Dr. Shannon Alexander Panicker, PharmD ’20, has received the College of Pharmacy’s 2024 Outstanding New Alumna Award. Dr. Panicker was recognized for her accomplishments in the pharmacy profession, along with her passion and commitment for her chosen field.
In addition, Dr. Panicker, who is the Senior Manager of Medical Affairs at Astellas Pharma U.S., served as the keynote speaker at the Class of 2025 Pinning Ceremony recently. Her inspirational remarks incorporated advice and encouragement for the rising P4s embarking on rotations. Her speech included the following notable message: “Something that helped me with my journey was understanding that there isn’t some arbitrary limit to the amount of success in this world. In fact there is an abundance of it, there’s enough for you, me, and everyone else in this room, and none of our successes will necessarily look the same. The success meant for you is already yours – you just have to go out and get it.”
As a student, Dr. Panicker co-founded and served as Vice President of the Industry Pharmacists Organization (IPhO), establishing the foundation of the group through several recurring events, such as professional development workshops and the annual Industry & Managed Care Round Table. She served as President of the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA) and attained record-breaking recruitment for the UGA chapter. She went on to serve on the National Executive Committee of SNPhA and worked on engaging with and supporting chapters nationwide.
Dr. Panicker completed the Regulatory Pharmaceutical Fellowship in Drug Information, sponsored by Astellas Pharma, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and Purdue University. Throughout her fellowship, she established skills in clinical literature evaluation, collaboration with cross-functional teams, and a passion for keeping patients at the center of her work. Out of her interest in supporting student learning and development, she also earned her teaching certificate from the Indiana Pharmacy Teaching Certification Program.
Dr. Panicker has precepted students during her fellowship and current career, provided countless lectures and informal talks on several topics for fellowship and industry preparation, and provided informal mentorship to several College of Pharmacy students and pharmacists interested in joining the pharmaceutical industry. She looks forward to continuing to share her passions with and and provide support to students and peers interested in this field.