President, BioStrategics Consulting Ltd.
Which professional journals and organizations would help a student to learn more about the field of pharmaceuticals?
This field is not a single discipline. Many professionals work in the pharmaceutical field. If you’re really interested in it, pick up a medical journal, like the New England Medical Journal, Infectious Disease Journal, etc., and read a clinical trial. A lot of them are sponsored by clinical companies.
Clinicaltrials.gov is a very beneficial registry where all clinical trials are posted. It’s always wise to make yourself more knowledgeable in the field.
What is developing/changing in this field? Where do you see the greatest needs?
It’s all about the science and trying to apply it to medicine. With every new advance, people are trying to figure out how to turn that advancement into a beneficial one. It’s always changing and you have to continue to learn throughout your career. For example, we didn’t have epigenetics during my schooling. I had to learn about it and understand the steps to test this.
What advice would you give someone entering the field?
People don’t train to do what I do. Become good at your profession. Become the best, and keep updating your knowledge. Become a generalist, go broad, and explore. Keep up with your connections to maintain a professional network. Remain curious and agile. Challenge yourself.
Also, get a mentor. You need training and someone to advocate for you.