Accounting Career Plan: Opioid Industry Analysis & 5-Year Goals

Self-Assessment and Personality Profile

The initial step in developing a career plan begins with self-assessment. Various areas of self-knowledge are essential in establishing a framework for professional growth. The first task is to understand one's particular identity — for example, whether one is active or reserved, passive or assertive, analytical or emotionally driven. Equally important is having clarity about one's attitudes toward life and work. For instance, a positive attitude toward work defines who a person is and may direct them toward a career that offers the opportunity to pursue a driving passion. The same career path, however, would hold little appeal for someone who views work simply as a necessary means of providing stability and income (Andolsen, 2008).

Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality analysis, one can assess four dimensions of personality: introversion/extraversion, sensing or sensitivity, thinking ability, and perception. This framework makes it possible to determine whether an individual is logical, practical, adaptable, observant, a problem-solver, a leader or follower, realistic, adventurous, or independent.

As an accountant who identifies as an ISTP personality type, I am most likely to find fulfillment through depth of focus, reliance on facts, application of logic and analysis, and adaptability. ISTPs appear across a variety of careers but are frequently drawn to professions that require sharp analytical and practical approaches. Many of these careers are related to technical fields and production, while others involve the direct delivery of structured services. The ISTP's calm flexibility, practical grounding, and willingness to critically analyze the facts tend to draw them to roles where a realistic approach to problem-solving is valued. ISTPs also tend to display a keen curiosity about how and why things work rather than pursuing abstract philosophical meaning — a curiosity oriented toward practical application (CAP, n.d.).

For an ISTP, the job search itself becomes an opportunity to apply analytical skills to a real-world challenge. It is possible to calmly gather information on prospective positions and assess objectively what is needed to apply or to market oneself effectively. The ISTP's capacity to adapt to present demands, take measured risks, and think through problems methodically tends to come across naturally to others during the job search process.

Potential drawbacks for this personality type during a job search include a tendency to focus on the immediate present rather than long-term career planning, difficulty completing tasks, and postponing career decisions out of concern that something more interesting may come along. Under stress, an ISTP may feel overwhelmed by the process and can benefit from grounding themselves in the concrete facts of their situation. Reflecting on what genuinely holds value can provide the motivation to persevere and follow through on all aspects of the job search (CAP, n.d.).

Opioids are naturally occurring and semi-synthetic drugs used to treat moderate to severe pain resulting from a range of physical conditions (PMR, 2016).

Opioid Pharmaceutical Industry Analysis

The key players in the global opioids market include Pfizer Inc., Purdue Pharma, Boehringer Ingelheim, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Actavis Plc., Sanofi, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Egalet. These organizations are pursuing greater market share through the launch of Abuse Deterrent Formulations (ADF). Major players are also concentrating on the Asia-Pacific region — particularly Australia — given its relatively flexible regulations for opium cultivation (PMR, 2016).

However, several factors are likely to constrain market growth: chronic side effects, high costs in developed countries, an over-regulated opioid prescription environment in Asia-Pacific, and limited product availability across Asia-Pacific, Africa, and parts of Europe (PMR, 2016).

Drug Abuse Epidemic and Government Response

More people died from drug overdoses in 2014 than in any previously recorded year, marking a significant public health crisis. The majority of drug overdose deaths — more than six in ten — involved an opioid. Since 1999, the rate of overdose deaths involving opioids, including prescription pain relievers and heroin, nearly quadrupled. From 2000 to 2014, close to half a million people died from drug overdoses (CDC, 2016).

The government has addressed this issue through the involvement of national agencies. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) continues its close collaboration with other federal agencies and community partners who share a strong interest in protecting public health to address the ongoing challenge posed by misuse of both prescription and non-prescription opioids. While opioids — like other approved pharmaceuticals — do present health risks, they are also powerful clinical tools for the treatment of pain (Volkow, 2015).

Looking ahead, abuse-deterrent technologies represent an important step forward for the opioid industry. They are part of the solution, though not the complete answer. The broader public health goal is to ensure safe, effective, and affordable access to opioid pain relief. Active partnerships between academics, developers, payers, patients, and physicians will be essential to the long-term success of this approach (Pitts, 2016).