Postdoctoral pharmacy industry fellowships: A descriptive analysis of programs and postgraduate positions
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notes Industry fellowships
Postdoctoral pharmacy industry fellowships:
A descriptive analysis of programs
and postgraduate positions
Stephanie Melillo, Amy Gangadharan, Hiliary Johnson, Patrick Schleck,
Michael Steinberg, and James G. Alexander
C
areer avenues for doctor of
Purpose. Postdoctoral pharmacy industry across all academically affiliated industry
pharmacy (Pharm.D.) graduates
fellowship programs and the employment fellowship programs (including nonre-
appear to be expanding beyond of fellowship graduates are described. sponders) was as follows: medical affairs
the realm of traditional positions in Methods. A list of postgraduate industry (38.7%, n = 29), clinical research (32.0%, n
hospital or retail pharmacies. Alter- fellowships was gathered from the 2009 = 24), regulatory affairs (9.3%, n = 7), com-
natively, graduates can continue with ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting. Data mercial (8.0%, n = 6), health economics
postgraduate training and complete regarding program characteristics were and outcomes research (8.0%, n = 6), and
a residency, academic fellowship, or collected using the Personnel Placement pharmacovigilance (4.0%, n = 3). Data from
Service database and program-specific fellows during years 1–5 after completion
pharmaceutical industry fellowship.
brochures. After data compilation, a stan- of the industry fellowship indicated that
A pharmacy residency is defined dardized survey was sent in January 2010 90.5% of former fellows remained in the
by the American Society of Health- via e-mail to the point of contact for all industry (n = 238).
System Pharmacists (ASHP) as “an programs to confirm the accuracy of the Conclusion. The postgraduate industry
organized, directed, postgraduate program’s characteristics. Only academical- fellowship programs surveyed indicated
training program in a defined area ly affiliated industry fellowship programs that the majority of fellowship graduates
of pharmacy practice.”1 Postgraduate were analyzed. Retrospective data were continued to hold positions in industry
collected regarding the first position of after program completion. The majority of
year 1 (PGY1) residency programs
employment for all fellows who graduated industry fellowships and subsequent job
are typically one year in duration, from the program between 2005 and 2009 placements occurred in the areas of medi-
after which the graduate has the op- and the position of those same individuals cal affairs, clinical research, and regulatory
portunity to specialize in a defined at the time of survey completion. affairs.
area of practice during a postgradu- Results. Surveys were sent to 64 postgrad-
ate year 2 (PGY2) residency pro- uate industry fellowship programs affili- Index terms: Careers; Data collection;
gram. Approximately 2050 residency ated with a school of pharmacy, 56 (87.5%) Education, pharmaceutical; Industry, phar-
of whom responded. The departmental maceutical; Pharmacists
positions (PGY1 and PGY2) were
breakdown for positions offered (n = 75) Am J Health-Syst Pharm. 2012; 69:63-8
filled via the ASHP Resident Match-
Stephanie Melillo, Pharm.D., is Senior Associate II, Regulatory doctoral Pharma Partnering Fellow, Hoffmann-La Roche/Institute
Affairs, Biogen Idec, Cambridge, MA; at the time of writing she was for Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowships, Ernest Mario School of
Postdoctoral Regulatory Affairs/Drug Safety and Risk Management Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway.
Fellow, Biogen Idec/Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Michael Steinberg, Pharm.D., BCOP, is Associate Professor of
Sciences (MCPHS), School of Pharmacy—Worcester/Manchester. Pharmacy Practice, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health
Amy Gangadharan, Pharm.D., is Senior Associate II, Safety and Sciences, School of Pharmacy—Worcester/Manchester. James G.
Benefit Risk Management, Biogen Idec; at the time of writing she Alexander, Pharm.D., is Director, Institute for Rutgers Pharmaceuti-
was Postdoctoral Regulatory Affairs/Drug Safety and Risk Manage- cal Industry Fellowships, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers.
ment Fellow, Biogen Idec/MCPHS, School of Pharmacy—Worcester/ Address correspondence to Dr. Melillo at the Massachusetts Col-
Manchester. Hillary Johnson, Pharm.D., is Product Manager, lege of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 19 Foster Street, Worcester,
Diabetes Business Unit, Sanofi, Bridgewater, NJ; at the time of writ- MA 01608 (stephanie.melillo@mcphs.edu).
ing she was Postdoctoral Diabetes Marketing Fellow, Sanofi Aventis/ The authors have declared no potential conflicts of interest.
Institute for Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowships, Ernest Mario
School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ. Patrick Copyright © 2012, American Society of Health-System Pharma-
Schleck, Pharm.D., is Director, Global Business Development, cists, Inc. All rights reserved. 1079-2082/12/0101-0063$06.00.
Hoffman-La Roche, Nutley, NJ; at the time of writing he was Post- DOI 10.2146/ajhp110104
Am J Health-Syst Pharm—Vol 69 Jan 1, 2012 63notes Industry fellowships
ing Program for the 2010–11 year.2 Industry fellowship programs out academic initiatives, including
After completing a PGY2 residency, typically have a departmental focus, research, teaching, and mentoring.
the pharmacist becomes a specialist enabling the fellow to be trained These academic responsibilities al-
in a particular discipline of patient in a specific area, and simulate the low for distinct training and experi-
care (e.g., transplantation) and ap- responsibilities and activities of a ence for recent graduates, which is
plies in-depth residency experiences full-time employee. For example, atypical of nonacademically affiliated
to improve pharmacy services.1 An fellows actively participate in depart- programs. Because of this disparate
academic pharmacy fellowship is mental and cross-functional meet- structural component, industry fel-
a “directed, highly individualized, ings, developing transferable skill lowships unaffiliated with academia
postgraduate program designed to sets grounded in critical thinking, were excluded from this analysis to
prepare the participant to become problem solving, and networking. allow for a consistent cohort of sur-
an independent researcher.”1 By de- Industry fellows deliver presenta- vey respondents.
veloping competency in the process tions and become active members of Principal information regarding
of scientific research, these programs a project team and daily operations school affiliation, fellowship area
prepare a fellow for a career as a col- within their respective departments, or department of focus, number of
laborative researcher and principal often providing key information to recruiting positions per program,
investigator.1,3 industry decision-makers. opportunity for interdepartmental
A postgraduate industry fellow- While ASHP offers a directory rotation, geographic location, and
ship is a one- or two-year program of accredited residency programs,5 point of contact for each program
designed to prepare the fellow for there is no publicly available central was gathered through these resourc-
a career in the pharmaceutical and repository of industry fellowship es. In addition to confirming pro-
biopharmaceutical industry (here- programs. This article provides a gram characteristics, the survey was
after, collectively referred to as “in- comprehensive list of academically used to gather objective, retrospec-
dustry”).3 This opportunity allows affiliated industry fellowship pro- tive data regarding the first position
pharmacists to apply their clinical gram characteristics. Furthermore, of employment for fellows who grad-
knowledge in innovative ways to in- a survey was developed and distrib- uated from the program between
fluence patient health on a broader uted to these programs to capture 2005 and 2009, and the position of
scale. An industry fellowship typi- objective, retrospective data regard- those same individuals at the time of
cally contains experiential learning ing positions held by graduates after survey completion. Two subsequent
in a specific area of focus at a spon- their completion of an affiliated e-mails were sent to nonresponders
sor company.4 Many programs are industry fellowship program. in May and June 2010 in an attempt
affiliated with an academic institu- to increase the response rate.
tion, typically a school or college of Methods All fellowship positions were
pharmacy. This affiliation allows for A list of postgraduate industry fel- grouped into one of the following
didactic opportunities to teach, men- lowships was gathered via the exhibi- six predefined departmental catego-
tor, and serve as a preceptor for phar- tor listing at the 2009 ASHP Midyear ries to reflect the typical structure
macy students both at the sponsor Clinical Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada. found within the commercial, op-
company and in a classroom setting. Each fellowship track within the erational, and research and develop-
Much like residents and academic program was considered an individ- ment functional areas of a sponsor
fellows, industry fellows receive ual program. Data regarding program company:
guidance and mentorship from characteristics were collected using
preceptors at both the sponsor and the Personnel Placement Service data- 1. Clinical research. Clinical research is
academic sites. Fellows collaborate base and program-specific brochures. responsible for the discovery of new
with faculty preceptors on research After data compilation, a standardized drugs and the development of pivotal
projects that yield scientific publica- survey was sent in January 2010 via clinical trials needed to gain approval
tions, posters, and presentations. Pre- e-mail to the point of contact for all of the product and encompasses work
ceptors at the sponsor site frequently programs to confirm the accuracy of ranging from authoring human study
meet with the fellow to ensure tangi- the program’s characteristics. protocols to ensuring accurate data
ble goals and objectives are met, pro- Included in the analysis were collection.
vide guidance throughout the course academically affiliated industry fel- 2. Commercial. Marketing plays a criti-
of the fellowship, and assist the fellow lowship programs that recruited cal role in understanding customer
in identifying employment opportu- applicants for a July 2010 fellowship needs and creating valued brands by
nities in industry after completion of start date. Academically affiliated analyzing current and future trends or
the fellowship. programs require the fellow to carry communicating with key health care
64 Am J Health-Syst Pharm—Vol 69 Jan 1, 2012notes Industry fellowships
stakeholders, such as managed care for pharmacists. Survey response. First position. When asked about
organizations and chain pharmacies. Surveys were sent to 64 postgradu- the first position that the graduate
3. Health economics and outcomes re- ate industry fellowship programs occupied after completion of the
search. This department is responsible affiliated with a school of pharmacy, industry fellowship, 93.2% of gradu-
for measuring the utility of medical 56 (87.5%) of whom responded. ates (n = 233) reported employment
interventions based on real-world These programs (Table 1) recruited in the industry field; 84.8% (n = 212)
data, such as long-term clinical and for a total of 75 positions at the 2009 specifically mentioned employment
economic outcomes. ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and in the pharmaceutical or biopharma-
4. Medical affairs. Medical affairs, which were either one year (33.9%, n = ceutical industry. Other job settings
can consist of medical information, 19) or two years (66.1%, n = 37) in included retail pharmacy (0.8%, n
medical communications, and medi- duration. Although cross-regionally = 2), managed care organizations
cal science liaisons, are responsible available in the United States, 64.3% (1.2%, n = 3), hospital or clinical
for protecting and promoting the of programs (n = 36) were headquar- pharmacy (1.6%, n = 4), and aca-
medical integrity of a drug product tered in New Jersey, 14.3% (n = 8) in demia (3.2%, n = 8). Of fellows who
while identifying the unmet needs of Massachusetts, and 10.7% (n = 6) in stayed in the industry field, 74.6%
patients. North Carolina. (n = 153) continued to work in
5. Regulatory affairs. Regulatory affairs Affiliated schools of pharmacy and the same general department, and
liaises with regulatory authorities, sponsor companies. Table 1 lists the 56.2% (n = 131) stayed with the
such as the Food and Drug Admin- schools of pharmacy and sponsor same company. The majority of
istration (FDA), to ensure that com- companies that offered industry fel- first positions occupied by industry
pany activities, including the develop- lowship programs for a July 2010 fel- fellowship graduates were in either
ment of manufacturing standards and lowship start date and were included medical affairs (44.0%, n = 95) or
reporting of safety information, abide in the analysis. Rutgers University clinical research (25.0%, n = 54).
by all regulations set forth by govern- Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy Subsequent positions. Data from
mental agencies. had the largest number of affiliated fellows during years 1–5 after com-
6. Pharmacovigilance. Pharmacovigi- sponsor companies and positions, pletion of the industry fellowship in-
lance departments are tasked with with 45 new fellows recruited across dicated that 90.5% of former fellows
minimizing the risk and maximiz- nine partner companies. Novartis remained in the industry (n = 238),
ing the benefit associated with drug and Bristol-Myers Squibb were the with 81.0% specifically in pharma-
products, primarily through timely sponsor companies that recruited ceutical or biopharmaceutical com-
identification and characterization of for the greatest number of new posi- panies (n = 213). Of those who re-
adverse events reported by consumers tions (14 and 13, respectively). The mained in industry at the time of the
and health care professionals alike. departmental breakdown for posi- survey, 74.0% (n = 151) still worked
tions offered across all academically in the same department and 46.8%
All postfellowship positions were affiliated industry fellowship pro- (n = 111) still worked at the sponsor
divided into one of eight predefined grams (including nonresponders) company in which they conducted
job settings: academia, hospital, was as follows: medical affairs their fellowship. The departmental
managed care, retail, industry— (38.7%, n = 29), clinical research breakdown during years 1–5 after
pharmaceutical or biopharmaceuti- (32.0%, n = 24), regulatory affairs completion of the industry fellow-
cal (companies that develop and (9.3%, n = 7), commercial (8.0%, n = ship was similar to that for the first
market pharmaceutical and biophar- 6), health economics and outcomes position (42.0% [n = 92] medical af-
maceutical products), industry— research (8.0%, n = 6), and pharma- fairs, 21.5% [n = 47] clinical research,
government (regulatory agencies and covigilance (4.0%, n = 3). 16.4% [n = 36] regulatory affairs).
their subcomponents), and industry— Positions held by 2005–09 fel- The most notable change occurred in
third party (consultant companies, lowship graduates. The responding the percentage of graduates in health
contracting organizations, and clini- programs cumulatively reported data economics and outcomes research
cal research organizations that serve on 271 industry fellowship gradu- positions, which increased from66
Table 1.
Listing of Postgraduate Industry Fellowships Recruiting Pharmacist Applicants in the United States (July 2010 Start Date)a
Affiliated School or Program No. Positions
notes
College of Pharmacy Sponsor Company Program Category Length, yr Offered
Florida A&M BMS Medical information 1 1
Jeffersonb Daiichi-Sankyo Health economics and outcomes research 2 1
Jeffersonb Ethicon Health economics and outcomes research 2 1
MCPHS Biogen Idec Regulatory affairs/drug safety and risk management 2 2
MCPHS Cubist Pharmaceuticals Clinical development 2 1
MCPHS Cubist Pharmaceuticals Drug information/medical affairs 2 1
MCPHS Genzyme Clinical research 2 1
MCPHS Genzyme Drug safety and risk management 2 1
MCPHS Genzyme Medical affairs 2 1
Industry fellowships
MCPHS Genzyme Regulatory affairs 2 1
Purdue Eli Lilly, FDA Drug information 2 1
Rutgers Bayer Consumer Care Medical affairs/clinical operations 2 1
Am J Health-Syst Pharm—Vol 69 Jan 1, 2012
Rutgers Bayer HealthCare Pharma Medical affairs 2 3
Rutgers BMS Global medical: neuroscience 2 1
Rutgers BMS Medical education, giving, and assistance 1 1
Rutgers BMS Medical information: cardiovascular/metabolics 1 1
Rutgers BMS Medical information: virology 1 1
Rutgers BMS Medical science liaison 2 1
Rutgers BMS Medical strategy: cardiovascular 1 1
Rutgers BMS Medical strategy: virology 1 1
Rutgers BMS Policy and advocacy 2 1
Rutgers BMS Promotion compliance 1 1
Rutgers BMS Research and development strategy and analytics 1 1
Rutgers BMS Scientific communication/medical strategy 1 1
Rutgers BMS U.S. medical: oncology 2 1
Rutgers Daiichi-Sankyo Medical affairs 1 3
Rutgers Hoffmann-La Roche Clinical pharmacology 2 2
Rutgers Hoffmann-La Roche Clinical research operations 2 3
Rutgers Hoffmann-La Roche Drug safety and risk management 2 1
Rutgers Hoffmann-La Roche Regulatory affairs 2 2
Rutgers Novartis Clinical development 2 2
Rutgers Novartis Drug regulatory affairs 2 3
Rutgers Novartis Health economics and outcomes research 2 1
Rutgers Novartis Marketing 2 3
Rutgers Novartis Medical information 2 1
Rutgers Novartis Translational medicine 2 2
Rutgers Ortho-McNeil Janssen Pharmaceutical, Inc. Marketing research 2 1
Continued on next pageTable 1 (continued)
Affiliated School or Program No. Positions
College of Pharmacy Sponsor Company Program Category Length, yr Offered
Rutgers Ortho-McNeil Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC Medical communications 1 1
Rutgers sanofi-aventis Evidence-based medicine 1 1
Rutgers sanofi-aventis Health policy and strategic advocacy 2 1
Rutgers sanofi-aventis Medical information 1 1
Rutgers TKL Research Clinical research 2 1
St. John’s Universityb Forest Research Institute Clinical drug development/regulatory affairs 2 2
Thomas Jefferson Ortho-McNeil Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC Outcomes research 2 1
UNC GlaxoSmithKline Drug development 2 3
UNC GlaxoSmithKline Pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics 2 1
UNC King Pharmaceuticals Drug development 2 1
UNC PPD Drug development 2 2
UNC Quintiles Pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics 2 1
UNC United Therapeutics Drug development 2 1
Univ. of Arizona Allergan Health outcomes and pharmacoeconomic research 2 1
Univ. of Buffalob Novartis Drug development 2 1
Univ. of Tennessee Med Communications, Inc. Medical information 1 2
Univ. of Texas at Austin Novartis Health economics and outcomes research 2 1
Univ. of Utah Novartis Health economics and outcomes research 2 1
USC Allergan Clinical pharmacology and quantitative sciences 1 1
USC Allergan Clinical research 1 1
USC Allergan Global pharmaceutical sciences 1 1
USC Allergan Medical affairs 1 1
USP PhamaWrite and DesignWrite Medical education and communications 1 1
USPb Genentech Managed care and customer operations 2 1
notes
USPb McNeil Consumer Healthcare Medical information, medical affairs, regulatory affairs, marketing 1 2
USPb Ortho-McNeil Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC Medical information 1 2
Washingtonb Allergan Pharmaceutical outcomes research and policy 2 1
a
Excludes nonacademically affiliated fellowship programs. Florida A&M = Florida A&M University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, BMS = Bristol-Myers Squibb, Jefferson = Jefferson School of Population
Health, MCPHS = Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Purdue = Purdue University College of Pharmacy, FDA = Food and Drug Administration, Rutgers = Rutgers University Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy,
Thomas Jefferson = Jefferson School of Pharmacy, UNC = University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Univ. of Arizona = University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, NR = no response, Univ. of Tennessee = University
of Tennessee College of Pharmacy, Univ. of Texas at Austin = University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy, Univ. of Utah = Univ. of Utah College of Pharmacy, USC = University of Southern California School of Pharmacy, USP
= University of the Sciences in Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Washington = University of Washington.
b
Program characteristics unconfirmed and postgraduate data not provided (nonresponder).
Am J Health-Syst Pharm—Vol 69 Jan 1, 2012
Industry fellowships
67notes Industry fellowships
tion between the completion of an itself may also reflect a sign of the and responsibilities. Consequently,
industry fellowship program and times. Global regulators and health the grouping of each position into
subsequent employment in industry care institutions alike are emphasiz- one of the predefined categories was
(approximately 90% of graduate ing the need for industry to provide accomplished with some degree of
fellows). Over half of all industry outcome assessments in the areas of subjectivity. Furthermore, the results
fellowship graduates obtained em- treatment claims, disease burden, presented in this article were based
ployment at the sponsor company on cost of treatment, and translation on a descriptive analysis of outcomes
completion of the program, and the of clinical efficacy into true patient and cannot represent the degree of
majority (74.0%) remained within outcomes, such as quality of life, reliability provided by a statistically
the same department, irrespective of functional status, and morbidity or powered analysis.
the employer. mortality.6
Based on these data, it can be in- The results of this analysis may Conclusion
ferred that postgraduate industry fel- convey a large retention rate, not The postgraduate industry fel-
lows obtain an adequate understand- only in the industry but within the lowship programs surveyed indi-
ing of industry-specific processes same department during the first five cated that the majority of fellow-
during the fellowship program and years after completion of the indus- ship graduates continued to hold
likely develop transferable skill sets, try fellowship program. However, positions in industry after program
enabling graduates to procure em- the Rutgers Pharmaceutical Industry completion. The majority of indus-
ployment in the industry setting after Fellowship (RPIF) Program followed try fellowships and subsequent job
completion of such a program. The graduate industry fellows over a lon- placements occurred in the areas of
retention of fellows at the individual ger period of time and found that medical affairs, clinical research, and
sponsor companies further suggests between 1987 and 2002, only 38% regulatory affairs.
that participating companies are of RPIF graduates reported being in
invested in the training of fellows as the same department at the time of References
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2. ASHP Resident Matching Program. Sum-
fellowship programs offered is in the There are several factors that mary results of the Match for positions
area of medical affairs, a department limited the study methodology and beginning in 2010. www.natmatch.com/
traditionally populated with a high applicability of results. The data ashprmp/ (accessed 2010 Aug 20).
3. Larochelle PA, Giang DK, Silva MA et al.
concentration of health care profes- analyzed did not include programs Post-PharmD industry fellowship op-
sionals. Individuals with Pharm.D. that did not respond to the survey portunities and proposed guidelines
degrees are often sought by medical and therefore do not represent all for uniformity. Am J Pharm Educ. 2009;
73:20.
affairs departments for their clinical industry fellowship programs. Pro- 4. El-Toukhy N, Kogit W, Alexander JG et
expertise and ability to deliver con- grams not affiliated with a college al. Trends in pharmacist employment in
cise, relevant, scientific, and medical or school of pharmacy were also the pharmaceutical industry. Presented at
ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting. Orlando,
information to both patients and excluded, as the structure, financial FL; 2004 Dec.
providers. Almost half (42.1%) of all incentives, objectives, and require- 5. American Society of Health-System Phar-
postgraduate fellows in this analysis ments can vary significantly from macists. Online residency directory. http://
accred.ashp.org/aps/pages/directory/
acquired positions in medical affairs those with an academic component. residencyProgramSearch.aspx (accessed
on completion of the industry fel- In addition, employment for gradu- 2011 Jun 15).
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Interestingly, the percentage of not be verified beyond the informa- ness of the need for health-economic
fellows employed in health econom- tion reported by program contacts, data in the absence of a regulatory man-
date. www.ispor.org/news/articles/ISPOR
ics and outcomes research increased for which any potential inaccuracies Connections_Vol14No1_JanFeb.pdf
from 1% in year 1 of employment to cannot be accounted. The five-year (accessed 2011 Aug 8).
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of the Rutgers Pharmaceutical Indus-
data from surveyed groups were not identify long-term trends based on try Fellowship Program on obtaining
mutually inclusive, this finding may these study data alone. As previously a position within the pharmaceutical/
represent a growing discipline with a discussed, there is a great deal of vari- biopharmaceutical industry: an evalua-
tion of historical employment data. Pa-
rising demand for pharmacists. The ability among companies in terms per presented at ASHP Midyear Clinical
growth of this area within industry of department definitions, roles, Meeting. Las Vegas, NV; 2009 Dec.
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