Howard University in Washington, D.C. is partnering with Eli Lilly and Company, the large healthcare conglomerate based in Indianapolis, to offer a Minority Fellowship program for post-graduate professionals from underrepresented groups who are embarking on careers in science or medicine. The fellowship aims to increase collaboration and address the lack of individuals in certain racial and ethnic groups in the pharmaceutical industry by providing training to future healthcare professionals. The first class of Minority Fellows are Howard University graduates.
The Minority Fellowship program is open to physicians and other individuals who hold doctorates in scientific fields who want to pursue a career in the pharmaceutical field. Participants will spend a year of training at a Lilly facility to gain knowledge on the complexities of drug development, the regulatory environment, and the roles that scientists and healthcare providers play in this multifaceted process.
Daphne Bernard, an associate professor at Howard University’s College of Pharmacy, stated that “a cadre of highly skilled young healthcare professionals will receive advanced training, covering the full scope of the drug manufacturing process. They will hone their research and clinical skills while learning about the regulatory processes involved in drug development. This knowledge will position the fellows to better address efforts to reduce health disparities.”
