ERNEST MARIO SCHOOL

OF PHARMACY

VOL.1 ISSUE 5

APRIL 17, 2012

Table of Contents

Express Scripts/Medco Merger......2

Editorial.........................................2

How to Apply for Residencies........3

Inside Industry...............................5

School News..................................6

AZO & Dance Marathon..............7

Supreme Court Deliberates the Affordable Care Act

by Jennifer Kim, P1In the last week of March, the United States Supreme Court heard arguments regarding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The “individual mandate” provision of the act has been under fire ever since its conception. In essence, it would require all Americans to be insured or face a monetary fine. What makes this recent discussion of the act significant is that the “severability” of the mandate and its im-pact on the expansion of Medicaid eligibil-ity is at the forefront of talks.

“Severability” is how much of the Afford-able Care Act will no longer be possible if the individual mandate itself is deemed un-lawful. Lawmakers and healthcare profes-sionals wonder what parts and how much

of the ACA will also have to be eliminat-ed. Pharmacists are especially concerned with the provisions regarding medication therapy management (MTM), the Center of Medicare and Medicaid eligibility expan-sion, and more.

If the mandate is expunged from the ACA, lawmakers will be pushed to also remove parts that are supported by it. For instance, the recent expansion of Medicaid eligibil-ity, which would drastically increase the amount of healthcare coverage of Ameri-cans, would most likely be removed. Ac-cording to the ACA, Medicaid eligibility has been expanded to cover people ages 19-64 with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level ($14, 856 for an indi-vidual; $30,656 for a family of four). With

this expansion, millions of citizens would be insured starting in 2014. However, if the mandate is gone, then the provisions that are dependent on it will fall.

The Supreme Court has yet to hand down a ruling, but are projecting to have one by late June. In addition to this court case, the Supreme Court is reviewing Florida v. Department of Health and Human Services against the Affordable Care Act. There are many challenges to overcome before cer-tain provisions of ACA will be enacted. References:1) http://www.pharmacist.com/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Pharmacy_News&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=282202) http://drugtopics.modernmedicine.com/drugtopics/Chains+%26+Business/Final-rule-released-for-Medicaid-improve-ments-unde/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/764920?contextCategoryId=49628

There is much excitement among the student body about the new dual degree program leading to a Masters in Public Health (MPH). The goals and responsibilities of professionals in the public health field overlap greatly with what pharmacists do on a regular basis so there could be a benefit to the extra schooling. After much discussion, the dual degree program has finally been established and approved thanks to the efforts of Dean Carol Goldin in coordinating the collaboration between the pharmacy school and the School of Public Health.

This dual degree program will be the sixth such program in the country. There are

many advantages to applying for the dual degree program. Dean Goldin stated that “a public health perspective will enhance your pharmacy education and open up a lot of job options, especially in the FDA. Throughout the entire planning process, the School of Public Health was happy to work with the pharmacy school because they see the potential that pharmacy students bring to the table.”

Usually an MPH program would take two years to complete. Enrolling in the joint program will decrease it to one year if five of the core classes are completed before graduating from the Pharm.D. program. Coursework can be begun during the first professional year.

by Fiona Chao, P2

continued on page 6

New Pharm.D./MPH Program

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The title of “Doctor” has been under a lot of scrupulation recently. With both nurses and pharmacists now earning doctorate degrees, some believe the title of “Doctor” may cause confusion among patients. There are already laws in both Arizona and Delaware that re-quire professionals to immediately identify their position if they introduce themself as doctor. In addition, there is now proposed leg-islation in Congress that would prohibit pro-fessions from misrepresenting themselves by using the title of doctor. This controversy has stemmed from traditional physicians who are concerned about the implications that come from other professions in healthcare earning doctorate degrees.

Such proposed legislation could have a det-rimental impact on the pharmacists who earn their Pharm.D. The title comes after six or more years of an intensive curriculum which adequately prepares graduates to play a role in the healthcare team.

The concern may originate from fear of los-ing authority and the traditional role that a physician would play. In the modern day, other health care professionals are wearing white coats and prescribing which further complicates the situation. Perhaps the focus should switch from titles and technicalities to a greater focus on collaboration and working to improve patient care.Reference: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/02/health/policy/02docs.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=too%20many%20pharmacy%20schools&st=cse#

Reference: http://drugtopics.modernmedicine.com/drugtopics/Chains+%26+Business/Retail-pharmacists-vow-to-keep-fighting-after-Expr/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/767269?contextCategoryId=49628

by Hyun Seung Pyo, P1

include the high barriers to entry and de-creased efficiency that monopoly markets suffer under.

Many pharmacy organizations also openly oppose this decision. The National As-sociation of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) and the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) have joined together to issue their opposition statement, vow-ing to “continue to push through the Wash-ington gridlock” and urging state attorney generals to take action. The organizations are requesting that a judge order Express Scripts and Medco to halt the deal while

The Controversy of the “Dr.” Title

Express Scripts-Medco Merger Update

There has been much concern by healthcare professionals about the the merger between Express Scripts and Medco Health Solu-tions. The two companies are both large pharmacy benefit managers with heavy influence on prescription medication reim-bursements. The potential merger has been a hot topic among healthcare providers due to the the potential monolopy and its im-pact on patient care.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) re-viewed the situation, and voted three to one in favor of the $29.1 billion merger. This was the result of an eight month investiga-tion, the conclusion of which is that this merger would not “substantially reduce competition for the provision of pharmacy benefit management (PBM) services with-

by Yimin Xu, P2

EDITORIAL:

in the United States.” The one dissenting Commission vote came from Julie Brill, who dubbed the merger a “game changer” that creates a “merger to duopoly,” with many conditions of monopolies. These

the lawsuit over this controversy remains. A lawsuit was filed by the NACDS, NCPA, and 9 pharmacy companies, and asked for the merger to be blocked.

The FTC approved the merger because its own analyses have revealed the PBM market to be competitive, far from an oli-gopoly. The Commission argues that the merger will not change market dynamics. Bloomberg News has reported that the com-bined company would only handle about a third of prescriptions in the US, a number that appears to support the FTC’s decision. The opposition group continues to argue that the deal would damage both commu-nity pharmacists and patients by reducing competition, leading to higher prices and lessened reimbursements.

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by Hyun Seung Pyo, P1

The Residency Application Process: What You Need to Know

by Priya Amin, P4

BEFORE MIDYEAR

Where do I even start with figuring out which programs to apply to? The first thing you want to do is figure out what type of program you are interested in. You can do a general Post-Graduate Year 1 (PGY1) residency in Acute Care, which is the most common and will give you broad clinical experience. There are also other PGY1 residencies in ambulatory care, community pharmacy, managed care, drug informa-tion, and more.

Tip: For a complete list of residency pro-grams, go to the ASHP (only accredited programs) and ACCP (includes non-ac-credited) websites.

Once you know which type of program you are interested in, you will then need to look at various factors that will help narrow down your list of programs. You should bring this list with you to the ASHP Mid-year Clinical Meeting. Deciding factors include location, hospital size, teaching vs. non-teaching hospital, number of clinical pharmacists, the number of residency posi-tions, PGY2 specialties offered at the same site, stipend, staffing requirements, types of rotations offered, electives, and teaching opportunities. You can find this informa-tion on the ASHP listing or the individual programs’ websites.

Tip: Talk to other colleagues who are com-pleting a residency or who have already completed one. Word-of-mouth is an excel-lent way to find a great residency program for you!

DURING MIDYEAR

How should I prepare for the ASHP's Midyear Clinical Meeting? Before you go to Midyear, have about 10-20 programs (no more than 30) that you want to get more information about while you are there. At midyear, a residency showcase is held at which each program has an assigned spot in a large room to interact with students. Students have the opportunity to visit the programs they have an interest in and speak with residency directors and currents resi-dents. There will be three different time slots on two days at midyear (usually Mon-day and Tuesday), and each residency pro-gram will only be at ONE out of the three

time slots. Therefore, it is important that you plan ahead accordingly. Have ques-tions ready to ask the residency directors and residents (questions that you cannot get directly from their website or information on ASHP/ACCP).

Note: Attending Midyear is not required for you to apply to a residency, especially if you are planning on staying in the region (there is a local showcase that you can go to during sixth year that includes programs around the region). Midyear is more for you to speak to the program directors and residents and figure out which programs you like and want to apply to.

Tip: After you finish talking with one resi-dency program, write some notes down about the program and who you spoke to so you can remember details later when you are figuring out which programs to ap-ply to.

What is PPS and should I sign up?Another opportunity to meet a program is via the Personnel Placement Service (PPS), which is a national pharmacy recruiting event that takes place annually at ASHP's Midyear Clinical Meeting. This is a time where programs have a private booth to conduct short interviews with potential candidates who have signed up for a time slot. This is optional for students applying to residencies and is a personal decision. Look at your residency programs and fig-ure out if they will be participating in PPS ahead of time. If so, sign up for PPS and email the residency program before mid-year to set up an interview time. This inter-view is usually informal and just gives you a chance to speak to the residency program director one on one and have a more per-sonal conversation compared to during the residency showcase.

Should I bring my CV to Midyear?Bringing CV’s is always a good idea just in case a residency program specifically asks for one. Make sure to have at least 10 copies. It is recommended but not required to print your CV on special resume paper. Also, if you sign up for PPS, you should have copies ready to give to your inter-viewer.

Who do I write thank you cards to?Thank you cards are a nice gesture after in-terviewing with a program during PPS or even after having a meaningful conversa-

tion with a resident/residency director dur-ing the residency showcase. It’s not certain if they make a difference in your chances when applying for the residency position, but they are always appreciated and may make a lasting impression.

AFTER MIDYEAR

How many residency programs should I apply to and when should I start apply-ing? There is no right number of residency programs to apply to, but students will apply to anywhere from 3-15 programs. Remember that applications may have dif-ferent requirements and the more programs you apply to, the more time/effort/money you may have to put in overall.

Note: Keep in mind that you may not neces-sarily get on-site interviews to all the resi-dency programs you apply to. For example, you could apply to 15 programs and only get on-site interviews to six of them.

You should start applying ideally right af-ter you come back from midyear. However, sometimes you may need a week or so just to decide which programs you want to ap-ply to. Start submitting your applications as soon as you can because you will have a better chance of getting an interview time slot that fits into your rotation schedule. Try and have most of your applications submitted by January 1st.

Tip: Some residency programs may ask you to provide a small wallet size photo of yourself. They like it when they can read an application and put a face to the name especially before your on-site interview. Even if all programs don’t ask you, it may be beneficial to attach a small photo with all of your applications.

When should I do my letters of recom-mendation and request transcripts for my applications? The majority of resi-dency programs will require 3 recommen-dation letters. Each residency program may require you to have letters from different types of people. It is best to have a letter of recommendation from an employer, a fac-ulty member, and a preceptor (preferably clinical). Make sure you give your recom-mendation letter writers at least a couple weeks to write your letters before the ap-plication deadline.

Continued on next page

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You will need to request transcripts from Rutgers, and it is advised to request them before the Christmas/New Year’s holiday so that you will be certain to get them mailed out before the application dead-lines. Otherwise, you may have to wait until January 5th to have your transcripts mailed out.

Tip: Give your recommendation letter writers a folder containing your CV, the letter of recommendation form, informa-tion about the program and an envelope addressed and stamped for each of your programs. Make sure to give clear in-structions on what needs to be e-mailed/faxed/mailed and what the deadlines are. It is very important to follow up with your letter of recommendation writers a few days before the deadline to make sure they are on schedule and will be mailing the letters ASAP if they have not already done so.

What should I do after I have applied to all my residency programs? Some programs will let you know when they have received all of your application ma-terials, while others will not. For the ones that don’t, follow up in a week or two to make sure they received all parts of your application. The next step will be to wait for on-site interviews to your programs. As you start to hear from some, you may want to follow up with others you still haven’t heard from so that you can start to plan your interview schedule.

Tip: If your top choice residency only has a couple interview dates and you hear from other programs first that may be on those same dates, don’t reserve the spots and say no to the programs you hear from! Just take the interview slots and at the very least, you can respectfully de-cline at a later time if you have a sched-ule conflict.

I just finished all my on-site interviews. Now what? Take a breath and relax! You have finished the hardest part. Make sure you sign up for the Match (you will have to pay a fee) and start going through your interviews and figuring out which pro-grams you want to rank. Make sure you only rank programs that you are sure you can see yourself at for a year, because this is a binding process. You will have until the beginning of March to submit your rank list and then you will hear back on Match day (usually around March 17th-

21st) if you matched with a residency program. If not, don’t worry! There is a post-match scramble where you can try and find a program that did not match and apply and interview there. Though the odds may not be as great, you will have a good opportunity to potentially get the residency program of your dreams!

I matched. What’s next? After match-ing, it is important to start looking into licensure for whichever state you will be located in. Most students will get licensed

in New Jersey first and then take the ex-tra law exam if they will be in a different state. If you will be in a different state, it is important to speak to the residency director and make sure you have all the requirements done before you start your residency. If you are not licensed in time, you may need to apply for an intern li-cense for the time being. However, it is advised to take the NAPLEX and MPJE in June before you start your residency.

TIMELINE:

Month Actions to TakeSeptember/October

Start researching which residency programs you are interested in and want to speak to at Midyear

November Start to ask preceptors/faculty/employers if they will write recommendation letters, and sign up for ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and PPS (optional)

December ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting, send thank you cards, tell letter of recommendation writers which programs you are applying to, request transcripts, and start submitting applications

January Applications are usually due around Jan 1st- Jan 16th but the earlier you submit them the better (you get more options for interview dates/times)

February Interviews take place, send thank you cards to interviewers

March Put in your ranks and find out if you matched on Match Day. If not, start the post-match scramble pro-cess!

For information on this year’s ASHP 2012 Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exhibition, please go to: http://www.ashp.org/mcm.

The 2012 meeting is being held on December 2-6, in Las Vegas.Registration opens mid-July.

The Residency Application Process, continued

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Inside IndustryExplore Career Paths in Big Pharma

An Interview with Dr. Amy Everitt, Global Medical Neuroscience Fellow at BMS

by Sonia Lee, P1

Dr. Amy Everitt graduated in 2010 with her Pharm.D. from Nova Southeastern Univer-sity. Currently, she is completing the second year of her fellowship in Global Medical Neuroscience with Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS), where she leads Publications Opera-tions for global and U.S. neuroscience assets.

Dr. Everitt did not have much exposure to industry while attending pharmacy school in Florida. She learned about indus-try when she did a managed care rotation during her fourth year, when one of the residents told her about the Rutgers Phar-maceutical Industry Fellowship program.

When asked about what she thought made her stand out as a fellowship candidate, Dr. Everitt noted her passion for neuroscience. The influence of an inspirational professor piqued her interest in the subject. Unlike other fields, such as cardiovascular, there are no algorithms for treating neurology patients, especially since the brain is still not fully understood. This same professor became her mentor, and Dr. Everitt com-pleted a retrospective review about the metabolic changes of patients taking In-vega® (paliperidone) under his guidance.

During her first year as a fellow in Global Medical Neuroscience, Dr. Everitt worked on medical information and medical strat-egy for Abilify®, where she focused on the market in the USA. She moved to the global headquarters for her second year and now deals with other areas of the world, such as the UK. Her specific du-ties involve publications such as manu-scripts, brochures, and abstracts for Abil-ify® and other products in development.

As all fellows are considered adjunct faculty at Rutgers, Dr. Everitt has also been involved in academia. Dr. Everitt co-coordinated the

Community Practice Management elective. She created and taught one lecture, which covered the process of converting pre-scription drugs to over-the-counter drugs. The students in the elective had to attend a health fair and provide free screenings for blood pressure, glucose, lipids, and bone density scans while Dr. Everitt oversaw the interactions between the students and pa-tients. Dr. Everitt also lectured on two top-ics in Advanced Neuropsychiatric Elective, the STAR*D trial and treatment resistant depression. Participating in an informal ca-reer panel, writing test questions, and proc-toring exams were other activities in which

Dr. Everitt was involved. Although if un-sure if she would end up in academia one day, Dr. Everitt did love being able to teach and mentor students. Teaching still remains a possibility in her future, especially if she is also given the opportunity to work at a psychiatric hospital and precept students. So how does one become involved in in-dustry? Although an internship within in-dustry is always helpful, Dr. Everitt com-mented that there are actually many current fellows who didn’t have internships under their belts. Dr. Everitt herself did not have prior experience before jumping into the pharmaceutical industry. A good way to

She has relished the opportunity of being

able to work with other healthcare

professionals, such as psychiatrists who are lead authors in

psychiatry publications

demonstrate interest in the field is to do rotations in industry and make sure to de-velop good communication and teamwork skills. She suggested that students take in-dustry-related electives and get involved in organizations. According to a survey of the fellowship applicants, it was found that a common thread that everybody shared was involvement with pharmacy organizations. Dr. Everitt herself was involved with Kappa Psi, AMCP, ASHP, APhA, and Phi Lambda Sigma. She also helped start an organization called Arts and Healthcare, which included all of the healthcare graduate schools such as the medical school, nursing school, optometry school, and pharmacy school.

As a fellow, Dr. Everitt has continued her involvement with leadership roles by vol-unteering to serve as co-chief fellow at BMS during the first year of her fellow-ship, which involved overseeing various committees and liaising between Rutgers and BMS. She is currently involved with the Fellowship Steering Committee, which provides guidance for each committee that the fellows are responsible for chairing.

For those who are considering whether in-dustry is a possible career path for them, Dr. Everitt pointed out that there is no direct patient contact; industry would not be ideal for people who particularly value patient interaction. Instead, industry pharmacists interact with other healthcare professionals. Dr. Everitt has relished the opportunity of being able to work with other healthcare professionals, such as psychiatrists who are lead authors in psy-chiatry publications. Also, an interest in business or marketing is a definite plus, as it allows for a lot of career movement outside of the medical side of industry. One example would be regulatory affairs, where pharmacists work with the FDA in getting drugs approved. Industry is, over-all, “a good option if you get bored easily.”

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Pharmacy Research Dayby Christina Zikos, P1

School NewsPharmacy Organization News and Events on Campus

HIV/AIDS Basketball Tournament by Sejal Chaudhari, P2The annual HIV/AIDS Basketball Tournament took place on Sunday, March 4th at 4:30pm at College Ave Gym and was organized by the Student National Pharmaceutical Association. All the proceeds by students and local businesses went to Hyacinth AIDS Foundation. There were total of 16 teams composed of both students and alumni. In addition to the basketball games, a representative from the foundation gave an informative presentation

about the foundation. The Hyacinth AIDS Foundation is a non-profit organization in New Brunswick, New Jersey that provides individual client advocacy, HIV testing, hotline counseling for prevention, care, and treatment, workshops and a wide array of other services to its patients. This event was organized to increase awareness of the Hyacinth AIDS Foundation’s goals and initiatives. It was successful event, and we are looking forward to next year’s HIV/AIDS Basketball tournament.

NEWS FROM SNPhA

Moreover, any pharmacy student will be able to take one of the electives within the public health scope. Four of the five core courses are approved as pharmacy electives; however, only a maximum of two can be counted towards the pharmacy professional electives requirement.

Those interested in pursuing the PharmD/MPH should apply in their fourth professional year (P4) to the School of Public Health. After graduation, one can defer starting the rest of the MPH coursework for up to one year or decide to go part time. The only requirement is that you have a minimum GPA of 3.2 and be in good academic standing.

For those students who were unable to attend the information session about the dual degree program with Dean Goldin and faculty from the School of Public Health, or for those who have further questions, feel free to contact Dr. Goldin at:csg@pharmacy.rutgers.edu.

Photo Credit: Doris Tran, P3

On April 17, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy hosted its second annual Pharmacy Research Day, a two-hour long poster presentation event held at UMDNJ’s Great Hall. This event, under the direction of Dr. Lauren Aleksunes, was organized to showcase the exciting research being conducted by students at the school of pharmacy to the student body and the greater University community.

This year, approximately 40 students submitted abstracts and prepared posters to present their research. The researchers represented all the different “trainees” connected with the school: Pharm.D. students, Pharm.D. Honors research students, graduate students, postdoctoral

and industry fellows, and Pharm.D. residents. The presenters’ work covers all the disciplines -- Pharmacology/Toxicology, Pharmaceutics, Medicinal Chemistry, Chemical Biology, translational and clinical research--and various phases of research, from preliminary data to published findings.

Pharmacy Research Day is moreover designed to be a student-friendly event at which junior students can be exposed to the variety of research opportunities available and start thinking about how they might like to participate in a research project or become involved in a lab. All pharmacy students are encouraged to attend, browse the posters, and meet members of different laboratories and clinical sites.

Pharmacy Research Day 2011. Taken from pharmacy.rutgers.edu

New Pharm.D./MPH Program

Continued from the first page

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Alpha Zeta Omega: Dance Marathon’s Top Professional Fraternity Fundraiser

by Jin Ah Jong, P2

On March 31st to April 1st, hundreds of volunteers and people representing their organizations, fraternities, and sororities stood on their feet for 32 hours straight at the local College Avenue Gym. This event - also known as Dance Marathon - is the largest student-run philanthropic event of New Jersey. Each dancer requires a registration fee and a set amount of money to raise before entering. Dancers may partake in many activities whether it is dancing, coloring, watching movies, learning a line dance, or puzzle making. Friends and family can also visit for support. Later on around 9 PM, about 500 students and others can buy tickets to go to “Club DM” in which the gym is transformed to a 3 hour dance club. The proceeds of the event go to Embrace Kids Foundation, an organization that supports families of children with cancer and blood disorders. Families and children of the organization also came out and spoke during the event along with Rutgers football player Eric LeGrand.

Among the many fraternities involved, Alpha Zeta Omega also participated with 28 dancers. Alpha Zeta Omega sponsors a five year old girl named Peyton Greene who has Diamond Blackfan Anemia, a rare blood disorder who must receive blood transfusions at Robert Wood Johnson each month.

For the past month, AZO brothers scrambled to raise money through bake sales, canning, and donation requests to friends and family. This year all the work paid off; Alpha Zeta Omega was the top fundraiser of all the professional fraternities, raising over $13,000.

Shelly Pezzella, a P1 and AZO brother, has been a dancer for two years. “The best part is seeing the people that you are affecting,” Shelly reflected, “Embrace the Kids foundation helps families pay for things besides medical bills. I literally cried so much when all the kids came out to tell their stories. It makes all 32 hours worth it.”

This year, Dance Marathon raised a total of $442,075.06, making the overall sum raised by the event $2.7 million dollars.

Although going through a day and a half without sleeping or sitting down appears daunting, the experience is a reward of itself. Sweta Patel, another AZO brother and P1, remarked, “Even when it felt like my legs were about to give in and I wanted to collapse onto the floor, the smile on all of the kids’ faces and their inspirational stories kept me going. What’s 32 hours when these kids deal with their illnesses everyday of their lives?”

Editors-in-Chief: Ashley Brower, Christina Zikos

Layout Editors: Jin Ah Jong, Stacy Lee, Maryann Torres, Stephanie Wang, Yimin Xu

Contributing Editor: Jennifer Kim

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in EMSOP CHRONICLES do not reflect the views of the Pharmacy Governing Council.