MUSC COP a life-changer for Andrew Fariello ’95

Andrew Fariello’s experience at the MUSC College of Pharmacy was life-changing. Partly because he got a degree that enabled him to go on to become vice president of Global Medical Affairs and head of Medical Excellence Oncology for AstraZeneca. Mostly because the College was where he met Ruby Crummie.

“My favorite memory of MUSC is easy,” Fariello said. “On the first day, I met classmate Ruby Crummie, now Ruby Fariello. We never did study well together, but we made up for that by starting a family and being married for over 25 years!”

Beyond a doubt, that was MUSC’s best contribution to Fariello’s life. But he has parlayed his pharmacy degrees into a substantially successful career as well. Fariello got both bachelor and master of science degrees in pharmacy from St. John’s University before coming to the MUSC College of Pharmacy for his Pharm.D. At that point, he’d already worked as a pharmacist for St. John Queen’s Hospital and as an oncology pharmacist at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. After graduation, he served as clinical pharmacist at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg for five years, deciding to join AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals in 2000 as a medical science liaison.

“I missed the patient care aspect of my role, but soon realized I could have an impact on whole populations of patients by helping clinicians understand the scientific data behind our medicines,” he said. “I have been fortunate to have been able to grow into increasing roles of responsibility across different therapeutic areas, while gaining a broader understanding of the pharmaceutical R&D and commercialization processes.”

He has served in increasingly higher leadership roles at AstraZeneca, including regional and then senior director of scientific affairs, vice president of U.S. Medical Affairs, head of Global Medical Capabilities, Oncology Business Unit, and vice president of Global Medical Capabilities, Oncology. In July 2020, he assumed his current position of vice president for Global Medical Affairs and head of Medical Excellence, Oncology.

“The training I received at MUSC was foundational to help me grow into the leader I am today,” he said.