University of Sydney Bachelor of Pharmacy alumna discusses her career highlights

2 December 2016

Anne Nguyen graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmacy in 2008 from the University of Sydney. Since then her career in pharmacy has taken her to various roles and locations—from hospital pharmacy in Sydney to international management roles in the pharmaceutical industry.
Today, Anne works as a Project Leader for Boston Consultancy Group, a global management-consulting firm, based out of the company’s flagship office in New York City.
With such a diverse career in pharmacy, the university chatted with Anne to find out about her career highlights so far and how she found her experience studying pharmacy at the University of Sydney.

Discover a pharmacy career with alumna Anne Nguyen
Anne Nguyen, Bachelor of Pharmacy graduate (Photo: University of Sydney)

1. In a snapshot, what does your day-to-day role involve?

My role is to manage a team of several consultants and work side-by-side with clients to solve problems.
There is no typical day as a project leader in the pharmaceutical industry; things vary depending on the project and the week. However, it is often a combination of travelling, working with clients, team brainstorms and reviewing presentation decks and analyses.

2. What’s the best opportunity that has come from your current role?

Boston Consultancy Group has exposed me to a wide variety of opportunities. While my focus has mainly been on healthcare, I have been lucky enough as a project leader to manage the design of our new flagship New York office of 600+ people at Hudson Yards.

3. What do you love most about working in pharmacy and healthcare?

A career in pharmacy allows you to work with great people solving interesting problems across a wide variety of industries. I have had the privilege to work with many healthcare clients (e.g., biopharma companies, pharmacies, health insurers and global health foundation), as well as retailers, a media company and even an art school.
Being a project leader in pharmacy is a diverse role and no two days are the same, which keeps things interesting and exciting.

4. Tell us 3 career highlights since graduating pharmacy at Sydney

One of the many great aspects of studying a Bachelor of Pharmacy is the wide variety of career opportunities in healthcare available to you after graduation. After working in some great roles across a range of industries within pharmacy, these have been some of my highlights.

  • I started out my career as an intern at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead Pharmacy. Managing the cardiology ward was one of my great career highlights and where I learnt a lot about what makes a good team and customer service.
  • As a Boston Consultancy Group Associate, I worked on a strategy project with a leading pharmacy to drive significant growth. But even more so, I helped to design and test the solution in 85 stores before it was rolled out to the rest of their stores.
  • As a Boston Consultancy Group consultant, I worked with the global heads of manufacturing and quality at a large biopharma company to improve their organisational structure.

5. Why did you decide to study a degree in pharmacy?

A love of science and a passion to help people were two of the main things that guided me to undertake a career in pharmacy. The Bachelor of Pharmacy degree allowed me to combine and explore both.

6. What did you enjoy most about the Faculty of Pharmacy?

The people! I learnt so much from my peers, the faculty staff and academics. Studying at the University of Sydney allowed me to learn from leaders in the pharmacy industry, who were always willing to pass on their knowledge and lessons learned.

7. Why did studying at the University of Sydney appeal to you?

I was able to study at a top-tiered pharmacy program in unmatched beautiful grounds. Every time I see a Jacaranda tree, it brings back wonderful memories.

University of Sydney Bachelor of Pharmacy

The Bachelor of Pharmacy program provides students with the core skills and knowledge required for the effective delivery of pharmaceutical care and the ability to proceed to research. Students will study the chemical, physical, pharmaceutical, and pharmacological properties of medicinal substances and the application of these in the pharmacy profession. The Faculty of Pharmacy has an enviable national and international reputation that means students will study and interact with world-renowned academics and enjoy access to best practice teaching laboratories and cutting-edge technology.
Program: Bachelor of Pharmacy
Location: Sydney, New South Wales
Semester intake: March
Duration: 4 years
Application deadline: It is recommended that candidates apply as early as possible to provide time for the pre-departure process.

Apply to the University of Sydney Bachelor of Pharmacy!

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Learn more about studying pharmacy at the University of Sydney. Contact OzTREKK’s Australian Pharmacy Schools Admissions Officer Krista McVeigh at krista@oztrekk.com.

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