The IPhO Podcast

On this episode of the IPhO podcast, we are joined by Josef S. Wills, PharmD, RPh and Brandon Vassar, PharmD for an insightful discussion on the future of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the pharmaceutical industry. Our guests share powerful first-hand experiences from their own career journeys and offer their thoughts on how to keep moving forward.

Join us for this exciting episode of the IPhO Podcast, as we dive into the world of pharmaceutical marketing with Dr. Shivani Vora. As a seasoned professional in the industry, Dr. Vora shares her expertise on global brand marketing, with a specific focus on oncology. Discover Dr. Vora's unique career journey, from her beginnings in HEOR market access to her current role in shaping the future of ph...

This podcast episode features Kyle Noonan, PharmD, Health Outcomes & Market Access Fellow at AmerisourceBergen Xcenda. Listen in as we explore the world of market access and its vital role in driving patient access.   Kyle shares his experiences collaborating with stakeholders in the drug channel and working alongside the Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) department. You'll also learn...

On this episode of the IPhO podcast, we have the pleasure of speaking with Camille Pope, Chief Medical Lead at Acclinate, who has more than 15 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Camille shares her insights on networking, maintaining professional relationships, navigating mergers and acquisitions, and creating more opportunities for diverse talent. Camille is passionate about foste...

On this episode of the IPhO Podcast, we are joined by Kevin Darko. Kevin is a PharmD working as a Global Regulatory Affairs Fellow at UCB. His industry journey started as an undergraduate research assistant at the Bowie State University Drug Synthesis lab. There, his passion for drug development and interest in pharma flourished as he learned more about how these drugs related to the disease state...

On this special podcast episode, we are joined by our very own National Student Officer for Marketing and Partnerships, Jessica Blaze! Jessica is a fourth year pharmacy student at Nova Southeastern University (NSU). Prior to attending NSU, she graduated with a Bachelors in Biological Sciences with a minor in General Business from The University of Rhode Island. Currently, she is pursuing an MBA in...

On this special podcast episode, we are joined by Kelly Cheung, Immunology Medical Affairs Fellow at UCB. Kelly has been a highly involved member of IPhO serving as the ACPHS Local Chapter President, and later becoming a Regional Student Officer and joining the IPhO National Fellows Council. Kelly's engagement with the pharmacy community doesn't stop with IPhO. While at ACPHS, Kelly also served as...

We are kicking off the new year with a special podcast episode featuring Shawn Leland, CEO and Founder of Elevation Oncology! Shawn brings over a decade of experience in medical affairs and business development for the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, with a focus on building collaborations to realize the full potential of targeted and personalized therapeutics. His company, Elevation Oncolo...

On this episode of the IPhO Podcast, we are joined by Ekene Oranu, PharmD, US Oncology Marketing Fellow at Merck. Ekene shares how to leverage your transferable skills within industry to secure the position that's right for you. Ekene breaks down the skills you likely already possess to help bolster your resume as you apply for fellowships and entry-level roles, as well as how to succeed once you'...

On this special podcast episode, we are joined again by IPhO CEO and Founder, Jim Alexander. And it's the perfect time: 2022 marks the 10th anniversary of IPhO! We're proud to look back on our very first days, celebrate how IPhO has grown over the past 10 years, and share our big plans for the future. "IPhO is not a thing; it's a community of people," says Jim. With 100 student chapters, a growing...

Episode 28: Meet Our Newest Podcast Host (Brian Arana-Madriz, PharmD)   We're excited to officially introduce you to the newest member of our IPhO Podcast team, Brian Arana-Madriz.    Brian is a Global Regulatory Affairs Fellow at Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease, and an active member of the IPhO National Fellows Council! Join us as we get to know Brian and learn about his background, experiences...

John M. O'Brien, President and CEO of the National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC), joins us for episode 27 of the IPhO Podcast! John has quite the resume, having worked in pharma, academia, health policy, and government—just to name a few—throughout his career. Growing up, he wanted to be a sports broadcaster. But watching how much of an impact medicine made on his own mother's life changed his care...

I'm overwhelmed with my pharmacy school loans; I know I need to save for my future, but I don't know where to begin; I thought I was making a great income until I realized how expensive life out of school really is; the list goes on. These were just some of the comments that Tim Ulbrich, CEO and Co-Founder of Your Financial Pharmacist, heard over and over again. They inspired him to take action an...

Sabrina Michelle Hayden, PharmD, MBAhc⁠—a current Industry Fellow with Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, BeiGene and the FDA Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology⁠—joins us for episode 25 of the IPhO Podcast. Though she did not have pharmaceutical industry internship experience, Sabrina made sure she could stand out in other ways as a prospective fellowship applicant. Her involveme...

Holly grew up in eastern Pennsylvania, just a stone's throw from Merck where she now works as a Clinical Safety and Risk Management Fellow. Her admiration for the employees there—and how hard they worked to make life better for patients—sparked her interest in pharmacy when she was in high school. And then, during pharmacy school, things started to come full circle for her when she landed an inter...

During pharmacy school, the husband of one of Elaine's professors was a Medical Science Liaison (MSL). She jumped at the opportunity to meet him and asked questions about his role, fellowships, and industry in general—and that important conversation solidified her decision to pursue an industry career. One of the greatest pieces of advice that Elaine offers listeners is to always "raise your hand....

Jeff credits his small hometown as the place that sparked his interest in pharmacy. He learned firsthand the important role that pharmacists played in his community and was fascinated by medications and their impact on patients. He went on to serve as Vice President of his IPhO Chapter in pharmacy school and built important connections and professional relationships that helped solidify his decisi...

On this episode, we are joined by Mike DeLuca, Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs at EVERSANA. Mike brings more than twenty years of expertise to the table, as he candidly shares skills and strategies to help PharmDs identify the right industry role. Having started his career in retail pharmacy, Mike quickly rose to pharmacy manager, before deciding to pursue his MBA at Seton Hall, where he...

Growing up in a family of medical professionals inspired Georgia to focus her education—and ultimately her career—on health care. Though she always knew from a young age that she wanted to differentiate herself in some way. During pharmacy school, she joined her IPhO chapter and it exposed her to a whole new side of pharmacy that she hadn't known much about. And that's where her path to industry b...

Tania Thomas joins us for episode 19 of the IPhO Podcast! She currently serves as the VP of Global Regulatory & Medical Affairs at Opiant Pharmaceuticals, and was a former Assessor at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency of the United Kingdom. Tania—an exemplary leader and authority on all things medical and regulatory affairs—offers some key advice for being a successful and de...

At a young age, Dimple discovered her passion for makeup, started her own business as a freelance makeup artist and genuinely believed that was the career path she wanted to follow. But after tapping into her talent for science and interest in medicine, she found herself in pharmacy school. An internship introduced her to the pharmaceutical industry, and it was that experience that changed her car...

We are kicking off the new year with a special podcast episode. Hosts Sergio, Alex, and Aleksey are joined by Anum Saqib, a current pharmacy student who has been a critical member of the podcast team working "behind the scenes" since the start. The team reflects on their favorite episodes and what they enjoy most about hosting the podcast. Plus, they have a candid discussion about how the pandemic...

"Ten years later, I decided to go to pharmacy school," Ornesha laughs as she opens her interview with Sergio and Alex. She jokes that she took the "scenic route," but her impressive accomplishments while on that route led her to where she is today. An honest and insightful episode, Ornesha covers everything from her (indirect) path to her fellowship, raising a young child while completing her fell...

Sure, it would be nice to secure a fellowship early in the recruitment season. And we understand why! It can be a stressful time. And even more stressful is reading other students' fellowship acceptance posts on LinkedIn and still waiting for your offer to come through. But if you don't secure your fellowship during the traditional recruitment cycle, remember that it isn't game over! On this episo...

On this episode, Sergio and Alex are joined by Iram Hasan, who currently heads up the UCB Fellowship Program while also working in Regulatory Affairs. For Iram, a fellowship was nowhere on her radar when she was graduating pharmacy school. She stumbled upon her fellowship program and spent time evaluating industry against residency. Ultimately, though, she made a choice that changed the entire tra...