It was rewarding knowing I was contributing to the development of new drugs

What made you decide to study BSc Biomedical Science at Sheffield?

I loved that Sheffield was so close to the Peak District - being able to enjoy the city life yet easily escape to the countryside made it seem like the perfect place for me. I was also excited by the opportunity to be taught by people carrying out research at a university ranked top in the UK for biomedical science research.

What have you enjoyed most about your course?

I have enjoyed the variety this course provides. Learning about so many different disciplines of biology, from the cellular to physiological level, has allowed me to form a deeper understanding of the mechanisms behind disease.

What transferable skills have you developed during your course?

Completing a range of different coursework assignments during the course has enabled me to develop teamwork, written and verbal communication, presentation, problem solving and data handling skills.

Where is your placement and what is your role?

I am currently on an industrial placement at Roche in the pharmaceutical division, working as an associate statistical programmer in early phase clinical trials.

What sort of things have you been doing on your placement?

I have been creating outputs and visualisations of data from clinical trials using R and SAS programming, to enable our stakeholders in biostatistics, clinical science and safety science to assess whether a drug is safe and effective. During my placement I have also been required to communicate with many different people whilst working with multiple different early phase study teams, and whilst providing updates at study management team meetings as part of my study lead role. Finally, I have served as a member of the organising committee for a knowledge sharing forum where I have had to find, and connect with potential speakers. This role has even provided me with the opportunity to chair one of these events.

What have you enjoyed most about the placement year?

I have enjoyed working on multiple clinical trials across a variety of disease areas. Knowing that I have contributed towards the development of drugs, which potentially will have a positive impact on patients, is both rewarding and motivating.

What skills have you learnt from your placement?

My placement has allowed me to learn various technical skills including R, rShiny and SAS programming languages. Furthermore, I have also had the opportunity to develop many soft skills including time management, problem solving, presentation, communication and teamwork.

How do you think the placement year will help your career?

This placement year has provided me with a broad understanding of how a clinical trial is carried out and the pharmaceutical industry. Speaking to many people from different departments has increased my knowledge of the many roles available in this field, which will help me to determine what career path I may take. I have also developed many transferable skills, my growth mindset and confidence, which I hope will help me to secure a job in the future.

What do you hope to do after your degree?

My degree has left me with a strong interest in pharmacology and neuroscience, therefore I would like to pursue a masters degree in one of these fields upon graduating. Once I have completed my masters qualification, I would like to return to the pharmaceutical industry working within clinical trials, in the hope that I can have a positive impact on other people by contributing to the drug development process.