Pharmacy Placement Student Review

I did enjoy it, mostly due to the other students I was with. I feel like my experience was very different to theirs because I had a very broad title which took a while to narrow down. I also had issues with equipment ordering because the equipment I needed was rare, however this was no fault of the company. My project was very up and down, with some days where I was sat at my desk all the time and other days where I was in the lab for the whole day. I think the level of enjoyment definitely depends on the project and the team you are with. We were able to organise meetings with different pharmacists within the company and visit different departments (such as animal testing) which gave me a good insight into the company and the industry.

I felt like it was difficult in the beginning to gel with my team, however towards the end, I felt more appreciated by my supervisor. We had a weekly coffee together, but aside from that there wasn't much contact with the whole team so I didn't really feel like a part of the team. I knew that what I was doing was important though, so I felt valued in that sense.

The placement helped me to be a lot more independent, and I was given support, but in a different way. It is unfortunate that the palcement is in the summer because a lot of people went on holiday, making it difficult to communicate with my supervisors at times. I felt like it was difficult because I was not in the same office as my supervisor, so talking to my supervisor (aside from email) was a bit challenging. However I was free to pop into the office if I wanted clarification or help.

It varies, some days I did not really have anything to do and other days were full on. Towards the end of the placement, once my title had been more specific and I had the equipment I needed, I was very busy. We spent time talking to a lot of pharmacists within the company and visiting different departments which gave a good insight.

The project was my own so I had the biggest influence on it to shape it and take the lead with it. I was doing most of the project work without much supervision, therefore it was up to me to deliver. I was encouraged to be very independent and get on with things myself, so there was a lot of responsibility placed on my shoulders.

I felt the experience was good because I developed essential skills for the future job that I want. I developed prioritisation and organisation skills alongside experimental planning among other skills. The pre-reg interview towards the end helped to prepare me for future interviews because we were given feedback from AZ and the hospital which allowed me to see my skills and weaknesses. It also provided a good example to give when answering competency type questions. I found that the report I wrote and experimental planning is now essential for my fourth year project, so I was a worth while placement to do.

I was in a different office to my supervisor. The office I was in was generally friendly and I was with another placement student and two other university students. I was able to ask people for help when I needed it and I also provided help, so it was a positive environment to be in.

It was quite well organised. The onboarding process could be improved, but that was done through an external company. On the first day we were given timetables for the week which included building tours. All the students (pharmacy and chemistry) weere given each others contact information so we could get to know each other beforehand which was also good.

I feel like they invested in us because of how the project developed me and gave me skills, rather than monetarily. We were trained on the equipment and systems we needed to use and I got the sense that AZ does try to help its employees so it seemed like a good company to work for in the future. The project is a win win for both the company and the student, so it is a mutually beneficial.

There was an opportunity to do a split pre-reg with them for two pharmacy students so there is the possibility to get a "job" at the end of fourth year. I think I will wait for a few years before I consider a job within the pharmaceutical industry, however AZ does have a grad scheme which seems interesting.

The other placement students were amazing! We had more or less weekly meet ups within Macclesfield as a group to do pub quizzes, bowling etc. We soon became a pretty tight knit group I felt and all got along really well together. Everyone was super friendly and we all got along really well. A lot of us went on a weekly country walk with some other AZ employees which I really enjoyed. After the pre-reg interview, all the pharmacy students went to a local pub for dinner which was really nice. The students were all a really fun bunch and we helped each other throughout the placement.

The cost of living wasn't super high. AZ pays enough to live well and have some money to spare. The biggest cost for me was rent, which was more expensive that I would have expected in the North, and travelling home every other weekend. Socialising wasn't expensive. There were certain days at the local bowling alley and clubs which were cheaper. We also went to each other's houses to socialise too and ordered in pizza.

There were clubs open, however I couldn't go during my time there. I was told that the clubs were alright with cheaper drinks and my friends did enjoy it.

There were social groups within AZ for all employees, like the weekly walks, I was also told that there was a cycling club too. But I did not really know of any other activities available.