As part of her job search plan she decided to take a course in drug development to expand her knowledge and increase her chances of landing a marketing role in the ever expanding CRO and CMO (Contract Manufacturing) sectors. Although I hesitate to say that the course was the entire reason for her landing a marketing job with a CRO, it surely didn’t hurt, and it definitely demonstrated to the employer that my colleague was highly motivated.

Life Science Degree or No Life Science Degree

Life Science Supplier Sales and Marketers need to be proficient in sales and marketing as well as scientific and drug development disciplines. Yes, many life science commercial professionals have a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or PhD in a scientific discipline, like my colleague, but many others do not. Drug Development Immersion is designed to benefit those with or without a life science degree.

Career Progression

In addition, as a life science commercial professional’s career progresses they often find that the knowledge they acquired earlier in their career will come in handy later on. For example, another colleague started out selling DNA sequencing products, and later landed a job with a CRO selling genomic services. His job outlook has changed quite a bit as this CRO also has a bioanalysis services sales team, a safety assessment services sales team, etc., and he is well positioned for roles on these teams.

Employee Engagement

Leaders of life science supplier sales and marketing teams have a vested interest in supporting their team members in their pursuit to expand their knowledge. During a conversation at the 2015 SAMPS Annual Meeting, a sales and marketing leader put it this way. “Providing educational and career development opportunities helps with employee engagement, which drives productivity and reduces turnover, and the ideas that are generated through professional development always have a way of driving programs within our company.”

This Drug Development Immersion course is intended to support those in the SAMPS community who are looking to expand their knowledge in order to help themselves, their companies, the scientific clients and companies we serve, and ultimately patients in need of innovative medical solutions. It is designed for those who have a science background and for those who do NOT have a science background.

Course Details

Drug Development Immersion is a two-day, intensive course focused on the regulatory, commercial and scientific considerations required to bring a drug successfully to market. Discussion points feature both small molecule and biologic products. Post-approval commercial considerations and risk management are also discussed. Numerous personal accounts and war stories are used to illustrate the decision-making process companies use, giving participants a working knowledge of strategic development. Learn what it takes to get a molecule from the bench into the marketplace by an industry expert who has received drug approvals in both the US and Europe.

REGISTER FOR THE COURSE

The course is scheduled for January 28th and 29th, 2016 at The Conference Center at Mercer, West Windsor, NJ (Princeton area). For details on course schedule dates, location and fees, please visit http://goo.gl/0KQ0uz  All course materials are handed out at the course. There is no pre-work required. Lunch will be provided.

Chuck Drucker

Chuck Drucker is a results-driven leader with over 20 years of experience in selling and marketing scientific products and services. In addition to his role as President of the Association of Commercial Professionals – Life Sciences (SAMPS), Mr. Drucker is Director of Client Facing Operations and Alliance Management for Quest Diagnostics Clinical Trials.