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Name: Melissa Tan
Email address: melissaweiyi@gmail.com
Course and year of study: 3rd year Biomedical Science
University/ College: The University of Sheffield
LinkedIn profile/URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-wei-yi-tan-00222b188/
Company name and location of internship: AstraZeneca Malaysia (Petaling Jaya)
Which year did you do your internship? 2020
At what point in your academic journey did you do your internship? Summer of my 2nd year
Which field was your internship in? Pharmacy
How long was your internship? 2.5 months
Was your internship a location-based or virtual? Location-based
What was the application process like?
I emailed someone from the HR department in AstraZeneca to enquire if there are any internship opportunities available, and then proceeded with a phone call interview.
What were you looking to gain from the internship experience?
I wanted exposure to the Bioscience field in Malaysia. I also hoped that this experience would be a stepping stone towards securing a placement in the UK.
What attracted you to the company for internship?
AstraZeneca is a well-known global pharmaceutical company and I aimed to build connections within the industry in Malaysia.
What did you enjoy the most about your internship?
The atmosphere and people in the company were great, which made me feel comfortable working there despite being an intern. Facilities and staff benefits were also very appealing.
What did you enjoy the least about your internship?
I wanted to contribute more to my Oncology medical team and it would have been great if I were given more tasks, specifically more challenging ones.
What is the typical working day like?
A good balance of meetings and independent work. I alternated between working from home and working in the office.
What tasks were assigned to you during your internship?
I was assigned to simple tasks such as taking meeting minutes and screening through digital modules to spot for mistakes in their videos.
What was the most challenging part of your internship?
Understanding the scientific details of the drugs used in the company was difficult. They also used many technical terms and acronyms in their daily conversations which made it very difficult to understand, especially at the beginning of my internship.
How did the experience benefit your career in the future?
The gained exposure to the Oncology climate and pharmaceutical industry in Malaysia which will be great for my future Bioscience career. I also managed to make valuable connections with people from the industry.
Any advice you would like to give to the others who are looking for internship?
Do not wait for internship openings to be advertised. Use your existing connections to reach out to companies and enquire if they have opportunities available for you.
Rate your overall internship experience: 3/5
How much did you learn during the internship? 3/5
How was the general atmosphere during your internship? 4/5
How difficult is the internship application process? 2/5
How valuable is your internship opportunities in deciding your future career path? 4/5
Are you satisfied with the salary you got from the internship? 5/5
How were the networking/social event opportunities? 3/5
To what extent did you feel being valued during the internship? 2/5
Would you recommend this internship to a friend and why?
Yes, because AstraZeneca is a large multinational company that will benefit you in terms of networking and future connections if you intend to venture into the pharmaceutical industry. Not forgetting to mention that it also looks great on the CV :)