Jeremy Lim ’12, PharmD has experience with fellowships from both sides, as a fellow and a fellowship director. In 2017, Dr. Lim and Sachin A. Shah, PharmD, FACC, FAHA, professor of pharmacy practice, regional coordinator and director of pharmacy research and Education at Travis Air Force Base, established the Fellowship in Industry Program (FIP) to provide exceptional pharmaceutical industry training for doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) graduates.

When designing the program, they focused on creating opportunities for fellows to cultivate their critical thinking and communication skills, which would give them a competitive advantage and lead to employment opportunities. The FIP currently offers five fellowships: three in partnership with Genentech, one in partnership with Legacy Heart Care and, most recently, one in partnership with the United States Air Force.

“The partnerships established within FIP allow us to tap into various resources for fellow growth and development that are not easily accessible as an entry level associate in a pharmaceutical company, while giving it a personalized touch at the same time,” said Dr. Lim. “Fellowship programs are great for anyone who is interested in pursuing a career in the pharmaceutical industry because it provides hands-on technical training to be successful in a specific functional area, such as clinical development, regulatory affairs and medical affairs. The FIP program specifically focuses on clinical research and innovation.”

Drs. Lim and Shah focus on strengthening technical skills while also sharpening soft skills. They also place a high emphasis on leadership training.

“We provide leadership opportunities within the University starting day one, such as leading and conducting research in collaboration with faculty,” Dr. Lim said. 

Fellows spend a majority of their time at their partner company, but also serve as primary investigators on research projects within the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy. In addition, fellows have the opportunity to mentor Pacific PharmD students by serving as advisors to Pacific’s chapter of the Industry Pharmacists Organization.

Dr. Lim completed a two-year clinical development fellowship with Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation and Rutgers University. In addition to developing his technical skills, he gained experience adapting to a corporate environment.

“You’re never alone working in a pharmaceutical company, so knowing who to seek out to get the answers you need is important,” he said. 

Dr. Lim is grateful for the diverse experiences he had at Pacific, which have played an important part in his growth and development. During his last semester as an undergraduate Pacific pre-pharmacy student he studied abroad in Shanghai. He was also a part of the Gamma Nu chapter of the Kappa Psi pharmaceutical fraternity.

“Not only was I able to find leadership opportunities within the fraternity, it also exposed me to working with different faculty members, which led to other opportunities for growth,” he said.

He stresses the importance of identifying mentors: “Surround yourself with the people who believe in you and will challenge you in new ways.”

Dr. Lim is a senior clinical scientist in the early clinical development group at Genentech. One of the aspects of his role he enjoys most is getting glimpses into what medicine could look like several years in the future.