Summer Intern Perspectives: Courtney Smith, AMCP Foundation/Pfizer Inc. Managed Care summer Internship

This past summer, I had the privilege of completing the AMCP Foundation/Pfizer, Inc. Managed Care Internship with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. I was fortunate to work with preceptors Layla Jaludi, PharmD, Quality Program Manager, and Athena Patrikios, PharmD, MBA, Director of Pharmacy-Medicare with HBCBS of NJ. Additionally, I am gracious to have been paired with Pfizer Medical Outcomes Specialists Tyson Thompson, PharmD, MBA, and Lori Blackner, PharmD, who provided guidance and compassion in furthering my understanding of the pharmaceutical industry. Throughout the internship, I gained tangible skills in managed care and industry pharmacy and strengthened my ability to collaborate, communicate, think strategically, and problem-solve. 

I met with residents and clinical pharmacists at HBCBS of NJ and Prime Therapeutics to enhance my understanding of formulary management, benefit design, medication therapy, and adherence management. I was granted a balance of autonomy and support to engage in clinical services, projects, and presentations. Daily, I delivered education in atrial fibrillation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension care to the Medicare population. Weekly, I performed comprehensive medication reviews with commercial and Medicare members. These interactions gave me direct insight into the patient experience and operational aspects of quality improvement initiatives. Frequent conversations with patients offered perspective into the impact of non-clinical health needs on access and adherence to treatment. With this holistic view, I synthesized a presentation for the Medicare team demonstrating the impact of social determinants of health on clinical outcomes and implementation strategy within medication therapy management services. 

Another integral part of my internship was my capstone research project, evaluating medication stockpiling under current refill-too-soon standards. Under the guidance of Timothy O’Shea, PharmD, MS, Manager, Clinical Pharmacy-Population Health, this project helped fine-tune my analytical skills and ability to offer resolution in response to trends. I am elated to share the research I presented at AMCP Nexus 2022! 

Through the generous support of Pfizer, I expanded my knowledge of industry principles such as health outcomes and economics research, and drug discovery and development. I frequently met with my preceptors, Tyson Thompson and Lori Blacker, who furthered my understanding of the pharmaceutical industry's multifaceted nature and helped refine my research project. 

Lastly, weekly journal clubs were facilitated by Kenneth Garcia, PharmD, and Mei Huang, PharmD. My presentation analyzed a network meta-analysis of age-related macular degeneration treatment options. Other opportunities included attending new drug presentations, providing formulary justification, and reviewing drug information inquiries. 

I sincerely thank AMCP Foundation, Pfizer, and HBCBS of NJ for offering this immersive opportunity. Special thanks to Ebony Clay, PMP, Senior Manager, Programs & Development and Paula Eichenbrenner, MBA, CAE, Executive Director with AMCP Foundation, and my mentors through AMCP Foundation, Maria Tate, PharmD, and Samirul Islam, PharmD, BPharm, BPS, AS. This experience has been invaluable to my professional development as a student pharmacist, and I am eager for the opportunities ahead within the profession! 

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