Abstract: This presentation outlines Dr. Hopson’s path to becoming a patient safety epidemiologist in the pharmaceutical industry and highlights how training in mathematics and science can lead to impactful, applied careers. It describes how an undergraduate background in biostatistics and biology, followed by graduate training in epidemiology, shaped her interest in using data to address real-world health questions. The presentation briefly discusses her non-linear career path through data science, health insurance analytics, and consulting, and how these experiences led her to pharmacoepidemiology. It concludes with practical insights on the skills—quantitative training, programming, and critical thinking—that have been most influential, along with advice for students exploring similar career paths.

About the Speaker: Dr. Sari Hopson is a Director of Pharmacoepidemiology in Oncology/Hematology and Cell Therapy at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS). She leads and advises on pharmacoepidemiology studies across multiple therapeutic areas, collaborating with internal teams and external research partners, and serves as an epidemiology subject matter expert within Patient Safety, supporting the evaluation and interpretation of safety signals.

Prior to joining BMS, Dr. Hopson held roles in real-world evidence and data science at UCB, Inc., and in health economics and outcomes research consulting at Xcenda LLC and Comprehensive Health Insights (Humana), leading study teams and collaborative research initiatives. She has over 15 years of experience conducting and disseminating research across life sciences, payer, academic, and government settings. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at national and international scientific meetings, and she has served as a peer reviewer for journals including the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy and the Annals of Epidemiology.

Dr. Hopson holds a PhD and MSPH in Epidemiology from Emory University and a BSPH in Biostatistics and a BA in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.