July 10, 2018

Teresa M. Salgado, MPharm, PhD, completed the CPTS Post-Doctoral Fellowship program in 2016 and joined the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Pharmacy as an Assistant Professor in the same year. She also serves as the Assistant Director for Research at the VCU’s School of Pharmacy Center for Pharmacy Practice Innovation since January 2017. Dr. Salgado earned her Pharmacy degree and PhD in Social-Pharmacy from the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon (Portugal) in 2013 and worked there as a community and hospital pharmacist. Dr. Salgado recently shared her experiences with the CPTS program, and what those interested in the field should know.

What motivated you to apply to the U-M Pharmacy CPTS post-doc fellowship?

After completing my PhD, I was working as a hospital pharmacist in my hometown of Lisbon (Portugal). Throughout those one and a half years working at the hospital, I realized that, what I once thought was my dream job, ended up not meeting my expectations. However, it helped me recognize that my real passion was research in an academic environment. This is when I learned about the CPTS post-doc fellowship and how this would be a great opportunity to gain additional research training to help me establish myself as an independent researcher and a future academic. I later learned how critical of a role this program played in the transition to a different research environment and health care system from what I was used to. I joined Dr. Karen Farris’ lab, who is a world-renowned expert in medication adherence and outcomes research, and that was one of the best things that have happened to me!

Could you describe your time in the program? What did you take away from the experience?

During my post-doctoral training, I was involved in research, teaching and service activities, which allowed me to prepare for my future faculty position. What I appreciated the most about this program was its flexibility in helping me achieve my career goals.

I was involved in multiple research projects using various methods, which contributed to the expansion of my research skills and areas of work. As a result, I published 7 papers and was given the opportunity to develop grant writing skills both through hands-on experience and by attending a K-Award writing workshop. To expand my teaching skills, I taught several classes in different courses of the PharmD curriculum and participated in the 5-week Preparing Future Faculty seminar which was extremely helpful when applying to faculty jobs. In terms of service to the College, I participated in the admissions process of potential PharmD students and preparing students for the Patient Counseling Competition.

Finally, during my job search, Dr. Farris mentored me every step of the way by reviewing my application materials (research and teaching statements), sitting in my mock presentations, and preparing me for questions and providing feedback about my offer.

How do you think the program prepared you for your current position?

This program was critical for my consideration as a suitable candidate for a faculty position in the US. None of my prior degrees were from an American University and therefore this was the perfect training opportunity for my situation since I already had a PhD. It not only allowed me to increase my knowledge of the US health care system and funding mechanisms available in the US, but it also contributed to increase my research productivity and to conduct research in new areas.

What advice would you give to someone considering a CPTS post-doc fellowship?

First of all, my experience at the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy was outstanding and I highly recommend this program to anyone who sees it as a good fit for their career. These were two amazing years of my life that I will fondly remember as years of big challenges, but also great growth as a researcher and as a human being. Secondly, after becoming familiar with faculty members’ profiles and research interests, contact the faculty and set up a brief call to assess whether the program is a good fit for you. Finally, I suggest you talk to previous fellows to hear about their experiences with the program and to help you make a decision. Good luck!

More on Dr. Salgado’s Research

Dr. Salgado’s research interests focus primarily on the role of pharmacists to improve medication use and health outcomes in the ambulatory care setting, including primary and specialty care. This research often includes a focus on medication adherence, patient-reported outcomes and quality of the healthcare system. Improving the pharmacy practice literature visibility is also a research focus.