Intern Perspectives Article: Vy Do, AMCP Foundation/Genentech Inc. Intern

This past year, I had the opportunity to participate in the AMCP Foundation/Genentech Inc. Evidence for Access Summer Internship Program. Even though this was my second experience with the AMCP Foundation Internships, I had to say nothing was like my previous internship. This was a brand-new experience for various reasons.

First, in contrast to a more managed care-focused perspective, this time, I got to look at things through the lenses of a pharmaceutical manufacturer. As a part of the U.S. Medical Affairs Evidence for Access Team, I worked with some great minds, including evidence synthesis scientists and health economists, who were behind the science of groundbreaking medications. My main projects included systematic/targeted literature searches and supporting dossiers and budget impact models to synthesize key information, identify evidence gaps, and understand the economics of different treatments in therapeutic areas such as oncology and rare diseases. It was inspiring to observe and be a part of cross-functional collaborations that ensured all barriers to medication access were identified and removed in a timely manner. I am excited to present a poster on my capstone project at AMCP 2023 in San Antonio, Texas.

Secondly, I was able to focus more on networking, whether that was meeting new people or having more meaningful conversations with existing connections. Building on my knowledge from the previous internship and therapeutic classes at school, I became more confident in actively asking tough questions and searching for answers using available resources. Overall, this internship provided me with professional development and transferrable skills that would help me succeed in any job setting in the future, not just within the pharmaceutical industry.

Lastly, all this happened during my final year of pharmacy school instead of a condensed 10-week timeframe in the summer. Honestly, I had a challenging time managing APPE rotations, this internship, extracurricular activities, and post-graduation fellowship and residency program applications. However, this tough environment taught me how to manage my time and motivation effectively, as well as to lean on people around me and ask for help if necessary. I have better understood my strengths and weaknesses and improved immensely in communicating expectations with those I worked with.

All this could not have been possible without Ebony Clay and my manager, Pattie Strong. These two amazing women tailored the experience to my preferences and ensured I was heading toward success and had what I needed. I would also like to thank my preceptors, Komal Bawa and Aviva Nathan, for investing their time in my learning and answering my questions, and I had about a million different ones. Thank you to David Fox, who took time out of his busy schedule to teach me about economic modeling and budget impact models. I also want to share my appreciation for all other Genentech colleagues, Paula Eichenbrenner, Kenneth Garcia, Mei Huang, and all AMCP Foundation intern alums who helped guide and shape my journey to become who I am today.

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