Pfizer Scholarships

Pharma Giant Includes Education in Corporate Ethos

The well-known drug company Pfizer has a longstanding history in the development and delivery of pharmaceuticals that help people with an array of health problems. But beyond their philanthropy to people, Pfizer also has experience with medications and products for animals and is dedicated to furthering research in animal medical welfare. The company currently advertises over two dozen of their key products, a number of which have become recognizable household names: Zoloft, Viagra, Lipitor, and Celebrex. Just these few products span the medical books from erectile dysfunction to depression, and high cholesterol to arthritis.

Likewise, Pfizer spans the range of corporate philosophy from globally-known research and development as well as breakthrough technologies and ingredients to educational promotion and altruism. To this end, they offer a number of scholarships that support students with conditions that they are focused on or pursuing careers of interest to the company. For instance, in 2010 Pfizer sponsored the Epilepsy Scholarship, an award to a student who had overcome their chronic illness with grace and achievement. This endeavor comes with the additional bonus of providing Pfizer with further research and case studies through the recipients of these scholarships, who are generally linked in some way to a product in which Pfizer specializes. As the world’s largest research-based company, Pfizer uses this financial outreach advantageously to extend their wealth of knowledge of the effects of various compounds on disease and wellness.

Though their headquarters are located in New York City, they provide scholarships to students throughout the world. Pfizer takes their social responsibility as such a large institution to give back to the environment, students, and humanity very seriously. Not only do they have a Patient Assistance Program that is responsible for giving their medicines to those who need them at no cost, they are very intent on forming partnerships with global organizations to further health and technology. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are available through their annual educational and charitable programming, listed in detail below.

Fellowships Provide Opportunities for Veterinary and Medical Scholars

A company like Pfizer can only thrive with constant nurture in research. To these ends the company markets its fellowship programs in a number of areas:

• Pfizer funds the Advancing Science through Pfizer-Investigator Research Exchange (ASPIRE) Program, a competitive grant funding program that awards either junior or senior researchers with funds up to $100,000 for research in one of the following areas: antibacterial research, hemophilia, transplantation, vaccines, major depressive disorder, rheumatology and the endocrine system. These areas of interest change yearly, and may be open only to graduates, depending on the chosen field of work. You can sign up for updates on the ASPIRE website to keep abreast of any changes in this program.
• Pfizer is very invested in the health and well-being of animals, and is giving away half a million dollars to support students studying animal medicine. The American Veterinary Medical Foundation partners with Pfizer to provide the Pfizer Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship Program. Veterinary students in their second or third year of training are invited to apply annually. Generally, around 330 scholarships for $2,500 each are awarded for this very generous program.
• Another program future vets will be interested in is the American Association of Bovine Practictitioners (AABP) Pfizer Animal Health Scholarship Program. Veterinary students who will soon graduate and are heavily focused on bovine-related medicine and animal health are asked to apply with an essay.
• Global Health Fellows at Pfizer work with the company and are sent out to volunteer internationally for short periods of time. Employees of the country enter markets of critical interest and share knowledge, research, and development on key pharmaceuticals. In this way, Pfizer has partnered with over 40 international development organizations in 45 different countries.

Changing Pfizer Opportunities

Don’t be intimated by the huge corporation that Pfizer is; remember that they have provided funding out of their deep pockets for thousands of organizations and individuals to be educated, do research, and engage in pharmaceutical progress. If you fall into any of the above categories, they may have something to offer you that could impact your life significantly and put you on track for a career with their corporation if you are interested. The array of scholarships, awards, and research competitions that Pfizer sponsors changes from year to year as their interests shift, so make sure you keep updated with any new awards on the Corporate Responsibility area of their website.