Placement Year Review at GlaxoSmithKline

The Role

Role Description

I was involved with in vivo studies in the cardiovascular department.

I would run studies and analyse them to see if any compounds administered caused any side effects to the CV system.

Aside from studies, I was involved with looking at CV attrition and how this can be tackled as it is a major problem to pharmaceutical industries.

1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

I feel it gave me a great insight into the pharmaceutical industry and I enjoyed the department I worked in which was with the Safety Pharmacology Cardiovascular group. It has allowed me to think that I would like to work in a field similar to this and particularly with a company such as GlaxoSmithKline.

2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

By the end of my placement I really felt I was part of the team, I was involved with different projects with different people and they could rely on me to run studies and complete work to deadlines.

3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I felt my personal supervisor was very helpful and gave me guidance when I asked. The managers also provided adequate support for reviewing reports I'd written and giving me feedback.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I felt there were times when there was not much to do and this was due to a lack of studies and not much could be done about this, but overall I felt I wasn't overworked or bored for the majority of times. There was enough work to do to not get bored.

5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Once trained up for studies, I was then given responsibility with another colleague who had just joined and I helped her run studies and taught her how to run the analysis side. The department trusted me with running studies which made me feel part of the team.

6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

The placement was in a particular field and I am still undecided whether I will proceed with this career path. Aside from that, the benefits of working in a team, presenting at meetings, communicating with other departments for information has been very beneficial and will not only help me back at university in labs, seminars, tutorials but also in the future when I start a new job.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

There was a good atmosphere and a balance between work and fun which was enjoyable to work in.

8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Due to previous placements being run in the department, it seemed that it was well organised and they knew the structure of my placement. I knew when deadlines were and courses to attend to help my training etc.

9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I feel that I could easily go back and work in that department now. I know how to set up, run and analyse studies. I feel I can attend meetings and contribute work that our department has produced and I am comfortable giving presentations. They provided courses for me to attend which were paid by the company.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

• Flexi Time
• Sports and Social Club
• Subsidised/Company Gym
• Company Parties/Events
• Staff Sales/Staff Shop
• Above 25 days holiday
• Working from home

11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

I have a good relationship with the department and feel that they would be happy to take me back, but due to restrictions in budget I'm not sure I would be offered a job straight away!

Other Information

12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

The company allowed us to meet all the students prior to starting work and this allowed us to sort out houses between us. I have got on very well with some students and we all keep in touch.

13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

The area was quite expensive, but we managed to find a house that was reasonably priced. The salary provided is adequate enough to cover living costs and to socialise. The sports club was really good as it was cheap for employers from GSK.

14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 3/10

There was only really pubs in the area that I lived in. We had to travel on a train to the next stop where there was a club that was half decent. It wasn't that bad for a year though, we still had fun!

15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

There were some events advertised by the company but the area was quite small and it wasn't as busy as I may have liked. The sports club provided though was a bonus and me and fellow students made a lot of use out of it.

In addition to these questions, is there any extra information you would like to leave about your experiences on your work placement that other students may be interested in?

If you get the opportunity to work for GlaxoSmithKline then I would definitely recommend it.

Review 231/231 for GlaxoSmithKline

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