On November 30th, Centivis delivered a virtual lecture on diagnostics market access to students in the Health Economics and Policy major at the University of Lucerne.
We undertook this as an ongoing effort to give back to the community, aiming to educate young health scientists about the practical aspects of market access and share learnings from the industry.
The lecture was attended by students with international backgrounds. They came from Europe (Switzerland, Italy and Germany), or China, Thailand and Kazakhstan. Some also had previous work experience in hospitals or academia.
The lecture, presented by Norbert Farkas, Anastasios Gkiokas and Kash Baden, covered key topics in the Centivis short book Diagnostics Reimbursement Compass- A 90-Minute Guide to Define, Demonstrate, and Capture Diagnostics Value Confidently.
Key lecture topics from the Diagnostics Reimbursement Compass
We also took the opportunity to ask young health economics and market access talent about their expectations for future jobs. These students aspire to jobs in various settings including hospitals, pharmaceutical and diagnostics industries, international organizations (e.g., WTO) and consultancy.
What does market access mean to you?
We asked this question as market access is an industry-specific term and we wanted to know how students understood it.
Most students understood the key concepts of market access - they mentioned it was “the process of getting a product through the right pathway, so that patients can access it”.
This involves “using medical and economic judgement to overcome barriers”
However, at times, market access was also confused with regulatory concepts as some mentioned the need to “understand medical regulations” to bring a product to market.
Whilst market access and regulatory are allied roles that work closely, they are usually functions that require distinct knowledge and different skill sets.
How have your job expectations changed with Covid 19?
Most students mentioned that they would value a hybrid work option - home office and a physical office with colleagues.
The home option was valued for its flexibility and commuting time saved, which could be used for work instead.
However, some said that a physical office is important for young talent as it allows them to build relationships with colleagues, be part of a team and learn by passive listening.
Covid-19 also gave them a greater appreciation for health, and its role in economic productivity. It also allowed a reflection on the sustainable use of corporate as well as environmental resources for work.
What are the most important things you expect from a job?
Students mentioned that their ideal job should provide learning opportunities and be a platform where they can “feel useful” or use their knowledge for impact.
They value supportive teams, training and development opportunities and a good working environment.
Salary levels were important to some students, who would consider industry instead of academia because of this factor. Others wanted experience in consultancy in order to try a wide variety of tasks before specializing.
Centivis colleagues also provided some job search tips and advice on transiting from studies to industry.
Find your fit: Ask yourself honestly what kind of job you could see yourself doing. Do you like health economic modelling and excel sheets? Do you like communication? Do you prefer dealing with patients? Looking for an appropriate job starts with honest conversations with yourself.
Network, network, network: You make your own luck. The best way to get to know a job is to speak with the people who have been there and done that. Show interest and you may stand out from a stack of applications.
Boutique consultancies vs. big consultancies: Work is different in a boutique consultancy versus a big consultancy. Big consultancies tend to cover broader areas and have steeper learning curves for starters, whilst boutique consultancies like Centivis are specialised in diagnostics and digital market access.
Do not be afraid of rejection: Sometimes, it takes a long time for HR to reply as they may still be in the process of vetting candidates. Ask for an expected date of reply, so you can follow up. If you are rejected for a position, you can ask for feedback and learn from it. Cast your net wide, prepare well and have faith that you will succeed eventually.
For more job search tips, see here.
Are you interested in upskilling your team in diagnostics access capabilities? Learn more about customizable training sessions from the Diagnostics Reimbursement Compass- A 90-Minute Guide to Define, Demonstrate, and Capture Diagnostics Value Confidently here.