Contents
HEOR FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM 2023-2025
About AbbVie
At AbbVie, we strive to make a remarkable impact on the lives of patients. Our focus is clear – we are here to serve patients and we are committed to doing right by them.
We are a global, research-based biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering, developing and delivering innovative new medicines with distinct and compelling benefits for people.
We are a passionate, diverse and inclusive organization with a culture that supports the best ideas, wherever they originate. AbbVie therapeutic areas include the following: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women’s health, other specialty. Treating ~60 conditions, across 30+ brands in more than 175+ countries.
We bring people together because we know that collaboration is the key to breaking barriers and exploring new frontiers in science. We take smart risks that lead to transformative breakthroughs and can change lives for people all over the globe.
Our commitment to making a remarkable impact doesn’t end at developing medicines; it begins there. We provide broad support to our patients and help address the health needs of underserved communities. We strive to protect our environment and to make a positive impact in the areas where we live and work.
About the University of Washington
The University of Washington is a world-class leader in health sciences education and has been consistently listed in US News and World Report as one of the top 10 institutions for its graduate programs. The University is particularly noted for its strong research programs and since 1974 has received more federal funds for research and training than any other public university in the United States. It fosters a highly collegial atmosphere between departments and academic units, creating a particularly attractive environment for such partnerships between the public and private sectors.
The Comparative Health Outcomes, Policy, and Economics (CHOICE) Institute is housed within the University of Washington School of Pharmacy, which boasts nearly 125 years of academic and research success. Faculty in the program (1) provide advanced research training for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and clinicians (PharmDs, MDs), (2) conduct rigorous scientific research in economic evaluations and outcomes of pharmaceuticals and other health technologies, and (3) translate and disseminate the results of research into clinical practice and healthcare policy, with the goal of improving patient care.
The CHOICE Institute faculty participating in the fellowship have been chosen both for their dedication to teaching and their excellence in research. Each is trained either as a health economist or health services researcher and all have an extensive history of effective economic evaluations and pharmacoepidemiologic research.
Beth Devine, PharmD, MBA, PhD, FASHP
Shirley and Herb Bridge Endowed Professor for Women in Pharmacy, Associate Director of The CHOICE Institute
University of Washington
bdevine@uw.edu
First-Year Fellows
Zach Baldwin, PharmD
Zach is a first-year UW/AbbVie HEOR Postdoctoral Fellow. He earned his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Washington School of Pharmacy, where he had an introduction to HEOR during his first AMCP P&T competition. It was after that competition that he knew he wanted to gain additional knowledge within the field, and so he sought out additional courses, faculty mentors, and internships to deepen his understanding of the methods. To him, HEOR is a toolbox of invaluable methodologies for creating access to high-quality healthcare and medications for patients. Two tools that interest Zach the most are real-world evidence generation and economic modeling. Zach looks forward to working with CHOICE and AbbVie as they sharpen his understanding of HEOR and give him an opportunity to apply himself to real patient and societal problems.
Jae Kim, PharmD
Jae is a first-year UW/AbbVie HEOR Postdoctoral Fellow. He received his PharmD from the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy. He developed an interest in health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) after realizing the utility of real-world evidence and the importance of developing strong value propositions for treatment options while working in different functional areas and with formulary decision makers. Jae’s research interests include real-world evidence, cost-effectiveness modeling, and value assessments. Jae is excited to work with the UW CHOICE faculty and AbbVie team to build upon his current skillset.
Second-Year Fellows
Gina Ahmadyar, PharmD, MS
Gina earned her PharmD from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Pharmacy. During the first year of fellowship, Gina worked under the mentorship of Drs. Ryan Hansen, Josh Carlson, Joanna Campbell, and Vanessa Shih to assess the treatment patterns and economic burden of post-cataract macular edema.
Now in her second year, she is continuing her work with AbbVie’s eye care team with Ali Alobaidi. Gina is excited to apply what she has learned during the first year of fellowship to her current work and to continue developing her skill sets in health economics and outcomes research.
Abstracts from fellowship:
1. Ahmadyar G, Hansen R. Ocular Injectable Treatment Options for Post-Cataract Macular Edema: A Systematic Review. UW Corporate Advisory Board Meeting, September 2021, Seattle, WA. (Online Poster)
Manuscripts from fellowship:
1. Ahmadyar G, Hansen R. Ocular Injectable Treatment Options for Post-Cataract Macular Edema: A Systematic Review of Current Literature. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2022 Feb 10. doi: 10.1097/j.jcrs.0000000000000908. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35171142.
2. Ahmadyar G, Hansen R, Carlson J, Alobaidi A, Hallak J. Treatment Patterns and Economic Burden of Post-Cataract Macular Edema. (In Progress).
Annaliza Dominguez, PharmD, MS
Annaliza earned her PharmD from the University of Southern California (USC) School of Pharmacy, where she also completed a master’s degree in healthcare decision analysis. During her first year of the fellowship, Annaliza worked with Drs. Josh Carlson, Ryan Hansen, Julie Garcia, and Vaishali Patel to evaluate the effect of treatment satisfaction on future spending for professional cosmetic treatments among aesthetically conscious U.S. adults.
In her second year, Annaliza continues to work in AbbVie’s Patient Centered Outcomes Research (PCOR) team with Julie Garcia in aesthetics. Annaliza looks forward to continuing her training in HEOR as she applies her current knowledge and skillset to various projects within AbbVie.
Abstracts from fellowship:
1. Dominguez A, Carlson JJ. Measuring Satisfaction & Psychosocial Impact for Non-Invasive Facial Cosmetic Treatments: A Systematic Review. UW Corporate Advisory Board Meeting, September 2021, Seattle, WA. (Online Poster)
Manuscripts from fellowship:
1. Dominguez A, Carlson JJ, Garcia J, Patel V. Evaluating Treatment Satisfaction on Future Spending for Professional Cosmetic Treatments Among Aesthetically Conscious U.S. Adults. (In Progress)
Past Fellows
The University of Washington/AbbVie HEOR Fellowship is a two-year program that provides training and hands-on experience in a broad-range of health economics and outcomes research topics. The program is structured to allow fellows to gain proficiency in health outcomes strategy and research as conducted in both academic and pharmaceutical industry settings.
The Fellowship Program
The University of Washington and AbbVie are pleased to offer two, 2-year HEOR Fellowship positions for the academic year 2022-2024. Fellows will spend their first year at the University of Washington (Seattle, WA), and the second year at AbbVie (Irvine, CA; Madison, NJ; or North Chicago, IL). The objective of the first year is to educate fellows on the principles and methods used in health economics and outcomes research. During the second year, fellows are provided with opportunities to gain practical knowledge and experience with the use of clinical, economic, and humanistic data by supporting the development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products. This will be accomplished by participating in work activities undertaken by the HEOR team.
Compensation includes a competitive stipend, basic medical insurance, conference attendance, relocation from Seattle to Irvine, and holiday/vacation time. A Master’s (MS) Degree is awarded upon completion of all course requirements and thesis project.
Fellowship Structure
After completion of the first year, the fellow will have a clear understanding of:
- General principles of economics and in particular how economics influences
the use, cost, and availability of pharmaceuticals.
- The complex structure of drug policy and how it determines relationships between consumers, health care providers, insurers, payers, and government agencies.
- The breadth and scope of analytical methods needed for the assessment
of Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs), economic modeling, retrospective database studies, and observational studies.
- Formulary development, maintenance and evaluation in institutional, managed care, and state-level government programs.
First Year Objectives
The objective of the first year is to provide the fellow with the research tools necessary for economic evaluation and policy assessment. The fellow will be given an overview of pharmaceutical economics and general health policy, and taught methods of economic assessment, health services research, epidemiology, clinical research design, and biostatistical analyses.
The fellow will be assigned a MS thesis project which is selected based on input from both AbbVie as well as the University of Washington mentors. Fellows are highly encouraged to complete their MS project during their first year. Additionally, fellows will also engage in ongoing projects with AbbVie throughout their first year, applying skills from previous pharmacy training as well as integrating new techniques developed from University of Washington courses. Applying learning to solve real-world problems is a constant focus of the fellowship.
The fellow’s actual course of study will be developed on an individual basis with the Program Director, Dr. Beth Devine, but will consist of courses in biostatistics, epidemiology, economic evaluations and outcomes research, and health and pharmaceutical policy.
Second Year Objectives
The second year of training will be at AbbVie with the HEOR department.
This part of the program is designed to allow the fellow to learn about the role of economic evaluations and outcomes research in the drug development and commercialization process within the industry setting. The research may be on an existing or experimental product for a disease state that is of interest to AbbVie.
In addition to completing individual research project(s), fellows will participate in ongoing economic evaluations, outcomes research, and other projects in collaboration with the HEOR team. These experiences will provide the fellow with opportunities to interact
with team members in other departments at AbbVie to learn how economic analyses and outcomes research are used throughout the pharmaceutical industry. Fellows will see firsthand how outcomes research is utilized to demonstrate the place of AbbVie products in treatment pathways and its value.
Application Requirements
- You must hold U.S. citizenship or permanent residency status to apply, we are unable to sponsor non-immigrant visas for this program.
- Degree in pharmacy or health-related discipline.
- Previous research experience (preference will be given to those with a high academic standing).
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, ethics, professionalism, leadership and an interest in the biopharmaceutical industry.
- Curriculum vitae, cover letter, three letters of recommendation.
Selection of fellows will be made by a committee composed of University of Washington faculty members and representatives from the respective company.
Note: for the current application cycle (2023 entry) the UW will not be holding fellowship interviews at the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear Clinical Meeting. Video interviews will be coordinated internally the week of November 7 by Zoom.
Application Process Timeline:
- Eligibility: Degree in Pharmacy by July 1, 2023
- Application Deadline: Friday, October 28, 2022
- Interview Notification: Wednesday, November 2, 2022
- Interviews: Week of November 7, 2022
- Offer Notification: Friday, November 11, 2022 — decisions requested by Nov 14 and 15
- Program Start Date: July 1, 2023
How to Apply
- Apply directly through the University of Washington Graduate School Application
- Start your Graduate School application
- Scroll down and select Create a Profile under the heading New Applicants
- Create your Applicant Profile
- Once completed, select Create a new application
- Select the following for each category:
- Application type: Graduate
- Program: Pharmacy — Health Economics & Outcomes Research (MS)
- Quarter and Year: Fall 2023
- Areas of Interest: AbbVie Fellowship Program, Bayer Fellowship Program, Genentech Fellowship Program, Seagen Fellowship Program (select all that apply).
- Note: This step is very important! It tells us which positions you are applying to with the single Graduate School application.
- Complete all steps in the application including:
- Report Prior Schools
- Submit Transcripts (upload your unofficial transcripts)
- Submit Resume or Vitae
- Designate Recommendations (enter the email address of your 3 recommenders who will be notified as soon as you enter their information to submit a recommendation on your behalf)
- Submit Statement of Purpose
- Review Checklist of Application Materials
- Verify, Pay, and Submit the Application no later than October 28, 2022!
Contact Information
For more information, please contact:
University of Washington
Marina Gano, M.Ed.
Graduate Program & Operations Manager
The CHOICE Institute, Department of Pharmacy
206-616-1383
uwsopchoice@uw.edu
AbbVie
Jae Lee, PharmD, MS
Associate Director, HEOR Strategy
2525 Dupont Drive
Irvine, CA 92612
(818) 726-7890
jaehyun.lee@abbvie.com