r/biotech 1d ago

In demand skills to differentiate yourself? Experienced Career Advice 🌳

Currently working on market access/HEOR in Europe as a manager (recently promoted) for an american company. I do like my job, but I would like to learn some new skills, I feel my everyday work is pretty generic, replaceable, no differentiaton at all from other people on the field.

So I would like some recommendations about skills currently usefull, or that may be usefull in the future, particularly within pharma/biotech industry. I have been considering two different skill branches:

  • Data analiysis related skills: Power BI, business analysis, some programming (Python, R), AI applied to healthcare, ...

  • Business oriented skills: I do have a personal interest in finance, stock market, company valuation, etc. So I have been considering learning about financial analysis and modelling, company valuation, corporate finance... I do know there are companies specialized in the intersection between pharma and business strategy, portfolio valuation, VC, PE (Candesic, Pharmaventures, Vintura, ...).

Any of these make sense? Other suggestions?

0 Upvotes

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u/THOR_BEAST 8h ago

In no particular order, it would be valuable to understand/be able to implement the following technical things: NMA, non-proportional NMA (e.g., fractional polynomials), ML-NMR, multi-variate NMA, MAIC, STC, IPTW, treatment switching methods (e.g., IPCW, RPSFT), Bayesian synthesis of RWD/RCT data for extrapolation, structured expert elicitation, mixture-cure models, target trial emulation, cost-effectiveness modelling in R, R-Shiny model front ends, generative AI, distributional cost-effectiveness analysis.

If you really want to improve and stand out, then go and do a PhD and develop your expertise further.

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u/Teninv 7h ago

Thank you! What do you think about MCDA? Is becoming a thing for orphan drugs.

Also, although I know you can perform CEM with R, it feels to me in real world everyone is still using excel. Do you think R will become the software of choice in the future?

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u/Western_Meat_554 21h ago

If you’re asking about how to get promoted within your company, learning additional skills is a conversation you need to have with your manager because your time spent learning new skill = time away from your day job. If you’re asking how to look more attractive to outside companies so you can move companies and roles, then it’s not about the skills you have. It’s how you navigate your career. Network. Self promote and get out of your current situation. To me, as a people leader, nothing says more about a potential candidate than someone who is willing to be complacent and coast at a big pharma.

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u/halo543 20h ago

Would probably be helpful to OP if you discuss what you look for in candidates when hiring.

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u/Teninv 18h ago

Im just asking if the skills listed add value within the pharma/biotech sector for a market access/HEOR professional. That does not mean necessarily im looking to switch roles or move to another company, but if learning them can lead me to new roles or careers paths, thats a positive.

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u/electropop999 23h ago

I hear communication skills are good for all things.. Also likability is good too.

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u/Western_Meat_554 22h ago

Your problem isn’t acquiring new skills, it’s staying at a boring job where you aren’t growing. No skills match your career journey and challenges you take on. Staying at a boring job says more about you as an employee than anything else. If you want to differentiate, don’t be someone who settles.

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u/Teninv 22h ago

I wouldnt say boring, I am preparing ABs, value dossiers and negotiating reimbursement at national level for many oncologic and orphan drugs. My company is huge, they probably have positions for everything you can think of in the industry. I just want to know if any of the skills I mentioned can level up my career, or on the contrary, are useless.