EU & International Regulatory Policy Review

Overall, I really enjoyed the placement. Working for the worlds biggest pharma company gave me a great insight into the pharma industry. All undergrads were given a intense induction, where we learnt about the different business units that allow a drug to get from development to market, which really allowed us to understand how our work fits in the process. On the negative, there were times were office politics which made the environment not best suited for a young professional, this was very minimal however.

Most colleagues were very appreciative of the work I was doing. However some colleagues (no one in my team) took your work for granted. This was due to working in such a large organisation where your work would sometimes get overshadowed by others.

Both manager and team were very supportive, always having their 'door' open if I needed help with a task or project.

Some days were very slow and had little to do. This was due to the nature of the legislative process and waiting on emails/documents from colleagues.

I was given the opportunity to co-lead an internal focus area group and co-chair meetings.

Although the skills do not relate directly to my degree, they are all transferable and will stick with me for life. I feel I now have professional experience which will make myself more marketable to employers.

General atmosphere was great. Most people very friendly and approachable to talk about work or non-work related things. There is always some free food going around which is really nice! Sometimes there were times of isolation and office politics which is why I cannot give 10 stars.

The placement was well organised from the start, with a detailed induction and clear plan set out for the year. However, into the second half of the placement, when work dried up or projects finished, it took a while to gain new responsibilities or work to do.

The amount of opportunities I had made my year very worth it. This included off-site training courses, attending external meetings and conferences abroad and in London. I felt like I had lots of time and effort invested in me as an individual which allowed me to gain extra experience from the placement.

A job with the company is appealing. However, I would not rush back to the site I worked at. This is because it is not fully suited for a young professional, due to the older demographic of people working there. I would happily take a job at another site however.

Everyone gets along and eats lunch together at work. Outside of work all of the other undergrads regularly meet up and go out on nights out. There are many places in the office to chill out and enjoy a social coffee break.

Living in the area (Ramsgate) is very cheap compared to other places. However, the cheapness correlates to area. I would recommend living in Broadstairs/Canterbury as these towns are much nicer and have a greater social scene and look nicer. There are many supermarkets and shops quickly accessible in Ramsgate, however the town centre is not the nicest of places and I would avoid it during the evening as the locals do not seem friendly.

Nightlife in Ramsgate is terrible, however they are opening the world largest whetherspoons, which will be good for cracking out a few cold ones with the boys. If you want a good night out then hop on the train to Broadstairs, then hit up the Dolphin which is a pub that turns into a bar/club post 10PM. If you are feeling like having a big night out and getting on the sesh, then head out to Canterbury which has a large student population with a few clubs. If you're looking for a quiet one (a few cold frothy ones) then there are plenty of nice local pubs in Broadstairs. Please please please avoid the pubs in Ramsgate, as the locals are not friendly.

There were not many work organised activities out of work however a few fun runs and internal events were available.