Upcoming graduate student summit will showcase pathways to success within the biopharmaceutical industry

I am excited to join with Dr. Michael L. Lomax, President & CEO, UNCF; Dr. James Gillespie, President & Co-Founder, Center for Healthcare Innovation (CHI); and Dr. Chad Womack, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Ernest E. Just Life Science Society on a collaboration to create new pathways to careers in the biopharmaceutical industry.

Building a more just and equitable health care system must focus on increasing diverse talent in our industry. We are committed to hiring and retaining diverse talent and promoting a culture of inclusion within our companies so that the biopharmaceutical industry’s workforce reflects the rich diversity of the United States. 

To that end, this October we’re partnering with UNCF, CHI and the Ernest E. Just Life Science Society to host a two-day, free virtual summit for graduate students, post-doctoral trainees, faculty, PhRMA member companies and other community partners to learn about career pathways and increasing diverse talent within the industry. I know Dr. Lomax, Dr. Gillespie and Dr. Womack are as excited as I am to work together on this first-of-its-kind of event:

• “The UNCF is pleased to support PhRMA’s inaugural Pathways to Success in Biopharma Summit. We are pleased to participate in groundbreaking discussions about how historically black colleges and universities can contribute their extraordinary talent to the biopharmaceutical industry, and develop the next-generation of corporate leadership for the industry,” said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, President and CEO of the UNCF.
  
  
• “The summit will be a great opportunity for diverse graduate students to learn more about the global biopharmaceutical industry,” said Dr. James Gillespie, President and Co-Founder of the Center for Healthcare Innovation. “It is imperative that researchers, scientists, executives and other professionals of tomorrow are well-positioned to serve the increasingly diverse patient population across the United States."
  
  
• “We are excited to collaborate with PhRMA on this summit,” said Dr. Chad Womack, Co-Founder of the Ernest E. Just Life Science Society. “The summit represents a wonderful opportunity for diverse students at various stages of professional development to explore a variety of career pathways in the life science industry.”

The summit is a unique opportunity for students and faculty from diverse backgrounds to engage with biopharma recruiters and employees at different stages of their careers, discover potential internships and career opportunities, and learn about other pathways to the industry. We’ll offer panels, breakouts and a company exhibition hall spotlighting potential career opportunities in an exciting industry dedicated to pursuing new science and discovering innovative medicines.

Details on the summit can be found below. Space is limited, so please register soon here. 

Who: 

• HBCU and MSI graduate students and post-doctoral trainees, together with company recruiters and industry leaders

When:

• Oct 27: Virtual panels from 12:30 - 4:45 p.m. ET
• Oct 28: Opportunities to connect in the virtual exhibition hall from 12:00 PM - 3:00 p.m. ET

This summit is hosted as part of PhRMA’s Equity Initiative and driven by industry-wide efforts to build a workforce that better reflects the diversity of the United States. Learn more at phrma.org/equity