The following article first appeared in the Spring 2008 edition of "European Pharmaceutical Contractor". Click here to see it in its original format. 

A Master Class 
Nicholas Breakwell discusses the importance of having a Master’s of Science in Pharmaceutical Medicine in today’s academia-rich society

Dr Nicholas Breakwell obtained a BSc in Psychology and a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Birmingham. He spent five years in the internationally respected neuroscience laboratory of Professor Roger Anwyl at Trinity College Dublin. Before joining Hibernia College, Nicholas spent two years as Research Manager and lecturer at Dublin Business School where he developed online course material and conducted empirical research into its effectiveness. Nicholas is the Chief Knowledge Officer at Hibernia College with overall responsibility for course development and e-learning infrastructure. He has consulted widely with international experts in e-learning to bring best international practice to Hibernia’s e-learning strategy.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of students graduate from universities all over the world with a Master’s degree. They graduate in the knowledge that obtaining a Master’s brings numerous benefits, both for themselves and for their employers. The postgraduate qualification enhances the student’s employment prospects, with financial benefits and successful career progression within the workplace almost guaranteed.

Students of a Master’s learn to up their skills in areas such as time management, organisational skills and multi-tasking, which are all recognised by potential employers as being key assets in today’s working environment. Employers are also aware that Master’s graduates are motivated and flexible members of staff who are willing to embrace change and progress within a business environment.

Studying a Master’s is possible in universities worldwide and is recognised as an impressive and highly valuable qualification. A Master’s can be studied on-site in a university or though distance learning, which can be offered in different formats including postal mail, email or live teleconference. Alternatively, an online course provides students with the option of studying a Master’s in a hybrid format which combines online learning with some on-site lectures and tutorials. Any online, on-site or distance learning course should always be accredited by a relevant college or organisation that ensures that your studies are recognised worldwide.

THE NEED FOR A MASTER’S
A Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Medicine has become necessary over time, as the role of the physician has grown in scope and depth in the 21st century. This growth has occurred due to a rapid transformation in the pharmaceutical industry and in the medical sciences, resulting from technological advances and informatics, as well as new approaches to business management. On one hand, there are higher demands made of physicians during the research and development of new drugs, and on the other, there are new and evolving standards for the rational and safe use of medicines. Medical specialists have, until now, been unable to access the necessary training for these ever-increasing demands. With rare exceptions, medical universities around the world do not prepare physicians to work in the pharmaceutical industry.

A Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Medicine is targeted at physicians and non-medical professionals in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries wishing to move into leadership positions by continuing their professional development, and also at other science graduates wishing to enter the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. According to the Royal College of Physicians in the UK, pharmaceutical medicine is “a medical scientific speciality concerned with the discovery, development, evaluation, registration, monitoring and medical aspects of marketing of medicines for the benefit of patients and the public health.”

Typically, professionals within the pharmaceutical industry tend to specialise and become expert in a particular field, whether it be, for example, regulatory affairs, drug discovery, pharmacovigilance, and so on. While, over many years of work, study and research, they develop a great deal of expertise in their particular area, they do not always have a complete understanding of where their specialisation fits within their organisation and within the industry as a whole. This situation can have a negative impact in several ways. For example, without a complete understanding of their role and importance within an organisation, professionals, despite their many years of experience, will not be in a position to make strategic, corporate level decisions. As such, their full potential will not be realised by their employers or by the broader pharmaceutical industry. From the individual’s viewpoint, this will make it more difficult for their career to progress to the senior management levels.

The Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Medicine enriches candidates’ understanding of the industry from discovery of new medicines, through trials and regulatory issues to the marketing and monitoring of products. With a better appreciation of where they fit within their organisation and the industry, students of a Master’s should be able to perform their own tasks more efficiently, whilst also contributing to their organisations’ strategic goals.

An international survey of Pfizer Medical and Regulatory Managers with over 130 respondents representing all of Pfizer’s major operational territories, demonstrated an overwhelming desire for a Master’s in Pharmaceutical Medicine. Many of Pfizer’s medical and regulatory managers are MDs with significant experience, but a lack of formal training in pharmaceutical medicine. In contrast, the Master of Business Administration is an almost ubiquitous qualification for marketing managers and other business managers. Over 80 per cent of respondents in Pfizer felt that a Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Medicine would enhance their career and over 90 per cent felt that the provision of such a course would enhance their view of Pfizer as an employer.

DEVELOPMENT FROM WITHIN
Another consideration for the pharmaceutical industry is that there are many talented medical professionals, physicians and nurses who are interested in developing a career within the industry but who are unable to do so because there is no clear career progression from their current positions. However, the concise understanding of the pharmaceutical industry that a Master’s can provide will enable them to quickly understand how their existing expertise and experience can be applied to a potentially new career. In this way, the industry becomes much more accessible to a body of professionals who are in a position to make a valuable contribution given their experience, diverse backgrounds and specialisations.

Another consideration for the development and propagation of pharmaceutical medicine as a distinct discipline is the international nature of the pharmaceutical industry with the leading players having offices, research and manufacturing facilities across the globe. However, as you cross borders, regulations, ethics, norms and work practices change, so it is vital that prospective senior managers within the industry are exposed to these international differences and influences.

THE ABSENCE OF ACCREDITED COURSES
At present, there is a lack of postgraduate courses in Pharmaceutical Medicine available to graduates in Europe and no formal graduate courses in Pharmaceutical Medicine are offered in the US. The accredited courses that are available are under the auspices of the International Federation of Associations of Pharmaceutical Physicians (IFAPP), a Brussels based industry accreditation agency which established the Council for Education in Pharmaceutical Medicine (CEPM) in 2001. The objective of IFAPP is to harmonise the programmes of all postgraduate courses in Pharmaceutical Medicine, ensuring that there is consultation on all existing and new courses alongside a universally agreed syllabus. This provides assurance to students that the courses are recognised and approved worldwide.

To this end, the CEPM has developed a recommended syllabus for the study of pharmaceutical medicine at postgraduate level. The syllabus covers:

• Discovery of new medicines and pharmaceutical development
• Toxicity testing
• Legal and ethical issues
• Development of medicines and clinical trials
• Statistics and data management
• Safety of medicines
• Regulatory affairs
• Information, promotion and education
• Economics of healthcare
• Medical department
•  

To date, the IFAPP and the CEPM have accredited only 11 postgraduate programmes across Europe at the following institutions:

• Free University of Brussels, Belgium
• University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany
• Hibernia College – Online, Ireland
• Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
• School of Belgrade, Serbia
• Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain
• Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
• Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
• University of Basle, Switzerland
• Cardiff University, UK
• University of Surrey, UK

The courses currently accredited are primarily on-site courses apart from the Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Medicine with Hibernia College which is offered as an online course with just two on-site tutorials.

ONLINE STUDY: THE BENEFITS
The relatively new development of online Master’s degrees provides students with an alternative to attending on-site classes and instead offers students the option of studying at home, in the workplace or indeed on the road, where the lessons and tutorials are available at the touch of a button using state-of-the-art technology. Studying for a Master’s degree is a huge commitment for any student, and for those that are in employment and attend on-site classes and tutorials, this can become time-consuming and stressful. In fact, a recent survey of Pfizer employees showed that 78 per cent of respondents claimed that they have been reluctant to further their education because of the time needed to travel to class.

Studying a Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Medicine online offers students the choice of a variety of interactive self paced study patterns and they can also take advantage of online reference libraries. Students are able to self-select the format of the content, the subject matter they chose to study at any given time and the amount of time they spend studying, helping to maintain commitment and to develop a much valued independent learning style. They can enjoy the flexibility and accessibility of online recorded lectures in addition to live synchronous tutorials where interaction with fellow students and direct contact with the course faculty occurs. Live classes are controlled by the teacher with the students able to contribute and speak by clicking on a ‘raise your hand’ button. As with an on-site classroom, important points are written by the teacher on an interactive whiteboard for all students in the class to view on their screens. Breakout sessions are possible as large groups of participants can be broken into smaller sections for small group collaboration during live events.

Companies can encourage employees to engage in the programme, confident in the knowledge that the impact on available human resources is minimised. Employees can study in the workplace or at home, and have no need to travel or to take time off to study. By encouraging employees to take online third-level courses, companies are providing staff with added value that translates into increased retention rates and greater company loyalty.

CONCLUSION
Studying a Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Medicine prepares future leaders within the industry with the learning skills that can be integrated and transferred within different sectors of a company. Whether the course is studied in a university, through a distance-learning course or online, this qualification brings enhanced employment prospects and a full view of the pharmaceutical industry. It encourages an understanding of all disciplines within the field, bringing increased innovation to the workplace and benefits for both the graduates of the Master’s programme and for their employers. Possessing a command of all key disciplines is essential for pharmaceutical industry leaders and provides them with the skills and knowledge required to be effective and productive leaders in today’s challenging pharmaceutical environment.