Global Patient Safety and Pharmacovigilance Industrial Placement Student Review

Pharmacovigilance is the science of detection, assessment, and identification of adverse drug reactions which occur in pharmaceuticals. Global Safety work to ensure the benefit-risk profile of a drug remains positive throughout its lifecycle, both in clinical trials and post-marketing. This involves data analysis, assessing adverse event reports, identifying potential new safety issues, authoring regulatory documents, amongst others. Pharmacovigilance scientists often work in teams with clinical development, regulatory affairs, epidemiology, biostats, medical affairs and more.

Working in conjunction with mentors and your line manager, over time you'll develop more responsibility. From the get go, I was involved in complex tasks and had the opportunity to work side-by-side with someone on it. As time went on, I was able to gain more responsibility, being given my own projects and tasks under the supervision of my line manager.

At GSK, growth and development will be forefront to your placement year. I feel like I've been able to develop massively over my years, improving presentation skills through presenting in new settings. I've developed scientific writing and communication skills. Critical thinking and analysis has been really important to my role and I've learnt how to apply that most effectively to make informed decisions on data.

The structure of support at GSK, through your line manager, mentors, and colleagues, was vital to a lot of my learning. I never felt unable to ask a question of unsure of who to ask, and the answers I received were always detailed and helpful to support my learning.

GSK's culture of Ahead Together is supported by the code, which all employees are encouraged not just to read but follow. People at GSK are aligned on to doing the right thing for patients. GSK employees are focused, dedicated, friendly, and supportive. Health and wellbeing is a central drive for GSK.

I loved my placement year at GSK. I feel like I developed, grew, and met incredible new people both other IPs and colleagues. The work was engaging, exciting, and it did really feel like I was making a difference to patients.

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