Ph.D.CareerConnectionsTheProsandConsofMyJourneyfromAcademiatothe

PharmaceuticalIndustry.Isitrightforyou?

KennethI.Maynard,Ph.D.

VanderbiltUniversityDecember4th,2015

Outline  Thepathtomycurrentrole

  WhatIactuallydoinmycurrentrole

  Advantagestomycareerpath

  Advantagestothiscareerpath

  Work/Lifebalance

  Academiaorpharma?

  TransferablePhDskills

Thepathtomycurrentrole:Transitionfromacademiatopharma

  1991–PhD-UniversityCollege,London,UK

  ’91-’95–Postdoc1&2–MassGenHosp(MGH)/HarvardMedSch(HMS)

  ’96–Instructor–MGH/HMSv  R21grantapplicationreviewandpathtofaculty

  ‘98–AsstProf–MGH/HMSv  AHA-MSDAgrantapplicationandpathtopromotion

  2000–Transitionfromacademiatopharmav  Useyourleveragetonegotiateyourposition

²  ConsultantinNeurosurgery,MGH/Lecturer,HMS(Part-time)

Thepathtomycurrentrole:Transitioningwithinpharma

  ’00-’02–SectionHead,CerebrovascularDisorders,AventisPharmav  Companiesmakebusinessdecisions

  ’02-’04–PrincipalScientist,CNSDiscovery,AventisPharmav  Bewillingtoadapt

  ’05-’09–ProjectDirector,ProjectDirection,Neurology,sanofi-aventisv  Leadteams-milestones

  ’10-’14–GlobalHead,ExternalInnovation,TSUAging,Sanofiv  Seekopportunitiestostretchandgrow

  2015–GlobalProgramLeader,CNSTherapeuticAreaUnit,Takedav  Whereisyourpassion? Playtoyourstrengths

WhatIactuallydoinmycurrentrole  Leaddrugdevelopmentteam(crossfunctional,matrix,changingandcomplex)

v  TeamconsistsofProject/Programmanager,ChemicalManufacturingandControls,ClinicalOperations(CTM,Quality,SupplyChain),Clinicians(Clinicalpharmacology,ExperimentalMedicine,Safety),Commercial,CompetitiveIntelligence,Discovery,DMPK,SafetyandToxicology,HealthEconomicsandGlobalOutcomesResearch,IntellectualProperty,Publications,Regulatory,TranslationalMedicine/Science…

v  Align,motivateandempowerteammembersthroughinfluencenotauthority(e.g.,coaching,mentoring,teaching)

  Responsibleforassetstrategyv  Accountablefordeliveryoncomplexdevelopmentplans(monthsinthemakingandyearsintothefuture)

²  Createvisionfortheasset

²  Withtheteam,developastrategytoaccomplishthatvisionbasedonpatient,payer,prescriberneeds,science,medicine,business(includingmarketconsiderations)

²  Manageambiguity,makesoundscientificandbusinessdecisionswithlimitedinformation(whennecessary)

²  Criticallyanalyzeyourstrategyatleasteachyear,atmilestonesanddependentuponthecompetitiveenvironment

  Highlyeffectiveatcommunication,collaborationandnegotiationv  Managingstakeholders(upanddown,insideandoutsidetheorganization)

²  Asset-Understandandcommunicaterisksaswellasdevelopingandexecutingcontingencyplansfordevelopmentprograms

²  People–Optimalteamdynamics,performancefeedbacktoteammembersand/ortheirmanagement

  Budgetaryresponsibilityv  Drugdiscovery=$Hundredsofthousands…Drugdevelopment=$Tenstohundredsofmillions

  Atypicalday?v  Seeabove,notsureIhaveone…anditcanchangeinaninstant

Advantagestomycareerpath  Principalscientist/SectionHead/GroupLeaderversusAssistantProfessor

v  Increasedresponsibilityformorethanonedrugdiscoveryprojectv  Managingpeoplev  Impactondrugdiscoverystrategyv  Focusonscience,notonpublishing,fundingorteachingresponsibilities

  GlobalHead,ExternalInnovationv  Buildingasmallglobalteam(hiringacrosscultures,creatingjobprofiles…)v  Settingthescope,accountabilityandbringingvaluetoanewunitandthecompanyv  Globaltravel

  ProjectDirectororLeader/GlobalProgramLeader/LifeCycleLeaderv  Comprehensiveunderstandingofdrugresearchanddevelopment(R&D)v  Driveassetstrategy–responsiblefordrugdevelopmentstrategyv  Careeradvancement

²  Leadershiptrainingopportunities²  Exposuretotopmanagementofthecompany

AdvantagestothiscareerpathOptions!

  Benchtobedside

v  Researchisgearedtowardsaproductratherthanknowledgeitself,toseeyourresearchimprovethequalityofpeople’slives

  Resources

v  Accesstoothertop-caliberscientists(in-house,collaborators,consultants),tools,databases,cutting-edge/uniquescience

  Workinginteams

v  Tobeanexpertinpartofalargegroup

  Nogrants(inbigpharma,butmaybedifferentforstart-ups,biotechs)

v  Bewillingtoadapt

  Awholenewworldofcareeroptions

v  Benchscientist,clinicalscientist,groupleader,scientific/medicalwriting,management,marketing/marketaccess,regulatory,outcomesresearch…

  Benefits(traditionalandadditional)

v  Financial(Salary,bonuses[hiringandannual]andlong-termincentives,401Kmatching,voluntarytaxfreesavings,lifeinsurancecoverage,dependentcare,“Benny”card,relocationpackages),careerenrichment/recognitionincentives,healthscreens,opportunitiesforyourkids(bringyourkidstowork,scholarships,culturalexposure),personalcare(security,protectivewear,cafeteria,coffee/tea/water),careerdevelopment(regularperformancereviews,individualdevelopmentplanincludepromotionstrategies),work/lifebalance

Work/Lifebalance  Achieveretention,reducetheabsenteeism,enhancemorale,improve

performance,productivityandefficiency,enhancethecompanyimageinsociety

v  Environment:-continuouswork,hazardous,complex,high-risk,

  Flexibleworkingconditions

v  Workfromhome,normal/flexibleworkinghours,workrotation,recenthirepackages(relocationplans&communityacclimatization)

  Time-off

v  Encouraged,vacation(increasesbasedonloyalty),companyculture(EUvsUS,communityvolunteer),maternity/paternity,bereavement…

  Healthbenefits

v  Companycontributions(healthplan,healthsavingsaccount,fit-bits…),counseling(adviceorprovidinginformationpertainingtoworkandfamilymatterssuchasmedicalorfinancialadvicesavetheemployeestimeandreducethechaosandtensionofemployees),on-siteaccess(fullservicegyms,healthcenter,freedrugs(drug-store)…

  Personalbenefits

v  Nursery/day-care(on-site,nearby,subsidized),…

AcademiaorPharma?  Thisisthewrongquestion…...bestrategicandintentionalaboutyour

career

  Passionandpersonality

  Timingisimportant:-transitiondependingonthedesiredroleyouseekinpharmav  SectionHead/GroupLeaderv  DepartmentHeadv  UnitHead

  Easierfor2scientistscoupletofindfulfillingjobopportunities

  Myexperienceisthatwomenachievehigherpositionsfasterinanyindustryoutsideofacademiav  (EmmaWalmsley,GSKComsumerHealth;BelénGarijo,MerckKGaAHealthcare;

MarissaMayer–Yahoo;MarilynHewson,LockheedMartin;MegWhitman,Hewlett-Packard;AbigailJohnson,FMR(FidelityInvestment’sParentCompany);UrsulaBurns-Xerox;IreneRosenfeld,MondelēzInternational;CarolM.Meyrowitz,TJXCompanies;PatriciaWoertz,ADM;OprahWinfrey,OWN

TransferablePhDSkillshttps://careercenter.umich.edu/article/phd-transferable-skills

  Analysis&Problem-Solving

v  Defineaproblemandidentifypossiblecauses,Comprehendlargeamountsofinformation,Formanddefendindependentconclusions,Designanexperiment,plan,ormodelthatdefinesaproblem,testspotentialresolutionsandimplementsasolution

  Interpersonal&LeadershipSkills

v  Facilitategroupdiscussionsorconductmeetings,Motivateotherstocompleteprojects(grouporindividual),Respondappropriatelytopositiveornegativefeedback,Effectivelymentorsubordinatesand/orpeers,Collaborateonprojects,Teachskillsorconceptstoothers,Navigatecomplexbureaucraticenvironments

  ProjectManagement&Organization

v  Manageaprojectorprojectsfrombeginningtoend,Identifygoalsand/ortaskstobeaccomplishedandarealistictimelineforcompletion,Prioritizetaskswhileanticipatingpotentialproblems,Maintainflexibilityinthefaceofchangingcircumstances

  Research&InformationManagement

v  Identifysourcesofinformationapplicabletoagivenproblem,Understandandsynthesizelargequantitiesofdata,Designandanalyzesurveys,Developorganizingprinciplestoeffectivelysortandevaluatedata

  Self-Management&WorkHabits

v  Workeffectivelyunderpressureandtomeetdeadlines,Comprehendnewmaterialandsubjectmatterquickly,Workeffectivelywithlimitedsupervision

  Written&OralCommunication

v  Prepareconciseandlogically-writtenmaterials,Organizeandcommunicateideaseffectivelyinoralpresentationstosmallandlargegroups,Writeatalllevels—briefabstracttobook-lengthmanuscript,Debateissuesinacollegialmannerandparticipateingroupdiscussions,Uselogicalargumenttopersuadeothers,Explaincomplexordifficultconceptsinbasictermsandlanguage,Writeeffectivegrantproposals