Listen Now

The biopharmaceutical industry is experiencing rapid growth, and the need for a well-trained workforce comes with that. In this episode of Occupation Station, Diane Donato talks with Dr. Michelle Lewis, executive director for the Stack Family Center for Biopharmaceutical Education and Training (CBET) and David Stack, member of the ACPHS Board of Trustees, and CEO of Pacira Pharmaceuticals about how CBET is meeting the hiring needs of the biopharmaceutical industry. CBET was created as an outgrowth of Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (ACPHS) after the demand for biopharmaceutical training became apparent. Since CBET opened, industry leaders have been reaching out to CBET to help them grow their workforce, and ACPHS graduates have been enrolling in training to advance their careers in biopharmaceuticals. CBET has the added advantage of being able to offer manufacturing services, becoming a crucial partner for many start-up companies. Stack and Dr. Lewis talk about how the industry collaborates with CBET, how ACPHS graduates learn valuable new skills, and how healthcare will grow with advanced biopharmaceutical capabilities.

A strong desire to help people has always drawn Nawshin Ahmed toward health related careers. That desire is what attracted her to ACPHS with thoughts of becoming a pharmacist. But not long into her academic career, Ahmed began to realize that pharmacy was not going to be her career destination. With advice from her thoughtful, knowledgeable and caring professors, Ahmed began to switch her focus toward the field of Public Health. After her 2016 graduation from ACPHS, she advanced to receive a master's in Public Health from the University at Albany, and a master's in Business Administration from Stony Brook University. Her strong desire to help people is now actualized through her work with government and community leaders in shaping health policies through the Pew Charitable Trusts' Substance Use Prevention & Treatment Initiative. She provides technical assistance to states seeking to improve access to treatment for opioid use disorder and to reduce the number of overdose deaths. Nawshin Ahmed’s experiences give her a great perspective on the journey from higher education to career. She tells current and prospective ACPHS students they should know that there are many paths available to them. She also says students should be open to exploring new options and shouldn’t be afraid to make mistakes along the way.

Dr. Nardine Nakhla’s career has branched off in multiple directions since her graduation in 2007 from ACPHS with one common denominator, she always works to help as many people as possible. That desire is seen in her work with students, as a faculty member at the University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy. Dr. Nakhla’s patient-centered approach also comes through in her research, which has focused on issues like smoking cessation and high-risk, non-prescription drug interactions in older people. Her professional writing also reflects her desire to help patients. Dr. Nakhla has authored four chapters for the Canadian Minor Ailments reference, one chapter for the American Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs, and one chapter for the Encyclopedia of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy. In this episode of Occupation Station, Dr. Nakhla talks about how her career path evolved. She entered ACPHS thinking that she would devote herself to community practice. While she and her husband do own a community pharmacy, she has achieved so much more than she initially envisioned. Hear why she calls her time at ACPHS “magical” and how the school has led to lifelong friendships and meaningful connections with professors.

During his years at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Dr. Greg Dewey accomplished many great things. In this episode of Occupation Station Dr. Dewey reflects on The Collaboratory, the Stack Family Center for Biopharmaceutical Education and Training (CBET), and the creation of two student-run pharmacies. The Collaboratory, a “laboratory for collaboration,” offers services which are delivered to residents in Albany by ACPHS’s Public Health Pharmacy Team and Trinity Alliance’s Wellness Advocates Linking Communities (WALC) team. Programs at The Collaboratory address social justice and social determinants of health with the shared goal of improving population health. CBET is an evolutionary leap in health sciences education and biomanufacturing workforce training. Dr. Dewey is perhaps most proud of the creation of two student-run pharmacies both situated in what would be deemed “pharmacy deserts.” The pharmacies, which are located in Albany and Schenectady, N.Y., are prime examples of social entrepreneurship and are designed to have a lasting impact on the communities they serve, while also helping to develop skills that students will benefit from. Dr. Dewey explains that social entrepreneurship involves being self-sustaining while doing public good. Because of his relationships with faculty, staff, and students, coupled with the development of these crucial initiatives, Dr. Dewey has found his work at ACPHS to be greatly gratifying. And because of his enormous contributions at ACPHS he will be greatly missed.

In this episode of Occupation Station, meet Dan Bosley, class of '93 and now owner of two independent pharmacies, Keeseville Pharmacy and Cornerstone Drug and Gift in Rouses Point, NY. Dan always knew he wanted to be a pharmacist but didn’t originally picture himself going solo. Yet Dan was attracted to the freedom associated with working independently. He loves being able to bypass the red tape often associated with retail chains so that he and his staff can provide immediate assistance to his patients. Dan also says independent pharmacists are much more agile when it comes to trying out new solutions to healthcare needs in the community, putting them on the cutting edge of the pharmacy profession. Case in point, Dan has become hyper-connected to his local community through his pharmacy. He credits ADK Action with sparking and then supporting a plan to bring a local farmers market to his pharmacy. This eventually led to a permanent section of his pharmacies devoted to locally sourced fresh foods available for his customers. He says the ultimate goal is matching nutrition with health goals to improve the lives of patients who may be diabetic or have other conditions that would benefit from dietary changes.

Kelsey Hennig '18 is the perfect example of the power of mentorship. In this episode of Occupation Station, Henning talks about the incredible guidance she received while at ACPHS and how she now tries to give that back as a clinical assistant professor at Binghamton University. Henning says it was some of that mentorship during a research opportunity at ACPHS that helped her realize her passion for the study of the patient/provider relationship. Hennig was so impressed with the education that she received at ACPHS that she later returned as a PGY2 resident to learn more about the transitions of care field. From her experiences both as a student and now as a teacher, Hennig has a clear view of what is required for a successful learning environment. One of her greatest goals is to try to remove any sense of shame that some students have as they try to master new material. Hennig knows that to get a full understanding of any field of study a student has to be confident that making mistakes is a part of the learning process. She also shares advice with students about staying open-minded about their ultimate career goals. Hennig says earning a degree at ACPHS can take a student in unlimited and incredible directions.

In this episode of Occupation Station, 2008 ACPHS grad Shawn Leland talks about the personal, educational and professional ways he has been inspired to help people live longer, healthier lives. Some of that inspiration came to him through a clerkship rotation that didn’t go as planned and instead landed him at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. While engaged in his studies, he was also seeing real health challenges in people he loved. He witnessed how important drug therapies were in helping them to live their best lives. After graduation, Leland says he experienced a big realization during a European Society of Medical Oncology conference and got an idea that led him to pull together the right researchers and financers to create a tumor agnostic drug development strategy. Even the name of Leland’s company, Elevation Oncology, comes from a very inspired place. Leland has frequently been inspired along his career path; now he shares that inspiration with current and prospective ACPHS students.

While his work is always changing to adapt to industry needs, a typical day for ACPHS grad Salah El-Saheb involves working with biostatisticians, data scientists and clinical operations. Salah is Executive Director, Evidence Generation Leader at Genentech and his goal is to find more efficient and effective ways to conduct drug trials to bring therapies out to patients as quickly as possible. While the work is complicated, his underlying desire is ultimately to get help to those who are sick with as little discomfort on their part as possible. His skill at partnering with medical colleagues to benefit patients comes from his experience in understanding drugs and his own patient interactions. In this episode of Occupation Station, Salah talks about the work and the education that prepared him for his current role. He also has advice for students about fellowships and preparing for industry careers.

Joe Medicis worked his way up from the ground floor pharmacy stock room of Upstate Medical University as he embarked on a path that would continue to take him ever upward. That’s just one part of the story of this Class of ‘91 ACPHS grad on his journey to becoming vice president of medical affairs at Baudax Bio. In this episode of Occupation Station, Joe talks about his early plans of becoming a pharmacist and how his education at ACPHS helped prepare him for the many new directions his career would take. Now Joe works with some of the top scientists around the world. It’s exciting work that comes with the responsibility of helping to provide factual information on medicines that go on to improve thousands of lives. Joe has great advice for current students on how to shape their best careers. He explains how being open minded is good for students and good for the profession of pharmacy.

Growing up, Steve St. Onge saw his grandfather working in his pharmacy and thought he would follow in his footsteps. Like his grandfather, he set out to graduate from ACPHS. But shortly later St. Onge started following a different path. In this episode of Occupation Station, he talks about why he decided to pursue interests both in drug development and in business, ultimately adding an MBA to his credentials. St. Onge is now director of business development for Paratek Pharmaceuticals. He wears a lot of hats at Paratek and says he gets great satisfaction in knowing that he is part of a team helping to deliver life-saving remedies to people in need. The 2009 grad has great advice for ACPHS students about seeking out mentors, taking risks, and using rotations as a way to grow. He sees a bright future for ACPHS alumni, saying the sky is the limit for those with a PharmD.

Graduating from either pharmacy or law school is an admirable achievement. Graduating from both is a rare accomplishment indeed! That’s just what 1985 ACPHS grad Scott Terrillion did, despite having more than a few people advising him against it. In this episode of Occupation Station, Scott talks about why he made such an unusual move. He says his education at ACPHS prepared him to take on the new challenge of law school by teaching him about the scientific method, understanding logic and problem solving. Drawing on his experience at places like Boehringer Ingelheim and Cara Therapeutics, where he is now General Counsel, Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer, Scott shares advice about finding the right fit with an employer to maximize both your talents and your desire to grow. He also notes the many ways pharmacists are in prime positions to make big career moves.

Ina Shah entered Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences through the non-traditional Doctor of Pharmacy degree program. After successfully balancing the demands of work and school, she graduated in 2001 ready for a career in the industry. Now she’s the executive director medical information for Abbvie. Ina credits the ACPHS Pharm D program with preparing her for this essential work by giving her a clinical background, exposing her to a wide variety of therapeutics, and helping her hone her expertise in medical writing. In this edition of Occupation Station, Ina talks about the challenges in the field, communicating essential information to both consumers and members of the medical community through multiple communications channels. She also talks about the excitement of being an essential part of Phase 3 and Phase 4 drug trials, where her critical thinking and communication skills are called upon during the regulatory process of applying for an NDA or SNDAs for new products.

In this episode of Occupation Station we discover how Dr. Kelly Cycon went from lab tech to Director of the Virology Department at Zeptometrix. During her years there the company has also grown and evolved and currently ZeptoMetrix is providing support for the COVID 19 response. Kelly’s career journey involved a leap into a graduate program, many miles traveled on I-90, and a willingness to be flexible! She also credits getting tons of support from family, teachers and colleagues. Now Dr. Cycon mentors students and says scientists have a responsibility to pass the torch and impart knowledge and encouragement to students who are considering entering the field.

The path that a student embarks on is often very different from the career path they ultimately follow. ACPHS class of ’94 grad Kelly Mahar is a prime example. Kelly planned on becoming a retail pharmacist and she knew that there were lots of attractive jobs open in the field. But during her coursework and internships at ACPHS, Kelly started to notice her strengths and interests lay elsewhere. In this episode of Occupation Station hear how Kelly was able to put her degree from ACPHS into lucrative service to support her new goal to earn a Ph.D. from the University of Buffalo. Diverging from her original path moved her toward the highly specialized work that she currently does at GlaxoSmithKline. It’s work that she finds to be a perfect fit. Now she encourages students to reach out to alumni to learn more about career opportunities that can grow out of their studies at ACPHS.

In this episode of Occupation Station meet 2008 Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences grad Stephan Esker. Stephan is now Senior Medical Director, Antibody Drug Conjugate (ADC) Franchise at Daiichi Sankyo. From his time as a student and continuing throughout his career, Stephan has been inspired by people who are fighting challenging diseases. His concentrations have mainly centered on HIV and oncology treatments. Stephen says some of the best advice he was ever given was that he should try new things and be willing to accept some failure along the way. He was able to take chances and learn new things while at ACPHS and through summer research opportunities and mentorships.

Billy Gallo has combined some core values and an education at ACPHS to thrive in a career as associate director, medical information, scientific communications at Boehringer Ingelheim. In this episode of Occupation Station, Gallo talks about how his APPE rotations helped shape his career path and how being true to his authentic self rather than “faking it” has helped him earn the respect of his peers. Gallo, who is a 2014 grad, later went on to create the Boehringer Ingelheim course at ACPHS because he learned first-hand about the value of increasing your exposure to the workplace during your time as a student.

Curiosity and resilience are two of the important characteristics that 1984 ACPHS grad Jim Notaro says are important for a successful educational and professional career. In 1999, Notaro founded Clinical Support Services, Inc., a provider of medication management solutions. In this episode of Occupation Station, Notaro, RPh, Ph.D., talks about how having focus and facing some diversity leads to success.

Exciting news at ACPHS! In January 2020, the College will open the Center for Biopharmaceutical Education and Training (CBET), a $37.3 million facility that will train pharmacy students and mid-career professionals for jobs making biopharmaceutical drugs, which is a rapidly growing part of the drug industry nationwide. CBET will be a 20,000-square-foot advanced technology facility that will feature emerging technologies such as single use and continuous bioprocessing, cell therapy, gene therapy, and real-time analytics. Hands-on programing will include real world applications operating in a simulated cGMP environment, as well as broader topics such as quality control and supply chain management. Close ties and consultation with corporate partners will be crucial to providing relevant programming both for traditional students and individuals already in the workforce. Initial partners in this endeavor include Clarkson University and Albany Molecular Research Institute. Discussions are currently underway with additional collaborators. In this episode of Occupation Station, Dr. Patrick Yang, former executive vice president of Genentech, Roche and Juno and current chairman of AbGenomics and Acepodia joins ACPHS President Dr. Greg Dewey to talk about the current recruitment needs of the biopharmaceutical industry and how CBET will fill those positions. Dr. Yang, who serves as an adviser to program development, discusses five distinct ways CBET will partner with biopharmaceuticals. Dr. Dewey, meanwhile, talks about how CBET will stay nimble, while training students for a rapidly changing field. Learn more at https://www.acphs.edu/CBET

An early change in direction ultimately led to a healthcare career that spanned decades for Bill Shields. Shields, who currently serves as CEO of Advanced Infusion Solutions, already held a degree in education when he decided to further challenge himself by gaining a degree in pharmacy at ACPHS. Even though he quickly found work as a pharmacist, Shields felt a drive to branch out even further and achieved his MBA. Now he tells others along their career journeys not to be afraid to invest in their own educations. Shields is a big fan of diversifying. His resume tells the story with major companies calling on him to work on product development, specialty infusion, regulatory affairs in Washington, D.C. and much more.

Mina Tadrous began to understand what career would spark him while getting his Doctor of Pharmacy at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. As his career trajectory shows, Tadrous has turned that spark into a flame in many, many ways. You could say his main focus is on post-marketing surveillance of drugs that have been approved. It is crucial work that uncovers the hidden differences between when a drug moves out of the category of “tolerable” to the determination of the drug’s suitability for a specific individual’s needs. But Tadrous also finds great fulfillment in teaching. He has also become a thoughtful commentator regarding the rising costs of drugs. In this episode of Occupation Station, Tadrous talks about his career and offers advice to students on how to tap into the resources available to them at ACPHS. Bonus! Tadrous reminds us of a special “in” that comes with being a student.