IPhO News

On April 7, 2018, Purdue University and IPhO hosted the 3^rd annual Midwest Regional Symposium.

Students from 6 different midwestern schools of pharmacy attended the event, which made this year's attendance count the highest to-date! The event featured speakers that represented a variety of industry roles and allowed students to learn more about opportunities for PharmDs in industry. Students were also made aware of the numerous different pathways available to attaining an industry career and had a valuable opportunity to network with the attending industry professionals.

We wanted to take a moment to congratulate the IPhO National Student Officers (NSOs) and Regional Student Officers (RSOs) who have accepted industry fellowship positions! This is a tremendous accomplishment and one that each NSO/RSO worked hard for and so greatly deserves.

We are pleased to congratulate the following NSOs and RSOs on their new upcoming fellowship positions!

On Wednesday, March 28, 2018, MCPHS University Boston IPhO Student Chapter hosted its annual Northeast Regional Event. Students from across the region gathered to learn about the different oncology roles a pharmacist can have within the pharmaceutical industry. Students from 6 nearby IPhO chapters joined, including: MCPHS University Boston, Worcester, and Manchester, University of New England, Western New England University, and Northeastern University. This is the 5^th year that MCPHS University Boston has hosted the event, which facilitates opportunities for networking with other students, faculty, fellows, and industry pharmacists.

Company: Recently Retired Executive Director, Regulatory Promotion and Material Compliance, Amgen
Current Role: Consultant
Alma Mater: Purdue University

As pharmacists, we have skills that qualify us for many different roles – reading the other IPhO member journeys on this website shows the many diverse areas where PharmDs are leading successful careers. You have many options – the key is figuring out what you like to do best. Don’t be afraid to make big changes or sacrifices in the short term to get you where you want to go long term.

In my career journey, I made some big changes to figure out my career options and passion. After working a number of years as a hospital pharmacist gaining clinical experience, I came to a point in my life where I wanted to explore other career options.

IPhO is excited to introduce to its student members the 2018 Internship Catalog, which contains 150+ unique summer 2018 internship opportunities with Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, Medical Communications Agencies, and Contract Research Organizations.

If you are interested in pursuing a career in industry, an internship is a great way to explore a new role, begin to develop relevant knowledge and skills, and network with industry professionals. Not to mention, you'll have experience and tangible responsibilities to include on your industry CV.

IPhO would like to thank Brian Cheng, IPhO National Student Officer – Professional Development, St. John’s University, and Qasim Zia, IPhO Intern, MCPHS for their work on this valuable student member resource.

Note: You must be an IPhO member to access the catalog. If you do not have a membership, sign up now to take advantage of special academic pricing!

On March 17, 2018, at the Annual National E-Board Assembly in Nashville, TN, IPhO National Fellows Council (NFC) Co-Chief Zachary McCormack, PharmD, Global Commercial Oncology Fellow, Sanofi Genzyme, announced the winners of the 2nd Annual Value of Industry Pharmacists (VIP) Case Competition. California Northstate University College of Pharmacy IPhO Student Chapter was awarded 1st place for their outstanding creativity and demonstrated knowledge of the drug development process.

This competition—the first of its kind in the industry—tests students' pharmaceutical commercial development knowledge and allows them to apply what they know through an industry-based case scenario. This year, 29 student chapters participated in the competition.

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

On Saturday, March 17, 2018, students from across the country gathered in Nashville for the IPhO 5th Annual National Student Event.

Student leaders from many of the 54 student chapters attended the E-board National Assembly, which featured an update on the exciting plans in store for the growing national network of IPhO student chapters and recognized the hard work and dedication of chapter leaders.

On Saturday, February 17th, Industry Pharmacists Organization (IPhO) and its Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) School of Pharmacy chapter hosted the Western Regional Symposium. The event brought together students and representatives from top biotechnology companies to provide valuable information about industry career opportunities and insight into current issues, trends, and what to expect in industry.

Attendees heard from academic leaders at KGI, including Dr. Samit Shah, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, and Prof. Bernard Tyrrell, Associate Dean of Industry Relations, who spoke about industry’s need for the specialized training and skills that PharmD candidates offer their companies as well as the importance of drug development best practices in the future of industry.

IPhO is pleased to announce a new fellowship collaboration with BioNJ, adding to its family of fellowship partner companies that also includes Novocure, RevHealth, and UCB.

BioNJ is a powerful network of 400 member companies all dedicated to enhancing the climate for biotechnology in the state of New Jersey, representing research-based life sciences companies and stakeholders.

BioNJ is excited to introduce an Entrepreneurship Fellowship Program created to mentor, develop and train life sciences entrepreneurs in New Jersey to encourage the establishment and location of start-ups in the state.

The program will be sponsored by four New Jersey-based life sciences companies that offer high-value projects and experiences, including the opportunity for the fellow to shadow a senior executive from each company. Upon program completion, the fellow will have an established business network and will be prepared to pursue a start-up in the New Jersey region.

National and Regional Student Officers benefit from direct access to IPhO National Leadership and the National Fellowship Council, which helps support their professional development, and provides valuable networking opportunities and comprehensive preparation for their future industry career.

As a National/Regional Student Officer, you will have a chance to:

• Lead and perform assigned organizational functions such as: chapter network operations, social media and marketing, professional affairs and development, strategic planning, scholarly activities, and regional chapter network management
• Collaborate with IPhO Leadership on the development and execution of key organizational initiatives that inform and empower students interested in an industry career
• Conduct training and onboarding presentations with new chapters and covering professional development topics
• Serve as a preceptor to our National Internship Program participants

IPhO is pleased to announce the addition of another new student chapter to our growing national network!

Congratulations to student pharmacists at Pacific University School of Pharmacy. IPhO now connects them to a national network of over 4,000 student pharmacists with similar interests, as well as a national network of hundreds of industry fellows and thousands of industry pharmacists.

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

To start a chapter at your school, click here.


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

SUMMER SESSION - JUNE 2018

The IPhO Industry Certificate Course is back by popular demand to prepare students, recent graduates, and younger professionals interested in pursuing an industry career. Entering its third year, the in-depth course curriculum explores all aspects of pharmaceutical commercialization, from drug development and regulatory approval, to marketing and sales strategies through life-cycle management. Each functional department is described and discussed with a focus on the roles and opportunities available for pharmacists to successfully contribute and achieve high levels of professional satisfaction.

Learn more about the course and register now!

HOW IT WORKS

This is a live, online course, taking place Wednesday evenings (8pm-10pm EST) for a period of 8 weeks.

Registered participants will have access to the archived lectures.

Fellowship Sponsor Company: GlaskoSmithKline (GSK) and UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy (UNC)

Function/Discipline: Global Regulatory Affairs

Fellowship Years: 2017 – 2019

Alma Mater: Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU), Class of 2017

My strong interest in regulatory affairs originated from my cooperative education placements, and my employment within the Federal Government. I witnessed the dynamics between policy and science and developed an understanding of regulatory affairs and drug development through various employment experiences. My positions within Health Canada, community pharmacies internationally, and industry settings at Novartis and Becton Dickinson helped me become familiar with pre-market regulatory review and post-market surveillance.

Company and Department: Genentech, Field Medical

Current Role: Senior Medical Science Liaison

Alma Mater: University of Pittsburgh, Class of 1998

I first learned about postions for pharmacists in industry while observing my faculty mentors move into Medical Science Liaison (MSL) roles. They were strong leaders and outstanding clinicians at the University of Pittsburgh, so their transition caught my attention. My residency was clinically-based in ambulatory care and managed care at the University of Maryland. I then moved into a clinical pharmacy position in managed care, where I had significant exposure to and involvement in new drug presentations from MSLs and Industry Account Managers, many of whom were recruiting me to work in the Pharmaceutical Industry. My clinical experience in managing psychiatric patients in insurance initiatives gave me insight that was helpful as I learned about open positions in industry. I decided to make the switch and interview for my first industry MSL position in neuroscience, and I was offered the job.

What's the bottom line?
Your clinical knowledge and experience gained during rotations and/or residency are valuable assets to industry employers. Utilize those skills as you network to help you break into industry in a nontraditional way.

The Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA) and the Industry Pharmacists Organization (IPhO) collaborated on a professional development program entitled, Leadership and Industry Pharmacists. This live webinar was hosted by SNPhA on November 27, 2017 and is now archived on each organization's website.

Click here to access the webinar on the IPhO site.

The featured presentation on leadership was given by James Alexander, PharmD, Executive Director and CEO of the Industry Pharmacists Organization. Dr. Alexander began teaching a leadership course during his decade on faculty at Rutgers, where he served as the first Director of the prestigious Rutgers Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowship Program.

Although the webinar title infers that the content will focus on industry, Dr. Alexander states, “when you look at the title slide and it says Leadership and Industry Pharmacists, actually you can delete the word industry because it really relates to all pharmacists regardless of the practice setting.”

Dr. Alexander goes on to say how important it is for student pharmacists to explore as many of the traditional and non-traditional career pathways as possible, because it is likely that the most optimal path is one they have yet to discover.

TIPS FROM THE WEBINAR: WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW

• Join and become active in student organizations
• Lead something!
• Be a volunteer
• Present as often as possible
• Become a career services junkie
• Participate in professional programs on relevant and interesting topics

THIS WEBINAR IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY

The research poster entitled, Demographics of Professors Teaching Industry-Related Courses within Accredited United States Colleges of Pharmacy, builds upon previous IPhO research published last year describing trends among industry-related courses within US accredited colleges of pharmacy.

Authors: Andy Szeto (pictured at left), University of the Pacific; Tayyeb Din, Long Island University; Marine Schmitt, Oregon State University; Rosemary Boshar, PharmD, Sanofi Genzyme/MCPHS Fellow (pictured at right); and Jerry Silverman, BS Pharm, Industry Pharmacists Organization, describe professor experience among industry-related courses within US accredited colleges of pharmacy.

This research shows a large variation in instructor experience ranging from 1 year to 40 years, with a mode of just one year of industry pharmacy experience. The authors hope that as student interest in industry continues to escalate, ACPE will revise their curriculum requirements to include industry topics, and in time this will facilitate a need for full-time industry-experienced professors.

To review this research poster, please click here to visit the IPhO Scholarly Publications section of our website.

The second research poster presented at Midyear 2017, Demographics of Current First- and Second-year Industry Fellows, reports upon changes in current fellows’ academic and experiential backgrounds to better prepare and guide applicants toward obtaining an industry fellowship.

Company and Department: Prometic, Field Medical

Current Role: Medical Science Liaison

Alma Mater: Fairleigh Dickinson University, Class of 2017

I have always wanted to impact patient lives and health care on a global scale, and I ultimately discovered that the best way for me to do that was through the pharmaceutical industry, although the road to getting there was not a straightforward one.

Throughout pharmacy school I worked as a pharmacy technician in retail pharmacy and also at a psychiatric hospital. I developed a strong skillset in both hospital and retail pharmacy and until my P4 year, I was sure that I would take one of the more traditional routes of either hospital or retail upon graduation. This changed in my final year of pharmacy school, after taking a medical writing class. My professor, an industry pharmacist, honed my medical writing skills in addition to exposing me to the various functional areas of the pharmaceutical industry. Medical Affairs, and particularly the role of Medical Science Liaison, caught my eye and I knew I had to pursue this. Initially I was hesitant – up to this point in my young pharmacy career, I had no industry experience and limited industry connections. My alma mater, Fairleigh Dickinson University School of Pharmacy, is a newer pharmacy school with only a small industry network. I took advantage of networking opportunities whenever I could, applied for any available industry rotations, and began research projects that I believed would catch the eye of a Medical Affairs team.

The 2017-18 IPhO Industry Fellowship Analysis has been published!

The report highlights key characteristics of all current fellowship programs, such as functional area, academic affiliation and alma mater of the fellow, and 4-year trends of these data.

There are 442 PharmDs currently participating in US-based, industry-focused postgraduate fellowships, representing +17% growth versus last year.

Below is a sneak peak into just some of the findings in the publication.

Click here to view the full report and explore additional scholarly publications, presentations, industry posters, and more.

During the recent Midyear Meeting in Orlando, IPhO and its National Fellows Council hosted an exciting event for Fellows of all Fellowship Programs to network and to learn more about how to get a full time position post-fellowship. Moderated by IPhO Executive Director Jim Alexander, the program featured a series of roundtable discussions with successful fellowship alumni/industry executives who shared their insights and guidance on how to pursue a full-time position within industry.

Fellowship Sponsor Company: DDB Health (Omnicom Health Group)

Function/Discipline: Pharmaceutical Advertising and Marketing

Fellowship Years: 2017-2019

Alma Mater: Rutgers University, Class of 2017

I never imagined that one day I would use my pharmaceutical background to assist with virtual reality experiences, video shoots, and podcasts. I knew early on in pharmacy school that I was interested in a somewhat non-traditional path. Before applying to pharmacy school, I was only aware of community and hospital pharmacy. After taking a class about the pharmaceutical industry at Rutgers, I learned that pharmacists have the potential to impact patients and healthcare on a national or even global level. I decided to explore that path further and took an Pharmaceutical Advertising and Marketing elective course. I was intrigued by the fact that this career path would allow me to use my scientific knowledge while incorporating creative elements. I was fortunate to intern at two pharmaceutical advertising agencies, RevHealth and Harrison and Star, which solidified my interest in this career path.