Intern Perspectives: Danielle Colon-Carreras, AMCP Foundation/Pfizer, Inc. Managed Care Internship

Ten weeks can sound brief on paper, but my AMCP Foundation/Pfizer Managed Care Internship at UPMC gave me more exposure to managed care and the pharmaceutical industry than I ever expected to gain in one summer. 

At the beginning of the internship, I understood concepts such as formulary management, utilization management, real-world evidence, and health economics mainly from the classroom. Over the summer, I began to see how these concepts come together in how payers make coverage decisions. I learned that evaluating a therapy requires much more than reviewing safety and efficacy; it also means considering comparative effectiveness, utilization patterns, access barriers, and the potential impact on patient population. 

At UPMC, I applied that perspective through my research project evaluating post-discharge anticoagulant use and treatment persistence among patients with VTE. Working with real-world claims data showed me how health plans can use utilization, persistence, and readmissions to identify gaps in care and opportunities for intervention. Just as importantly, the project taught me to interpret retrospective data carefully, recognize its limitations, and distinguish between patterns in the data, etc. I am excited to continue sharing what I learned by presenting this research at AMCP Nexus 2026. 

My learning extended well beyond research. Developing a drug monograph taught me to assess a therapy through a formulary and P&T lens by looking at clinical evidence, comparative treatment options, place in therapy, safety, utilization, and potential cost implications. My drug shortage project challenged me to evaluate therapeutic alternatives while also considering formulary availability and operational feasibility. Through my journal club on the financial burden 
associated with GLP-1 therapies, I explored how drug spending, insurance coverage, benefit design, and patient out-of-pocket costs can affect both access and long-term treatment sustainability. Together, these projects helped me move beyond simply interpreting clinical evidence and begin thinking more like a managed care pharmacist. 

I am especially grateful to my UPMC preceptor, Phil Camden, whose support shaped so much of my internship experience. He consistently went out of his way to make sure I had the resources and opportunities I needed to learn. He also encouraged me to explore areas beyond my assigned projects and allowed my own interests to guide part of the experience. 

I am equally thankful to my Pfizer preceptors, Kevin Lynch and Tom Heard. They invited me into learning sessions with professionals across different functional areas, answered my questions openly, and helped me understand how teams such as Medical Affairs, Market Access, and HEOR contribute in distinct but interconnected ways. Their mentorship gave me a much clearer picture of how pharmacists can build careers within industry. 

Finally, I am incredibly grateful to Ebony Clay, Anne Fentress, and the entire AMCP Foundation team for making this experience possible. Their work went far beyond coordinating an internship; they connected us with mentors and created opportunities to learn from professionals across managed care and industry. Their dedication made this experience feel truly unique and opened doors. 

I entered the summer wanting to better understand managed care and industry, but I left with much more than knowledge.

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