Horizon Therapeutics, in partnership with the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, School of Pharmacy offers a one-year postdoctoral fellowship in medical affairs. The fellow will play an active role in the art of communicating with healthcare practitioners and consumers, including learning how to respond to unsolicited scientific inquiries. The fellow will also learn how to create and develop standard response documents and other communication materials, as well as play an active role in the management of the medical information contact center. Furthermore, the fellow will participate in external advisory boards, publication planning and data analysis, medical education grant review, and clinical trial data analysis. Additionally, the fellow will receive an appointment at Rosalind Franklin as an adjunct faculty member and participate in both didactic teaching and experiential course work with pharmacy students. This dual-setting fellowship is organized to provide experiences leading to advanced professional skills in medical and scientific information for pharmacists.

Objective: The Medical Affairs Fellowship is a one-year program, during which the fellow spends the majority of their time gaining experience and understanding of the various functions of a medical affairs department within the pharmaceutical industry, with opportunities to teach in an academic setting.

The Fellowship Program will focus on the following functional areas at Horizon:

Brochure: Postdoctoral Global Medical Affairs Fellowship Program

Medical Information and Promotional Review Committee (PRC):

• Gain in-depth knowledge of Horizon’s medicines, as well as a thorough understanding of the clinical and medical environments in which Horizon’s products are used
• Develop the necessary skills to serve as an information liaison with external clinicians and other Horizon colleagues
• Maintain current and accurate reference materials for medical affairs staff
• Learn how to develop and update standard and individual response letters as needed and ensure responses to inquiries are provided in an accurate, balanced, and timely manner in accordance with all Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and regulatory guidelines
• Conduct interpretive literature searches and become adept at locating resources to address specific questions on Horizon’s medicines
• Oversee the weekly departmental newsletter
• Gain understanding of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidances regarding prescription drug communications
• Review created content from the medical perspective under the guidance of a preceptor

Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR)

• Gain HEOR exposure and skills through practical experiences (e.g., assisting in project management)
• Learn how to generate real-world evidence to support strategic business objectives across the life cycle of Horizon’s portfolio

Field Medical and Medical Affairs Operations

• Understand the medical strategies and initiatives that support interactions with external healthcare professionals
• Complete scientific training pertinent for a field-based medical role with a designated mentor
• Shadow a field-based regional medical director
• Participate in medical congress support to understand the operational aspects and cross-functional collaboration that is required for the planning and execution of major medical congresses
• Participate in cross-functional meetings relevant to the therapeutic area

Global Medical Publications

• Gain an understanding of publication planning and its impact on the overall business
• Identify data gaps within an assigned therapeutic area and ultimately lead the development an abstract and poster for presentation at a medical conference to address the gaps

Medical Education and External Research:

• Learn how supporting externally developed Independent Medical Education/Continuing Medical Education (IME/CME) and Investigator Initiated Research/Trials (IIRs/IITs) through the Grants program enhances medical and scientific knowledge related to Horizon’s therapeutic areas
• Attend review meetings for IME/CME and IIR/IIT submissions
• Gain valuable insight on addressing education and evidence gaps, which complement overall business and company Research and Development (R&D) strategies

The fellowship program also focuses on having the fellow acquire teaching skills specifically focusing on teaching Drug Information (DI) in an institutional setting (duration TBD). This includes:

• Developing effective teaching skills via application of pedagogical theory. The fellow will participate in the College’s Teaching Certificate Program.
• Developing methods utilized to educate and evaluate students as well as most effective teaching/learning strategies
• Building a lecture on an assigned DI topic to be presented to student pharmacists
• Facilitate a recitation exercise using small/large group teaching methodologies
• Assess student’s drug information knowledge and skills using grading rubrics, exams, questions, etc.
• Apply skills obtained in the program to educate students on their Introductory and Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences

Qualifications and Required Skills:

• Completion of a Doctor of Pharmacy degree (PharmD) at an ACPE-accredited institution prior to fellowship commencement
• Completion of a Drug Information rotation highly desirable
• Experience in a Drug Information and/or Medical Information setting preferred

Application Requirements for Personnel Placement Services (PPS) Interview:

• Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Letter of intent
• Unofficial transcript from graduate school

Contact Information: Please email all documents to fellowship@horizontherapeutics.com