Amy (Kurian) John ’13, PharmD thrives on juggling complex logistics, adhering to strict budgets and managing multiple, overlapping timelines. This skill set led her to consider two career paths: event planner or clinical trial program manager. During her first year as a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) student at Pacific, a presentation by a pharmaceutical industry fellow set her on the trajectory to her current role, clinical program manager at Gilead Sciences, a research-based biopharmaceutical company in the Bay Area.

“When I heard about a job that had global impact, interacted with the FDA and was part of discovery and research, I was hooked,” said Dr. John.

At Gilead, she plays a pivotal role in the development of innovative pharmaceutical drugs by overseeing Phase 1a clinical trials.

“My favorite parts of the job are coaching my direct reports and mentoring colleagues, working on multiple projects at the same time in different phases and interacting with people from various backgrounds and experiences,” she said. “I feel very proud to work for a company that truly believes in striving for cures and meeting unmet needs.”

As a Pacific pre-pharmacy and PharmD student, she was deeply invested in her community.

“Being in an accelerated program, I was able to hone my organizational skills and develop my mentoring and leadership style through different organizations, including student advising, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, Rho Pi Phi and the Pharmacy Fraternity Council,” she said.

Dr. John’s pay-it-forward mentality is evident in her ongoing engagement with Pacific. She was catalyst in launching Pharmathon, a unique annual event hosted by Pacific’s student chapter of the Industry Pharmacists Organization. During the 48-hour event, teams of PharmD students conduct research, collaborate with peers and consult with mentors to present innovative concepts to a panel of judges. Pharmathon challenges students to think critically and creatively under pressure, skills that have real-world application. Dr. John’s team at Gilead often encounters unprecedented challenges that require them to work collaboratively to quickly develop unique solutions.

Dr. John serves as the lead mentor of the two-year clinical operations fellowship at Gilead, offered in partnership with Pacific’s Fellowship in Industry Program. She also offers a clinical rotation elective for third year PharmD students. Over the past four years, Dr. John has mentored over 10 students and fellows, all of whom successfully secured a fellowship or direct-to-industry position.

“Amy was an early out-of-the-box thinker as she was one the first to passionately engage in medical device research while at Pacific,” said Sachin A. Shah, PharmD, FACC, FAHA, professor of pharmacy practice and regional coordinator for the Travis region. “She doesn’t strive for credit but focuses on the creation. She has consistently given back to the profession and opened doors for many others.”