Intern Alumna Spotlight: Amanda Bain, BA, MBA, MPH, PharmD
More than 200 student pharmacists have participated in AMCP Foundation summer internships since our founding in 1990. We are pleased to shed light on our intern alumni in this reoccurring feature. Amanda Bain, BA, MBA, MPH, PharmD, is not only a former intern alumna but a 2022 AMCP Fellow recipient.
Name: Amanda Bain, BA, MBA, MPH, PharmD
Current Title: Senior Director of Pharmacy and Care Management for The Ohio State University Health Plan
Internship Program: AMCP Foundation/Pfizer, Inc. Managed Care Summer Internship
Internship Site: Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
Year: 2005
What is your role today and your responsibilities?
I am the Director of Pharmacy and Care Management for The Ohio State University Health Plan. In my role, I am responsible for the design, implementation and evaluation of medical/pharmacy benefits, information technology systems, and clinical programs created to impact population health. I supervise the health plan’s nurses and pharmacists in comprehensive medication management, condition management, transitions of care, formulary management, and utilization management. I also am the director of the managed care pharmacy residency program.
What types of managed care practices do you use in your work?
Managed care pharmacy is such an exciting area of work. My team is involved in everything from assessing employee health and well-being benefits and ensuring quality outcomes to evaluating new digital applications and managing specialty medications. I’m able to lead initiatives that impact entire populations yet still make a difference in the lives of individual patients. I’m thankful to so many amazing mentors I’ve interacted with because of my AMCP Foundation internship that played a part in helping me succeed with work that I love.
How did the AMCP Foundation internship prepare you for your career?
I was lucky enough to be matched with the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. The AMCP Foundation internship sparked my interest in a career in an integrated care network. In addition to expanding my knowledge and skills in managed care, the experience showed me the importance of working within an integrated network in which you can truly impact the clinical and financial aspects of the patients you care for. Being able to impact the service members at the VA is one of the greatest honors of my life and I will always be grateful to the AMCP Foundation for making the experience happen.
What advice do you have for pharmacy students?
The best advice I have for pharmacy students is to get the most out of every opportunity you have whether it be networking with other students and professionals at the AMCP local affiliate or national meetings, participating in the P&T competition, applying to internships in managed care, or making the most out of each Introductory and Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience.
What was your experience working on your Capstone research project?
My capstone research project focused on completing a medication use evaluation of antihistamine use in the Veteran population. Yes, while it might be difficult to believe now, antihistamines were in a significant spend category prior to the existence of the specialty medications of today! Each mentor within the VA was incredibly supportive of my entire internship and capstone research project especially my primary preceptor for the AMCP Foundation internship, Dr. Low. I’ve now helped produce more than 25 capstone projects that my students and residents have presented at AMCP.