulatory Strategy Clinical Trial Project Management – Diabetes Global Health Outcomes – Outcomes Liaison Global Health Outcomes – Research Scientist Global Labeling Department
1
Indianapolis, IN
1
Indianapolis, IN
1
Indianapolis, IN
1
Indianapolis, IN
1
Indianapolis, IN
1
Indianapolis, IN
Global Medical Affairs – Oncology Global Medical Digital Strategy and Operations Global Medical Information
1
Indianapolis, IN
1
Indianapolis, IN
1
Indianapolis, IN
Global Pricing, Reimbursement, and Access Global Public Policy and Public Affairs Pharmaceutical Project Management US Medical Affairs – Immunology US Regulatory Intelligence
1
Indianapolis, IN
1
Indianapolis, IN
1
Indianapolis, IN
1
Indianapolis, IN
1
Indianapolis, IN
US Regulatory Policy and Global Regulatory Intelligence Health Economics & Outcomes Research (HEOR) Market Development & Promotional Education Medical Affairs Multidisciplinary/Medical Information (MI)
1
Indianapolis, IN
2
Plainsboro, NJ
1
Plainsboro, NJ
1 2
Plainsboro, NJ Plainsboro, NJ
Appendices
72 Fellowships* Program affiliation Non-affiliated
Company Novo Nordisk
Non-affiliated
UCB
Non-affiliated Non-affiliated
UCB UCB
Northeastern Northeastern Northeastern Northeastern Northeastern
Alkermes Alnylam Alnylam Alnylam Alnylam
Northeastern Northeastern Northeastern
Alnylam Alnylam Alnylam
Northeastern Northeastern
Northeastern Northeastern
Amryt Pharma Blueprint Medicines Blueprint Medicines Blueprint Medicines BridgeBio Deciphera Dyne Therapeutics Flatiron Health Flexion Therapeutics GSK GSK
Northeastern
Ipsen
Northeastern Northeastern Northeastern Northeastern Northeastern Northeastern Northeastern
Northeastern Northeastern Northeastern Northeastern Northeastern Northeastern Northeastern
Functional areas/Positions offered Regulatory Affairs Advertising & Promotion Global Regulatory Affairs (GRA) Medical Affairs (MA) Patient Safety (PS)
Duration (years)** 1
Location*** Plainsboro, NJ
2
Atlanta, GA
2 2
Medical Affairs Clinical Development Global Medical Information Global Medical Publications Global Patient Safety and Risk Management Regulatory Affairs US Marketing Value and Evidence Strategy (VESt/HEOR) Medical Affairs Marketing
2 2 2 2 2
Atlanta, GA Atlanta, GA or Raleigh, NC Waltham, MA Cambridge, MA Cambridge, MA Cambridge, MA Cambridge, MA
2 2 2
Cambridge, MA Cambridge, MA Cambridge, MA
2 2
Boston, MA Cambridge, MA
Medical Affairs
2
Cambridge, MA
Regulatory Affairs
2
Cambridge, MA
Regulatory Affairs Medical Affairs Regulatory Affairs and Pharmacovigilance Regulatory Affairs Medical Affairs
2 2 2
San Francisco, CA Waltham, MA Waltham, MA
2 2
New York, NY Burlington, MA
2 2
Cambridge, MA Cambridge, MA
2
Cambridge, MA
Ipsen Seqirus Takeda
Global Medical Information Global Scientific Communications Medical and Regulatory Affairs US Medical Affairs Medical Affairs Medical Affairs
2 2 2
Vertex Vertex Vertex Vertex
Clinical Pharmacology Clinical Scientist Global Medical Affairs Global Patient Safety
2 2 2 2
Cambridge, MA Cambridge, MA Lexington/ Cambridge, MA Boston, MA Boston, MA Boston, MA Boston, MA
Appendices
73
Fellowships* Program affiliation Northeastern Northeastern Purdue Purdue
Company Vertex Vertex Cerevel FDA/Industry
Purdue
Duration (years)** 2 2 2 2
FDA/Industry
Functional areas/Positions offered Global Regulatory Affairs Medical Writing Science Global Regulatory Sciences Drug Advertising and Promotion Drug Information
Purdue
FDA/Industry
Medication Safety
2
Purdue Purdue
Takeda Takeda
2 2
Purdue
Takeda
2
Cambridge, MA
Purdue
Takeda
2
Lexington, MA
Rutgers
Amgen
2
Rutgers
Amgen
Global Clinical Operations Global Regulatory Affairs: Drug and Biologics Global Regulatory Affairs: Vaccines U.S. Medical/Medical Science Liaison Regulatory Affairs and Global Value & Access Regulatory Affairs Rotational
Location*** Boston, MA Boston, MA Cambridge, MA Dependent upon rotation Dependent upon rotation Dependent upon rotation Cambridge, MA Cambridge, MA
Rutgers
Amgen
US Regulatory Strategy
2
Rutgers
Global Medical Affairs
2
Rutgers
Amicus Therapeutics AstraZeneca
Thousand Oaks, CA Thousand Oaks, CA Thousand Oaks, CA Philadelphia, PA
2
Gaithersburg, MD
Rutgers
AstraZeneca
2
Gaithersburg, MD
Rutgers
AstraZeneca
2
Gaithersburg, MD
Rutgers
AstraZeneca
2
Wilmington, DE
Rutgers
AstraZeneca
2
Wilmington, DE
Rutgers
AstraZeneca
2
Gaithersburg, MD
Rutgers
AstraZeneca
2
Gaithersburg, MD
Rutgers
AstraZeneca
2
Gaithersburg, MD
Rutgers
Bausch Health
Global Patient Safety, Oncology Global Regulatory Labeling Strategy Medical Information & Medical Affairs Strategy, Breast Cancer Medical Information & Medical Affairs Strategy, Renal Medical Information & Medical Affairs Strategy, Respiratory Biologics Oncology Regulatory Science and Strategy (ORSS), Global Regulatory Affairs US Marketing, AntibodyDrug Conjugates Oncology US Marketing, Immuno-Oncology Health Economics & Outcomes Research
2
Bridgewater Township, NJ
2
2
Appendices
74 Fellowships* Program affiliation Rutgers
Company Bausch Health
Rutgers
Bayer
Rutgers Rutgers
Bayer Bayer
Rutgers
Bayer
Rutgers
Bayer
Rutgers
Bayer
Rutgers Rutgers
Bayer Bayer
Rutgers
Bayer
Rutgers
Bayer
Rutgers
Bayer
Rutgers
Bayer
Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers
Bayer Bayer Bayer
Rutgers
Bayer
Rutgers Rutgers
Bayer Bayer
Rutgers
Bristol Myers Squibb Bristol Myers Squibb Bristol Myers Squibb Bristol Myers Squibb Bristol Myers Squibb
Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers
Functional areas/Positions offered US Medical Affairs
Duration (years)** 2
Business Development & Licensing Global HEOR/Market Access Global Innovation & Product Development Global Medical Affairs, Oncology Global Oncology Training and Commercial Excellence Global Regulatory Affairs – Strategy Medical & Clinical Affairs Medical Affairs Communications Medical Science Liaison, Oncology New Product Commercialization & Portfolio Strategy Oncology Development Operations Pharmacovigilance Risk Management Rx-to-OTC Switch Science US Market Access US Marketing: Cardiovascular and Renal Franchise US Marketing: Specialty Franchise US Oncology Marketing US Translational Study Operations (TSO) Cell Therapy Franchise
2
Location*** Bridgewater Township, NJ Whippany, NJ
2 2
Whippany, NJ Whippany, NJ
2
Whippany, NJ
2
Whippany, NJ
2
Whippany, NJ
2 2
Whippany, NJ Whippany, NJ
1
Whippany, NJ
2
Whippany, NJ
2
Whippany, NJ
2
Whippany, NJ
2 2 2
Whippany, NJ Whippany, NJ Whippany, NJ
2
Whippany, NJ
2 2
Whippany, NJ Whippany, NJ
2
Summit, NJ
Commercial Business 2 Insights & Analytics Global & US Medical Affairs: 2 Immunology Global Drug Development 2
Lawrenceville, NJ
Global Regulatory Strategy
Lawrenceville, NJ
2
Lawrenceville, NJ Lawrenceville, NJ
Appendices Fellowships* Program affiliation Rutgers
Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers
75
Company Bristol Myers Squibb Bristol Myers Squibb Bristol Myers Squibb Bristol Myers Squibb
Rutgers
Bristol Myers Squibb
Rutgers
Bristol Myers Squibb Bristol Myers Squibb
Rutgers
Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers
Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers
Rutgers
Bristol Myers Squibb Bristol Myers Squibb Bristol Myers Squibb Bristol Myers Squibb Bristol Myers Squibb Bristol Myers Squibb Bristol Myers Squibb
Rutgers
Bristol Myers Squibb Daiichi-Sankyo
Rutgers
Daiichi-Sankyo
Rutgers
Daiichi-Sankyo
Rutgers
Daiichi-Sankyo
Functional areas/Positions offered Hematology/Oncology Medical Affairs: Medical Strategy Market Access: US Value, Access & Payment Policy & Advocacy
Duration (years)** 2
Location*** Summit, NJ
2
Lawrenceville, NJ
2
Lawrenceville, NJ
US Cardiovascular Medical: Medical Strategy/Field Medical Sciences US Commercial Regulatory Affairs: Advertising and Promotion US Immunology Field Medical Operations/MSL US Medical Affairs: Oncology & Portfolio Strategy Us Oncology Portfolio Marketing Worldwide & US Medical Strategy: Oncology Worldwide and US Oncology: Medical Communications/ Field Medical Worldwide Cardiovascular Medical Strategy Worldwide Commercial Development: Oncology Worldwide Value, Access, & Pricing WW Health Economics and Outcomes Research – US Markets WW Scientific Content/ HEOR Publications Clinical Development (Global Oncology R&D) Global Business Development, Oncology Marketing & Market Research Global Clinical Ops & Planning (GCOP) Global Clinical Safety & Pharmacovigilance
2
Lawrenceville, NJ
1
Lawrenceville, NJ
2
Lawrenceville, NJ
2
Lawrenceville, NJ
2
Lawrenceville, NJ
2
Lawrenceville, NJ
2
Lawrenceville, NJ
2
Lawrenceville, NJ
2
Lawrenceville, NJ
2
Lawrenceville, NJ
2
Summit, NJ
2
Lawrenceville, NJ
2
Basking Ridge, NJ
2
Basking Ridge, NJ
2
Basking Ridge, NJ
2
Basking Ridge, NJ
Appendices
76 Fellowships* Program affiliation Rutgers
Duration (years)** 2
Location*** Basking Ridge, NJ
2
Basking Ridge, NJ
2
Basking Ridge, NJ
2
Basking Ridge, NJ
2 2
Basking Ridge, NJ Basking Ridge, NJ
2
Basking Ridge, NJ
2
Basking Ridge, NJ
2
Basking Ridge, NJ
Rutgers
Functional areas/Positions Company offered Daiichi-Sankyo Global Health Economics & Outcomes (GHEOR) Daiichi-Sankyo Global Oncology Market Access & Pricing (GOMAP) Daiichi-Sankyo Global Oncology Medical Affairs (GOMA) Daiichi-Sankyo Global Regulatory Affairs – Oncology Daiichi-Sankyo Pharmacoepidemiology (PE) Daiichi-Sankyo Precision Medicine – Companion Diagnostics Daiichi-Sankyo Quantitative Clinical Pharmacology (QCP) Daiichi-Sankyo U.S. Medical Affairs Fellowship Daiichi-Sankyo U.S. Medical Affairs – Medical Information & Education Genentech Clinical Operations
2
Rutgers
Genentech
2
Rutgers
Genentech
Rutgers
Genentech
Rutgers
Genentech
Rutgers
Genentech
Rutgers
Genentech
Rutgers
Genentech
South San Francisco, CA South San Francisco, CA South San Francisco, CA South San Francisco, CA South San Francisco, CA South San Francisco, CA South San Francisco, CA South San Francisco, CA
Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers
GSK GSK Intercept Johnson & Johnson
Rutgers
Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson
Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers
Rutgers
Clinical Science Late-Stage Development Pharma Partnering
2
Product Development Clinical 2 Safety Regulatory Affairs Strategy 2 US Medical Affairs/Medical Communications US Medical Affairs/Medical Science Liaisons US Medical Affairs/Medical Science Directors Personalized Healthcare Rx-to-OTC Switch US Medical Affairs Medical Affairs Biologics Product Development & Clinical Trial Design and Execution BioResearch Quality & Compliance Clinical Science
2 2 2
2 2 2 2
Warren, NJ Warren, NJ New York, NY Malvern and Spring House, PA
2
Bridgewater and Raritan, NJ Horsham, PA
2
Appendices Fellowships* Program affiliation Rutgers
Rutgers Rutgers
Rutgers Rutgers
Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers
77
Company Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson
Rutgers
Johnson & Johnson
Rutgers
Johnson & Johnson
Rutgers
Johnson & Johnson
Rutgers
Johnson & Johnson
Rutgers
Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson
Rutgers
Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers
Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson
Functional areas/Positions offered Commercial Insights and Strategy: Cardiovascular/ Metabolism Commercial Insights and Strategy: Immunology Commercial Insights and Strategy: Infectious Diseases/ Vaccines/Neuroscience Early Clinical Research and Development Global Commercial Insights Infectious Disease & Vaccines Global Competitive Insights and Analytics, Retina Global Competitive Intelligence, Immunology Global Medical Affairs, Oncology Medical Affairs, MSL Strategy & Operations, Cardiovascular & Metabolism Medical Information & Knowledge Integration, Infectious Diseases & Vaccines Medical Information & Knowledge Integration, Neuroscience New Products & Business Development, Analytics – Oncology Office of the Chief Medical Officer (OCMO) Pharmacovigilance R&D Global Development, Medical Affairs Operations Regulatory Advertising and Promotion/Healthcare Compliance Self-Care Clinical Research
Duration (years)** 2
Location*** Titusville, NJ
2
Horsham, PA
2
Titusville, NJ
2
Raritan, NJ
2
Raritan, NJ
2
Raritan, NJ
2
Horsham, PA
2
Raritan, NJ
2
Titusville, NJ
2
Titusville, NJ
2
Titusville, NJ
2
Titusville, NJ
2
Raritan and Skillman, NJ
2
Titusville, NJ
2
Titusville, NJ
2
Washington, PA
Skin Health Clinical Research 2 and Claims Strategy Strategic Customer Group – 2 Healthcare Quality Strategy
Skillman, NJ Titusville, NJ
Appendices
78 Fellowships* Program affiliation Rutgers
Company Johnson & Johnson
Rutgers
Johnson & Johnson
Rutgers
Johnson & Johnson
Rutgers
Johnson & Johnson
Rutgers
Johnson & Johnson
Rutgers
Johnson & Johnson
Rutgers
Johnson & Johnson
Rutgers
Johnson & Johnson
Rutgers Rutgers
Leo Pharma Leo Pharma
Rutgers
Merck
Rutgers
Merck
Rutgers
Merck
Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers
Merck Merck Merck Merck Merck
Rutgers
Merck
Rutgers
Merck
Rutgers
Merck
Functional areas/Positions offered Strategic Customer Group, Value, Access, and Pricing – Immunology Strategic Customer Group, Value, Access, and Pricing – Value Based and Innovative Contract Innovation US Immunology Marketing, Immunology Portfolio Solutions US Immunology Marketing, Integrated Customer Solutions US Oncology Brand Marketing: CAR-T Professional/HCP Promotion US Oncology Brand Marketing: IMBRUVICA Market Development/KOL Engagement US Oncology Brand Marketing: IMBRUVICA Patient Experience US Oncology Franchise Marketing – Customer Experience Global Regulatory Affairs Medical Strategy & Scientific Affair Clinical Safety & Risk Management Global Field Medical Center of Excellence Global Medical Affairs – Oncology Global Medical Information Global Regulatory Affairs Global Scientific Content Global Vaccines Marketing Late-Stage Clinical Development Regulatory Affairs Advertising and Promotion Regulatory Affairs International Translational Medicine
Duration (years)** 2
Location*** Horsham, PA
2
Titusville, NJ
2
Horsham, PA
2
Horsham, PA
2
Horsham, PA
2
Horsham, PA
2
Horsham, PA
2
Horsham, PA
2 2
Madison, NJ Madison, NJ
2
Kenilworth, NJ
2
Kenilworth, NJ
2
Kenilworth, NJ
2 2 2 2 2
Kenilworth, NJ Kenilworth, NJ Kenilworth, NJ Kenilworth, NJ Kenilworth, NJ
2
Kenilworth, NJ
2
Kenilworth, NJ
2
Kenilworth, NJ
Appendices
79
Fellowships* Program affiliation Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers
Company Merck Merck Nevakar
Rutgers Rutgers
Novartis Novartis
Rutgers Rutgers
Novartis Novartis
Rutgers
Novartis
Rutgers
Novartis
Rutgers
Novartis
Rutgers Rutgers
Novartis Novartis
Rutgers
Novartis
Rutgers
Novartis
Rutgers Rutgers
Novartis Novartis
Rutgers
Novartis
Rutgers
Novartis
Rutgers
Novartis
Rutgers
Novartis
Rutgers Rutgers Rutgers
Novartis Novartis Novartis
Rutgers Rutgers
Novartis Organon
Rutgers
Pfizer
Rutgers
Pfizer
Functional areas/Positions offered US Medical Affairs US Oncology Marketing Strategic Development
Duration (years)** 2 2 2
Brand Management Commercial Strategy & Operations Digital Innovation Early Clinical Development – Translational Medicine Early Clinical Development – PK Sciences Field Medical
2 2
Location*** Kenilworth, NJ Kenilworth, NJ Bridgewater Township, NJ East Hanover, NJ East Hanover, NJ
2 2
East Hanover, NJ East Hanover, NJ
2
East Hanover, NJ
2
Gene Therapies Med Info/ Medical Affairs Global Program Management Global Scientific Communications Global Trial Management – Clinical Development Global Trial Management – Medical Affairs Launch Excellence Med Info/Global MSL Strategy Medical Services & Operations Quantitative Safety & Epidemiology Regulatory Affairs Global Labeling Regulatory Affairs Strategy
2
East Hanover or Princeton, NJ East Hanover, NJ
2 2
East Hanover, NJ East Hanover, NJ
2
East Hanover, NJ
2
East Hanover, NJ
2 2
East Hanover, NJ East Hanover, NJ
2
Princeton, NJ
2
East Hanover, NJ
2
East Hanover, NJ
2
Regulatory CMC Scientific Communications US Med Info/Regulatory Advertising & Promotion US Med Info/Publications Global Medical Affairs and Outcomes Research Clinical Development & Operations Global Medical Affairs, Inflammation & Immunology
2 2 2
East Hanover or Princeton NJ East Hanover, NJ East Hanover, NJ East Hanover, NJ
2 2
East Hanover, NJ Jersey City, NJ
2
Pfizer site relevant to therapeutic area New York, NY
2
Appendices
80 Fellowships* Program affiliation Rutgers
Company Pfizer
Rutgers
Pfizer
Rutgers
Pfizer
Rutgers
Pfizer
Rutgers
Pfizer
Rutgers
Pfizer
Rutgers
Pfizer
Rutgers
Pfizer
Rutgers
Sanofi
Rutgers
Sanofi
Rutgers
Sanofi
Rutgers
Sanofi
Rutgers
Sanofi
Rutgers
Sanofi
Rutgers
Functional areas/Positions offered Global Medical Information/ Internal Medicine, Global Medical Affairs Internal Medicine, Field Medical Outcomes and Analytics North America Medical Affairs, Inflammation & Immunology North America/Global Medical Affairs, Hospital Business Unit North America/Global Medical Affairs, Internal Medicine Risk Management Center of Excellence/U.S. Food and Drug Administration (RMCoE/FDA) – Risk Management U.S. Medical Affairs, Rare Disease U.S./Global Medical Affairs, Oncology Clinical Science and Operations (CSO) Global Medical Information
Duration (years)** 2
Location*** New York, NY
2
New York, NY
2
Collegeville, PA
2
New York, NY
2
New York, NY
2
Peapack, NJ and White Oak, MD
2
New York, NY
2
New York, NY
2
2
Sanofi
Global Regulatory Affairs Advertising & Promotion Global Regulatory Affairs Labeling Global Regulatory Affairs Strategy Global Regulatory Affairs: Strategy and Advertising/ Promotion Patient Value & Strategy
Bridgewater Township, NJ Bridgewater Township, NJ Bridgewater Township, NJ Bridgewater Township, NJ Bridgewater Township, NJ Bridgewater Township, NJ
Rutgers
Sanofi
Regulatory Medical Writing
2
Rutgers
Sanofi
Strategic Marketing
2
Rutgers
Sanofi
US Consumer Healthcare Research and Development
2
1
2 2 2
2
Bridgewater Township, NJ Bridgewater Township, NJ Bridgewater Township, NJ Bridgewater Township, NJ
Appendices
81
Fellowships* Program affiliation Rutgers
Company Sanofi
Rutgers
Sanofi
Rutgers
Sanofi
Rutgers
Sanofi
Rutgers
Sanofi
Rutgers
Sanofi
Rutgers
Sanofi
Rutgers
Sanofi
Rutgers
Sanofi
St. John’s University St. John’s University
American Regent Pfizer
St. John’s University UNC
Relmada Therapeutics Certara
UNC
GSK
UNC
GSK
UNC
GSK
UNC
IQVIA
UNC
Nuventra
UNC
PPD (CRO)
Functional areas/Positions offered US Consumer Healthcare Research and Development: Personal Care US Health Economics & Outcomes Research (HEOR) – Vaccines US Medical Affairs/Medical Strategy: Transplant US Medical Strategy/Medical Science Liaison: Vaccines US Public Affairs and Patient Advocacy US Trade/Market Access
Duration (years)** 2
US/Global Health Economics and Value Assessment (HEVA) US/Global Medical Affairs/ Medical Strategy: Cardiovascular US/Global Medical Affairs/ Medical Strategy: Diabetes Medical Affairs
2
Location*** Bridgewater Township, NJ
2
Bridgewater Township, NJ
2
Bridgewater Township, NJ Bridgewater Township, NJ Bridgewater Township, NJ Bridgewater Township, NJ Bridgewater Township, NJ
2 2 2
2
Bridgewater Township, NJ
2 2
Bridgewater Township, NJ Norristown, PA
Global Market Access and Health Economics & Outcomes Research Clinical Development
2
New York, NY
2
Coral Gables, FL
Pharmacokinetics/ Pharmacodynamic Global Regulatory Affairs
2
Raleigh, NC
2
Pharmacokinetics/ Pharmacodynamic US Medical Affairs
2
Pharmacokinetics/ Pharmacodynamic Pharmacokinetics/ Pharmacodynamic Clinical Research and Drug Development
2
Upper Providence, PA or Waltham, MA Upper Providence, PA Research Triangle Park, NC Durham, NC
2
Durham, NC
2
Morrisville, NC
2
Appendices
82 Fellowships* Program affiliation UNC UNC USC USC USC USC USC USC USC USC
Company United Therapeutics United Therapeutics Abbvie Abbvie Abbvie Abbvie
USC USC
Abbvie Abbvie Abbvie Adaptive Biotechnologies Gilead Sciences Gilead Sciences
USC USC USC USC
Gilead Sciences Kite Pharma Kite Pharma MannKind
USC
Neurocrine Biosciences Neurocrine Biosciences
USC
Functional areas/Positions offered Global Product Safety/ Pharmacovigilance Medical Affairs
Duration (years)** 2
Clinical Development Clinical Pharmacology Drug Delivery Sciences Global Regulatory Affairs CMC Medical Affairs Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Pharmacology Medical Affairs/Medical Science Liaison Medical Affairs – PFMES Medical Affairs – HIV Prevention Medical Information Medical Information Scientific Communications Medical Affairs
1 1 1 1
Location*** Research Triangle Park, NC Research Triangle Park, NC Irvine, CA Irvine, CA Irvine, CA Irvine, CA
1 1 1 2
Irvine, CA Irvine, CA Irvine, CA Seattle, WA
1 1
Foster City, CA Foster City, CA
1 1 1 1
Field Medical Affairs/MSL
1
Foster City, CA Santa Monica, CA Santa Monica, CA Westlake Village, CA San Diego, CA
Medical Affairs
1
San Diego, CA
2
Appendix 3: Practice Interview Questions Personal questions Tell me about yourself What drives you to pursue a fellowship? What are you most proud of on your CV? What is something that is NOT on your CV that you would like us to know about you? What do you hope to gain from participating in a fellowship? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? If I were to give you the fellowship today and grant you any three wishes with regard to working here, what would they be? Name three adjectives that describe you and explain why?
Appendices
83
Behavioral questions Tell us about a time where you failed/made a mistake and how did you overcome this event. Tell us about a time where you worked on a team and had a big impact. Tell us about a time you received constructive feedback and how you implemented it. Tell us about a time you GAVE constructive feedback and how did the other person implement it. Tell us about a time you took a big risk and walk us through the process. Tell us about a time one of your ideas was shot down and how you dealt with it. How do you prepare for virtuallearning? How have you navigated being in a virtual environment? Name three traits students need in order to be successful for online learning/working.
Technical questions If you were to explain what this functional area is to someone who has never heard of the job, what would you say? If you were given a task you didn’t have any prior experience in, how would you go about accomplishing it? What are the top three traits you believe a strong professional in this field has? Why do you believe this functional area is an important field in the drug development process? What do you think are some of the biggest challenges professionals in this field face? Why does this specific therapeutic area interest you? What are some of our top competitors in this therapeutic area?
Fun questions If you were stranded on an island and could only take three items with you, what would they be? Teach me one of your favorite hobbies in 60 seconds. What is something you have always dreamed of doing but never had the time to do? What is your favorite app on your phone? In the game of rock, paper, scissors, would you ascribe yourself to be more like the rock, paper, or scissors, and why? If you could become an expert in any new skill this week, what would you pick? What is the most recent book you have read? If you could travel anywhere in the world with all expenses paid, where would you go and what would you do?
Appendices
84
Appendix 4: Interview Calendar Example Midyear PPS interview schedule Time Sunday Monday 12-6-2021 12-7-2021 8:00 AM 08:00 Program 3 | Company E 08:30 9:00 AM 09:00 09:30 Program 1 | Company A 10:00 AM 10:00 Program 1 | Company A 10:30 11:00 AM 11:00 Program 2 | Company D 11:30 12:00 PM
12:00
12:30 1:00 PM
Program 2 | Company D
3:00 PM 4:00 PM
5:00 PM
Program 2 | Company C
02:00 02:30
03:00 03:30 04:00 04:30 05:00 05:30
Program 3 | Company F
Program 3 | Company G
01:00
Program 3 | Company E Program 3 | Company F
Wednesday 12-9-2021
Program 3 | Company F
Independent Program | Company H
01:30 2:00 PM
Tuesday 12-8-2021
Independent Program | Company I
Program 3 | Company F
Program 3 | Company F Reception
Thursday 12-10-2021
85
Appendices Progress overview Program
Program 1
Company/ Position
1st round interview
Company A
Sunday, Dec 6 Monday, @ 9:30 am Dec 7 @ 10:00 am Wednesday, X Nov 18 @ 2:00 pm Friday, Nov Monday, 13 @ 2:30 pm Dec 7 @ 1:30 pm Monday, Dec Tuesday, 7 @ 11:00 am Dec 8 @ 1:00 pm Monday, Dec Tuesday, 7 @ 8:00 am Dec 8 @ 2:00 pm Sunday, Dec 6 Tuesday, @ 2:30 pm Dec 8 @ 9:30 am Sunday, Dec 6 Monday, @ 12:30 pm Dec 7 @ 4:00 pm
Company B
Program 2
Company C
Company D
Program 3
Company E
Company F
Company G
Independent Programs
Company H Company I
2nd round interview
Monday, Dec X 7 @ 12:00 pm Monday, Dec (onsite 7 @ 2:45 pm offer)
3rd round interview/ Reception X
Onsite
Tues, Dec 15 @ 11:00 am & 2:30 pm X
OFFER ACCEPTED
Wednesday, Dec 9 @ 11:30 am Company Reception 12/8 @ 5:30 pm
X
(onsite offer)
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Index
A Activity, 6, 7, 13, 14, 16, 18, 24, 31, 36, 40, 62, 64 Application, vii, 1, 3, 4, 9, 27, 35, 36, 39–41, 44–48, 51, 53, 55, 57, 61–63 C Curriculum vitae (CV), 29, 40, 45 E Education, vii, viii, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10–14, 20, 27, 35, 36, 47, 58, 69, 71, 76 F Fellowship, vii–ix, xi, 1–3, 12–14, 19–22, 24, 27, 29, 36, 37, 39–41, 44–46, 48, 49, 51–53, 55, 57–59, 61–65, 67–82 Functional area, vii, 2–22, 24, 27–29, 33–37, 41–44, 48, 58, 61, 65, 67–69, 83
Interview, ix, 39–41, 45–49, 51–56, 61–64, 67, 82–85 Interview preparation, 48–49, 67 L Learning, viii, 1, 12, 22, 27, 32, 47, 57, 83 Letter of intent (LOI), 40, 45, 47, 48 Letters of recommendation, 40, 44 M Meeting, 6, 12, 21, 32, 36, 37, 45–47, 53, 58, 65 Mentor, v, 1, 2, 29, 37 Midyear application, ix, 53–55 N Network, 2, 3, 29, 36–37, 41, 52, 58, 64 Networking, 17, 53, 64
H Hands-on experience, 3, 31–32, 67
O Opportunity, vii, 1–4, 6–8, 10–13, 15, 19–22, 24, 27, 31, 32, 37, 41, 44, 46, 48, 54, 63, 64, 67, 68
I Incoming fellow, 57–59 Internship, x, 24, 27–29, 31, 32, 35, 67–68
P P1, 23–29 P2, 23, 31–34
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023 V. Langas, V. Flood, From PharmD to Industry, SpringerBriefs in Pharmaceutical Science & Drug Development, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35787-9
91
92 P3, 23, 29, 35–37 P4, 23, 39–49 Personal placement service, 51–52 Position, ix, 1–22, 29, 31, 33, 36, 39–41, 45–49, 52, 53, 57, 58, 65, 67–85 Professional organization, 2, 11, 24, 27–29, 37, 58 Program, vii–ix, xi, 1–4, 6, 9, 14, 16, 17, 19–21, 23, 24, 27, 31–33, 36, 37, 40–45, 48, 52–55, 58, 59, 61, 64, 65, 67–86 R Receptions, ix, 51–56 Remote, 64, 65
Index Resource, vii, 4, 10–12, 27, 36, 37, 58, 62 Role, ix, 2–22, 27, 29, 32, 33, 36, 37, 41, 45–49, 54, 57–59 S Skills, 7, 9, 21, 24, 31, 32, 34, 36, 44–49, 58, 62, 83 T Technology, 18, 19, 62–63, 65 Transitions, 7, 8, 10, 15, 18, 19, 21, 22 V Virtual, x, 61–66, 83