Biogen, in collaboration with MCPHS, offers a unique fellowship program to promote the role of the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) within the biopharmaceutical industry. A fellow gains extensive experiences through various practical activities in both industry and academic settings, which could enhance the potential for accelerated career development.

About Therapeutics Development

The Therapeutics Development (TD) fellowship consists of rotations through Clinical Development (CD), Global Clinical Operations (GCO), and Analytics and Data Sciences (ADS). Together, these functional areas lead the creation and execution of innovative development plans and trial designs supported by cutting-edge analytics and data sciences.

The 2-year TD fellowship is designed to provide a robust, hands-on experience in drug development for global programs across the full development life cycle and therapeutic areas. During the program, the fellow will gain experience via 4-month rotations in CD, GCO, and ADS, before selecting their area of concentration for the 2nd year of the program. In addition to these core rotations, the fellow may choose to spend some time in an optional elective within Biogen, if desired. The fellowship is designed to build the foundation for a successful career in drug development. 

Clinical Development
Clinical Development (CD) drives strategy, design and execution of innovative clinical development plans and studies to expedite access to safe and effective therapies for diseases with unmet medical needs.

Global Clinical Operations
Global Clinical Operations (GCO) provides operational expertise and rigor to enable world-class execution of clinical trials across the R&D clinical pipeline (from first-in-human through pivotal and post-approval studies).

Analytics and Data Sciences
Analytics and Data Sciences (ADS) brings together cross-functional expertise including Biostatistics, Data Management, Epidemiology, Programming Data Sciences and Operations, Technology, Compliance, and Standards to enable an integrated and innovative approach to accessing and analyzing data across complex development programs. 

View the Biogen Program Brochure for more information, or visit http://www.mcphs.edu/pharmdfellow for general fellowship program information.

Eligibility

The MCPHS Biopharmaceutical Industry fellows will be selected on a nationally competitive basis.

• Applicants must have a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from an ACPE accredited college of pharmacy at the commencement of the program.
• Candidates must have strong written and verbal communication skills and a strong interest in pursuing a career within the biopharmaceutical industry.
• All candidates must have authorization to work in the United States throughout the duration of the one- or two-year fellowship. No visa sponsorship will be provided (i.e., TN, H-1B, STEM OPT, etc.).

Application Procedure

The MCPHS application portal (SMApply) will open up on Monday, October 6, 2025. Applicants must upload the following application materials to the online portal by Monday, November 3, 2025:

• Letter of intent (addressed to the company specific program director/lead; found in each company brochure)
• Curriculum vitae
• Unofficial college transcript
• Contact information for three references. References will receive an electronic recommendation form to complete separately.

Three recommendation evaluation forms must be submitted no later than November 20, 2025 via the online portal. This is NOT a letter of recommendation but an online form that the recommender will receive for completion from SMApply.

Application Review and Interview Timeline

Following a review of submitted applications, pre-screens and preliminary interviews will begin in October. Additional interviews, including final rounds will take place in December during ASHP. Candidates will be notified if selected for an interview. The process is rigorous and competitive; therefore, candidates should submit their applications well in advance of posted deadlines as priority will be given to those who apply early.

ASHP Midyear and Onsite Interviews

The fellowship program will be conducting in-person interviews at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting in Las Vegas, NV. Attendance is strongly encouraged, but not required. Candidates attending in-person will not be able to interview without registering for both ASHP and PPS. Please refer to the ASHP & PPS website for registration details.

Top candidates may be invited for interviews at the sponsoring company’s location.

AIFA First Offer Date

The choice of a Post-Doctoral Fellowship is an important decision. MCPHS, in conjunction with the Alliance of Industry Fellowship Associates (AIFA), has aligned to extend offers for Fellowships no earlier than Friday, December 12, 2025. We believe this is a positive reflection of the cultures our Programs offer, and that culture is a critical consideration in choice of Fellowship. We hope that other academic and non-academic Fellowship Programs will NOT pressure candidates to accept offers prior to this aligned offer date.

We see this respect for candidate choice as a common aspect of each of our Program's cultures. We hope that other academic and non-academic Fellowship Programs will respect this timeline.

Learn more about AIFA affiliated programs.

Onboarding

Final candidates will be required to go through additional screening / onboarding as required by MCPHS.

Academic Requirements

In addition to the responsibilities set forth by our industry partners, MCPHS requires the fellow to fulfill academic-related objectives pertaining to teaching, scholarship, and service. The fellow will be paired with an academic mentor from MCPHS, either from the Boston, Worcester, or Manchester campuses. Please note, the fellow may be asked occasionally to travel to the MCPHS campuses in Worcester (45 miles) or Manchester (53 miles). The academic mentor and fellow will work closely over the 1 or 2-year program to fulfill the requirements listed below. The fellow should anticipate dedicating 10% - 15% of their time to MCPHS-related activities.

Academic Related Objectives

Teaching: Each fellow is required to participate in at least 1 teaching opportunity (didactic, laboratory, experiential) per year.

Scholarship: Each fellow is required to complete at least 1 scholarly activity per year with either their faculty or industry preceptors. Over the 2-year program, it is expected that, at a minimum, 2 scholarship activities are completed. In addition, the fellow is expected to present their scholarship activity and main project(s) at MCPHS showcase/events.

Service: Fellows are required to attend and participate in professional development activities including the MCPHS Conference Series and Professional Development Days, and at least 1 Community Relations Committee (CRC) event per year.

Fellows are encouraged to partake in service-related activities such as:

• Participate in recruitment efforts, professional service, and/or community engagement opportunities. This includes but is not limited to programs organized by the MCPHS Fellows Network (MFN) and/or New England Post Graduate Seminar on Teaching and Learning
• Participate in student organized professional organization events pertaining to post-graduate fellowship training in the biopharmaceutical field.

Benefits

The fellow will receive a competitive stipend and benefits package, including comprehensive health and dental insurance. Attendance at one or more professional meetings, conferences, or workshops will be sponsored by the fellowship program. The fellow may qualify for student loan deferment, allowing for the postponement of loan payments until the completion of the fellowship program. The lender of the student loan(s) will be able to provide specific information regarding eligibility and terms of deferment.

Certificate of Completion

MCPHS and the sponsor company will award a professional certificate upon successful completion of the fellowship program.

About MCPHS/Biogen

At Biogen, our mission is clear: we are pioneers in neuroscience. Biogen discovers, develops and delivers worldwide innovative therapies for people living with serious neurological and neurodegenerative diseases as well as related therapeutic adjacencies. One of the world’s first global biotechnology companies, Biogen was founded in 1978 by Charles Weissmann, Heinz Schaller, Kenneth Murray and Nobel Prize winners Walter Gilbert and Phillip Sharp. Today Biogen has the leading portfolio of medicines to treat multiple sclerosis, has introduced the first approved treatment for spinal muscular atrophy, commercializes biosimilars of advanced biologics and is focused on advancing research programs in multiple sclerosis and neuroimmunology, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, neuromuscular disorders, movement disorders, ophthalmology, immunology, neurocognitive disorders, acute neurology and pain.About MCPHS: MCPHS University provides an academic environment to guide and support fellows toward a successful career in the biopharmaceutical industry. As a private institution with a history of specializing in the health sciences, MCPHS University offers programs that embody scholarship, profess...ional service, and community outreach. Through MCPHS University, the fellow will have the opportunity to gain teaching and research experience in an academic setting. Throughout the program, MCPHS University faculty and company program leaders mentor fellows according to each fellow’s scholarly and professional interests.

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Connections working at MCPHS/Biogen