Commercial Undergraduate in Internal Medicine Review

This year has been a great opportunity for me to discover what I'm good at outside of a university environment and to have professional experience of industry. There have been ups and downs where I've had to be flexible and adaptable. I feel like I'm going back to university with a much better idea of where I'd like to go next.

Through the dynamic nature of a big corporate company, I have always felt supported by my team - even when there have been changes to my team and even my management line! I've felt really recognised for the work I have done, even by senior colleagues; the culture and ethos here is one of trust, openness and gratitude.

I'm encouraged and challenged, and my boss has always tried to shape my experiences around my interests and goals. There is an 'open-door' policy here, and I know I can go to any manager at any level if I have an issue or any questions. I've felt that I really contribute to the team.

During my year here there was a big company reorganisation which meant that some disruption was unavoidable. There was a very quiet period, however I was supported in filling this time with things of use to me; development courses, uni work etc. Moving forward from this period, the work balance has felt about right - stimulating yet not overwhelming.

I was given a really good level of responsibility which suited me, and I was able to gain as much responsibility as I went out to seek, and other times it was simply offered to me. A broad level of tasks and projects across my placement have meant varying roles and level of responsibility.

I've learnt a lot of new skills! Some are hard and practical skills which I can continue to utilise, and others are more soft skills that I have learnt and developed through working in a corporate environment - these will really see me through for life and have helped to shape my ways of working and perspectives for my future.

It can vary from day to day depending on how many people are in the office, but the culture here is great. Fortnightly bake-offs, external speakers with cake and smoothies, inspiring quotes as you enter the building, beautiful surroundings for walking during your lunchbreak and many more! Of course there are also days where you're just knuckling down and you're at your desk a lot.. this can feel longer and quieter.

The placement scheme here is really well established. Sometimes it can be difficult to know who the right person is to reach out to when you have general queries; it's such a big company. Generally though you can be pointed in the right direction. I feel the whole year has been really well coordinated, but I think the experience can vary a lot between different placement students.

I feel I've been really supported in pursuing 'extra curricular' tasks to support my interests and my development, as well as any training required for my day-to-day job. I've been able to get out of the office a lot to different meetings/trips/development days/visits with other teams and companies etc. Perhaps this doesn't entail specific personal training but has helped me to shape my experience and hone old and new skills.

I think Pfizer is a great company to work for, and I can see myself coming back in the future. However I didn't know much about the role before I started, so if I were to return I would choose a different sector of the company that would suit my skills and interests more. I'm keen to explore other options, get a masters degree and do some travel before making any big career-related decisions just yet!

There was a lot of placement students here, which is definitely a plus as it makes it a great atmosphere. However due to living in different areas, it was sometimes difficult to do things altogether. We did have some great social events, and I've lived with a group of 4 other really great students who have had a real positive influence on my experience.

Pretty pricey! Having London on the doorstop is great.. but of course that comes at a cost. I have loved being able to explore, but since we're not on a tube line here, being out later than 11pm in London involves night tubes at taxis, which definitely leaves a dent on your pockets and limits the nightlife. Day trips into London and exploring local parks etc is more cost friendly.

Hmm. I think the nature of working full time means you can't make the most of nightlife like a student would.. having said that there wasn't much here to explore unless you go into London. And like mentioned previously that is pretty costly so is only a rare event! There's plenty of pubs but they tend to involve needing a car to access them.

There's plenty of local gyms and sports facilities which is great. Some things require travel by car, so that's tricky because parking around here is a challenge. I'm not too sure what else there is to get involved in locally, of course London has heaps to offer if you're happy to travel in and out.