Rutgers Fellowship Program welcomes two Class of 2020 PharmD students

By Kara Sweet

Published April 16, 2020

Class of 2020 PharmD students Frencina Monteiro and Kory Zelen have been accepted into the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy post-doctoral Rutgers Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowship (RPIF) Program. They were two of 143 students selected from a candidate pool of over 800 pharmacy students nationwide.

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“UB gave me the platform to hone in on my leadership skills which have been invaluable for my professional growth. ”
Frencina Monteiro, PharmD '20

The RPIF Program is an industry-based training program that partners with the leading pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies. It's designed for individuals with a Doctorate of Pharmacy to further their experience in the pharmaceutical industry through work experience and clinical research.

Frencina Monteiro.

Frencina Monteiro recognized her passion for project-based work was steering her towards a career in industry. “In my last year of pharmacy school, I started looking into various career options and realized that based on my personality and professional interests, the pharmaceutical industry would be the best fit for me.”

UB SPPS played an integral role in Monteiro’s decision to apply for the fellowship. “UB gave me the platform to hone in on my leadership skills which have been invaluable for my professional growth.”

Kory Zelen.

Kory Zelen has always been interested in the commercial side of the pharmaceutical industry. “I wanted to leverage my scientific background to bring a new perspective to the table,” he says.

Zelen has a high interest in oncology and UB helped build his career path. “The last 4 years in pharmacy school has prepared me with an abundance of clinical knowledge across many different disease states,” he says. “The next two years in this fellowship role will help me develop the business skills and real-world experience needed to promote and educate patients, payers and healthcare providers about oncology medications.”

The RPIF Program has helped drive the demand for the growing number of employment opportunities for clinical pharmacists in industry by:

  • Promoting a consistently high level of program quality, training, and outcomes across the spectrum of fellowships at multiple sponsor companies.
  • Coordinating the interface between key fellowship stakeholders, including preceptors, fellows, and alumni.
  • Fostering innovation and scholarly endeavors between Rutgers and its industry partners through the activities of participating fellows, including teaching, publications, seminars, and research.

For over 130 years, the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has continually been a leader in the education of pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists, renowned for innovation in clinical practice and research. The school is accredited by the American Council of Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE) and is the #1 ranked school of pharmacy in New York State #14 in the United States by US News & World Report.