{"id":250675,"date":"2025-02-22T15:14:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-22T20:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/?post_type=bu-article&#038;p=250675"},"modified":"2025-02-21T14:45:51","modified_gmt":"2025-02-21T19:45:51","slug":"pfizer-hosts-sph-practicum-students-for-second-summer","status":"publish","type":"bu-article","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/news\/articles\/2025\/pfizer-hosts-sph-practicum-students-for-second-summer\/","title":{"rendered":"Pfizer Hosts SPH Practicum Students for Second Summer"},"content":{"rendered":"\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin sphnews-block-editorial-leadin is-style-side-by-side has-media has-wider has-box has-media-focus-center-middle has-light-theme\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container-lockup\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-leadin-media\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1280\" height=\"1911\" src=\"\/sph\/files\/2025\/02\/PfizerStudents.jpg\" class=\"\" alt=\"Summer 2024 Pfizer Practicum students at 175th anniversary celebration\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/02\/PfizerStudents.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/02\/PfizerStudents-426x636.jpg 426w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/02\/PfizerStudents-686x1024.jpg 686w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/02\/PfizerStudents-768x1147.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/02\/PfizerStudents-1029x1536.jpg 1029w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/02\/PfizerStudents-755x1127.jpg 755w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/02\/PfizerStudents-670x1000.jpg 670w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/02\/PfizerStudents-603x900.jpg 603w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/02\/PfizerStudents-1200x1792.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin-caption wp-prepress-component-caption\">Four members of the 2024 SPH Pfizer practicum cohort were able to join colleagues at Pfizer\u2019s Cambridge R&amp;D hub to celebrate the company\u2019s 175th anniversary (From left: Amanda Lanciault, Dan Nguyen, Linge Hong, and Cameron Pettinato)<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-outer\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-inner\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-prepress-tag\">school news<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"head\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPfizer Hosts SPH Practicum Students for Second Summer\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"deck\">An inaugural cohort of six MPH students completed practicums at the multinational biopharmaceutical company last summer. Building on the success of the program, Pfizer\u2019s Medical Affairs team will come to SPH on February 27 to hold an information session for students seeking to join this summer&#8217;s group.<br><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar sphnews-prepress-layout-metabar\">\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-date\">February 22, 2025<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-credits\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul data-credit-type=\"By\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/news\/authors\/megan-jones\/\">Megan Jones<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-share js-bu-prepress-share-tools\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span>Twitter<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-action\"><\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\n<p>After the success of last summer\u2019s practicum program for SPH students, Pfizer is renewing its relationship with the school by offering additional opportunities for 10-week paid internships at the multinational pharmaceutical company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 2024 cohort, the first of its kind to be hosted by the Medical and Scientific Affairs Team at Pfizer, joined the industry giant for 10 weeks, during which each student worked under the supervision of a senior member of leadership on projects ranging from the quantitative analysis of phase 4 clinical trial data to the summary of recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;What makes this exciting is this program was designed exclusively for our students,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/profile\/ryan-wisniewski\/\">Ryan Wisniewski<\/a>, assistant director of SPH&#8217;s practicum program. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/james-stark-43b81515\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">James Stark<\/a>, the global medical and scientific affairs lead for the tick-borne disease vaccines at Pfizer and a member of Dean\u2019s Advisory Board, initiated and coordinates the practicum partnership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pfizer offers undergraduate internships through its Pfizer Futures (formerly Summer Growth Experience) program, but opportunities for graduate students of public health at the company are more limited, says Stark. Through the practicum program, SPH students can join other early talent for trainings and various networking events, including meeting with the CEO, that are designed to build the skills and relationships needed to secure a career in the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe feedback I received from the various mentors was that [the 2024 cohort] was a very committed group, a very knowledgeable group. They were really motivated, and they had sort of the requisite background to complete the projects and tasks that they were given,\u201d says Stark. \u201cI think that speaks well to the training that you get at BUSPH, because it demonstrates that the training that the students receive at the SPH is in the type of skills and knowledge that you need to succeed in the workplace.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stark and his team will be on campus for an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/calendar\/?eid=306058\">informational session<\/a> about the 2025 cohort on February 27. They are seeking six or more MPH candidates with training in epidemiology and biostatistics and\/or health law and policy for 10-week, fully remote, paid internships beginning in mid-May and extending through mid-August. To be considered, students must be enrolled for the Fall 2025 semester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Working at Pfizer was an incredible experience,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/linge-hong-a3aba82b4\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Linge Hong<\/a>, an MPH student in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/education\/degrees-and-programs\/master-of-public-health-programs\/certificates\/mph-functional-certificates\/epidemiology-and-biostatistics\/\">epidemiology and biostatistics<\/a> who moved from Shanghai, China to attend SPH after earning her bachelor\u2019s degree in medicine from West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University. As a member of the Global Respiratory Pneumococcal Vaccines Team at Pfizer, Hong worked with Eileen Dunne, scientific affairs and epidemiology lead, to conduct a systematic literature review&nbsp;of the effectiveness of a single dose of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) against invasive pneumococcal disease among children. Hong says her responsibilities included drafting a protocol, conducting a search and screening of the literature, extracting data, and synthesizing the data. The project has important public health implications, she says, as it provides insights that could inform vaccine strategies and improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt was a large workload, but I completed it effectively,\u201d says Hong. \u201cThe mentors and colleagues were supportive and provided invaluable guidance, making it a great environment to learn about the operations of a pharmaceutical company and explore potential career paths. I would highly recommend this opportunity to other students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among the company\u2019s best-known products are the first FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine, the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor, the erectile dysfunction medication Viagra, and the antidepressants Zoloft and Xanax.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories is-style-card has-two sphnews-block-editorial-relatedstories\">\n\t\t<h3 class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-title\">Related<\/h3>\n\t\t<ul class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"600\" height=\"362\" src=\"\/sph\/files\/2024\/09\/Dylan-Tran-THUMB-9Q1A7508.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-category\"><span>biostatistics<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/news\/articles\/2024\/pfizer-and-sph-continue-to-promote-graduate-studies-in-biostatistics\/\" class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-title-link\">Pfizer and SPH Continue to Promote Graduate Studies in Biostatistics<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-date\">September 27, 2024<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"600\" height=\"362\" src=\"\/sph\/files\/2024\/10\/CCH-students-600x362-1.png\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"CCH summer practicum students\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-category\"><span>reproductive health<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/news\/articles\/2024\/center-for-climate-and-health-sponsors-student-practicums\/\" class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-title-link\">Center for Climate and Health Sponsors Student Practicums<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-date\">November 1, 2024<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After the success of last summer\u2019s practicum program for SPH students, Pfizer is renewing its relationship with the school by offering additional opportunities for 10-week paid internships at the multinational pharmaceutical company. The 2024 cohort, the first of its kind to be hosted by the Medical and Scientific Affairs Team at Pfizer, joined the industry [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22210,"featured_media":250739,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"bu_prepress_billboard":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term_manual":""},"tags":[5187,1895,1899,3214,3335],"bu-publication":[3516],"sphnews-article-category":[3519,3522,3531,3535,3538,3541,4084],"sphnews-topic":[],"bu_edition":[],"media_type":[],"profile_tax":[2738],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/250675"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/bu-article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22210"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=250675"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/250675\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":250755,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/250675\/revisions\/250755"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/250739"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=250675"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=250675"},{"taxonomy":"bu-publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-publication?post=250675"},{"taxonomy":"sphnews-article-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sphnews-article-category?post=250675"},{"taxonomy":"sphnews-topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sphnews-topic?post=250675"},{"taxonomy":"bu_edition","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu_edition?post=250675"},{"taxonomy":"media_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media_type?post=250675"},{"taxonomy":"profile_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/profile_tax?post=250675"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}