Fellowship 101: Navigating the path to your program
Ngoc Phuong Mai Le, PharmD, is a medical affairs postdoctoral fellow at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Eshelman School of Pharmacy & United Therapeutics Corporation. Mai is the current chair of the 2024–2025 APhA–APPM Pharmacy Residency & Fellowship Standing Committee Education & Training Subcommittee.
Sarah Schneider, PharmD, is a public health pharmacy fellow at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy. Sarah is a current member of the 2024–2025 APhA–APPM Pharmacy Residency & Fellowship Standing Committee Education & Training Subcommittee.
Kaitlyn Queen, PharmD, is a community-based psychiatry fellow at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Eshelman School of Pharmacy. Kaitlyn is a current member of the 2024–2025 APhA–APPM Pharmacy Residency & Fellowship Standing Committee Education & Training Subcommittee.
Paris Bell, PharmD, is a global clinical operations postdoctoral fellow at Rutgers University and Novartis. Paris is a current member of the 2024–2025 APhA–APPM Pharmacy Residency & Fellowship Standing Committee Education & Training Subcommittee.
Pharmacy fellowship postgraduate programs provide personalized training and experiences based on the fellows’ specific goals and interests. Postdoctoral fellows are preferably individuals with project management experiences, excellent communication, time management, leadership and collaboration skills with a goal-oriented mindset.
There are various types of postdoctoral fellowships, including but not limited to academia, clinical practice, and the pharmaceutical industry.
Academia/Research fellowship
Pharmacy fellowships at academic institutions typically emphasize research and teaching. The type of research a fellow engages in can vary based on their interests and research priorities of the institution. For instance, fellows may focus on pharmacy outcomes research, practice-based research, academic research, drug development, or pharmacogenomics.
An advantage of completing a fellowship in an academic setting is the access to extensive
resources that support research projects and professional growth. These include assistance with the internal institutional review board submission process, guidance for grant funding applications, management of awarded funds, opportunities for external collaborations, and a variety of mentors with unique expertise. Additionally, fellows are often encouraged to present their work and accomplishments through various channels, such as poster and platform presentations at professional conferences, manuscript submissions, as well as university research events.
After completing a fellowship at an academic institution, fellows would be qualified to apply for research and teaching positions in academia, leadership positions within governmental or nongovernmental organizations, or any other position with the required skill set gained from their unique fellowship experience.
Community-based practice fellowship
There are many fellowships that offer a greater emphasis on community-based practice. The fellows usually engage in direct patient care, provide disease state management services, and build their expertise in specific conditions. This type of fellowship can provide a more personalized clinical experience compared to traditional residencies, as most involve 1 to 2 years of commitment to working in a specific medical institution or clinic. This allows fellows to build longitudinal relationships with patients, monitor patient outcomes over time, and develop, implement, and evaluate unique pharmacy services.
In addition to clinical training, these fellowships frequently include opportunities in research, teaching, and precepting student pharmacists as a part of a collaboration with an academic institution.
Pharmaceutical industry fellowship
Pharmaceutical industry fellowships provide multiple opportunities for PharmD professionals to gain hands-on experiences and training in various functional areas, ranging from medical affairs, regulatory affairs, clinical development, pharmacovigilance to market access, commercial and clinical pharmacology. These fellowship programs typically provide 1 to 2 years of training, providing fellows with a strong foundation and the necessary skills to excel in the industry. Fellows have the opportunities to work on multiple projects concurrently, travel and present at conferences, mentor PharmD students, enroll in teaching certificates, and pursue further educational degrees through fellowship programs.
Fellowship programs can be sponsored by individual companies or in collaboration with academic institutions. Pharmacists bring great value to the pharmaceutical industry because of their clinical expertise, knowledge of pharmacotherapy and disease state management, as well as excellent communication skills with health care professionals and patients. PharmD students can also gain exposure to the industry by taking on industry APPE rotations, getting involved in industry-focused organizations, and networking with industry professionals.
Remember: It’s not what you know; it’s who you know!
Advice for fellowship applications
Here is some advice we would like to leave you.
1. Learn about each fellowship program and sponsored companies or institutions (i.e., mission statements, press releases, company brochures, job positions, fellowship retention rates, goals, and drug product portfolios).
You’d be surprised how many potential candidates are eliminated for not doing their
research on the program or the company. Connect with previous fellows to learn about how fellowship programs are catered to the fellows’ individual goals and objectives to maximize your learning experience. Prioritize speaking to fellows to learn about their job responsibilities, expectations, and projects. The best way to learn about a functional area is to engage directly with fellows to inquire about their experiences.
2. For pharmaceutical industry fellowships, make sure that you learn about different functional areas prior to applying to their fellowships.
We don’t recommend applying to multiple functional areas within the same fellowship program since this might be labeled indecisive or not truly knowing what they’re interested in.
3. Make sure you can speak to all of the experiences listed in your CV/resume and letter of intent during your interview.
If you’re not actively involved in the activities or don’t recall specific details, it’s best to leave them out of your application materials.
4. Network with previous and current fellows, as well as program directors and recruiters.
Certain pharmacy schools have more industry rotation opportunities for student pharmacists than others. For pharmaceutical industry fellowships, industry experience is not required but highly preferred. If you’re unable to secure an industry APPE rotation, you can still leverage the experiences gained during clinical rotations. Any relevant experience is equally useful in the industry.
5. Practice, practice, practice your interviewing skills! Interviewing is the most weighted aspect of landing a fellowship.
Best of luck!