Development Quality Placement Student Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my placement year at MSD. I had such a fantastic experience working with people from across the world. As well as gaining extensive insight into the clinical supply chain and how clinical trials are conducted, I have a broad understanding of how different departments interlink to run a global pharmaceutical company.

I felt extremely valued as a member of MSD. I was able to contribute my own ideas to group discussions and be involved in the process for change.

My supervisor was very supportive whilst I was on placement. She was really understanding about me having uni work to complete alongside the placement and even gave feedback on one of my reports.

Each day at MSD would vary, but there was always work to do. I was in control of my own workload, so I could choose which projects I wanted to get involved with depending on my availability.

I was surprised by the responsibility I was given during my placement. Whether it was problem-solving with external contractors or facilitating our global departmental meetings, I was never limited by being a student. I was doing the exact same work as my co-workers.

The skills I developed over the year will be transferable to the majority of workplaces. I am more inquisitive in my learning; I now ask why things are the way they are. This helps me to understand the principals behind a procedure and deepens my understanding.

Everyone in my office was friendly and happy to answer my (many!) questions. I felt comfortable in the department which helped me settle into the year very well.

The placement was well organized, we had activities planned for throughout the year, ranging from trips to manufacturing sites and personal development activities

As well as my day-to-day placement, at MSD, I was able to develop my personal skills. This included presentation practice and a one-to-one CV workshop.

My future employment prospects at MSD is very hopeful- my department would like me to come back after uni!

It was great to have a cohort of placement students in the same position as me. We would meet up after work and on weekends. My co-workers were all social as well,we found any excuse to go to London on weekends.. crazy ice cream flavours, tapas, street salsa classes

Being so close to London did make the cost of living pretty expensive. However, you get what you pay for- being a train ride from London was fantastic!

Nightlife in the towns near Hoddesdon is limited, but with Lonon around the corner, there are endless places to go!

There were many opportunities to get involved in outside of work. My department were very social which was perfect for me