Medicinal Chemist Review

Very much enjoyed the work. Cemented that this is the type of job and industry that I want to work in after graduating. Had many new experiences that I wouldn't have had if I had not carried out the placement. Slightly unfortunate that COVID-19 meant that I could not carry out my original job working in a lab for the final 5 months of my placement but that was obviously out with the company's control so I would not blame them for that.

I was very welcomed and made to feel like part of the team. The work I carried out was definitely of great importance to the team and aligned with the project's objectives. Placement students in my department are generally given more guidance at the beginning of the year and then more free to make their own contribution to the project in the second half of the year. Due to COVID-19 I couldn't make as great a contribution during the second half of the placement and my work during this time was far less valuable to the team.

I was given plenty of support and guidance from my supervisor during the year. When we both worked in the lab (prior to COVID-19 lockdown) we had desks next to each other so she was always around to answer any questions that I had. We also had meetings every two weeks to discuss my progress in more detail that we could on a day to day basis. Post COVID-19 lockdown, we had a phone call twice per week where she would check how I was doing and give guidance on what work to do.

My working hours were 8.30 am until 5 pm with an hour for lunch in the middle of the day. While I was working in the lab I had plenty to do. Generally I stopped and carried out work ups to reactions in the morning then I purified those compounds in the afternoon and finally I would set up more reactions to run overnight. Post COVID-19 lockdown I didn't have as much work to do as the vast majority of my job was lab based and I could no longer work in the lab but my company did everything they could to try and find work for me to do at home.

Placement students in my department generally follow instructions from the supervisor or team leader when it comes to decision making for the first half of the placement. However, all the practical chemistry, which was the majority of the job, is carried out by the student alone. In the second half of the placement, the student has more responsibility for the type of chemistry carried out and more input into the direction that the project is going in.

I learned so many valuable skills this year that it is difficult to put into a box like this. The state of the art machinery in the lab allowed me to learn practical skills that I never would have had the opportunity to learn at university and will definitely give me an advantage in the final year of my degree and beyond. At the beginning of the year, all placement students were taken on a residential trip to undergo basic training in practical chemistry and some of the equipment used at GSK. We had many seminars and workshops to help us pick up new concepts. During COVID-19 lockdown, lectures were given almost every day so that we could continue learning while working at home.

The atmosphere was very welcoming. I worked in a large multidisciplinary laboratory with chemists and biologists working side by side. We went for a tea break all together at least once per day which really helped to make everyone feel included. All of the chemists in my team were helpful and always willing to answer any questions that I had. There were two ladies who ran the lab and they were both very helpful if you had any general lab or office questions.

Even though was working on placement at GSK, I was actually employed by a company called SRG. This made things a little bit confusing at first. GSK were very helpful and their part of the organisation was seamless. However, SRG were slightly less helpful. A few times they changed their mind on various policies without consulting their employees or wouldn't give straight answers to questions when asked. I truly feel like the placement would have been better organised if we were employed by GSK instead of through SRG.

During the first week of the placement, the company arranged for all the placement students in my department to go on a residential training week which was fully payed for by the company and was incredibly helpful when it came to settling in to the company and learning a lot in a very short space of time. Once we started properly the next week, we had a very comprehensive training program which continued throughout the year.

Very appealing. I thoroughly enjoyed my work placement this year and am now sure that it was exactly the job and industry that I would like to work in once I graduate. The company offers a PhD programme for new graduates which I am strongly considering applying for. The fact that I had to work from home for the final 5 months of my placement and missed out on a good lot of the practical portion of my placement makes me even more motivated to return one day.

There were over 100 placement students working on the same site as me and even more working for the same company at other sites around the country. This made for an excellent social scene. There was a committee of placement students from all UK sites who organised social activities such as welcome dinners and the New Year's Ball as well as charity and networking events. Most placement students live with other placement students so there is a great feeling of community among us.

The cost of living and socialising in Stevenage is much lower than the town that I grew up in or the town where I go to university so it was a pleasant surprise. However, there is far less to do here. I spent quite a bit of time in London which is very close by and easy to get to but London is a lot more expensive so you can either pick expensive and exciting or cheap and not much to do.

There wasn't much. One of the downsides of being a smaller town. Growing up in a big city, I am fairly used to lots of choice of bars and restaurants which there wasn't really here. There are some pubs including two Wetherspoons which many of the placement students frequented and one night club. The proximity to London was definitely an advantage. It is only 20 mins on a very frequent train so it's easy to get to for a night out.

Quite a lot. There was a gym and sports club on site which was subsidised for employees. There were lots of groups and committees that you could be involved with such as Inclusion and Diversity, STEM Ambassadors, Save the Children... GSK organises orange days which are days where all employees can take the day to participate in charity work which I think is a great way to not only give back to the community but also to bond with your colleagues at the same time.