u/Ortho-Pro

Hey everyone,
I’m a biology graduate in the U.S. and I’ll be starting my P1 year this fall in Boston. My goal is to work in the pharmaceutical industry after graduation, specifically in Market Access (and potentially HEOR). I’m considering pursuing a dual degree in MS Pharmaceutical Economics, but right now I’m just trying to understand what the path actually looks like.
I’d especially love to hear from pharmacists who made it into industry straight out of pharmacy school.

- What did you do during pharmacy school that helped you land your first role?
- How competitive was it, and what do you wish you had known as a P1?
- If you were advising someone starting pharmacy school today who wants to end up in pharma roles or Market Access, what would you tell them to focus on?

I’d appreciate hearing about your journey and any advice you’d give someone trying to follow a similar path. Thanks!

Hey everyone, I’m a biology graduate in the U.S. and will be starting my PharmD this fall in Boston. I’m strongly considering adding a dual degree in Pharmaceutical Economics/Health Economics because I’m interested in pursuing a career in Market Access or HEOR within the pharmaceutical industry.

I’ve done quite a bit of research, but I’m struggling to find a clear roadmap for breaking into the field. Most of the advice I’ve found is pretty general.

I had a few questions for those already working in Market Access or HEOR:

- What should I be doing during pharmacy school to become as competitive as possible?
- Which internships, rotations, or experiences matter the most?
- What technical skills should I develop (R, SAS, Python, SQL, Excel, modeling, etc.)?
- Are there certifications, organizations, or conferences that are worth joining?
- Is a dual degree in Pharmaceutical Economics/Health Economics actually worth it, or would I be better off focusing on other experiences?
- As a PharmD graduate, what does the typical career progression look like in Market Access/HEOR?
- What’s the long-term ceiling in the field (Director, VP, Global Market Access, consulting, etc.)?

For context, my goal is to enter the pharmaceutical industry directly after graduation rather than pursue residency or retail/hospital pharmacy.
I’d really appreciate any advice or if anyone could share what they wish they had done while they were in pharmacy school. Thanks!

Hey everyone, I’m a biology graduate in the U.S. and will be starting my PharmD this fall in Boston. I’m strongly considering adding a dual degree in Pharmaceutical Economics/Health Economics because I’m interested in pursuing a career in Market Access or HEOR within the pharmaceutical industry.

I’ve done quite a bit of research, but I’m struggling to find a clear roadmap for breaking into the field. Most of the advice I’ve found is pretty general.

I had a few questions for those already working in Market Access or HEOR:

1. What should I be doing during pharmacy school to become as competitive as possible?
2. Which internships, rotations, or experiences matter the most?
3. What technical skills should I develop (R, SAS, Python, SQL, Excel, modeling, etc.)?
4. Are there certifications, organizations, or conferences that are worth joining?
5. Is a dual degree in Pharmaceutical Economics/Health Economics actually worth it, or would I be better off focusing on other experiences?
6. As a PharmD graduate, what does the typical career progression look like in Market Access/HEOR?
7. What would be the long-term ceiling in the field? (Director, VP, Global Market Access, consulting, etc.)?

For context, my goal is to enter the pharmaceutical industry directly after graduation rather than pursue residency or retail/hospital pharmacy.
I’d really appreciate any advice or if anyone could share what they wish they had done while they were in pharmacy school. Thanks!

I’m starting my Master’s in Health IT this August at UMBC and have about two months before classes begin. Since I’m new to Health IT, I’m trying to figure out what employers actually value.
My goal is to graduate with the skills, portfolio, internships, and experience to stand out well above the average entry-level candidate and ideally be competitive for an $80k-$100k+ role.
If you were starting over, what would you focus on during grad school?
Specifically:
● Which certifications are actually worth getting?
● Which technical skills should I prioritize (SQL, Power BI, Python, Excel, FHIR, HL7, cloud, etc.)?
● How important is building a project portfolio compared to certifications?
● Should I prioritize a part-time Health IT job during the semester or focus on landing a strong summer internship?
● What mistakes do you see graduate students make that hold them back?

I’d really appreciate any advice from people already working in Health IT. Looking back, what would you have done differently?