Medicinal Chemistry Industrial Placement Student Review

The placement was very enjoyable, I experienced a wide variety of organic chemistry techniques at G S K both in and out of the lab. The work was varied and interesting, and I felt like I was making a real difference within the project team and to the company as a whole.

I was treated like a normal team member and didn't feel like a placement student or intern. I was given the same responsibilities and trust as full time staff members at G S K. I was welcomed to the company, department and project team from the start of the placement.

My supervisor was very supportive and gave excellent guidance wherever needed. I also received great guidance from all other colleagues in the lab when I needed it. However, the supervision wasn't smothering and I was free to get on with my work independently when I didn't need help, and could ask questions when I was unsure.

My workload was well balanced - I was not given more work than I could handle but I never had nothing to do. It was easy to be flexible with the amount and level of work; I could easily take on extra jobs if I had extra time, or ask for help with my workload if I was struggling.

I was given lots of responsibility as a member of each of the project teams I worked in, being invited to almost all of the meetings and being trusted to carry out all of the same lab work as full time chemists. My suggestions and ideas were valued the same as if I were a full time employee.

The skills I gained and developed over the course of the year will be extremely valuable for my future in chemistry and for the final year of my degree. It was very useful to put into practice a lot of chemistry I had learned at University, as well as lots of new methods and techniques I hadn't seen before.

The atmosphere in the lab was relaxed, friendly and fun, with music and chatting. Everyone got on well with everyone else, and everyone was very helpful when you needed a hand with something or were looking for something. It was easy to get on with your own work in a laid back environment.

The placement was very well set up, there were lots of placement students at the site and across the company as a whole and it was co-ordinated well. The initial training week at Bristol Uni for medicinal chemists was well organised and very useful to (re-)familiarise yourself with lab techniques and become accustomed to the way things were done at G S K.

I was very well supported in terms of personal training and development. The medicinal chemistry training week at Bristol Uni was very useful and fully paid for. Essential training at work was provided, mostly in the form of E-learning, and subsequent one to one informal training was given whenever I needed help with new techniques.

There is lots of scope to revisit G S K after the placement year. It is useful to build lots of connections with people across multiple departments over the course of the year, and this is likely to help if in future if you decide you want to go back to the company. G S K runs a collaborative PhD programme with the Uni of Strathclyde, and placement students can apply to join this during their placement, to begin after their final year of University.

There are a large number of placement students across the whole of G S K, as well as about 100 at the Stevenage R & D site. There are events organised throughout the year for placement students, as well as lots of casual meet ups after work. There were also regular team pub lunches.