Novartis hosts graduation for Saudi pharmacists

In a first of its kind event for Saudi pharmacy graduates, a graduation ceremony was held for the second batch of trainees of the “Medical Representative Development Program,” by Novartis through its affiliate in the Kingdom, the Saudi Pharmaceutical Distribution Company (Saphad).
The training, which started in October 2018, included 20 participants, who fulfilled the requirements of the long-term training program that qualifies the Saudi pharmacy graduates and prepares them for work in the company after having passed the program successfully.
The graduates were selected after interviews and evaluations carried out by the HR department of the company.
Participants underwent field training as well as training in hospital health care.
The 12-week program is held twice a year. The trainees received certificates on Dec. 24, in the presence of the company’s leadership and employees, and members of the media.
The program is in line with the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which aims at the Saudization of the pharmaceutical industry.
“The qualification and development of Saudi competencies is among our top priorities in consolidation of the strategic goals of the Vision 2030. Through our training initiatives, including the training of Saudi pharmacy graduates, we seek to recruit new graduates and provide them with the career opportunities that qualify them to work in this industry,” said Akif Tashkandi, head of human resources, Novartis. “Our students in this training program are the future pharmacists who will carry the banner of meeting the needs of the health care and pharmaceutical industry in the Kingdom, and hence, providing pharmacy graduates with the necessary work experience will considerably help them invest their skills in the marketing of medicines,” he added.
General Manager Othman Al-Mutlaq said the company understands the role it has to play locally in the development and promotion of the pharmaceutical industry through the initiatives it presents, which are based on utilizing the expertise of its global partner, Novartis, one of the largest manufacturers of medicines in the world.
“I thank the company and the program for providing us with this valuable opportunity to acquire the skills and work experience in the pharmacy profession. The program will help me apply what I have studied in the classroom to real-life situations. I am confident of my high competency and will exert maximum efforts with my colleagues to support the pharmacy progress in the Kingdom,” a new pharmacy graduate said.
A number of the graduates have been offered jobs in the company, and dozens were already recruited last year.