During his service with Bristol-Myers Squibb, and as part of his responsibilities to assist schools with talent development, Dr. Hedberg created a unique education program that targets graduating high-school students. RxeSEARCH—An Educational Journey was developed in conjunction with a colleague in Corporate Affairs now operating independently as BTaylor Public Affairs.
The goal of RxeSEARCH is to enable students to use theories and concepts taught in the classroom for practical purposes— all within the framework of an R&D workplace.
The program is based on a fictional narrative. It begins with the identification of a new infectious disease. It ends two to three weeks later with the release of a medication to combat that disease. (Those two to three weeks of classroom time represent more than ten years of R&D.)
Throughout the initiative, students are immersed in complex, multidisciplinary work that:
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RxeSEARCH gives students the opportunity to experience firsthand the challenges of applied analysis and problem solving; negotiation for resource allocation; decision making under deadline pressure; and the value of effective teamwork. They also have to call upon their communication skills and ethical judgment.