Industry offers good opportunities for ophthalmologists who want a career change
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There are excellent opportunities for ophthalmologists who want to make the transition to industry at any stage of their career.
“Physicians are highly valued, as they can provide unique insights into clinical care and unmet needs to drive innovation,” Brian Schwam, MD, said at Real World Ophthalmology.
The most common jobs offered to physicians in industry are in the area of medical scientific affairs. These can span from working with research and development teams in product development at the early stage all the way to product launch and supporting the product in the market.
“It might entail designing clinical studies or working with pharmacovigilance, with regulatory affairs or with the business development team. In a broader organization, global public health is a possibility as well,” Schwam said.
To be successful in industry, the desire and ability to work as part of a team are essential, he said.
“You are bringing your expertise as other people do, and you must be aware that, as part of a team, you are not necessarily the final decision maker,” he said.
He said that stepping into a different world requires an open mind and interest in learning new skills. Resilience and flexibility are critical in industry, where there are going to be ups and downs.
“You need to be passionate because industry requires long working hours, and the immediate short-term sense of achievement may not be there. Network with those who made this transition before you to truly understand what it is like to work full time with industry,” Schwam said.
Business skills, previous research experience and experience with advisory boards will be an asset but are not mandatory.
“Experience is not necessarily required. Working in industry is something that any of you can truly consider,” Schwam said.
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Schwam B. Are there (good) opportunities in industry? Presented at: Real World Ophthalmology; April 2, 2022 (virtual meeting).
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