About Heba

A pharmacist who fell in love with explaining the science.

I've spent my career on both sides of medicine's language barrier. At the pharmacy counter I translate therapy for patients; in the agency world I translate clinical data for the people who shape how medicines are understood. My goal now is to bring those two worlds together in medical affairs.

Based in White Lake, Michigan, USA
Status Completing PharmD · Dec 2026
Focus Medical affairs · Pharma research
Heba Azzam

My story

From Sharjah, to the counter, to the page

I earned my Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy at the University of Sharjah in 2017, fascinated less by memorizing drugs than by understanding the why behind them: how a molecule becomes a therapy, and how that therapy gets explained to the people who prescribe and take it.

That curiosity led me into medical communications. As a copywriter at FCB Cure and then a medical writer at HMP Global, I learned to turn dense clinical evidence into content that holds up to medical, legal, and regulatory scrutiny. That meant CME programs, published special reports, slide decks, grant proposals, and patient-education scripts across oncology, rare disease, neurology, immunology, psychiatry, and endocrinology.

I then returned to direct patient care as a community and long-term care pharmacist in Michigan, running medication therapy management, drug utilization reviews, and counseling patients through complex regimens. It kept me close to the realities of treatment, and made me a sharper writer.

Now I'm completing my Doctor of Pharmacy in December 2026 with a clear destination: medical affairs. I want to contribute to pharmaceutical research, where the rigor of clinical pharmacy and the craft of scientific communication finally meet.

I'm not leaving pharmacy behind. I'm bringing it with me, into the rooms where science gets developed, debated, and explained.

Experience

Where I've worked

Pharmacist

Healthline Pharmacy · Pontiac, MI

Aug 2024 – Present
  • Translate complex drug information into clear, patient-friendly educational materials to improve medication adherence.
  • Conduct drug utilization reviews (DUR) and assess formulary coverage for cost-effective therapy recommendations.
  • Write and review standard operating procedures (SOPs) for pharmacy operations and regulatory compliance.
  • Partner with physicians, insurers, and care teams to resolve medication-related issues and support team-based care.

Long-Term Care Pharmacist

Quality Plus Pharmacy · Farmington, MI

Oct 2023 – Present
  • Conduct medication therapy management (MTM) consultations and document clinical interventions to optimize care.
  • Research and summarize drug interactions, adverse effects, and formulary recommendations for prescribers.
  • Apply literature reviews and clinical guidelines to chronic-disease management and hospice patient care.
  • Ensure compliance with state and federal regulations, including controlled-substance management.

Medical Writer

HMP Global · Malvern, PA (Remote)

Jun 2022 – May 2023
  • Created executive summaries, digital content, websites, slide decks, and publications for CME programs, pharmaceutical companies, advisory boards, and thought-leadership events.
  • Monitored the literature across PubMed, Cochrane, FDA databases, NEJM, The Lancet, and JAMA to keep content current.
  • Ensured compliance with AMA, ICMJE, and GPP guidelines and managed rigorous MLR review in Veeva Vault.
  • Produced CME, promotional, and disease-education content for global pharma clients using EndNote and the Adobe suite.

Junior Medical Copywriter

FCB Cure · New York, NY (Remote)

Jan 2022 – Jun 2022
  • Developed promotional medical content for an oncology medication in compliance with MLR review and FDA guidelines.
  • Annotated and edited prescribing information (PI) references for scientific accuracy and brand alignment.
  • Created HCP-directed promotional materials including slide decks, digital banners, leave-behinds, and sales-training guides.
  • Collaborated with medical directors, copy editors, and regulatory teams to streamline approval in Veeva Vault.

Pharmacy Intern

Ascension Providence Hospital · Southfield, MI

Apr 2019 – May 2021
  • Updated the “Do Not Tube” list for the pneumatic tube system to ensure safe medication transport.
  • Conducted literature reviews supporting drug-information research and medication-safety initiatives.
  • Assisted in compounding and preparing medications according to USP guidelines.
  • Managed automated dispensing systems (Pyxis/Talyst) and performed bulk medication repackaging.

Capabilities

What I bring to the table

Scientific Communication

  • Manuscripts & publications
  • CME / promotional content
  • Executive summaries
  • Slide decks & video scripts
  • Grant writing
  • Med info letters & SOPs

Regulatory & Compliance

  • MLR & OPDP review
  • AMA · ICMJE · GPP guidelines
  • 21 CFR §202.1
  • CITI Good Clinical Practice
  • Veeva Vault

Clinical Pharmacy

  • Medication therapy management (MTM)
  • Drug utilization review (DUR)
  • Clinical literature review
  • Immunization & vaccine administration
  • Hospice & chronic-disease management

Research & Tools

  • PubMed · Cochrane · FDA · EMA
  • Python & SQL
  • EndNote reference management
  • Adobe InCopy / InDesign / Acrobat
  • Hive · Google Workspace

Education

Academic foundation

Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)

Shenandoah University

Winchester, VA · Expected Dec 2026 In progress

Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy

University of Sharjah

Sharjah, UAE · Jun 2017

Recognition

Honors & competitions

Sparx Datathon: State of Virginia Winner

First place in a statewide health-data analytics competition applying data science to real clinical questions.

DIA Medical Communications Student Competition (2025)

Built a promotional strategy for a novel first-in-class drug and presented regulatory recommendations on DTC advertising, social media, and disease-awareness campaigns; applied 21 CFR §202.1 to evaluate claims and mitigate off-label and digital-misinformation risk.