Visit the Rutgers MBA Open House on November 20th

Rutgers offers a variety of MBA opportunities for physicians. One program of interest is the MBA in Pharmaceutical Management. Recently, the Wall Street Journal ranked the Rutgers Executive MBA #21 among the Best Executive MBA Programs and #1 in Administrative Assistance.

Rutgers Business School has turned a geographic advantage into a top MBA in Pharmaceutical Management. The greater New Jersey area is in the heart of the bio-pharma corridor -- nowhere else will you find a greater concentration of pharmaceutical companies. Through a partnership with seven pharmaceutical companies, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eisai, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Novartis, Roche and Schering-Plough, Rutgers offers a cutting-edge MBA in Pharmaceutical Management.

There is a Rutgers MBA Open House on November 20th. To RSVP, click here.

Rutgers Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowship Program

The Rutgers Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowship Program FOSTERs the growth and development of future pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry professionals through the following key program features:

• Family of Leading Companies–Partners include several of the top 10 global pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies.
• Outstanding Alumni Track Record–Over 500 alumni hold prominent positions at more than 100 different companies.
• Strong Network–Annually, more than 80 fellows develop valuable, lasting connections with each other, alumni, preceptors and faculty.
• The Pathway to Industry–Since 1984, the Rutgers program has been nationally recognized, trusted, and proven as the pathway to industry for pharmacists.
• Enhanced Career Path–Increasingly challenging assignments build depth of experience and enhance the potential for an accelerated career path.
• Rigorous Academic Component–Rutgers affiliation provides academic and professional development opportunities.

Unfortunately, this fellowship program is only for pharmacists. Someday, we'll see an industry fellowship program for physicians. Right? Maybe.

More than 80 Pharm.D.s participate in the Fellowship Program annually. Over 500 Fellows have successfully completed the Program to date, and are now pursuing influential and rewarding careers in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries both in the US and abroad.

http://pharmafellows.rutgers.edu/applicants/index.php

Career Services from Rutgers

Rutgers has a nice career service page that lists some helpful career resources for anyone who is currently looking for a job. You can find those resources here:

http://careerservices.rutgers.edu/

Here are some of my favorite links:

• Job Search Tip of the Week
• Preparing for Grad School
• Career-related Links

I didn't go to Rutgers, but several of my colleagues (and family members) studied at Rutgers. Speaking of Rutgers, you may be interested in learning more about the Rutgers Institute for Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowships if you're a pharmacy student.

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.

Certificate Programs in Pharmaceutical Management

Don't have time for business school? Maybe you'll benefit by participating in some certificate programs. Rutgers Business School currently offers two different types of certificate programs related to the pharmaceutical industry:

Two-Day Certificate Program in Pharmaceutical Management

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.

An Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education certificate can be received from attending.

One-Day Certificate Program in Pharmaceutical Management

One Day Workshop on the Complexities of Managed Markets: Managed Markets – Current Topics on the Evolving Healthcare System
September 30, 2010

Considering a "Mini MBA"

I'm considering a Mini MBA. According to this BusinessWeek article earlier this year titled, "The Mini MBA's Big Appeal," more people are pursuing this condensed program to learn some of the basics and fundamentals of business. Some schools don't call it a Mini MBA. They may call it "Business Acumen" or "Essentials of Management" or "Management Institute."

Why is the Mini MBA so appealing? You won't graduate with a degree. However, it's relatively inexpensive and you can complete it in several days (generally a week). You can also network and learn some business fundamentals and you can use it to evaluate your level of interest for a full MBA (such as an Executive MBA). Some programs (like Rutgers) even allow you to transfer some of your Mini MBA credits towards an MBA.

Many business schools offer various courses in the "executive education" category. So, if you're interested in Mini MBA programs, research some of your local business schools.

Rutgers Mini-MBA: Strategic Healthcare Management Program

If you're been thinking about getting an MBA but you're not ready to make that level of time and financial investment, then perhaps you may want to look at the Rutgers Mini-MBA: Strategic Healthcare Management Program. If you complete this course, you could transfer your credits if you choose to apply to the Rutgers MBA program. I just got a brochure in the mail about this opportunity. The curriculum for the Strategic Healthcare Management Program involves:

ENVIRONMENTAL DYNAMICS

• Future Challenges in Healthcare: Globalization, New Technologies, Talent, and Competition
• Public Policy and Healthcare Economics
• The Healthcare Marketplace: Evolving Stakeholders, Decision-makers and Payers

FINANCIAL PRINCIPLES FOR BETTER DECISIONS

• The Principal Financial Statement: Understanding Healthcare Transactions
• Financial Tools for Healthcare Decision Making

ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

• Designing Effective Healthcare Organizations
• Supply Chain Management
• Medical Technology Systems
• Quality and Safety
• Practice Management

STRATEGIC TRANSFORMATION

• Ethics and Social Responsibility
• Strategic Marketing and Positioning
• Market Dynamics and Strategy Development
• Managing Strategic Transformation in Healthcare

They also offer other Mini-MBA programs in:

• Business Essentials
  
• BioPharma Innovation
• Finance Essentials
• BioPharma Entrepreneurship

You can learn more by visiting: http://www.cmd.rutgers.edu
Register by September 1 and use the code SHCEB to receive a 10% discount.