Posted on: May 26, 2020
When Eric Chinaeke came to the United States from Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria, he had already spent several years studying pharmaceutical sciences and public health. He earned a Master of Pharmacy in Physical Pharmaceutics from the University of Nigeria after earning his bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical sciences from the same institution. Chinaeke was recognized as the overall national best during National Youth Services and earned the Nigerian President’s Scholarship award. He earned his master's degree in Global Public Health and Policy from Queen Mary University of London. He also earned a certificate in economics and related studies from the University of York in the United Kingdom.
Chinaeke began his doctoral studies at the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina in Health Services Policy and Management and subsequently transferred to the College of Pharmacy in 2017. He completed his studies this year, graduating with his Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences after presenting his thesis entitled “Protease Inhibitor Based on Treatment and Risk of Diabetes in Medicare Beneficiaries with HIV/AIDS.
“I chose to come to the University of South Carolina based on the fact that the faculty rates so highly for public health and other colleges,” he says. “It was the perfect fit for me.”
I hope to leverage pharmaceutical health outcomes and population health policy methodologies to lead research and other industry-based activities that impact population health with focus on pharmaceutical care.
Eric Chinaeke, Ph.D. College of Pharmacy Graduate
Chinaeke is furthering his studies through an online program at Harvard Business School for a certificate in sustainable business strategies. Chinaeke has accepted a position with CSL Behring as a clinical epidemiologist. CSL Behring is a biopharmaceutical company, based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, which manufactures plasma-derived and recombinant therapeutic products in the rare disease space.
“It is a career that involves using acquired pharmacoepidemiology and health economics and outcomes research skills for development and value demonstration of pharmaceutical products and devices to promote its commercialization and reimbursement,” he says.
Chinaeke will eventually return to Nigeria to fulfill a four-year government work requirement where he will work with the Food and Drug Services department of the Federal Ministry of Health.
During his time at College of Pharmacy, Chinaeke was the recipient of a Support to Promote Advancement of Research and Creativity (SPARC) grant to fund his research and he received the College of Pharmacy Graduate Student Award. Chinaeke was awarded the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics Research (ISPOR) Distinguished Service Award for excellent services for the ISPOR.
Chinaeke took on volunteer roles with Future Without Violence, South Carolina, serving on a campaign to combat domestic violence on campus, and he volunteered with a disaster relief transport unit during Hurricane Florence and as a driver for blood transportation for the American Red Cross, South Carolina Region.
Chinaeke hopes that by advancing his education in pharmaceutical health outcomes and public health policy, he will have the opportunity to improve patient care. “First, as a pharmacist, I am passionate about patient care,” he says. “As my career and practice span across the two fields, I hope to leverage pharmaceutical health outcomes and population health policy methodologies to lead research and other industry-based activities that impact population health with focus on pharmaceutical care.”