Certificate Programs in Pharmaceutical Management

Here's a question I got this week: "Does it make sense to pursue Certificate Programs in Pharmaceutical Management?"

It really depends on why you're pursuing a certificate program. Do you simply need the skills and the knowledge to grow in this area? Or, are you trying to strengthen your resume so that you can gain a competitive advantage. An MBA in Pharmaceutical Management might be ideal, but perhaps you don't have the time or money to invest in an MBA.

What can you expect from one of these certificate programs? Let's take a look at an upcoming program at Rutgers in New Jersey:

2010 Program in Pharmaceutical Management
July 15, 2010 to July 16, 2010
8:30am-5pm, Rutgers Business School-Newark, 1 Washington Park, Newark, NJ 07102

Target Audience:
Executives in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries and registered pharmacists

Rutgers Business School’s Blanche and Irwin Lerner Center for Pharmaceutical Management Program offers A Two Day Certificate Program in Pharmaceutical Management. This Program provides a framework for understanding the structure and competitive profile of the industry, and includes a review of key regulatory issues, applicable patent law, drug pricing and reimbursement including the design of prescription drug benefit plans, DTC advertising, mergers and acquisitions, public policy initiatives, and financial evaluation.

So, what do you think? Would you benefit from learning about some of these issues so that you have a better understanding of the pharmaceutical industry? Maybe it could be a valuable networking opportunity. There are many reasons why you may want to consider attending a certificate program, but if you're seriously trying to bolster your resume, then I'd encourage you to make the investment and apply to business school if you're unable to gain working experience in this industry.