The Program

Forest Component
Two separate two-year fellowship programs will be available, both providing the Fellow with a solid understanding of the drug development process. One fellowship begins in the Regulatory Affairs Department and the other begins in the Clinical Development Department. Both programs provide the Fellow the opportunity to rotate to other departments during the second year.

St. John’s University Component
The Fellow will receive an affiliate faculty appointment at St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions and will precept entry-level Doctor of Pharmacy students who are assigned to the Forest Research Institute for experiential training. Additionally, each Fellow will have opportunities at the University to participate in activities that promote professional development including: presentations, collaborative research projects with St. John’s faculty, continuing education courses, resident and Fellow seminar series and undergraduate courses within the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions.
 
First Year

The Post-Doctoral Fellow will pursue activities in either Regulatory Affairs or Clinical Development at the Forest Research Institute.

Regulatory Affairs
The Regulatory Affairs department serves as a liaison between the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and Forest Research Institute and is responsible for maintaining a positive and productive relationship. The Fellow will acquire, through firsthand experience, a general knowledge of the regulatory requirements for developing and marketing a new drug. This includes the filing and maintenance of INDs and NDAs according to federal regulations and guidances. The Fellow will develop skills in providing the Project Team with strategic regulatory guidance for drug development. Additionally, the Fellow’s experience will include review of product-related promotional material for regulatory compliance.

Clinical Development
Clinical Development is responsible for development and implementation of protocols and clinical trials for the CNS and Internal Medicine Therapeutic Areas from Phase II to Phase IV; current indications include depression and anxiety disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, neuropathic pain, hypertension and pulmonary disorders.

The Fellow will join a CNS clinical team, working with other departments, including Biostatistics and Data Management, to conceptualize studies, and with Field Operations and research sites to implement clinical trials of various scope and size. The Fellow will assist in the development of protocols and trial materials, training of investigator sites, maintenance of ongoing trials and will participate in the analysis, interpretation and reporting of clinical trial data.

Second Year  

The Fellow will have an opportunity to pursue areas of interest in various other departments at Forest Research Institute through rotations of 3 to 6 months in duration. These departments may include:
 

  • Clinical Pharmacology
  • Project Management
  • Drug Safety Surveillance
  • Regulatory Affairs
  • Clinical Development
  • Medical Affairs
  • Medical Science Liaisons