A prescription for success: finding career opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry.LONNEL COATS BEGAN HIS CAREER as a sales rep for a beverage company in 1986. Ten years later, he switched careers and joined Eisai Inc., a healthcare products manufacturer that develops drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (ăls`hī'mərz, ôls–), degenerative disease of nerve cells in the cerebral cortex that leads to atrophy of the brain and senile dementia. , gastrointestinal discomfort, and epilepsy. His first major project was the launch of Aricept, a prescription medicine for Alzheimer's, which was the company's first product in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . Coats' salesmanship and business prowess put him on the fast track to the C-suite. Today, he is president and COO of the U.S. subsidiary of the Japanese-based Eisai. Coats. 41, made his quick ascent through research, networking, and toiling in a number of the company's business departments. Through a series of promotions, he was also able to secure key roles at a time when Eisai was gaining a foothold in the U.S. As Coats discovered, the rapid growth of the pharmaceutical industry has created a variety of opportunities for professionals with expertise and training in sciences, as well as those poised to make a career transition. In fact. during the recession of 2001. it was one of the few industries that actually prospered, growing into a $550 billion sector by 2004. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. WetFeet.com, the top five "big pharma companies--Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, Bayer Group, and Roche--spend nearly $32.6 billion on research and development. A number of factors are driving the industry's expansion, mostly the aging baby boomer baby boomer also ba·by-boom·er n. A member of a baby-boom generation. Noun 1. baby boomer - a member of the baby boom generation in the 1950s; "they expanded the schools for a generation of baby boomers" boomer population and looming threats of bioterrorist attacks. As a result, employment in this field is projected to grow at a rate of 23% annually through 2012. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) A research agency of the U.S. Department of Labor; it compiles statistics on hours of work, average hourly earnings, employment and unemployment, consumer prices and many other variables. , job growth in the pharmaceutical industry is greater than all other sectors combined. There are no rigid requirements for entry into this industry. Some skills are easily transferable while others involve on-the-job training. Degrees in the sciences, engineering, business, or computer science can be applied to manufacturing or sales positions. "There are people who are sitting in professional jobs throughout our company today that came in as administrative assistants, with absolutely no experience in pharmaceuticals," says Coats. Jennifer Stewart, a 30-year-old senior manager of federal government affairs for AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, transitioned into her position after five years on Capitol Hill, first as Rep. Gregory Meeks' legislative director then as Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson's legislative assistant. Stewart, who does not have an educational background in science, is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in education and public policy. But her current role is a natural progression from her previous position. She spends roughly 60% of her time lobbying members of Congress and political staffers. It is a heavily networked business, confirms Janet Murphy, a former chemical engineer and president of bcgPHARMA, a pharmaceutical recruitment firm based in Cincinnati. "We find our candidates primarily through networking, especially at association conferences," she says. Murphy strongly advises students and entry-level candidates to join industry associations. Jarrod Collier, a 27-year-old Ph.D. candidate in pharmaceutical sciences at Howard University Howard University, at Washington, D.C.; coeducational; with federal support. It was founded in 1867 by Gen. Oliver O. Howard of the Freedmen's Bureau, to provide education for newly emancipated slaves. A normal and preparatory department was opened the same year. , agrees. Collier, who has an undergraduate degree “First degree” redirects here. For the BBC television series, see First Degree. An undergraduate degree (sometimes called a first degree or simply a degree in chemistry and a master's in pharmacy, gained work experience as an R&D chemist at Novartis. He has worked with his fellow graduate students to form Howard's first student chapter of the American Association American Association refers to one of the following professional baseball leagues:
An association that is given tax-free status. Donations to a non-profit organization are often tax deductible as well. Notes: Examples of non-profit organizations are charities, hospitals and schools. of more than 13,000 industry professionals. The goal is to provide greater opportunities to more black students. "As anyone knows coming out of graduate school, you're looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. a job," says Collier, who conducts doctoral research at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research is a division of the FDA that deals with the approval of drugs. CDER reviews New Drug Applications to ensure that the drugs are safe and effective. It is one of five Centers at the United States Food and Drug Administration. and works as a clinical research assistant at Howard University Hospital. "Going to the AAPS AAPS American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists AAPS Association of American Physicians and Surgeons AAPS Ann Arbor Public Schools AAPS American Association of Plastic Surgeons AAPS African Association of Political Science meetings and informing people that you are graduating, and that you have these abilities, skills, and experiences, is one of the better ways to do that." CAREER OPTIONS The career paths in the pharmaceutical industry are multifaceted. Depending on your education, work experience, and willingness to learn, there are several career options: Science Jobs Lab Technician: This is an entry-level job An entry-level job is a job that generally requires little skill and knowledge, and is generally of a low pay. These jobs may require physical strength or some on-site training. Many entry-level jobs are part-time, and do not include employee benefits. . Biological and chemical technicians play an important part in research and development of new medicines. Duties include operating and maintaining laboratory equipment, monitoring experiments, and analyzing data. $27,000-$35,000 Clinical Research Associate: In demand, these associates interact with the pharmaceutical company and healthcare sites. The position is a smooth transition for RNs and other medical professionals who can conduct trials of experimental drugs and analyze data under supervision of a more senior scientist. Clinical research associates are often called upon to write study protocols. An intricate knowledge of FDA FDA abbr. Food and Drug Administration FDA, n.pr See Food and Drug Administration. FDA, n.pr the abbreviation for the Food and Drug Administration. guidelines is essential. A chemistry or biology degree is required for this job, as well as experience working in a lab. $42,000-$95,000 Clinical Research Physician: Often filled by medical doctors who develop and implement plans for taking experimental drugs through pre-approval clinical trials. $90,000-$200,000 Research Scientist: With a broad base of scientific knowledge, they are required to conduct experiments for new drugs. They work as researchers and professors at universities, as regulatory scientists for agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration, and as researchers for government agencies such as the National Institutes of Health. $65,000-$110,000 Quality Control Analyst: These analysts are responsible for developing formalized for·mal·ize tr.v. for·mal·ized, for·mal·iz·ing, for·mal·iz·es 1. To give a definite form or shape to. 2. a. To make formal. b. product testing procedures and for writing and debugging the scripts to run the procedures. $39,000-$60,000 Engineering Jobs Process Engineer: Responsibilities include designing chemical or biological methods for mass producing compounds and design equipment. Engineers make significant contributions toward improving quality control and production efficiency. Chemical engineers design equipment and devise manufacturing processes. Bioprocess bi·o·proc·ess n. 1. A technique that produces a biological material, such as a genetically engineered microbial strain, for commercial use. 2. engineers design fermentation vats and various bioreactors for microorganisms. Industrial engineers plan equipment layout and workflow to maintain efficient use of plant facilities. $47,000-$86,000 Programmer/Analyst: Requires a background proficient in both computers and science because of the amount of complex database work they do, particularly for clinical trials. $43,000-$86,000 Sales Jobs Pharmaceutical Field Sales Rep: Provides information to physicians, pharmacists, dentists, and health services health services Managed care The benefits covered under a health contract administrators on their company's products. $32,000-$76,000 Other Jobs Regulatory Affairs Regulatory Affairs (RA), also called Government Affairs, is a profession within regulated industries, such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, energy, and banking. Regulatory Affairs professionals usually have responsibility for the following general areas: Where to Find Work Associations: The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists helps members find internships, provides networking opportunities through career fairs, and allows them to post resumes online for potential employers. AAPS also offers career development seminars and workshops, as well as career counseling on-site and online. (www.aapspharmaceutica.com/careercenter/) Online Job Boards: BioSpace.com and MedZilla.com are Internet recruitment sites that list jobs in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and science. SOURCE: WETFEET, AAPS, BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, HIREHEALTH.COM |
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