Women in Medicine: Opportunities in the Pharma Industry
— by Evi Abada, 500 Women Scientists and 500 Women in Medicine leadership teams
The pharmaceutical industry is a robust field with incredible opportunities open to women in medicine, interested in leveraging their skills and expertise in previously unchartered waters, including but not limited to the areas of drug discovery, medical affairs, global public health, medical safety, and research and development. One reason many decide to pursue a career in medicine is the desire to help others. And in trying to achieve that, medicines and other pharmacological products play an essential role in helping to improve the lives and wellbeing of patients.
Health care providers are at the front lines, interfacing daily with the patients for whom these products are designed for. Health care practitioners play a unique role in ensuring that pharma products serve the purposes for which they were originally created. They directly interact with patients and are uniquely positioned to determine how medicines impact the lives of patients. As health care workers, we are our patients’ advocates. The scope of our work ensures that we are allowing our patients access to the medicines and products that will do them the most good. And wouldn’t it be best for our patients if more people from the profession delve into the domain of influencing decisions that may impact drug discovery and research? And what better group of people should be at the forefront of this initiative than women in medicine?
Studies have shown the differences in the outcome of patients managed by women physicians vs. male physicians. Women in healthcare display a level of compassion, collaboration and leadership, all very critical skills that directly impact the lives of patients, but in addition can also be brought into the pharma industry to expand its current effectiveness.
Opportunities in the pharma industry may be combined with caring for patients, while we continue to work to advance their wellbeing in the areas of discovering new and competent medicines. The pharma industry will be better served by bringing a variety of voices to the table, and that diversity involves getting more women in healthcare on board.
500womenscientists, an organization committed to making science more open, inclusive and accessible is working to ensure that women scientists (including women in healthcare) get the recognition they deserve and are effectively rewarded for all their expertise and skills. And through this medium, we want more women to be aware of the incredible opportunities that the pharma industry boasts of, which they can tap in to.
Interested in learning more about how to grow a career in pharma as a woman working in healthcare? Then, Women in Pharma Careers, a career resource by women in pharma for women in pharma, is your next best stop. Learn more about opportunities for women in medicine in the pharma industry and how to effectively combine pharma work and family life, plus everything else you need to grow and thrive in the pharma industry here.
This is an original article of the 500 Women in Medicine, a satellite organization of 500 Women Scientists.
Photo by Louis Reed on Unsplash