APPE Spotlight: Michael Yoon, Class of 2024

Class of 2024 student Michael Yoon (above) recently completed an APPE rotation at Pfizer La Jolla with Drs. Karey Kowalski and Brian Jermain.

What did you like most about this rotation?

I enjoyed learning about the non-traditional career paths for pharmacists and their roles in drug development within the pharmaceutical industry. Pharmacy school has equipped us with training in pharmacotherapy, and through this rotation, I saw how this knowledge base can be applied to the drug development process. This experience has helped shape my career goal of combining my interests in research with clinical knowledge so I can hopefully make meaningful contributions to developing new drugs for patients. 

What was the most unique aspect of this rotation?

The chance to be involved in the data analysis of an ongoing clinical trial focused on studying the impact of hepatic impairment on the pharmacokinetics for a particular drug. Through this hands-on experience, I learned about the complexities of conducting important studies like this where useful data can be generated for the clinic setting to help clinicians/pharmacists make safe and effective dosing recommendations.

What advice would you give to preceptors of pharmacy students?

Encourage students to make use of all the resources available at the rotational site to broaden their perspective. My assigned project at Pfizer helped me gain a greater understanding of my area of interest in clinical pharmacology. My preceptors, Dr. Kowalski and Dr. Jermain, also supported me in exploring other areas as much as possible by introducing me to individuals in other functional areas such as medical affairs, medicine design, and pharmacometrics. Through meeting them, I was able to learn more about each area and think about other careers I have not considered before. 

What about this rotation surprised you?

I was pleasantly surprised by the openness and friendliness of everyone at Pfizer that I approached for a chat. Despite their busy schedules, each person I contacted was willing to make time and engage in discussions on various topics such as learning about their role at Pfizer and offering helpful career advice.

Explain how the team and facility enhanced your learning experience.

During this rotation, my learning experience was significantly enhanced by the interdisciplinary composition of the scientific team at Pfizer. For example, while preparing my presentations on the topic of first-in-human dosing, I had the chance to learn from a variety of experts at Pfizer, spanning from preclinical to clinical scientists/pharmacists. I gained an understanding of how they collaborate to bring new therapeutics from bench-to-bedside for the benefit of patients.