With impending healthcare reform and a number of new schools of pharmacy opening, many of today’s PharmD graduates are finding career placement to be more challenging than in recent years. As conversations have been initiated with our stakeholders, we see again the tremendous support that our alumni and friends offer our MSOP community, by opening minds and doors to equally-promising opportunities in the industrial sector. Many thanks to all who have responded to the call to action. Let us keep this interesting and very important conversation going about “transforming” pharmaceutical care in the industrial sector by emphasizing appropriate treatment and prevention of disease-related complications!
The following are some responses we've received on this subject:
In looking through a list of students seeking jobs I was struck that not one of them indicated that industry might be an opportunity they would seek. I wonder if they are provided with a good understanding of how important and vital pharmacists are to the entire pharma industry? Opportunities in formulation, product development, regulatory, quality assurance, quality control, production as well as marketing, sales, and management are great ways for pharmacists to utilize their background and talents in areas other than the traditional ones people usually think of.
Bob Booth, President and CEO, Centrix Pharmaceuticals
April 1, 2011 7:40 AM
Greg Gorman said...
In an effort to begin to raise students awareness to career opportunities Drs. Luthin, Arnold, Halberg and Gorman (all of whom have industry experience) have put together an elective course on the Drug Discovery and Development process and are offering it for the first time this semester. The class is structured such that the students form a virtual company, develop a name and logo and each student is assigned a role in the company (i.e., director ADME/PK, medicinal chemistry, regulatory affairs, CMO, CSO, CEO, HTS etc) and given a job description. During the course of the semester the "company" must develop a critical path for discovery/development of a new therapeutic compound in a disease state of their choice from a provided list of indications. This will include target ID, HTS, preclinical (in vitro and in vivo), clinical and market launch. At the end of the semester the "company" will present their case to the course faculty as if to obtain VC or angel funding. In addition to the course faculty, outside speakers from industry are also brought in to make presentations on selected topics. Since this is a new course it was not available to the current P4 class, however, we will be offering it again in the fall and will make some necessary tweaks with the idea of increasing visibility of industry opportunities to students.
Greg Gorman said...
In an effort to begin to raise students awareness to career opportunities Drs. Luthin, Arnold, Halberg and Gorman (all of whom have industry experience) have put together an elective course on the Drug Discovery and Development process and are offering it for the first time this semester. The class is structured such that the students form a virtual company, develop a name and logo and each student is assigned a role in the company (i.e., director ADME/PK, medicinal chemistry, regulatory affairs, CMO, CSO, CEO, HTS etc) and given a job description. During the course of the semester the "company" must develop a critical path for discovery/development of a new therapeutic compound in a disease state of their choice from a provided list of indications. This will include target ID, HTS, preclinical (in vitro and in vivo), clinical and market launch. At the end of the semester the "company" will present their case to the course faculty as if to obtain VC or angel funding. In addition to the course faculty, outside speakers from industry are also brought in to make presentations on selected topics. Since this is a new course it was not available to the current P4 class, however, we will be offering it again in the fall and will make some necessary tweaks with the idea of increasing visibility of industry opportunities to students.
April 1, 2011 11:58 AM
Charlie Sands, Dean and Professor said...
Bob,
Dr. Gorman has shared with you one of the ways that we here at MSOP are using to increase interest in careers in the pharmaceutical industry. We appreciate your interest in and support for MSOP.
Charlie
April 5, 2011 7:50 AM
All,
I concur with Bob about student interest in the pharmaceutical manufacturer segment of health care. I do appreciate MSOP's efforts to address these concerns. The elective course on Drug Discovery and Development process is a great start. Over time, I think we will see student interest grow. The PSRI is a vital pillar in the development of MSOP students in pharma.
Dr. William C. Davis
Nashville, Tennessee
Senior Regional Scientific Manager, Neuroscience
AstraZeneca PharmaceuticalsNashville, Tennessee
April 6, 2011 8:33 PM
Charlie and Bob,
So many opportunities for pharmacists to make big contributions in industry. I went directly into industry from Samford with Eli Lilly and Company and spent 20 great years there before moving to California to take a CEO position. Tons of opportunity in sales and marketing as well as product development. Now with my current company we hire pharmacists that also have MPH degrees to do projects for pharmaceutical companies that average between $250-$500K and take 6-9 months to complete and they are very valuable to or teams. I think on the whole the students are just not knowledgeable about things outside retail and hospital. I made a presentation about industry many years ago but would be willing to come and do another for the students to help open their eyes to other opportunities.
Regards,
Randy Nelson, Vice President, LifeSciences Division, Cerner, Inc.
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