January 2024 Diplomat Spotlight - Thomas T. Nguyen

How did you become involved in AMCP?

My pharmacy school didn’t have an AMCP Student Chapter until at least my P3 year nor was managed care a pathway that the school really promoted so I was not aware of managed care until the fall of P4 year. I finally joined AMCP during my PGY-1 Managed Care Residency and became involved with the local Utah Affiliate and local AMCP Student Chapters in Salt Lake City region. I now reside in Austin, TX and got involved with the local Southwest AMCP Chapter by attending the affiliate meetings AMCP national meetings and built my network with other active members in our region.

What interested you the most about managed care and ultimately led you to pursue a career in managed care pharmacy?

I completed a dual degree PharmD/MBA program and was exploring different career options that would best utilize both degrees. I stumbled upon a local health plan PGY-1 Managed Care Residency Program at a local residency showcase in Portland, OR during my P4 year. They had explained to what managed care was and what their typical work day looked like. Their description peeked my interest and I did further research on managed care pharmacy.

I really enjoyed the concept of population health and being able to merge clinical information with finances/business principals. Thus I pursued to apply to only PGY-1 Managed Care Residencies even though I did not have any managed care experience.

What was your first job or position in managed care?

My first managed care experience was as a PGY-1 Managed Care Pharmacy Resident at SelectHealth/Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City, UT. Shout out to the SelectHealth team for taking a chance on me.

What does a typical day or week look like in your current role?

Currently I am the Senior Pharmacy Director for Medicaid and Marketplace products at Superior HealthPlan in Austin, TX. I primarily oversee our PBM to ensure our pharmacy benefits and formularies are set up correctly for our members. My team works collaboratively with TX Medicaid to improve member health outcomes and safety through utilization management recommendations. I work closely with internal stakeholders to drive pharmacy programs such as therapeutic interchange. However, I wear many hats in my role which includes, but not limited to: clinical, operational, compliance/regulatory/legislation, appeals, etc. No two days are the same which helps keep me on my toes and I am always learning something new. Additionally I lead our summer internship program which I really enjoy seeing our intern(s) grow in their managed care experiences.

What type of interactions have you had with your AMCP student chapter or school of pharmacy?

I have delivered presentations on residency/career opportunities within managed care pharmacy, student opportunities within AMCP and various other topics within managed care at numerous AMCP Student Chapters in Texas. With my involvement in the SW AMCP Affiliate, large focus of the affiliate to is help organize, participate, and /or provide support in student events across our region.

Words of advice?

Best advice I have for students is to explore as many different pathways/pharmacy experiences during school, as you never know what type of pharmacy setting/role you will really fall in love with. Additionally, being involved with pharmacy organizations outside of didactic curriculum and networking are also extremely beneficial!