If you’re a pharmacy student curious about managed care pharmacy, you might be wondering: What exactly is it? What do managed care pharmacists do? How can I get more experience as a student?
The good news is that the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) has a ton of resources that can help answer these questions and guide you along the way. Here are a few I’ve personally found helpful:
Understanding What Managed Care Pharmacy Is
AMCP has a dedicated page that explains the fundamentals of managed care pharmacy. It provides a clear overview and even includes a free, hour-long webinar covering:
- The history of managed care
- What managed care pharmacy is and who the key players are
- Current health care trends and challenges
- How managed care addresses the rising cost of pharmaceuticals
If you don’t have time for the full webinar, you can also check out the free presentation slides.
👉 What Is Managed Care Pharmacy Webinar
Understanding What Managed Care Pharmacists Do
When people think of managed care, they often picture MTM or prior authorization pharmacists. But the field is much broader.
AMCP breaks down the different career paths within managed care pharmacy, from roles that involve direct patient care to those focusing on drug safety, benefit design, communication and collaboration with providers, and even medication distribution systems.
👉 What Do Managed Care Pharmacists Do?
“Your Roadmap to a Career in Managed Care Pharmacy”
This resource lays out specific steps to help you build confidence, gain experience, and expand your network. It includes:
- Ways to get involved with AMCP at the local and national level
- Guidance on searching for residency programs you might not have known about
- Details on the P&T competition (a fantastic way to gain hands-on experience even without a managed care internship)
👉 Your Roadmap to a Career in Managed Care Pharmacy
Mentor Programs
AMCP offers mentorship opportunities that pair you with practicing managed care pharmacists. Mentors can help with poster development, conference presentations, and career questions beyond the classroom.
There are also mock interview programs for fellowships and residencies, giving you the chance to practice and prepare before application season.
AMCP Foundation Summer Internship Program
The AMCP Foundation also offers structured summer internships designed to help students dive deeper into specific areas of managed care. These internships can be a great way to build specialized experience while expanding your professional network.
Managed Care Internships & APPE/IPPE Programs
This page is more than just a list of opportunities. It’s packed with helpful resources like:
- Presentations on how to maximize your rotations
- Student workshops
- Residency tips and guidance
- LinkedIn networking strategies
- P&T competition prep
Honestly, there’s so much here that I can’t list it all. You’ll want to explore this one yourself!
👉 Managed Care Internships & Rotations
Final Thoughts
If you’re serious about learning more, I highly recommend checking out AMCP’s Student Pharmacist Center. It’s a one-stop shop filled with resources that can answer your questions, help you build your skills, and set you up for success in managed care pharmacy.
Managed Care Rx Insight 