Alexandria, Va., Dec. 5, 2023 — As part of AMCP Foundation's efforts to train managed care pharmacists in specialized care practices, Raquel Erb, a PharmD candidate at the University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, completed our inaugural internship sponsored by Sanofi, studying and optimizing the benefit design of specialty drugs.
"With the emerging importance of specialty pharmacy, it is important to optimize the training of the next generation of pharmacists to meet evolving patient needs. Sanofi is excited to sponsor this AMCP summer internship," said Debra A. Vickers, PharmD, Director, Medical Value, Evidence, and Insights for Specialty Care at Sanofi.
Ms. Erb worked under the direction of managed care pharmacist Anna Bruckelmeyer, PharmD, BCPS, Clinical Team Lead, Specialty Pharmacy at Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, and Manny Nunez, PharmD, MS, Global Medical Director, Pipeline & Early Assets, Neurology & Immunology at Sanofi.
While working alongside Dr. Bruckelmeyer, Ms. Erb was exposed to the inner workings of Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC's pharmacy policy implementation process. The experience exposed her to the complexities of specialty care and a unique opportunity to witness how policies are developed and executed within a large healthcare organization. Furthermore, while working with Dr. Nunez at Sanofi, Ms. Erb had the chance to explore the pharmaceutical landscape and understand the structure of their specialty care team. By meeting with industry experts, she broadened her perspectives on the field and gained a more comprehensive understanding of the latest developments in the industry.
Advancing her practice-based research skills, Ms. Erb delved into the study of inheritable blood diseases. Her focus on hemophilia factor products led her to complete a capstone project that analyzed the clinical and economic impacts of quantity limits on these products. Ms. Erb conducted a comprehensive study of utilization management changes at BCBS NC in 2022, connecting the utilization management changes and emerging therapies for hemophilia. Through this research, she gained valuable insights into real-world evidence and outcomes and presented her findings at AMCP Nexus 2023.
This new specialty care program builds upon AMCP Foundation's robust portfolio of innovative immersive programs for emerging managed care professionals, with more than 200 internship alumni nationwide. "AMCP Foundation has launched managed care careers for 30 years, and partnering with Sanofi is a testament to our commitment to developing leaders," said Ebony Clay, Assistant Director, Programs & Development, AMCP Foundation. "We are grateful for the generosity of our partners and encourage others to provide a sponsorship, grant, or other funds to support our initiatives."
About AMCP Foundation
Established in 1990, the 501(c)3 nonprofit AMCP Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP). It exists to advance collective knowledge and insights on major issues associated with the practice of pharmacy in managed care health care settings. By facilitating innovative research initiatives and providing educational opportunities to learn about managed care pharmacy, the AMCP Foundation invests in the future of managed care. Visit www.amcpfoundation.org.
AMCP offers a wide variety of educational opportunities, from events and webinars to online training.
