Industry Fellowship 2017

[koercive]

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After a long-time hiatus, I am back!

I completed a 2 year HE&OR fellowship after completing a PharmD/MS program a few years ago and now work full-time for a large cap pharmaceutical company as an Associate Director in HE&OR. I am happy to answer any questions you may have.

Who's applying to fellowships in 2017?

Here's a new blog post on how to prepare for PPS and tips for surviving the fellowship application process
http://pharmapplicants.com/blog/the...y-fellowship-application-process-pps-rutgers/

 

[y0ssarian87]

After a long-time hiatus, I am back!

I completed a 2 year HE&OR fellowship after completing a PharmD/MS program a few years ago and now work full-time for a large cap pharmaceutical company as an Associate Director in HE&OR. I am happy to answer any questions you may have.

Who's applying to fellowships in 2017?

I intend to apply, though I'll be looking at programs with a focus on clinical research, early clinical development, and PK/PD. No questions at the moment, but I'm incredibly grateful to have an industry person come back to the forum to offer advice and answer questions!


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[samven582]

What are the chances of me obtaining a fellowship after working as a pharmacist for a year?

 

[PAtoPharm]

I just started my very first semester of P1 a couple weeks ago. I've heard that these kinds of fellowships are ultra-competitive to gain admission to, but what are the chances of someone obtaining a medical affairs fellowship position if they don't attend a top 10 school? What can someone do during their time as a pharmacy student to make themselves more competitive for these fellowships?

Thanks

 

[yungnaira]

I will applying for fellowships this year as well. Primary focus in Regulatory

How are the Rutgers fellowships different from ones not affiliated with that particular school, say Allergan?

Thanks for the insight

 

[star3rulz]

I am a current pharma fellow and well help address some of your questions on koercive's behalf

What are the chances of me obtaining a fellowship after working as a pharmacist for a year?

Your chances is just as good as anyone else if not better (if you can show that you are serious candidate). It's rare that people do fellowship after being a pharmacist is because there is a pay cut involved so really ask yourself why you want to do a fellowship and have a good genuine answer because they will ask during interview

I just started my very first semester of P1 a couple weeks ago. I've heard that these kinds of fellowships are ultra-competitive to gain admission to, but what are the chances of someone obtaining a medical affairs fellowship position if they don't attend a top 10 school? What can someone do during their time as a pharmacy student to make themselves more competitive for these fellowships?

Thanks

Fellowship are getting more competitive similar to residency because more people are interested in pharmacy and people want to specialized (similar to medicine). That's not to say it's impossible. I would say getting a fellowship has less to do with which school you went to and more about what experiences you had (i.e internship, rotations etc...). If anything school ranking may matter more for residency but not as much for fellowship. What you can do to make yourself more competitive is to connect yourself with current fellow and see what they've done, learn more about the different type of fellowship (Med Affairs, Regulatory, HEOR, Clinical dev etc...) I am working on putting together some resources soon.

I will applying for fellowships this year as well. Primary focus in Regulatory

How are the Rutgers fellowships different from ones not affiliated with that particular school, say Allergan?

Thanks for the insight

Regulatory is awesome, I did a rotation at FDA and liked regulatory as well. To answer your questions, Rutgers is just a large partner for many pharma company so each program within the Rutger umbrella is different so you should really hone in on that (i.e Novartis/Rutger vs Genentech/Rutger can be completely different and it's just that both companies partners with Rutgers to create the fellowship). Saying that, Allergan is is just a fellowship that I think is one year partner with USC. So again, each program is completely different so good to start researching them early and do your homework!

Best wishes!

 

[healthypharmacist]

So glad to see this post!

I just took a recent interest to pursue a fellowship. However, I was unable to get an industry based APPE rotation. Furthermore, I don't really have much 'leadership' skills. I was really shy during my pharmacy school years and didn't get involved very much. I volunteer for a few organizations and I worked in retail from my senior year of high school to my P2 year.
My GPA is about a 3.3. Now that I've busted out of my shell (I feel way too late), I'm trying to grab all the opportunities I can get as a P4. I'll be even presenting a poster at midyear this year.

Is it even worth to try applying without some of these qualities fellowships are looking for?

 

[star3rulz]

So glad to see this post!

I just took a recent interest to pursue a fellowship. However, I was unable to get an industry based APPE rotation. Furthermore, I don't really have much 'leadership' skills. I was really shy during my pharmacy school years and didn't get involved very much. I volunteer for a few organizations and I worked in retail from my senior year of high school to my P2 year.
My GPA is about a 3.3. Now that I've busted out of my shell (I feel way too late), I'm trying to grab all the opportunities I can get as a P4. I'll be even presenting a poster at midyear this year.

Is it even worth to try applying without some of these qualities fellowships are looking for?

I am glad you've taken an interest in pursing a fellowship and sorry you were not able to get an industry based APPE rotation. I would say GPA is not paramount when applying for fellowship but your experience and the things you can speak do matters. Thus, I would look back and see a) Why you want a fellowship b) How you can communicate that and support it with what you have done thus far c) Look into what program might be a good fit (locations, what job entail etc...) via PPS portal or talking to people you might know.

Since you are going to midyear, it definitely doesn't hurt to apply (cost an extra $100 which is nothing in grand scheme of things). However, I would do my homework because fellowship cycle turns around very quickly and you should have a good plan going into Midyear so you got a few month to decide and plan. Best of luck!

 

[yungnaira]

Thanks for the info, star3rulz.

Would you recommend going back to school as a fellow, now that you've completed your post-doc? Is it possible to pursue another degree AND complete the fellowship at the same time?

 

[star3rulz]

Thanks for the info, star3rulz.

Would you recommend going back to school as a fellow, now that you've completed your post-doc? Is it possible to pursue another degree AND complete the fellowship at the same time?

What do you mean going back to school? I got a PharmD and pursued a fellowship afterward. I am in Health Economics & Outcomes Research which is pretty specialized and there are lot of PhDs in this fields so people in my position have gone back to get a PhD. I am not planning on that because that's a lot of school after 4 years of undergrad, 4 years of pharmacy and 2 years of fellowship. As part of my program, I do get a masters degree as part of my fellowship which is a nice bonus. Note that most fellowship does not grant degree but that's part of the appeal of this one. I don't think it's easy to get a degree at the same time if it's not offered through your fellowship.

Hope that answered your question, let me know if you want to clarify =)

 

[koercive]

I will applying for fellowships this year as well. Primary focus in Regulatory

How are the Rutgers fellowships different from ones not affiliated with that particular school, say Allergan?

Thanks for the insight

The process to apply is a bit different at ASHP / PPS for Rutgers vs other schools. Personally, I think the track record of the fellowship, preceptor, dual degree opportunities, and experience provided are more important than targeting a particular university. Though Rutgers provides ample networking opportunities, other fellowships may provide opportunities not provided by Rutgers- for example, I did not do a Rutgers fellowship and did a unique one that let you spend 1 year at a health plan and 1 year at a Pharma company.

 

[koercive]

What are the chances of me obtaining a fellowship after working as a pharmacist for a year?

Will you be attending Midyear and doing PPS? I've seen it done but you'll need to be ready to answer questions about working for a year. Also, your overall experience will matter more imo than taking a year off


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[koercive]

I just started my very first semester of P1 a couple weeks ago. I've heard that these kinds of fellowships are ultra-competitive to gain admission to, but what are the chances of someone obtaining a medical affairs fellowship position if they don't attend a top 10 school? What can someone do during their time as a pharmacy student to make themselves more competitive for these fellowships?

Thanks

I don't think the top 10 school part matters that much; however, some schools do provide more opportunities for students to get exposure/experience to industry through organizations, rotations, alumni networking events, etc. That's not to say that one can be proactive to set oneself up for being a competitive applicant when it comes fellowships. I know many colleagues and friends from non-top 10 schools and in few cases, from newer schools who have been successful.

Things to do to be more competitive for fellowships:
-networking - in person and online e.g. , LinkedIn - find alumni from your program in industry to set up a call to learn about their career paths; in school I also met many alumni working in pharma at my school's AMCP events
-find relevant internships and rotation experiences - industry jobs preferred but other relevant roles can be in consulting
-participate in organizations in leadership roles
-work with professors or PhD students in relevant areas of interest - publications (manuscripts, posters) during school can be helpful in fields such as HE&OR or clinical research
-having perfect grades do not matter - balance school with other activities
-start subscribing to industry newsletters to learn the lingo and top ongoing news - I subscribed to the Fierce subscriptions starting in my first year and had weekly digests of top news to read about - when it came to fellowship interviews, I was familiar with all the companies and had longitudinal awareness of key events
-figure out what type of industry roles interest you early on through the bullets above - I narrowed down my fellowship choices to two key areas through discussions with mentors, reading a lot about industry, and having informational interviews with people who were in those areas

 

[yungnaira]

What do you mean going back to school? I got a PharmD and pursued a fellowship afterward. I am in Health Economics & Outcomes Research which is pretty specialized and there are lot of PhDs in this fields so people in my position have gone back to get a PhD. I am not planning on that because that's a lot of school after 4 years of undergrad, 4 years of pharmacy and 2 years of fellowship. As part of my program, I do get a masters degree as part of my fellowship which is a nice bonus. Note that most fellowship does not grant degree but that's part of the appeal of this one. I don't think it's easy to get a degree at the same time if it's not offered through your fellowship.

Hope that answered your question, let me know if you want to clarify =)

Yes it does! I hear you on the years of school, that's been the biggest downside to this whole thing. I was hoping to start a program (possibly JD, part-time) during the fellowship and was asking about the practicality of it all.

The process to apply is a bit different at ASHP / PPS for Rutgers vs other schools. Personally, I think the track record of the fellowship, preceptor, dual degree opportunities, and experience provided are more important than targeting a particular university. Though Rutgers provides ample networking opportunities, other fellowships may provide opportunities not provided by Rutgers- for example, I did not do a Rutgers fellowship and did a unique one that let you spend 1 year at a health plan and 1 year at a Pharma company.

How would to gather information on possible fellowship preceptors? Like my previous response, if there was a dual-degree/fellowship granting a JD, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

 

[star3rulz]

Yes it does! I hear you on the years of school, that's been the biggest downside to this whole thing. I was hoping to start a program (possibly JD, part-time) during the fellowship and was asking about the practicality of it all.



How would to gather information on possible fellowship preceptors? Like my previous response, if there was a dual-degree/fellowship granting a JD, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

I know people who've done JD after PharmD but never heard of them doing it on a part time bases. I honest don't think any fellowship grants JD (at least nothing specific to pharmacy). If you are committed to JD after your PharmD, you should look into JD fellowship or something and leverage ur PharmD as credential to get the fellowship or whatever program that gets you wat you want. (Traditional pharmD fellowship probably won't offer JD and not practical to do JD part-time on the side because fellowships are full time)

 

[yungnaira]

I know people who've done JD after PharmD but never heard of them doing it on a part time bases. I honest don't think any fellowship grants JD (at least nothing specific to pharmacy). If you are committed to JD after your PharmD, you should look into JD fellowship or something and leverage ur PharmD as credential to get the fellowship or whatever program that gets you wat you want. (Traditional pharmD fellowship probably won't offer JD and not practical to do JD part-time on the side because fellowships are full time)

Very interesting perspective. Thank you

 

[pandora12]

Does anyone know how fast the turn around is after requesting an interview to hear back?

 

[ICaPharmD]

Does anyone know how fast the turn around is after requesting an interview to hear back?

It depends on the program. Some will want to do a prescreen to determine if they will grant you an interview. Some will wait until closer to Midyear to start scheduling so that they are sure to select the best candidates. Some will start earlier to make sure their best candidates get a slot...It all just depends.

 

[Baboguy]

After a long-time hiatus, I am back!

I completed a 2 year HE&OR fellowship after completing a PharmD/MS program a few years ago and now work full-time for a large cap pharmaceutical company as an Associate Director in HE&OR. I am happy to answer any questions you may have.

Who's applying to fellowships in 2017?

What is HE&OR? Srry, I won't go to pharmacy school till next Aug ( I already got accepted), so there are some terms that I am not sure I could understand that. However, my goal is to work at pharmaceutical company after graduation. So could you please advise me what preparation I need to do during pharmacy school years to make me be great for later positions at pharmaceutical company?

 

[star3rulz]

Does anyone know how fast the turn around is after requesting an interview to hear back?

I assume you are asking about PPS for ASHP midyear? It depends on the program but first round interviews will be sent out usually in November if you submit early. Some programs might screen beforehand and turn around time may vary depending on the reviewers. Just saw this was answered so it's consistent.

What is HE&OR? Srry, I won't go to pharmacy school till next Aug ( I already got accepted), so there are some terms that I am not sure I could understand that. However, my goal is to work at pharmaceutical company after graduation. So could you please advise me what preparation I need to do during pharmacy school years to make me be great for later positions at pharmaceutical company?

HEOR is health economics and outcomes research. It's one segment of pharmaceutical industry. Other area includes regulatory affairs, medical information, medical affairs etc... To prepare, I would recommend finding out the different roles pharmacists can/often takes in industry to see what fits you. This is similar to if you want to be a community pharmacist vs. psych or emergency department pharmacist. Then during school get experience in the area you want to end up and map out possible paths i.e go do this fellowship or apply for this job after graduation. Hope that helps!

 

[Baboguy]

I assume you are asking about PPS for ASHP midyear? It depends on the program but first round interviews will be sent out usually in November if you submit early. Some programs might screen beforehand and turn around time may vary depending on the reviewers. Just saw this was answered so it's consistent.
This is totally new to me because I don't really know each step to get there. I may do more research on this topic. Do you have any website for me to read and understand more about this path? I appreciate you very much!


HEOR is health economics and outcomes research. It's one segment of pharmaceutical industry. Other area includes regulatory affairs, medical information, medical affairs etc... To prepare, I would recommend finding out the different roles pharmacists can/often takes in industry to see what fits you. This is similar to if you want to be a community pharmacist vs. psych or emergency department pharmacist. Then during school get experience in the area you want to end up and map out possible paths i.e go do this fellowship or apply for this job after graduation. Hope that helps!

 

[y0ssarian87]

Does anyone know how fast the turn around is after requesting an interview to hear back?

If you're referring to PPS, I think it entirely depends on the program.

I submitted several interview requests, and I received two within 24 hours. One was an MCPHS fellowship program, and another is a stand-alone program. There are many others I haven't heard from. Though I've heard it may take all the way until mid-November to hear.

This whole PPS thing is incredibly nerve-wracking.


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[yungnaira]

If you're referring to PPS, I think it entirely depends on the program.

I submitted several interview requests, and I received two within 24 hours. One was an MCPHS fellowship program, and another is a stand-alone program. There are many others I haven't heard from. Though I've heard it may take all the way until mid-November to hear.

This whole PPS thing is incredibly nerve-wracking.


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Co-sign the nerve-wracking part. Can it be January already!

 

[koercive]

Does anyone know how fast the turn around is after requesting an interview to hear back?

Like mentioned before, it depends on the program. Many will wait some time so that they can look through batches of applicants to screen through before scheduling interviews. This is done as some good applicants may not apply to a program immediately.

 

[koercive]

What is HE&OR? Srry, I won't go to pharmacy school till next Aug ( I already got accepted), so there are some terms that I am not sure I could understand that. However, my goal is to work at pharmaceutical company after graduation. So could you please advise me what preparation I need to do during pharmacy school years to make me be great for later positions at pharmaceutical company?

Thanks Star3rulz!

HE&OR (Health Economics & Outcomes Research) is a specific area within the industry that is focused on things such as : cost-effectiveness modeling, budget impact modeling, observational research, patient surveys, epidemiology, etc.

If you are interested in learning about this field, I suggest you check out the student/national organizations: ISPOR and AMCP - if these organizations are not at your school, you can still attend the bi annual conferences at a student discounted rate. I would highly recommend attending as I made many contacts, participated in students events/competitions, and even did an internship that was a part of AMCP

A pro-tip: start looking at and downloading fellowship brochures and job descriptions for various jobs that PharmDs can qualify for. You can use the "responsibilities" bullet list as a list of areas you would want exposure to through classes, networking, internships, and rotations so that you will be a good candidate for a related role when you're ready to apply in the near future

 

[cookiecrumbler1]

If you're referring to PPS, I think it entirely depends on the program.

I submitted several interview requests, and I received two within 24 hours. One was an MCPHS fellowship program, and another is a stand-alone program. There are many others I haven't heard from. Though I've heard it may take all the way until mid-November to hear.

This whole PPS thing is incredibly nerve-wracking.


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Which MCPHS program if I may ask?
and how long have you been waiting for the ones you haven't heard back for?

 

[y0ssarian87]

Which MCPHS program if I may ask?
and how long have you been waiting for the ones you haven't heard back for?

I'd rather not state the specific programs publicly.

For the ones I'm still waiting to hear from, I have been waiting about 3 or 4 business days. Not all that long admittedly, but it's still stressful.


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[star3rulz]

I'd rather not state the specific programs publicly.

For the ones I'm still waiting to hear from, I have been waiting about 3 or 4 business days. Not all that long admittedly, but it's still stressful.


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Haha if you want to work in industry, gotta learn to keep your cool. 3-4 business day is nothing. Fellows/admin people setting up these interviews have full time jobs and won't review submission on a daily basis so just be patient and spend time to do you research on all the program and maybe set up some call with the current fellows to learn more about the program not publicly available.

 

[y0ssarian87]

Haha if you want to work in industry, gotta learn to keep your cool. 3-4 business day is nothing. Fellows/admin people setting up these interviews have full time jobs and won't review submission on a daily basis so just be patient and spend time to do you research on all the program and maybe set up some call with the current fellows to learn more about the program not publicly available.

Haha, don't worry. I definitely don't expect any of these programs to get back to me ASAP. In fact I've been pleasantly surprised at several of these quick responses. It's just the waiting game and intermittent periods of self-doubt that are stressful.


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[LandyPharmD]

After a long-time hiatus, I am back!

I completed a 2 year HE&OR fellowship after completing a PharmD/MS program a few years ago and now work full-time for a large cap pharmaceutical company as an Associate Director in HE&OR. I am happy to answer any questions you may have.

Who's applying to fellowships in 2017?

Thank you for posting. I am a P3 student from Florida working towards a career in PhRMA. It has been difficult getting Industry APPE rotations as there are only a few companies in this area and many Pharmacy schools. As such, I have been trying to contact Agencies and Pharmaceutical companies in the Tri-state area to ensure that I get rotations in my area of interest to make me a better candidate for fellowships. Do you have any advice you can share on reaching out to the companies and setting up APPE contracts with my school.

 

[doubletwenty]

Sorry this is a stupid question. I am prepharm wondering the difference between a PhD degree and pharmd fellowship?
Are the career paths different?

 

[y0ssarian87]

Hey guys, how many rounds of interviews should we expect at PPS/Midyear per company/position? I've heard that Lilly only has one round, though another friend said last year she had two rounds. I also heard USC-Allergan is two rounds, one with current fellows and another with your program of interest. Any knowledge about the MCPHS or Rutgers programs?

Also, does anyone happen to know when Rutgers's application portal will be available?


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[yungnaira]

I heard it is company/program specific. Anywhere from 1 - 3 rounds (including onsite). Probably doesn't help much but yeah.

Rutgers will sign you up for interviews during midyear, that 1st Saturday I believe

 

[yungnaira]

Sorry this is a stupid question. I am prepharm wondering the difference between a PhD degree and pharmd fellowship?
Are the career paths different?

PhD is research specific. PharmD is a doctorate degree that allows you to practice as a pharmacist once licensed. Although you may end up working in similar capacities (if you choose) the focus is different

Thank you for posting. I am a P3 student from Florida working towards a career in PhRMA. It has been difficult getting Industry APPE rotations as there are only a few companies in this area and many Pharmacy schools. As such, I have been trying to contact Agencies and Pharmaceutical companies in the Tri-state area to ensure that I get rotations in my area of interest to make me a better candidate for fellowships. Do you have any advice you can share on reaching out to the companies and setting up APPE contracts with my school.

Start with alumni. (you will be surprised who works where) If that doesn't work try contacting the HR dept of those companies and inquire about the student opportunities. They might be able to put you in contact with the collegiate relations department.

Lastly, attend conferences and network. Good Luck

 

[doubletwenty]

So you can still interact with patients if you go through the industry route?

 

[koercive]

Thank you for posting. I am a P3 student from Florida working towards a career in PhRMA. It has been difficult getting Industry APPE rotations as there are only a few companies in this area and many Pharmacy schools. As such, I have been trying to contact Agencies and Pharmaceutical companies in the Tri-state area to ensure that I get rotations in my area of interest to make me a better candidate for fellowships. Do you have any advice you can share on reaching out to the companies and setting up APPE contracts with my school.

I know UF has several rotations set up with agencies, a few pharma companies, and the FDA. These could be good options, but it wouldn't hurt to try to set up a new affiliation agreement. Keep in mind that it could take 3-6 months or more for the respective legal teams to set up the agreement.

As another poster stated, reach out to alumni. LinkedIn is your best tool for this. You could reach out to HR departments, but this may not be as effective as many HR folks may not be familiar with PharmDs, APPEs, and the concept of an unpaid experiential experience (this is from personal experience). The preceptor or soon to be preceptor drives most of this process of internal education and also taking the time to set up the rotation.

Finally, rotations are good to do of course, but IMO getting an internship is more important and improves your overall application. The former is 4 to 6 weeks of some exposure on a few projects vs. the latter tends to be more in depth as a 10-12 week or more experience. As a former fellowship interviewer, I looked for internship and job experiences over rotations. The reason was that it is relatively easier to sign up for a rotation, and some schools have a huge advantage in having several rotation options. However, when going for paid internship positions, it is a more level playing field since several applicants are applying from all over.

 

[koercive]

Hey guys, how many rounds of interviews should we expect at PPS/Midyear per company/position? I've heard that Lilly only has one round, though another friend said last year she had two rounds. I also heard USC-Allergan is two rounds, one with current fellows and another with your program of interest. Any knowledge about the MCPHS or Rutgers programs?

Also, does anyone happen to know when Rutgers's application portal will be available?


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Ranges from one to three depending on the program. Also, there are times where you may be a finalist, but only get 2 rounds for a program that offers 3 due to scheduling conflicts (e.g. preceptor had to fly back home early).

Rutgers fellowships require in person, wait in line and schedule in person. Other fellowships you can apply and schedule interviews through PPS before Midyear.

 

[koercive]

So you can still interact with patients if you go through the industry route?

The majority of industry positions have no direct contact with patients. For example, I sit at an office desk in a "9-5" corporate environment. I interact with other departments at my company, external medical experts, payers, and vendors. In my role, I have done patient survey research and other forms of observational research, but I am not directly interacting with patients. I find my work very rewarding and exciting though because I am looking at outcomes much broader than a "n=1" perspective

 

[y0ssarian87]

Ranges from one to three depending on the program. Also, there are times where you may be a finalist, but only get 2 rounds for a program that offers 3 due to scheduling conflicts (e.g. preceptor had to fly back home early).

Rutgers fellowships require in person, wait in line and schedule in person. Other fellowships you can apply and schedule interviews through PPS before Midyear.

Hey koercive, thanks for being a source of information and guidance! Any general recommendations for approaching PPS? I have a hectic schedule so far without even including Rutgers interviews, and I'm a little concerned about burn out midway through. Also, is it easy to get a time of your choice for the Rutgers interviews? What time do recommend to show up on Saturday? Thanks!


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[LandyPharmD]

I know UF has several rotations set up with agencies, a few pharma companies, and the FDA. These could be good options, but it wouldn't hurt to try to set up a new affiliation agreement. Keep in mind that it could take 3-6 months or more for the respective legal teams to set up the agreement.

As another poster stated, reach out to alumni. LinkedIn is your best tool for this. You could reach out to HR departments, but this may not be as effective as many HR folks may not be familiar with PharmDs, APPEs, and the concept of an unpaid experiential experience (this is from personal experience). The preceptor or soon to be preceptor drives most of this process of internal education and also taking the time to set up the rotation.

Finally, rotations are good to do of course, but IMO getting an internship is more important and improves your overall application. The former is 4 to 6 weeks of some exposure on a few projects vs. the latter tends to be more in depth as a 10-12 week or more experience. As a former fellowship interviewer, I looked for internship and job experiences over rotations. The reason was that it is relatively easier to sign up for a rotation, and some schools have a huge advantage in having several rotation options. However, when going for paid internship positions, it is a more level playing field since several applicants are applying from all over.

Thank you! I have reached out to some alumni as the other poster suggested and I am awaiting feedback. I applied a number of summer internships in my P2 year and despite my stellar GPA and leadership experience I was unable to get any positions. Since most of these companies were in the North east I thought my denied applications were due to my location. I am wondering if it is too late for me now or should I just proceed to a Fellowship after rotations.


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[star3rulz]

Hey koercive, thanks for being a source of information and guidance! Any general recommendations for approaching PPS? I have a hectic schedule so far without even including Rutgers interviews, and I'm a little concerned about burn out midway through. Also, is it easy to get a time of your choice for the Rutgers interviews? What time do recommend to show up on Saturday? Thanks!

I think it might be a bit late since you ASHP is this weekend. I definitely agree that interviews can get pretty hectic. I would say people do interview with 10+ positions and given that on average there are 2 rounds of interviews, that's a bit more than 20 interviews in a few days. (of course you have to make it to the later rounds of interviews. I would just focus on programs you are most interested in and fit you first and fill in back ups or exploratory programs afterward. It's totally alright to cancel interviews if you start burning out with program you are interested in. Make sure to get an organized schedule, drink a lot of water, figure out how and when you will eat and clear ur schedule for the rest of the week because there may be receptions and scheduling later round interviews. Be prepared to apply right after the conference because the turn around time can be extremely fast depending on the program!

Last of all, be prepared with your elevator speech because you will use it a lot. Be yourself, research the programs best you can and smile.

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[y0ssarian87]

Good luck to all at PPS!

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[Burhan1234]

Hi everyone! Hope you guys are doing well. I am currently a first-year pharmacy student who does not have a bachelors degree. I am very interested in obtaining a fellowship in medical affairs after my PharmD but I was wondering if not having a Bachelors degree would put me at a great disadvantage to gain entry into a fellowship program.

I would greatly appreciate the feedback.

 

[yungnaira]

Hope everyone's Midyear and/or PPS was successful.

The waiting is the worst part

 

[y0ssarian87]

Hope everyone's Midyear and/or PPS was successful.

The waiting is the worst part

My heart goes out to you. There's nothing worse than waiting. Thankfully, I received an offer for a fellowship program I really like before Midyear, and I received my onsite interview invite today (a Rutgers program) for the only program I'd consider over my current offer. I'm able to relax for the holidays!

Best of luck and keep us updated!


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[pmcc1990]

My heart goes out to you. There's nothing worse than waiting. Thankfully, I received an offer for a fellowship program I really like before Midyear, and I received my onsite interview invite today (a Rutgers program) for the only program I'd consider over my current offer. I'm able to relax for the holidays!

Best of luck and keep us updated!


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I am hoping to receive an invite to a Rutgers program as well, would you mind sharing what company invited you for an interview? The waiting is killing me 🙁

 

[y0ssarian87]

I am hoping to receive an invite to a Rutgers program as well, would you mind sharing what company invited you for an interview? The waiting is killing me 🙁

Sent a PM. Good luck!


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[PAtoPharm]

My heart goes out to you. There's nothing worse than waiting. Thankfully, I received an offer for a fellowship program I really like before Midyear, and I received my onsite interview invite today (a Rutgers program) for the only program I'd consider over my current offer. I'm able to relax for the holidays!

Best of luck and keep us updated!


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Congratulations on receiving the offer. If you don't mind, can I ask you about your background, extracurriculars you participated in as a student to make yourself competitive, etc.?

 

[y0ssarian87]

Congratulations on receiving the offer. If you don't mind, can I ask you about your background, extracurriculars you participated in as a student to make yourself competitive, etc.?

Thank you! Sure, go ahead and PM me, and we can talk.


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[yungnaira]

Just received an offer for on-site. Non-Rutgers