G&L is a regulatory affairs company which uses subject matter expertise and experience gained in various aspects of Regulatory Affairs, Quality Assurance and Clinical Development to support needs of global pharmaceutical companies. It is a full-time, office-based job where I would be working 37.5h each week. I work in a team which is specifically tied to a client and work on tasks relating to the client’s area of requirements which may vary from between Publishing CTD dossiers or Project planning and mapping.

 

When did you start thinking about work placements and what did you do to begin the search?

I started thinking about placements at the start of Year 2 and was actively researching on placements offered in the field of pharmaceuticals. The Professional Studies course in Year 2 to was helpful as we had step-by-step help from making our cv to work etiquette and interview tips. Mark Gallagher, one of the lecturers of the course, reviewed my CV and gave me useful feedback to improve my CV. I was also guided in my research for placement and attended talks arranged by Careers Centre in QUB.

 

What was the application and interview process like?

I applied to multiple companies and sent in my cv to multiple places as well. Most pharmaceutical companies have multi-stage interview processes either in-person, virtual or recorded video submissions. Some interviews had situational questions and questions about general knowledge which I did not expect but is a chance to show employers more of your personality. I had a phone call interview with G&L that was followed by an in-person interview. It was a challenging process however; I learnt a lot from it.

 

How are you finding the placement so far?

Placement has been very educational. When I first joined, I was nervous as I did not know much about regulatory affairs. However, it was a brilliant opportunity for me to learn and experience working in this field. It has been interesting being able to witness various aspects of regulatory affairs working with different pharmaceutical clients. I am enjoying working in this field as I get to learn something new every day about healthcare and drug regulations.

 

What insights have you gained from this placement?

It has reinforced my future plan. I knew I enjoyed lab-based work and hence wanted to know what working an office-job in this field would be like. This placement helped me conclude that I enjoy office work more than lab-based work as there is a lot of scope for constant learning and staying relevant in the workforce. It is less repetitive than a lab-based job and requires more teamwork and communicating with people such as clients. It helps develop interpersonal skills and other core skills required of a good employee.

 

Could you give advice to students who are considering applying to similar work placements?

Advice I would give is to ask questions. This placement is a brilliant opportunity for student to experience working in an office setting in the pharmaceutical industry. It is very different from laboratory-based jobs and therefore there is so much you can learn from the placement. Asking questions is so important to constantly learn something new, even if it for something you would think is trivial because then it ensures you are carrying out your tasks to the best of your ability.

 

Maitri Tailor

BSc Biological Sciences