Todd Okamoto

Specialty

I currently serve as the Nephrology Global Publication Plan Leader within the Amgen Medical Communications team.

Role

As a global publication plan leader, I am responsible for the oversight of publication plans for three branded products and one investigational product, as well as the publication project management for a clinical trial steering committee. An integral component of the company's medical strategy is the timely communication of both clinical trials and observational data at scientific meetings and in peer reviewed journals. I collaborate with colleagues throughout the organization and internationally to assess the life-cycle of the product and ensure that our communication is strategically aligned with the medical objectives and the needs of a changing and dynamic scientific environment.

How He Got There

The University of Southern California School of Pharmacy provided me with a strong pharmaceutical background and served as the foundation for my education. Extracurricular activities in conjunction with elective courses exposed me to the pharmaceutical industry. My inpatient internship experience at Olympia Medical Center and my rotational pharmacy practice experience helped me to better understand clinical practice and patient care. In the summer before my 4th year of pharmacy school, I joined Amylin Pharmaceuticals as the Pharmacovigilance/Global Safety Intern. Here, I was further exposed to the multitude of functional/therapeutic areas available to pharmacists within the pharmaceutical industry. This solidified my desire to pursue a career in the pharmaceutical field, and following graduation, I continued my professional development with the Rutgers Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowship as the Bristol-Myers Squibb Medical Science Liaison/Medical Information fellow and Adjunct Faculty with the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers. The faculty, mentors, and preceptors in the program provided me with challenging and meaningful experiences that I have been able to translate to my current role as a Senior Manager within the Medical Communications team at Amgen.

Other Professional Activities

I currently serve as the Membership Chair and a member of the New Practitioner Executive Committee within the California Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). During pharmacy school, I served as the ASHP/CSHP and Phi Lambda Sigma student chapter president, as well as the inaugural co-chair of the CSHP Student Section Executive Committee, providing the student voice to the Board of Directors.

Advanced Training

Following pharmacy school, I completed a 2-year post-doctoral fellowship with the Rutgers Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowship program with Bristol-Myers Squibb in their Medical Science Liaison and Medical Information teams, supporting the cardiovascular and metabolic therapeutic areas.

Advice

The motto “Don’t let school interfere with your education” resonated with me throughout school, encouraging me to take full advantage of the wonderful opportunities and guidance provided by the school, state chapter affiliates, and ASHP. Learn as much as you can, have fun, and enjoy the interactions with your peers and colleagues in pharmacy.