Why did you choose to attend the Master in Drug Development and Product Management (DDPM)?
I had been working as a medical writer in pharma for 10+ years and wanted to expand my knowledge and opportunities. I was confident in the UCSD faculty and their network of industry professionals to help me attain my goals of increasing my knowledge of the development, management, and commercialization of new drugs and increasing my perspective of key stakeholders, especially upper management.
What skills and proficiencies did you gain from this program and how did it benefit your career?
The greatest gains were in presentation skills, interpersonal communication, and strategic thinking. Learning how to think and plan strategically has helped me grow as a leader and has changed my approach to project management resulting in greater successes. My increased understanding of drug development/commercialization and growth in strategic perspective combined with my medical writing/management skills will be beneficial when working with and leading cross-functional teams.
Can you describe networking experiences that were initiated by the program?
All the professors and guest speakers provided their contact info and invited us to reach out to them with any questions, which is a tremendous resource. I also greatly appreciated the career guidance provided by my mentor and the support of my classmates.
What did you like best about the program?
The mastery of the professors combined with the varied professional experiences of the students and their willingness to share created a rich learning environment.
If you could give an incoming DDPM student one piece of advice, what would it be?
Be proactive by coordinating with your team early and asking your professors for clarity or guidance when needed; school is the safest place to learn, not work.