PharmD Alum Takes Medication Expertise to the Boardroom

By: Markie Heideman, Content Marketing Manager

It has only been eight years since Jenish Patel, PharmD ‘17, walked across the stage at commencement, took the Oath of a Pharmacist and received his Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) from the U-M College of Pharmacy, but based on his success, you would never guess he’s been in the action for less than a decade.

He serves as a Principal Scientific Account Lead for the Value & Access, Scientific Engagement team at Johnson & Johnson where he maintains relationships with key stakeholders who are making decisions about population health at large organizations – like health systems and health insurance companies.

“My role is to help decision-makers understand the true value of pharmaceutical products that we’re trying to bring to the market,” explained Patel, providing an example of his work. “I’ve provided education to help support complex clinical and operational decision making, such as transitions of care and economic considerations when adopting novel therapies.”

Jack of All Trades

Dr. Patel says the beauty of his role is that he works to educate on pharmaceuticals across Johnson & Johnson’s entire portfolio – not focusing on any single therapeutic area.

“By being able to represent our entire portfolio of pharmaceuticals, it keeps me fresh,” said Patel. “I spend a lot of time studying to keep up with advancements in medicine, and translating this to support the learning gaps many encounter when new drugs enter the market”

His ability to understand each new pharmaceutical is a skill he developed during his time in U-M’s PharmD program – where the curriculum focuses on problem-solving, critical thinking, leadership, research and the utilization of skills to practice as a pharmacist in any setting.

“The biggest thing that has stuck with me since graduating is thinking at the macro level. Many of my classmates went into more specialized roles with their PharmD. I see myself as more of a generalist, and that has allowed me to pivot, learn quickly, and expand my career capabilities. I owe this success to the pharmacy program at University of Michigan.”

Jenish Patel and classmates pose for a photo at PharmD graduation.

Being Open to All Options

Patel’s career wasn’t born overnight, though. It was a culmination of hard work and taking advantage of all opportunities along the way.

Following graduation, Dr. Patel worked as a fellow at another large pharmaceutical company in Managed Healthcare Services– working on strategies for pricing, reimbursement and access. He stayed on with the company following the completion of his fellowship as a Market Consultant – helping the company navigate the ever-changing landscape of healthcare.

“It was my job to understand Major trends impacting the US healthcare landscape, and develop solutions. For example, at that time, every company was trying to create a cash card program. My role was to develop a strategy on how our organization would react to these new entrants.”

To this day, it happily surprises Dr. Patel that he was able to utilize his PharmD degree for this type of work. “That job, and my current role, are very strategic. By keeping an open mind to all the opportunities and possibilities my career can take, it has taken me in different directions that I hadn’t originally planned – which I am proud of! ”

Maintaining an Open Mind

It’s that mindset that drives Dr. Patel’s advice to current and potential PharmD students. “If you can stay open-minded about the education pharmacy school is giving you, you may find yourself leaning into things you never thought you would. Healthcare is always moving and changing.”

And if you do take risks and wander down paths in your career that you never expected, Dr. Patel shares that the beauty of pharmacy is that you can always change your trajectory – especially with the foundation of a PharmD from U-M to back you up.

“From my time as a student to now, I have worked in a number of commercial and scientific settings. I think that helps illustrate that even if you get into pharmacy with a non-clinical role, you can always switch, and vice versa. There are so many opportunities for someone with a pharmacy background to change and keep growing.”