Recent RFU graduate Philip Ofosu-Amaah, PharmD ’24, envisions helping people live healthier lives through a blend of dynamic pharmacy practice, population health and entrepreneurship. His experiential learning through the College of Pharmacy (COP) culminated in an intensive internship in the Helix 51 biomedical incubator, which helped determine his next step: earning an MBA from William & Mary, a research university in Williamsburg, Virginia.

“The College of Pharmacy exposed me to so many different areas of pharmacy practice that I didn’t even know existed, including drug research and development and pharmacy informatics,” Dr. Ofosu-Amaah said. “There are so many areas to explore.”

Dr. Ofosu-Amaah left his home in Ghana, West Africa, in 2015 to attend Lake Forest College, an RFU academic partner, where he majored in chemistry. As a 2017 LFC/RFU Scholar, he received research training and mentorship in RFU’s Microbiology and Immunology labs. His six-week Helix 51 internship — an advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) elective — included work on marketing the incubator’s Entrepreneurs-in-Residence program and prospecting for contract research organizations, which help run safe and ethical clinical trials.

RFU encouraged Dr. Ofosu-Amaah’s exploration of different roles within pharmacy. It provided mentoring, networking opportunities and hands-on skills development. With each exposure, Dr. Ofosu-Amaah’s professional path and purpose came closer into view.

“Helix 51 internships are often the beginning of a passion.”

“A huge dream of mine is to open my own pharmaceutical company in Ghana,” he said. “Most Ghanaians rely on traditional herbal medicine for their healthcare needs. While those medicines can help, I’ve seen that they can cause more harm than good, especially in treating serious and chronic conditions.”

COP also offers a paid summer Helix 51 fellowship, directed by Ateequr Rahman, PhD, MBA, professor of pharmacy practice.

“Helix 51 internships are often the beginning of a passion,” Dr. Rahman said. “They’re a launching pad for our students and graduates who have gone on to internships and employment with companies like AbbVie, Abbott, Takeda, Pfizer, Merck, and Johnson & Johnson. The exposure to industry, the contacts they make, the references they receive — in combination with their academic achievement — are all contributing factors to their success.”

Philip Ofosu-Amaah, PharmD ’24, dreams of opening his own pharmaceutical company in his native country, Ghana.

Fellows and interns also work to promote RFU faculty and/or Helix 51 member company collaborations with industry; identify and profile potential investors; assess commercial viability of patents in RFU’s portfolio; and assist with RFU technology commercialization.

“Our COP interns are highly motivated, creative and very prepared,” said Michael Rosen, MBA, managing director of the Innovation and Research Park and Helix 51 incubator. “They help us conduct the analytical research we need to understand how to help our companies succeed.”