It might have been a while since you were in a classroom but education could give you a boost up the career ladder

Continuous professional education is a big deal in the healthcare industry; doctors are at it, nurses are doing it, even pharma marketers are firmly on the bandwagon.

For the ambitious marketer, education could be the route to greatness, and from the range of courses and qualifications available there are plenty of people waiting to give you a leg up the career ladder. In true Pharmaceutical Marketing fashion, we thought we would have a nose around and ask the questions to help you navigate the education quagmire safely.

Before starting anything, however, it is crucial to ask yourself what training you think might be useful and work out exactly how it can help. After that's done, there's just the issue of how much time and money you'll need to do it.

Green Cross Code
A good starting point, arguably an essential one for the pharma marketer, is the one-day training course organised by the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA), the body set up by the ABPI in 1993 to independently operate the industry Code of Practice.

The course, run each month, aims to help those responsible for the day-to-day development, writing and approval of marketing materials to stay within the Code and also explains the procedures followed by the PMCPA through its Code of Practice Panel and Appeal Board.

During 2003 the monthly courses will take place at the Royal College of Nursing and cost anything from £200 to £260 depending on the membership status of the company you represent.

CAM certificates
The next educational offering is through the Communications Advertising and Marketing Education Foundation (CAM Foundation), an industry-led, nationally recognised educational body that awards advanced and higher certificates and eventually diplomas in integrated marketing communications.

CAM claims to bridge the gap between the academic and practical, providing courses that are immediately relevant to marketers' day-to-day jobs. Specifically CAM qualifications provide:

• in-depth knowledge of the key elements of planning and executing integrated marketing campaigns
• broader knowledge and competence than work experience can provide
• nationally recognised standards
• flexibility to choose different ways in which to study
• up-to-date and relevant knowledge of the theory and reality of current and future marketing communication practice

All you need to qualify for a CAM course is five GSCE's to grade C or above (or equivalent) including maths and English language, although most students are university graduates.

CAM recommends a minimum of 60 hours study including tutorials and lectures. In reality, this means 10 to 15 evening sessions in a college (or an intensive 2-3 day training plan), plus guided/own study. CAM stresses the importance of keeping up-to-date on developments within the industry through the trade press.

There are six advanced certificates, which combine to form the CAM advanced diploma in communication studies. Each module costs £60 for advanced level courses and £75 for higher level, plus any tuition provided by accredited colleges.

Marketing credentials
The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) is the world's largest marketing association and its certificates are the most frequently requested, non-degree qualification for marketing jobs. Its courses are designed to provide a basic grounding in marketing and allow maximum flexibility with study taking place on a full or part-time basis, residential or distance learning. 

Training modules can also be tailored, so the best way to compile your own learning programme and work out the impact on both time and money is to visit the Professional Development section of the CIM website (see Contacts, over, for details).

At the core of the CIM's offering are three levels of qualification, each with their own entry requirements. They are:

• the certificate-to qualify you need two A-levels (or equivalents) and, if over 20, a minimum of a year's work experience in sales/marketing
• the advanced certificate-to qualify, you need a CIM certificate in marketing, a non-marketing degree from a CIM-approved university or NVQ/SVQ Level 3 in marketing or Level 4 in another subject
• the diploma-to qualify you need a CIM advanced certificate or a degree with marketing content, or NVQ/SVQ Level 4 in marketing (Level 5 in another subject).

The certificate gives an introduction to the marketing mix, buyer behaviour and segmentation, plus it looks at the central role of the customer, examines various types of organisations and demonstrates the practical application of marketing principles within them.

The advanced certificate moves on to marketing planning, relationships with customers, information management systems and skills for marketing managers.

The diploma explores strategic marketing, international marketing plans and techniques for marketing analysis, plus it tests candidates' skills using real-life case studies.

CIM's head of training development, David Thorp, believes that good marketers can transfer their skills into any sector. "The common denominator across all sectors is the ability to understand and play a part in the formulation of marketing strategy and build effective marketing plans," he says.

Beyond solid marketing skills Thorp believes strong interpersonal skills are important for good marketers. "It is helpful to demonstrate good interpersonal skills, especially if moving into team management; good listening skills are vital so you can understand the needs of people in your new environment; and the ability to cope with change."

MBA
The Master of Business Administration postgraduate degree is seen by many in business as a passport to a glowingly successful management career. Thousands of universities and colleges offer MBA courses, many through flexible methods such as distance learning or part-time study. The University of Liverpool even offers an MBA in information technology taught entirely online in virtual classrooms.

However, with an MBA course costing anything from £3,000 to 40,000 and taking anything from 10-24 months to complete, how can you choose the course for you?

A good starting point is to contact the Association of MBA's (see Contacts, at end of article), which says that a good MBA course is meant to widen students' horizons and provide an overview of business. It also aims to help the modern manager identify new business opportunities and threats, and can enhance career and earning potential if the qualification is from a reputable institution.

Most people who apply for an MBA have an undergraduate degree and several years' work experience. In Europe, the average age of a full-time student is 27 and for those studying part-time (or by distance learning) the average age is 34.

Patrick Reid, AstraZeneca's director of global e-marketing, completed his MBA at Manchester Business School, attending two afternoon/evenings for two and a half years. AZ bought his books and enabled Reid to work flexibly to complete the course, while Reid found the funding himself.

"I wanted a more complete understanding of business processes and exposure to different work styles and cultures. Manchester was attractive due to the use of project work as a cornerstone of its teaching methodology. This ensured that you worked with a variety of people, many of whom came from the public sector," he says.

"I greatly improved my teamwork skills, presentation style and ability to quickly diagnose a business situation," says Reid. "The course gave a greater understanding of other business disciplines, the perspectives associated with these and aspects related to business models and terminology."

Has it enhanced his career? "Prior to the MBA, I had a role in the medical technical area and the MBA helped me to make the transition to a much more commercial role in a very competitive environment."

For those looking for a healthcare-specific MBA, the University of Hull offers a two-year executive programme at the Greenwich School of Management in London. Programme director Dr Geoff Makinson says: "The whole course is healthcare focused in its broadest sense. We encourage people from all sectors to enrol and while a lot of the examples are taken from the NHS, all delegates can put what they learn into practice."

Industry-run courses
For those not up to the rigours of an MBA, but who have an interest in all, things business, there is Cambridge University's Managing your Future diploma course.

Aimed at pharma professionals with several years' management experience, the programme aims to heighten strategic understanding of complex management processes and provide an opportunity for reflection on issues affecting the industry.

The six-month part-time programme was devised to minimise time away from the workplace by combining three short intensive Cambridge-based workshops with online learning delivered by a purpose-built website. Around 20 leading academics provide content for the course and successful participants will be awarded their diploma from the Cambridge University.

"What our industry needs is a way of providing our future leaders with a view of the wider context and how they fit within the industry as a whole," says Trevor Jones, director general of the ABPI, which endorses the course.

As well as formal qualifications there are a variety of courses and events run by industry groups to aid the jobbing marketer. Generally day or half-day courses, they can cost anything from £40-275; however, as most companies are members of the organisations they tend to foot the bill.

The Pharmaceutical Marketing Society, whose early focus was a social one, now runs education and training courses, to meet one of its key aims to promote the development of pharmaceutical marketers.

Usually, the PM Society organises five marketing modules per year, each evening event featuring speakers from the industry expounding topics such as medicines management and pushing the boundaries in pharmaceutical promotion. In 2002 these events cost £40 for members and £80 for non-members.

Public relations group, the Healthcare Communications Association (HCA), also runs courses for marketers and this year has run four one-day courses including industry-focused training seminars on achieving better results through PR.

Duncan McKechnie, director of marketing at Novartis, believes the HCA's training is a vital part of marketing training. "The whole concept of the HCA is fantastic," he says. "There is little or no training available in healthcare PR and it is desperately needed." One-day HCA courses are £375 for non-members and £275 for members.

Getting started
A lot of training choices are dictated by individual's expectations and career aspirations. However, before embarking on any activity-whether it be a commitment of an afternoon or two years-it is important to set some criteria for evaluation.

The bottom line for most marketers is that educational opportunities should help them with their current roles and perhaps prepare them for their next.

The Author
Simon Warne is a freelance healthcare journalist

Kindly reproduced with permission from PMLive.com.

03-Oct-2003	PMLive Article - Practical Guide: PR Consultancies: Part 3
24-Sep-2003	HCA News Release - Benchmarking Survey
01-Jul-2003	PMLive Article - Evaluating PR
09-Jun-2003	HCA News Release - Evaluation Toolkit
05-Nov-2002	PMLive Article - Get Up To Speed
01-Aug-2001	PMLive Article - Standard Bearer