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By Mona Shadded, Pharm.D. Candidate 2027
Last month, we discussed Dr. Younos Abdulsattar’s path in the pharmaceutical industry. This month, we will delve into the background and path of Dr. Rahul Bhambri, US Advanced Diagonostics Lead at Pfizer. We will also hear some words of advice from him.
Rahul Bhambri knew he wanted a nontraditional route from the start. But that path was initially blurred, that is until he intentionally started thinking outside the box.
Let’s start at the beginning.
After asking himself “What would my life look like in 5-10 years?”, Dr. Bhambri realized that the one thing he did not think about was growth. Attending professional development programs (PDPs) at LIU exposed him to different paths.
He recognized that as great as it is that LIU exposes students to clinical pharmacy, it felt riveting to hear about more unconventional paths. He began his professional career at CVS as an intern, a position he acknowledges could not have come about without the help of the famous Professor Tracey Hodurski. At the time, the role was lucrative. Over the course of three years, he gained a lot of experience. However, as the time passed and he attended more PDPs, he found himself asking “What else can I do with my Pharm.D.?” He longed to venture outside the obvious paths. To put it succinctly, he wanted to be in a position of understanding what his Pharm.D. could do for his career. Key word: career.
His queries didn’t stop there. Maintaining his inquisitive nature, he began asking, “How did successful alumni get to where they are?” Unsurprisingly, the answer comes back to the one and only Patrick Campbell. Patrick pointed out that successful professionals start by actively participating in student associations. As a student, networking comes down to being a student leader. Realizing the common thread, Dr. Bhambri joined a few key organizations, including the Pharmaceutical Industry Student Association (PISA) and Phi Lambda Sigma (PLS). He found himself inspired by Patrick’s encouragement to apply for internships.
Before he knew it, he was in his 4th year starting an AMCP internship focused on the role of the pharmacist in managed care health plans. He witnessed a world he never saw in the classroom. By his 5th year, he was applying for industry internships, where he committed to an internship at Pfizer. Little did he know, Pfizer is where he would find himself for the next 13 years following graduation. There, he learned about the role that pharmacists play in the industry in a way that he hadn’t imagined before. By his 6th year, he was well-informed, not only about the path he wanted, but also of the alternatives. This is exactly what he wanted. He notes an important reminder alongside exposure to the various environments: knowledge accumulates far more than you think.
After graduation, he pursued a fellowship at Johnson & Johnson in medical information. As much as he valued that experience, it only reinforced his passion for medical affairs, a position he holds now working with incredible people that guide him every day.
Even if you think you know what you want to do, be sure to carefully plan your journey before you come to your final decision. That is why he offers three pieces of advice to students today:
Never be afraid to put yourself out there
Never stop asking “what more can I do?”
Never stop learning
While you can say that Dr. Bhambri’s goal was to have a career in the pharmaceutical industry, his intent was to maximize his degree. Patrick once told him, “Give yourself the ability to choose any path you want.” Clearly, he took that advice to heart.
Become a competitive candidate. Work every day towards that. Diversify your experiences. Eventually, you will find yourself in a position where you’re choosing the employer, rather than the other way around.
Neglecting this approach may lead you to walk away with regrets. Pharmacy or not, industry or not, and student or not, regrets are the last thing you want to have.
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