Spotlight Pharmacist of the Month
Our pharmacist of the month is Michael Pazirandeh, PharmD. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and completed his Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the University of Southern California. For the past 9 months Michael has been working as the Senior Clinical Pharmacist in the Outcomes and Analytics department at Blue Shield of California.
Can you describe an "average" day for you at work with your current position?
"There is no average day at my place. Every day is different and has new challenges to overcome. As my job title says, I work in the Outcomes & Analytics department. I work with pharmacy claims to show either prospective or retrospective analyses. For example, if a client wanted to implement a step therapy program, I would be able to pull the claims for that client and project the savings for the client and for the member."
Can you describe some of the skills necessary for you to be successful within your current role?
"I did a residency with CVS Caremark that focused on outcomes and analytics and that’s where I learned the necessary skills for me to be successful. Those skills include knowing how to code in SQL and SAS as well as how to develop models using Excel."
What do you like about your job?
"I love that every challenge I come across is like a puzzle. I need to come up with a creative solution to either show opportunity savings or show outcomes of a program."
What are some aspects of your job that are changing?
"One of the most challenging aspects is that the data is not always clean. You need to work with what you are given and make necessary assumptions."
Do you find it easy to balance your responsibilities at work with your responsibilities at home? Why or why not?
"I am a firm believer of having a healthy work-life balance. In my current role, I am able to balance both my work and personal life well. I set realistic goals and deadlines and make sure that everyone is aware of them."
If a student were interested in pursuing a position like yours, what are the realistic steps necessary for the student to take while in school?
"Other than joining AMCP, I would highly recommend pursing a residency within outcomes and analytics. You need to be able to learn how to program and make sense of the data."
Upon graduation, will the student be expected to have additional training to obtain a career similar to yours?
"It is not mandatory but highly recommended."
After completion of post-graduate training, what may a traditional path look like for someone seeking a position similar to yours?
"There is no traditional path in managed care. Every person has a unique story as far as how they got to where they are. All you can do is expect the unexpected and utilize your network to your fullest potential."