Meet Michelle Brisco-Fields, PharmD, MBA, MHA, MaxorPlus’ Vice President, Clinical Analytics and Clinical Product Development
Who inspired you growing up and what was their impact on you?
Growing up, I was inspired by an amazingly wonderful family and supportive village of strong, educated and encouraging women who taught me that I could do ANYTHING (literally)! My parents taught me the tremendous value of hard work and perseverance; however, it was my Mother and the village that she immersed me and my brothers and sisters in that allowed us to see the limitless possibilities in all aspects of life. Our village allowed me to envision the world beyond what was immediately before me. I am a firm believer in the quote “you can’t become what you can’t see”.
What advice would you give an aspiring pharmacist?
In my current role, I have the tremendous pleasure of mentoring pharmacy students and exposing them to the wonderful world of analytics. I encourage students to blur the lines and see the gray areas in order to broaden their horizons within healthcare. The field of pharmacy is so vast and there is much more opportunity beyond the traditional settings. As Vice President of Clinical Analytics and Product Development, my path within the field of Pharmacy has been anything but traditional. My 20 plus year career within the Pharmacy Benefits Management space surrounded by my love for both healthcare analytics and informatics has afforded me the opportunity to work in various realms including Clinical & Rebate Analytics, Trend Management, Account Management and Clinical Program Development. Although my natural love for science and chemistry guided me to pharmacy, my affinity for data/technology and exposure to the various facets of pharmacy allowed me to see the wealth of opportunity within this field.
What made you decide to pursue a degree in pharmacy and then focus on clinical analytics
With a rich tradition of healthcare workers in my family – including nurses, dentists and physicians, a career in healthcare was almost a given! My brother, Dr. Nazirahk Amen, who was attending Xavier University at the time, introduced me to the world of Biomedical Sciences through a series of summer programs – ChemStar and S.O.A.R. at Xavier University of Louisiana. It was love at first sight with both Xavier University and the City of New Orleans. I immediately knew it was my first and only choice for college! While in pharmacy school, I began exploring a path within the field of Toxicology and research. After two “very long” summer internships at Battelle National Laboratories measuring the impact of cancer medications on cancer cells under the microscope and a couple of published articles, my love for pharmacy research dwindled; however, my love for pharmacokinetics and analytics was born. Upon graduation from pharmacy school, I pursued a dual Masters program (Masters in Healthcare Administration and Masters in Business Administration) which solidified my interest in healthcare finance and data analytics.
What does it mean to you to lead Clinical Analytics and Product Development at MaxorPlus and also be a boss lady pharmacist?
At MaxorPlus, it is a tremendous honor to work with incredibly talented teams and individuals in my role as Vice President of Clinical Analytics and Product Development. I have the pleasure of working with individuals that not only understand and appreciate the importance and complexity of data, but who also recognize the value of bringing those numbers to life and helping to tell the story to our clients through data visualizations and informatics! Not only do I have the pleasure of working with data day in and day out, but having the opportunity to create unique product solutions for our clients brings tremendous value to me. Likewise, having the opportunity to influence and work with a new generation of pharmacy students and burgeoning clinical analysts is an incredible pleasure and an honor! My goal is to leverage the knowledge and experience that so many others, including mentors and my village, have instilled and poured into me.
