Joe Fiore, Clinical Development Fellow – Merck
EducationI graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy with a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) and a BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Current Role
I am currently a clinical development fellow at Merck and the Rutgers Institute for Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowships. The fellowship allows me to function in the role of a clinical scientist and manage both the scientific and operational activities of multiple trials across all development phases.
What do you enjoy about your fellowship?
I feel like I am doing something new every week at work, due to the nature of a clinical trial as it advances from the planning phase to start-up, maintenance, and close-out. This keeps my fellowship very interesting and allows me to learn a lot of different skills in a short amount of time.
I also enjoy taking advantage of the opportunities outside of the partner company. Through the Rutgers Fellowship Program, there is a wealth of opportunities to supplement a fellow’s development. I have been able to coordinate and teach two courses at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers, work on scholarly poster presentations, and edit the fellowship’s newsletter. I always encourage fellows from all programs to get involved with their university because once their fellowship is finished, a lot of those opportunities will not be available to them anymore.
What are some challenges you face in your role?
A common challenge in clinical trials that I have experienced is patient enrollment. Recruiting patients into a trial, especially one for an unapproved drug, can often be a slow and difficult process. Working with the investigator and site staff is vital for solid enrollment as they are the ones that will have relationships with the patients. This challenge has allowed me to bring innovative ideas to the table and to collaborate with outside vendor companies to work on increasing enrollment.
What can students do to develop professionally?
Attend professional conferences
Stay up to date with healthcare news including new drug approvals, guideline changes, and innovative technologies.
Network with faculty members
Get involved with research projects with faculty and other students
What or how can pharmacists demonstrate their value within the industry?
Pharmacists are the drug experts. We understand the perspectives of the patient and the practitioners. Taking this into the pharmaceutical industry allows pharmacists to succeed in multiple areas of a company.
Pharmacists should be proud of their training and make their background known to their team members. They should stay up to date with the practice of pharmacy, new drug approvals, and pertinent guideline changes and update their team members on this news. Being dependable and professional in all work interactions will also help cement the value of the industry pharmacist.
What are some of the issues industry pharmacists face and how can they resolve this?
For a pharmacist desiring to climb the “corporate ladder” of a company, he/she may feel that a lot of the top positions are taken by MDs, especially in the medical affairs and clinical development organizations. In my opinion, a pharmacist can combat this by obtaining a breadth of experiences in multiple departments in their career before moving up, as an effective executive must understand how the entire company functions.
Any last words, tips, or advice?
To students seeking any competitive position, whether it be a fellowship, residency, or any career path, I encourage you to be proactive. Do not wait for opportunities to fall in your lap, but rather, create them for yourself. Think outside of the box and be innovative. Imagine what you would like your CV to look like and then go out and fill in the gaps proactively