The Pharmaceutical Medicine Programme

Offering a broad introduction to the pharmaceutical industry, the PMP aims to develop medical doctors, who have 2-5 years of clinical experience, within various functions where strong medical competencies are needed.

The PMP is a two-year programme with four participants accepted onto the programme each year. Applications are welcomed again in spring 2014, with the programme starting in September same year. After successful completion of the programme participants are offered a permanent position within the company. The programme has been the springboard for many medical doctors’ progression to key positions within Novo Nordisk around the world. With a focus on both personal and professional development, and the knowledge and experience you will gain during the time you spend working in three different functions within the company, the PMP could be your first step towards a life-changing career.

“The opportunity the PMP presents to get hands on experience in different areas of a pharmaceutical company is in my opinion unparalleled. It provides unique insights for the benefit of both the candidate and Novo Nordisk.”

(Henrik Jarlov, PMP 1^st rotation, Safety Surveillance Diabetes, Non-insulin and Semaglutide)

All new employees take part in an introduction course where you will learn about Novo Nordisk, our business segments, product portfolio, management framework and governance structure.

During your two years on the programme you will take part in intensive internal and external training courses for both professional and personal development, for example in presentation skills, biostatistics, Good Clinical Practice, personal assessment, marketing and business understanding and the regulatory process.

The three rotations not only provide the opportunity for on-the-job training - you also have the opportunity to network with a diverse team of employees who are specialists in their fields. Via this network you will gain knowledge and advice from colleagues throughout the global organisation, including past and present PMP participants. In total, Novo Nordisk employs over 500 people who have a medical background.

“The level of science on the job has surprised me positively. You actually make a difference in projects that lead to improved patient care and bring new knowledge to the scientific community.”

(Anders Hvelplund, PMP 3rd rotation, Safety Surveillance Diabetes, Insulin and Devices)

When speaking of biopharmaceuticals we have a leading position within the therapeutic areas of haemostasis management, growth hormone therapy and hormone replacement therapy. We also have a strong research portfolio within inflammation, with the ambition of it becoming the third branch in our R&D activities.

Novo Nordisk has more than 34,000 employees in 75 countries, with the expectation that this number will increase to 43,000 by 2018. Our employees are driven by the common goal of making a difference to patients, healthcare professionals and society. Each and every employee at Novo Nordisk knows that their contribution helps make this difference. Our ethical culture, high standards and commitment to being socially and environmentally responsible attracts a certain type of employee who is ready to change lives for the better.

All rotations are based at our corporate headquarters in Denmark, but will involve global work teams as well as international business trips. Applications from all around the world are encouraged, but expatriation outside Denmark is not a part of the programme. This year four applicants will be accepted onto the programme.

During each rotation you will be fully-integrated into the department and will be given specific tasks and projects, with your own responsibilities and goals. You will gain experience in a broad range of areas, such as:

• clinical development planning of a drug candidate
• medical documentation in a new drug application
• global and local positioning strategies for a marketed drug
• safety surveillance of developmental and marketed drugs

Ensuring development

Every PMP doctor has a personal development plan that enables you to set both short-term and long-term goals for yourself and your career within Novo Nordisk. You will receive support and mentoring from the PMP manager, who takes care of your overall development throughout your time on the programme, and a daily manager, who is responsible for your development during each rotation. To help you reach your goals, the development plan will include both professional and personal training.

The programme aims to educate medical doctors in drug development, how the pharmaceutical industry works and career opportunities within the industry. These aims will be addressed by daily on-the-job training through tasks and interaction with experienced colleagues, and a generous individual training programme including a broad variety of internal and external courses.

On successful completion of the programme, a permanent position at Novo Nordisk will be offered to you within one of the three departments in the programme. Your final position depends upon your wishes, feedback from managers and vacancies in the respective departments. If it is a wish from the PMP medical doctor and availability enables it, a position in one of Novo Nordisk’s affiliates around the world may be offered. By clicking here you can read about other PMP’s career path.

Global Development, where trial protocols and development plans for new potential drug candidates are made and communication with the authorities concerning approval of trials and drugs is conducted.

Global Medical Affairs, where input is given to the clinical development plans and product strategies. Publication planning, medical communication and data presentation are also anchored in the Medical Affairs rotation.

Global Safety, where adverse events are assessed, safety reports are submitted to competent authorities and trial protocols are reviewed.

“The PMP offers the possibility to work in many different settings, on many different projects and use your medical background in various ways. Our medical knowledge is highly valued by our colleagues in Novo Nordisk.”

(Ditte Bretler, PMP 1st rotation, Global Medical Affairs, IDeg and IDegAsp)

Department: Global Medical Affairs

Monday:

• PMP department meeting
• Review abstracts for congress
• Lunch
• Meeting to prepare meta-analysis manuscript for submission
• Presentation for Finnish doctors at the Novo Nordisk conference centre (Hvidøre)

Tuesday:

• Telephone conference with medical agency regarding advisory board meeting
• Medical affairs departments meeting
• Lunch
• Review scientific synopsis
• Telephone conference with advisory board chairman

Wednesday:

• Global Marketing and Medical Affairs update meeting
• Meeting with abstract study group
• Lunch
• Telephone conference with medical agency regarding scientific synopsis
• Review manuscripts

Thursday:

• Diabetes training
• Introduction with new employee
• Lunch
• Reviewing e-learning course
• Tele-conference with medical agency regarding e-learning course
• Publication planning group meeting

Friday:

• Investigator meeting Vienna

Saturday*:

• Investigator meeting Vienna

The weekly schedule is presented by:
Ditte-Marie Bretler, PMP 1^st rotation, Global Medical Affairs, IDeg and IDegAsp

*not a weekly recurrence

Tuesday:

• Meeting with Global Trial Allocation
• Welcome breakfast - new employee in Medical & Science
• Welcome lunch - new employee in Medical & Science
• Review of documents – informed consent, calcitonin monitoring etc.
• Meeting with Global Trial Allocation
• Welcome breakfast - new employee in Medical & Science
• Welcome lunch - new employee in Medical & Science
• Review of documents – informed consent, calcitonin monitoring etc.

Wednesday:

• 1:1 meeting with mentor
• Online meeting - Q/A session with affiliates
• Preparation of trial outline
• Medical & Science, GLP-1 & Obesity - Department meeting

Thursday:

• International study group meeting (whole day event)

Friday:

• Monthly GLP-1 & Obesity breakfast
• Meeting with statistician regarding trial design for an upcoming study
• Preparation of CDP amendment
• Planning of Investigator meeting

The weekly schedule is presented by:
Veronica Hulstrøm, PMP 1^st rotation, Global Development, GLP-1 & Obesity

Together with the intensive professional and personal training available during the programme, this places you in a strong position to go on to be a key person within our organisation after successfully completing the pharmaceutical medicine programme.

And here's the proof! Read the stories below to discover how the ex-participants in our Pharmaceutical Medicine Programme have moved onwards and upwards within the organisation. You can also meet the PMP’s currently enrolled in the programme, and get some key insights into the life as an MD in the pharmaceutical industry.

Your career after the PMP

PMP 2010
The graduates from the 2010 programme consisted of Charlotte, Katja and Britt. Charlotte, who prior to the programme worked and researched within obstetrics and gynaecology where she achieved a PhD degree, became an International Medical Director within Global Development in one of the key focus areas in Novo Nordisk working on the new generation of insulins. Katja, who had previously been engaged in research within the field of Neurology and pursuing a career within the field of internal medicine, became a Global Medical Advisor within Global Medical Affairs where she combines her knowledge from safety with her experience and skills on medical communication. Britt, who was pursuing a career as a general practitioner prior to employment in the PMP programme, became a Safety Surveillance Advisor within Global Safety responsible for her own projects.

PMP 2009
From 2009, the PMPs included Oscar, who before starting the programme worked and researched within cardiovascular medicine, choose to return to the public health care system; Claus went on conducting research within inflammation and chronic autoimmune diseases and, lastly, Jeppe, who joined the programme after internship and several years of research within inflammation and cardiovascular disease.

PMP 2008
The 2008 PMP participants were Charlotte, Britt and Katja. Charlotte, who prior to the programme worked and researched within obstetrics and gynaecology, became an International Medical Director within Global Development. Britt, who before joining Novo Nordisk worked within gastrointestinal surgery, family, orthopaedic surgery and child psychiatry, and had started her specialist training as a general practitioner within the Danish healthcare system, joined Global Safety as a Safety Surveillance Advisor after finishing the programme. Last Katja, who had been engaged in research within the field of Neurology and was pursuing a career within the field of internal medicine, took up a position as a Global Medical Advisor in Medical Affairs upon completion of the programme.

PMP 2007
The graduates from the 2007 programme consisted of Marek, Troels and David. Marek, who previously worked and researched within endocrinology, became an International Medical Director within Global Development. Troels, who previously worked and researched within the areas of thoracic and abdominal surgery, became a Global Medical Advisor within Medical Affairs. Last but not least David, who had his internship in New York, US, where he also did research focusing on cardiovascular diseases, became an International Medical Director within Global Development.

PMP 2006
The first two successful graduates from the 2006 programme, Yan and Trine, moved on to positions within Novo Nordisk as a Global Medical Advisor within Medical Affairs working closely together with Marketing, and as an International Medical Director within Global Development respectively. The third participant chose to pursue a career in the public health care system.

Which qualifications are required?
In order to qualify for the Pharmaceutical Medicine Programme, you must hold a university degree as a medical doctor. You should have passed postgraduate internship and possess 2-5 years of documented scientific and/or clinical experience. You must have practical and analytical skills and be capable of working independently, while at the same time accepting a strong team focus and influence. Moreover, you should be prepared and willing to travel and work in an international arena. We expect that you are results oriented, good at setting priorities and have a strong personal impact and drive. Lastly, we expect you to have excellent English skills and a high proficiency in IT knowledge.

Can you apply even if you are not Danish?
Yes, Novo Nordisk is a global company and welcomes applications from all over the world. It is not a prerequisite that you understand and/or can speak Danish but you must be fluent in English (written and verbal).

Is it a prerequisite moving to Denmark, if offered the position and for how long?
The departments included in the programme are all situated at headquarters. That means that you will be working within the Copenhagen area during the 2 years of the Pharmaceutical Medicine Programme. Expatriation is not a part of the programme. After the successful completion of the programme each PMP doctor will be offered a permanent position within headquarters (Denmark). If it is a wish from the PMP doctor and availability enables it, a position in one of Novo Nordisk’s affiliates around the world may be offered.

Is it a prerequisite that you have had a position within the pharmaceutical industry before?
This would over-qualify the applicant and is neither the scope nor profile we are looking for with this programme. The purpose of the programme is to introduce a medical doctor to the pharma industry and all the facets relevant for a medical doctor working in Novo Nordisk

How often and how many participants are hired? When does the programme start?
Previous year’s three applicants were included in the programme, but this year we are looking for four MD’s. The hiring process starts during spring and an invitation for applications is posted on the PMP website at novonordisk.com/careers. It is also advertised in various national and international journals/papers. The programme starts in September.

What can improve my chances of being considered for one of the positions?
Work with your competencies within clinical work, scientific research, clinical drug research and business/economy.

What is the salary level?
The salary is at a competitive level compared to the pharmaceutical industry. It is equal to that of a young medical doctor in an entry level position within the pharmaceutical industry. Along with the salary come additional benefits, for example an annual bonus, computer, mobile phone, re-location aid and an extensive and generous training course budget.

What must you do when you are in the programme?
The two-year programme consists of three eight-month rotations in three different areas of the organisation - Global Development, Global Medical Affairs and Global Safety. Within the three departments you will be involved in specific everyday tasks through which you will get experience with elements such as clinical development planning of a drug candidate, global and local positioning strategies for a marketed drug, medical documentation in a new drug application, pharmacovigilance activities such as monitoring adverse events in clinical trials for developmental drugs and making surveys of adverse events for marketed drugs. In addition to the rotations, an individual course plan is created allowing the candidates to participate in internal and external courses. This can for example include training in GCP (good clinical practice), biostatistics, computer skills and participation in congresses.

Is it a permanent position?
Yes, it is a permanent position. It is not a scholarship or a grant.

How is the programme structured?
The programme is structured around three main activities within the development of new drugs, where strong medical skills are highly needed.

1. Global Development, where trial protocols and development plans for new potential drug candidates are made and communication with the authorities concerning approval of trials and drugs is conducted.
2. Global Medical Affairs, where input is given to the clinical development plans and product strategies. Publication planning, medical communication and data presentation are also anchored in the Medical Affairs rotation.
3. Global Safety, where adverse events are assessed, safety reports are submitted to competent authorities and trial protocols are reviewed.

What happens after the programme?
After/upon successful completion of the programme you will be offered a position usually within one of the three departments in the programme. Your final position depends on your wishes, feedback from managers and vacancies in the respective departments. If it is a wish from the PMP doctor and availability enables it, a position in one of Novo Nordisk’s affiliates around the world may be offered.

Do you have a question?
Feel free to contact PMP Manager Birgitte Claudius