Addressing Challenges in the Pharmaceutical Industry

We had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Stephanie Pasas-Farmer, Owner & Principal Consultant of Biodata Solutions, to discuss the challenges in the pharmaceutical industry today, and what possible solutions are out there. Dr. Pasas-Farmer is an established entrepreneur in the biopharmaceutical sector, as well as an authority on establishing drug development programs.

The Biggest Challenge in the Pharmaceutical Industry for Young Professionals

Shortages of qualified and experienced pharmaceutical staff are making outsourced positions an increasingly popular solution to help bring a drug to market. This makes it much more difficult for those young professionals that do hold the credentials and are ready to take on the job. Dr. Pasas-Farmer explained that young professionals are experiencing the most hardships with this shortage, resulting in tighter budgets and higher workloads, making the job more about balancing and less about the actual profession.

Overcoming the Challenges in the Pharmaceutical Industry

To a young professional in the industry, the biggest piece of advice Dr. Pasas-Farmer gives is taking advantage of continued education opportunities whenever possible. She believes that these environments allow pharmaceutical professionals to evaluate their own talents and explore specialized fields, looking at where they fit in the field long term. As a professional in the field, Dr. Pasas-Farmer believes that opportunities like these are lacking in the industry. In return, employers are challenged not only to support but to encourage their practitioners to attend these programs.

The Ideal Program

Dr. Pasas-Farmer suggests looking for continuing education programs that are small and more intimate, and allow for focused sessions; this results in the ability to evaluate and grow skills in specialized fields. This format is generally more conducive to learning and provides a platform for professionals to take a deeper dive and learn the practical application of theory, new skills, or counseling and treatment methods. Dr. Pasas-Farmer also urges professionals to look for programs that have current industry standard content because pharmaceutical science changes constantly, noting that it is important to maintain a relevant knowledge base to make a big impact in the field. Current content isn’t always readily available in an academic format to those in the pharmaceutical or drug development landscapes.

We are Here for You!

If you feel that your career and work would benefit from continuing education in an intimate setting then please click below to learn more about our programs. The University of Wisconsin – Madison deeply understands and acknowledges the discipline of pharmaceutical development and is devoted to the welfare of humanity, optimal outcomes for patients, and continual improvement of knowledge and competence in the field. We invite you to participate in our professional development programs and certificates in the academic fields of pharmaceutical science and drug development. With these programs, we will help you advance your career by gaining critical content on industry standard technology and promoting environments where you will develop specialized skillsets.

Now What?

In the pharmaceutical field, finding and committing the time for lifelong learning can be difficult. We’ve created programs that give you the flexibility to learn at your own pace, online, or in a seminar series format. Our Applied Drug Development Certificate program consists of a range of drug development courses that will prepare you to address the challenges of drug development head-on while positioning you to advance your career.

Check out all our programs for industry scientists. Sign up for the Applied Drug Development Certificate or Attend a Land O’ Lakes Conference.