Careers in Pharmaceutical Industry

CAREERS IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY

Exciting New Options for Physicians

Whether it’s an idea you’ve been considering, or a concept you’ve never entertained, here is a fact you may find interesting: transitioning into the pharmaceutical industry has become a growing trend among physicians.

The reasons for this conversion are many.

When a doctor or a scientist joins a pharmaceutical firm, he or she has the opportunity to participate in the development and testing of important new drugs. There is also the lure of regular hours, the peace of mind of a guaranteed salary with attractive perks and benefits, low job turnover, a change of environment, and the potential to develop new areas of expertise. If a physician is currently in private practice, or maintains an academic or clinical appointment, shifting to a position in the pharmaceutical industry may enable him/her to take on management responsibilities, and participate in team efforts.

In addition, the prohibitive (and consistently rising) costs of malpractice insurance are compelling many physicians to seek alternative careers. A pharmaceutical industry position can be an excellent option for doctors who want to continue their altruistic pursuits, while enjoying the financial security and support of a corporate environment. Moreover, for scientists who have been responsible for procuring funding for their projects, the obligation to seek outside financial support is eliminated in a pharmaceutical company environment. Instead, the pharmaceutical company itself funds the project, enabling the scientist to focus on research aspects rather than financial ones.

What Do Pharmaceutical Industry Physicians Do?

There are a number of unique opportunities within the pharmaceutical industry for doctors. They include positions in Clinical Research, Marketing Support, Regulatory Activities, Medical Affairs, and Professional and Educational Development, among others. The chart below identifies some of the responsibilities physicians may have within these roles. Overall, the most common position for an industrial physician is to help develop and oversee Clinical Trials. Although each pharmaceutical company has its own unique system and expectations of what a position entails, there are generally consistencies from company to company, particularly in Clinical Trials. (Click here to see an outline of the Clinical Trial Process.)

Potential Responsibilities for Physicians in Pharmaceutical Industry Positions

   Clinical Research

  • Develop strategies for developing and marketing new drugs
  • Convince outside clinicians to conduct clinical trials
  • Design the clinical trial protocols
  • Begin and oversee clinical trials
  • Interpret clinical trial data
  • Order drug trial supplies
  • Maintain communications with key clinical investigators
  • Assess adverse reactions, and plan possible treatments
  • Collaborate with development teams
  • Maintain regular communications with key associates and outside contacts
  • Approve drug supply samples for outside studies; human and animal
  • Examine licensing options

   Professional Development and Education

  • Work on research projects with universities
  • Educate company representatives
  • Provide information to community groups
  • Participate in pertinent seminars, meetings, and information sessions
  • Consult and collaborate with other physicians

    Marketing Support

  • Review advertising and marketing materials for message accuracy
  • Provide information to other heath care professionals

    Regulatory Affairs

  • Create and submit regulatory materials
  • Report serious adverse reactions to authorities
  • Be involved in regulatory meetings

Is the Pharmaceutical Industry Right for You?

While pharmaceutical companies are dedicated to providing medicines that are beneficial to people, it is important to remember that they are also large businesses focused on profitability. Therefore, when considering a position in, or a transition to, the pharmaceutical environment, you should look at whether the requirements of the industry and the specific position meet your career and personal needs and objectives. It is also vital to make sure that your experience and goals match the needs of the company where you are seeking a position.

Generally, pharmaceutical companies employ physicians who have:

  • Experience and board certification in the area in which s/he will work
  • Scientific orientation, necessary for the development and design of clinical studies and strategies
  • The desire to work as part of a team; to be willing to share ideas and be open to the ideas and support of others
  • The ability to communicate and present well. Presentations at scientific meetings, seminars, and symposia are often a major part of the position.
  • Favorable peer recognition
  • Clinical experience. Although clinical trial work may remove one from patient contact for the most part, having an understanding and empathy for patients’ needs can be a key element in the success of the trial.

Your Next Steps

If you are intrigued by the many benefits offered within the pharmaceutical industry, a good next step is to speak with a recruiter specializing in the placement of physicians within the pharmaceutical environment. As one of the country’s foremost specialty search firms for physicians, scientists, and managers in the clinical research and development process, KLM/Bryant Research is uniquely positioned to provide you with the support and information you need to make a successful transition to the pharmaceutical industry. For many physicians this career move has proved to be a very rewarding one.

To learn more about your potential opportunities, and/or to list your CV with BR, click here: Contact Us.

To see a list of current openings available through BR, click: Current Openings.

For answers to frequently asked questions about working in the pharmaceutical industry, click: Candidate FAQs

Pharmaceutical Industry Career Options

There are a myriad of exceptional opportunities available for physicians and scientists in the pharmaceutical industry. Whether your career is just beginning, or you’re contemplating a change, KLM/Bryant Research has the expertise and knowledge needed to help you find a challenging, satisfying position in one of the following fields: (To see a definition, click on any term.)

Clinical Research and Development (Clinical R&D)

In the pharmaceutical industry, research and development is the process of discovering and developing new drugs and related products for the market.

Clinical Research and Development is the portion of the process that pertains to the experimental research and clinical trials in human subjects. In Clinical R&D, physicians and scientists are involved throughout the clinical trial process from phase 1, where the drug is tested in healthy volunteers, to the comprehensive phase 3 trials conducted in support of an NDA. Clinical R&D is also needed to provide the FDA with overall safety and efficacy evaluation and the medical and scientific rational for approval as a new drug.

Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Drug Metabolism

These studies take place in both preclinical and clinical stages of a drug’s development.

PK: The study of the processes of bodily absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of compounds and medicines. The relationship between the dose of a drug and the blood level achieved.

PD: The branch of pharmacology that studies reactions between drugs and living structures, including processes of bodily responses to pharmacological, biochemical, physiological, and therapeutic effects, and the relationship between the drug level and drug effect.

Drug Metabolism: The sum of the chemical and physical changes occurring in tissue from a drug.

Clinical Pharmacology

The branch of pharmacology concerned with the pharmacology of therapeutic agents in the prevention, treatment and control of disease in humans. Within a pharmaceutical company, a clinical pharmacologist works closely with those involved with the design and implementation of phase 1 studies. These individuals conduct studies on healthy volunteers to map how the body absorbs, distributes, metabolizes and eliminates the drug, and documents the response it produces.

Medical Services

Medical Services is involved with the business side of the drug development process, ensuring that promotional and educational materials resulting from marketing efforts are medically valid and reflect accepted medical opinion.

Activities performed on marketed drugs in medical service departments include the following:

  • Develop new indications
  • Develop new product formulations and changes in product labeling
  • Provide assistance to marketing
  • Keep, plan and implement post marketed studies
  • Provide assistance in legal activities

Epidemiology

Epidemiology is the study of populations in an attempt to assess cause and distribution of disease and to formulate statistical measures of risks.

Industry epidemiologists frequently interact with the drug safety and outcomes research departments in studying data to make evaluations and develop clinical and disease patterns.

Drug Safety and Surveillance

Generally speaking, safety is the presence or absence of adverse events associated with the use of a drug. The adverse drug events are monitored and examined throughout development as well as in the post marketed stage. Data is collected, obtained, and analyzed. Evaluations are made to determine the risk to a human patient taking the drug. Frequently these departments interact with regulatory agencies in evaluating a new drug’s safety.

Although safety and efficacy are evaluated throughout the entire clinical trial process, the drug exposure (pre-approval) is greatest in phase 3. It is here that the frequency of adverse drug reactions is most evident, with additional patient populations and indications being evaluated.

Health Economics/Outcomes Research

Specifically related to the pharmaceutical industry health economists evaluate the behavior of individuals, firms, and markets in healthcare that usually focus on the costs and consequences of a drug or therapy. Health economists are involved with cost benefit, cost effectiveness, and cost utility studies for drugs in development and on marketed products.

Outcome researchers collect and analyze data on the use of drugs and therapies and evaluate the clinical, quality of life, and patient satisfaction outcomes of the care to determine the values of those products.

Consultants/Contract Professionals

Contract or consulting arrangements occur when a company (for whatever reasons) has a staffing need for a short period of time.

Typically, contractors and consultants work for themselves.

-Contractors provide a specific service or perform a specific task. 
-Consultants provide advice, opinions, evaluations, and recommendations.

Both contractors and consultants are usually paid on an hourly basis and do not receive bonuses or other benefits.

Medical Affairs

This term can have different meanings in different pharmaceutical companies structures. Depending on the company, medical affairs can cover phases 1-4, 2-4, or 3 and 4. Many companies use this term to describe activities related to phase 3 and 4 when a drug is closest to market.

Medical Affairs focuses on providing strategic medical direction for commercialization of a single drug, therapeutic area, or multiple therapeutics. This area deals with the clinical development of a drug or marketed products.

Responsibilities can include planning, initiating, and monitoring studies, study analysis, strategic planning and positioning, and all other activities related to bringing the drug to market, as well as post-marketed follow-up and surveillance.

Regulatory Affairs

This area works closely with, and frequently represents the company in dealing with government agencies and offices.

Generally, Regulatory Affairs deals with all data related to any study in the development of a drug. They are responsible for collating, compiling reports, and transferring and submitting data to regulatory agencies.

Specific tasks include:

  • Submit annual reports to FDA on each product
  • Compile, submit and track all submissions
  • Support formulary activity
  • Submit adverse reaction reports to FDA
  • Assist legal dept with recalls and liability actions
  • Maintain official records on marketed drugs

Project Management
Project Management can be responsible for one large project or a number of small projects. This group is in charge of moving projects ahead rapidly, efficiently, and in the right direction.

The functions of this department would include planning studies, monitoring studies, troubleshooting, and facilitating solutions to problems. Other major activities could include generation of financial records and tracking project costs, conducting analysis of the project system, serving as a source to collect and achieve data, and facilitating deadlines being met.

Biostatistics/Data Management
Data Management is a phrase that has many meanings within a drug company. Large quantities of data are generated by all functions of a company. Data must be processed, combined, interpreted, and used in ways that are clear, efficient, and designed to achieve goals. Data Management refers to the processes in which some or all of these steps are handled, monitored, and controlled.

Statistics is a function that is vital to both the preclinical and clinical areas, although the largest role is in the clinical area. In clinical studies, the focus is on study design, protocol development, data analysis, and statistical report writing. Additionally statisticians may be asked to analyze special problems, consult with other departments, and provide support when needed at regulatory meetings.

Medical Science Liaison
In conjunction with other areas of the company, this scientist will develop, execute, and communicate clinical and scientific information to enhance the commercial viability of a product or therapeutic line of products.

Commonly these roles are regionally based to facilitate the interaction between the MSL and external customer or key opinion leader on a national basis.