No. 1 / July 2013 Distributed within The Independent ...doc.mediaplanet.com/all_projects/12753.pdf · DIANE PRIESTLEY [email protected] ‘We look at the values of applicants

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Long-term aims Personal development and career progression

Transferable skillsGaining leadership and management skills

Career optionsFrom patient-facing roles to laboratory research

CAREERS IN HEALTHCARE

Lieutenant Colonel Andrea Lewis talks about her experience as a nurse with the army and the challenges she faced along the way

Lieutenant Colonel Andrea Lewisas a nurse with the army and the challenges she faced along the way

Lieutenant Colonel Andrea Lewis

No. 1 / July 2013 Distributed within The Independent

ACHIEVE YOUR POTENTIAL

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

2 · JULY 2013 A SUPPLEMENT BY MEDIAPLANET DISTRIBUTED WITHIN THE INDEPENDENT

Understanding the vast and varied opportunities

Economic uncertainty and the announcement of a new raft of public spending cuts may paint a pretty grim picture for those seeking healthcare work, but it’s not all doom and gloom, says Mike Hill, chief executive of Graduate Prospects.

‘I learnt a lot about HIV and other diseases and issues which are prevalent in African countries which I would not get as much exposure to in a UK hospital’

Caitlin SheehyGained work experience in Tanzania on her gap year

WE RECOMMEND

PAGE 7

CAREERS IN HEALTHCARE1ST EDITION, JULY 2013

Managing Director: Chris EmbersonEditorial and Production Manager: Faye GodfreyBusiness Developer: Sara Downes

Responsible for this issue:Project Manager: Rosalynn KinoPhone: +44 (0)7795 022124E-mail: [email protected]

Distributed with: The IndependentPrint: The Independent

Mediaplanet contact information: Phone: +44 (0)203 642 0738E-mail: [email protected]

With thanks to:

Mediaplanet takes full responsibility for the contents of this supplement

We make our readers succeed!The labour market is showing signs of recovery and I would expect it to be much more buoyant as we move into 2014,

particularly for graduates and those with higher qualifications. The demand for highly quali-fied workers is expected to in-crease over the next 10 years with 490,000 more people educated to first degree and above by 2020.

Continuing growthWhile we can’t avoid the fact that the NHS is a large part of

the public sector and so hit par-ticularly hard by cuts, opportuni-ties in some areas have continued to grow including ophthalmic op-tician, pre-registration house of-ficer and dental practitioner as

well as occupational therapy and physiotherapy assistant roles. Of course, there are also a whole host of openings in the private sector both for those entering health-care or wishing to move into al-ternative roles mid-career.

Various opportunitiesThis report is intended to shed light on the state of the

healthcare sector with exclusive insight into the wide range of ca-reer options available and the ar-eas where skills are in dire need. We look at job prospects in the private sector and those overseas, from volunteering in developing countries to professional occupa-tions in the UK and Europe.

What’s clear is the abundance and variety of opportunities available to those seeking and changing careers in this sector,

which employs vast numbers of people in the UK.

Public or private?There are many interesting and useful roles in private

and public sector healthcare, which are making a real diff erence to people’s lives from skilled clini-cal positions to scientifi c work, not forgetting the myriad of counsel-ling and therapy positions.

The most common roles for graduates to hold are as pre-regis-tration house officers, nurses and midwives. And the regions where graduates are more likely to find work in healthcare at the mo-ment are Yorkshire and Humber-side, East Midlands, London and the south-east. These areas have also seen a steady rise in people working in healthcare over the last five years.

Mike Hill Chief executive, Graduate Prospects

CHALLENGES

‘What’s clear is the abundance and variety of opportunities available to those seeking and changing careers in this sector’

JULY 2013 · 3A SUPPLEMENT BY MEDIAPLANET DISTRIBUTED WITHIN THE INDEPENDENT

Capita already has a wealth of experi-ence in the health and wellbeing sec-tor. This includes delivering health re-cruitment assessments for Her Maj-esty’s Armed forces; carrying out ill health retirement medical assess-ments for the Civil Service Pension Division of the Cabinet Office and providing occupational health for the BBC. As such, Capita’s health and well-being division has grown to include some of the most talented health

and business professionals in the healthcare sector and it is now look-ing to grow its team.

Focus on health recruitmentThe attention is now focusing on the recruitment of health professionals to deliver assessments for the new PIP benefit, which replaced the Dis-ability Living Allowance (DLA). Un-like DLA, where eligibility was as-sessed through a paper based re-view, the majority of those claiming PIP will have a detailed, face-to-face

assessment with an experienced dis-ability assessor. This is where Capita Health and Wellbeing comes in.

Become a disability assessorDisability assessors must have at least two years’ post-registration experi-ence. Full-time fixed term staff will be paid £32,000 and contractors will be paid £40 per completed report.

To ensure assessments better re-flect today’s understanding of dis-ability, Capita is looking to employ health professionals who have a clear

understanding of the effects sur-rounding physical health, mental health and development disorders. Bringing together the assessor’s skills and professional integrity will enable them to build a rapport with claim-ants, and inspire confidence and trust in everyone who is assessed.

Working with disabled peopleCapita’s approach in carrying out as-sessments is to actively involve dis-abled people in the way its services are designed and delivered. Capita is engaging with organisations of, and for, disabled people — building upon its knowledge base and gain-ing valuable insight into how ser-vices can be improved to best meet disabled people’s needs. Already, 60 per cent of the senior management team, including chief executive Dr Stephen Duckworth, has a disabili-ty. The business hopes to lead by ex-ample and Stephen has pledged that in some parts of the business 40 per cent of the workforce will be made

up of people with a disability. It’s a big aspiration, but one which Capita is committed to achieving. The more disabled people employed, the more comfortable and confident staff will be in their cases and in their involve-ment with disabled people.

Sara said she was drawn to the po-sition because it offered an inter-esting alternative to her existing role: “becoming a disability asses-sor is a great way to extend your pro-fessional experience, broaden your expertise and enhance your long-term prospects. If you’re ready to ap-ply your professional training and healthcare experience by joining a culture where disability is embraced in terms of colleagues and custom-ers, get in touch with Capita now.”

■ Find out more at

www.TrainedToDo.co.uk

Broaden horizons & make a difference ■ Capita has launched a

recruitment campaign to find

health professionals like Sara

Jackson, an occupational

therapist with over five years’

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While many people in the UK complain of tough economic times and unemployment, not everyone realises that the NHS provides an abundance of varying and exciting career opportunities.

Diverse careers in the public sectorOn any given day, the NHS Jobs site typically offers more than 7,000 dif-ferent vacancies across the country.

With over one million employees in England alone, the NHS is the biggest employer in Europe and the fifth larg-est in the world.

Alan Simmons, Careers Specialist with NHS Careers, says that the NHS offers immense variety.

Not just medical jobs“People assume that everyone in the NHS is involved in treating pa-tients directly. They think of clinical professionals such as doctors, den-tists, nurses, midwives, paramed-ics and therapists. However there are many other opportunities for ex-ample in human resources, finance, catering and estate maintenance as gardeners, bricklayers, plaster-ers, surveyors. The list goes on. It’s a diverse mixture.”

And there are hundreds of careers opportunities at every stage of life. Simmons explains that school leav-ers can do an apprenticeship in “pa-tient-facing” roles and “non patient-facing” roles such as administration.

He says: “There are several en-try points for university graduates, such as the National Graduate Man-agement Training Scheme and the Scientist Training Programme for science graduates.

“And there are Return to Practice courses for professionals re-entering the NHS after a break after travelling or taking time out to raise a family.

“Workers who have established ca-reers in the private sector can also en-ter the NHS at any age.

From 2000 to 2005, the NHS ex-panded rapidly and actively recruit-ed doctors and nurses from outside the UK. However, according to Sim-mons, the health service now only

recruits outside the UK to fill specialist roles where there is a short-age such as in neonatal nursing.

“NHS healthcare delivery has changed significantly. There are now over 1,000 providers of NHS health-care including independent organisa-tions and charities, alongside NHS or-ganisations and GP surgeries.

Move around the countryThere is career advancement with-in the NHS for ambitious employees willing to relocate.

“For someone who is flexible about where they live and work, there are opportunities to develop their career, as some specialist services — such as genetics or specialist burns and plas-tics surgery — are often delivered through regional centres.

“And there is variety within each field. A clinically qualified profession-al can specialise or go from patient

care into education, research or management.” Simmons believes variety makes joining the NHS a good career choice and he says the NHS is an outstanding employer offering training support, opportunities to de-velop your skills sideways or progress upwards with the attractive struc-tured pay system.

The NHS has many talented em-ployees who are constantly training and developing their skills.

“Whether paid or voluntary work, you are never too old and always have something to offer,” says Simmons.

The NHS is a large, diverse employ-er. “We look at the values of applicants to ensure that they match with the NHS core values including compas-sion, respect and dignity and commit-ment to quality care.”

DIANE PRIESTLEY

[email protected]

‘We look at the values of applicants to ensure they match with the NHS core values including compassion, respect and dignity and commitment to quality care’Alan SimmonsCareers specialist, NHS Careers

NEWS


VARIED OPPORTUNITIESThe NHS offers not only patient-facing roles but plenty of office and administration roles tooPHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK

Have a plan B

1Think laterally about where you can use your degree to

kick start your career. For example, many physiotherapists work in sports and recreation and some oc-cupational therapists take roles in public administration or defence.

Be mobile

2Ideally, you would get a job in a city of your choice, near

friends or family. But, this isn’t al-ways possible as some areas are bet-ter for certain types of jobs than oth-ers. Consider relocation to make the most of the available opportunities.

Use careers services

3This valuable resource is of-ten overlooked. Use them

for advice and guidance in career planning and job hunting.

MIKE HILL’S TOP TIPS FOR STARTING YOUR CAREER

Search ‘hepatitis’ on Patient.co.uk Visit Patient.co.uk/complete patientuk@patientuk

8 million people a month tr

Capture your learningand get support in yourprofessional development withPatientPro Complete


Lieutenant Colonel Lew-is, 40, joined the Army in 1994 at the age of 22. While she was training

as a nurse in Chester, a colleague brought home some leaflets about the Army and that sparked her interest in the Army Medical Services.

The opportunity to travel abroad and the physical and mental chal-lenges of life in the Army inspired her to sign up

for the 12 week training programme from which

she passed out as a Private

soldier. It was not long before her talent was spotted by one of the matrons at the military hospital where she was training, and her career with the Army took off.

She went on to serve in Bos-nia, Iraq and most recently in Af-ghanistan, not only developing her nursing skills but her leader-ship ability too.

Transferable skills“Servicemen and women learn leadership and management skills from their work with the Army; these skills are increasing-ly important within an organisa-tion like the NHS which priori-tises leadership ability. The Army focuses on and invests in indi-viduals and offers some amazing career opportunities. As an Ar-my nurse you’ll also work as part of a team caring for patients in a range of different environments. Best of all, you’ll pick up some re-ally valuable life experiences,” said Lieutenant Colonel Lewis.

Lieutenant Colonel Lewis is married with a three-year-old daughter and learned of her pro-motion to Lieutenant Colonel while on maternity leave.

DEVELOPING WIDER SKILLS IN LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

■ Lieutenant Colonel Andrea Lewis is a nurse serving with the Regular Army and in October 2012 she returned from a tour of duty as the Commanding Officer of the Field Hospital in Camp Bastion. She spent six months in

Afghanistan, where she was

responsible for 270 people

serving in the Field Hospital,

of which 60 reported to

her directly.

INSPIRATION

By enabling doctors to learn and collaborate online, the internet has changed the way time-pressed medical professionals work. It has also made it easier for them to keep abreast of job vacancies within the NHS and much further beyond.

For example, Doctors.net.uk’s online jobs service sees thousands of doctors

viewing opportunities that range from traditional NHS posts to becoming a medic for the MoD to opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry and with private healthcare providers.

Working abroadInternational vacancies are also pop-ular, particularly for Australia, New Zealand, Canada and, increasingly,the Middle East, where UK doctors

Internet helps doctoon recruitment indu

Lieutenant Colonel Andrea LewisArmy Medical Services


■ While on your medical

placement, what did you learn

about healthcare that you didn’t

already know before?

!The main thing I learnt in terms of healthcare was the

difference between the health-care system in a developing coun-try compared with at home. There were obvious differences within the hospital in terms of their treatment methods, but I also gained an insight into how una-vailable healthcare can be to

people who live further out of the main towns and in villages. I learnt a lot about HIV and other diseases and issues which are prevalent in African countries which I would not get as much ex-posure to in a UK hospital. I was fortunate enough to see several caesarian sections which was something that really opened my eyes to the difference in resources available to hospitals in develop-ing countries compared with the western world.

■ How do you feel your

placement has helped you

with your future career?

! I feel like I have learnt so much in the two weeks that I

spent in Tanzania, not only on the wards with the doctors but also in the clinical teaching sessions. It has given me even more

motivation to practise a career in medicine and the experience as a whole has made me so much more appreciative of the healthcare system and standard of care we have in our own country.

■ Would you recommend gaining

work experience abroad to other

students, and why?

!I would definitely recom-mend gaining work experi-

ence abroad. Not only does it give you the chance to travel and meet other like-minded people with the same motivations, but it also gives you the chance to see the practise of medicine often stripped down to the basics and the importance of healthcare sys-tems worldwide. I can’t imagine not going to Tanzania after the amazing experience I had on my gap year.

Caitlin SheehyGained work experience in Tanzania on her gap year

CAREER CHOICES: The career opportunities in healthcare are vast and varied and the internet is making it easier for healthcare professionals to consider their options PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK

TAILOREDHEALTHCARE PLACEMENTSIN AFRICA,ASIA & SOUTH AMERICA

START YOUR EXPERIENCE

[email protected]+44 (0)1273 573863

@WORKTHEWORLDSEARCH ‘WORK THE WORLD’USERNAME ‘WORKTHEWORLD’

FOOD & ACCOMMODATIONJoin like-minded peers in a fun, comfortable & welcoming setting

24/7 IN-COUNTRY SUPPORTProfessional local staff dedicated to supporting you throughout your adventure

IN SAFE HANDSOver 1,000 placements organised for students from 150 universities worldwide in 2013

YOUR ULTIMATEUNDERGRADUATE EXPERIENCE

TAILORED PLACEMENTSSupervised placements guaranteeing safe and structured opportunities based around your interests

UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIESLong-standing hospital partnerships ensure unparalleled insight and access

PRE-DEPARTURE SUPPORTExtensive guidance from friendly and knowledgeable UK staff

are being actively recruited. For ex-ample, 5,319 Doctors.net.uk mem-bers have been viewing jobs in Aus-tralia on average each month this year; while 2,485 doctors have been looking at jobs in New Zealand.

However, while overseas work suits some doctors; the NHS clear-ly still has an enduring appeal. The average number of doctors viewing NHS locum jobs alone this year via

Doctors.net.uk stands at 14,282 per month, and the number of hospitals across the UK using the network to advertise a variety of permanent posts continues to rise.

ors keep fi nger stry pulse

ANDREA THORNTON

Head of the Recruitment Division at

Doctors.net.uk, the UK’s largest and most

active online network of medical professionals

‘IT REALLY OPENED MY EYES’

Caitlin Sheehy spent her gap year gaining invaluable work experience in Tanzania. We talk to her about what she learnt and achieved, and what her advice to others in her position would be.

PHOTO: GAP MEDICS


The pharmaceutical industry is a global industry and the UK is play-ing a vital role in all areas of re-search and development, clinical studies, manufacturing and com-mercial sales and marketing.

Within this thriving innovative industry, there is a vast array of di-verse career opportunities and a number of pathways to entry and ways to expand your career if you are an established professional.

Sarah Jones, head of educa-tion, Association of British Phar-maceutical Industry (ABPI), which represents around 55 re-search-based pharmaceutical companies and 68,000 employ-ees, explains that the sector is immensely important.

Fighting diseases“The pharmaceutical industry creates the majority of all the new, innovative medicines need-ed to treat diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, ar-thritis and every disease you can

think of. It is, however, a competi-tive industry to get into. We need highly skilled, talented people who can work at the cutting edge. It is not only scientists the in-dustry needs, but also managers, sales and marketing teams, work-ers in all aspects of manufactur-ing, engineers and many more.”

The industry off ers attractive pack-ages and dynamic opportunities

to sales and marketing staff.“Mathematical skills are in-

creasingly needed as so many jobs now require a good understand-ing of maths in order to allow you to analyse statistical data.”

Jones, who works closely with all levels of education, says phar-maceutical companies support students studying subjects rel-evant to careers in the industry.

Companies supported 644 PhD studentships in the UK in 2012.

Scope for advancementThe industry also offers mobility to senior level professionals. She says: “People today don’t think of a life-long career with one em-ployer. You might start out in a laboratory, but then move on to a different role.”

There’s lots of mobility and scope for advancement for executives.

“This is a global industry and the UK is playing a big part in dis-covering new medicines through partnerships with universities, biotechnology companies and contract research organisations. The way that medicines are devel-oped is different these days, and young people should look across the whole landscape to see how they can get involved in this dy-namic industry.”

Build a career in the innovative pharmaceutical industry

DIANE PRIESTLEY

[email protected]

Question: How can you fl ourish in the pharmaceutical industry? Answer: There are many opportunities for training and advancement for school leavers, graduates and qualifi ed professionals.

NEWS

REGISTER WITH WWW.EMEDCAREERS.COM TO KEEP UP-TO-DATEWITH THE LATEST PHARMACEUTICAL AND MEDTECH JOBS

‘We need highly skilled, talented people who can work at the cutting edge’

Sarah JonesHead of educationAssociation of British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI)

TIPS

3 ■ The pharmaceutical industry

has experienced a great deal

of change over recent years,

which has also created a lot

of new career opportunities.

In order to make the most of

these there are a few things

you should consider, says

Claire Roberts, pharmaceutical

business manager, Zenopa.

1Tailor your CV for the role you are applying for. Don’t rely on

the hiring manager to make the connections themselves as to how your experience fi ts.

2Keep interview examples re-cent. It will show that you

have kept abreast of changes in NHS and are able to identify what opportunities they present and the adaptations or new skills and knowledge required in order to be successful in your job.

3Bear in mind that recruiters are making judgments on

how you will perform in front of their clients, so communication is very important. They can gain a true picture of your abilities and character and represent you eff ec-tively to the clients they work with. They can also assist with interview practice if you haven’t had an inter-view for some time to give you the best chance of success.

Why did you make the switch to pharmaceuticals?

Rod: Pharmaceuticals seemed to offer the perfect mix of science and

medicine, putting me at the forefront of current knowledge. A career in

pharmaceuticals does not have to follow a specific path; as a medic you can do

lots of different roles and work in a variety of therapy areas, whereas in clinical

practice, once you specialise you usually remain in that area of medicine

long-term.

Jonathan: I had always wanted to be an orthopaedic surgeon, but as my

career progressed, I felt my role was becoming less varied, and there was

a limited pool of jobs at higher levels in clinical practice. I felt that I wanted

to extend my intellectual and creative skills, and having already completed

a management and business degree alongside my MBBS, I wanted a fresh

challenge. I spoke to recruitment agencies and to friends already working in

the sector, and discovered that life as a pharmaceutical medic is extremely

varied. I settled on Medical Affairs because this more commercial role best

suited my strengths and interests.

James: For me, it was deciding not to work in clinical practice rather than

deciding to work in pharmaceuticals. I left the NHS to study for an MBA

with the aim of returning to the NHS in a senior management role. I had a

preconception about pharmaceutical medics, and had concluded that I didn’t

want that career path, but I spotted the job in strategic planning at Napp and

decided to gain some experience in that type of role. Now I understand that

the roles for a medic in pharmaceuticals are incredibly interesting and varied,

so I’ve stayed and switched to Medical Affairs.

Why did you choose to come to Napp?

Rod: I had worked in clinical development in a broad range of therapy areas,

so I wanted a new challenge and to develop my commercial knowledge.

Napp was also a good fit with my background; my experience is largely

in pain, but I also have a PhD in respiratory physiology and experience in

oncology, all key areas for Napp. I also knew that the company had been the

most highly placed pharmaceutical company in the Sunday Times Top 100

a few years ago. It’s a very positive work environment here, and people are

enthusiastic and committed, with a genuine respect for their colleagues.

Jonathan: I wanted my first industry role to be in the UK, and I recognised

Napp’s products, heritage and good reputation. Since coming here, I’ve

had a lot of support for my personal and professional development. Both

James and I are undertaking Pharmaceutical Medicine Specialty Training. It’s

great that Pharmaceutical Medicine is recognised by the Royal College as an

important branch of medicine in its own right. As well as allowing me to aim

towards a higher qualification in the same way as my peers who have stayed

in clinical practice, my academic studies allow me to acquire knowledge in

all areas of pharmaceutical medicine, which means that I’m well placed to

work in other areas such as earlier clinical research, pharmacovigilance and

regulatory affairs.

Rod: Clinical knowledge and skills are important in pharmaceuticals, but

you need an additional body of knowledge, an understanding of things like

Good Clinical Practice, the principles of good trial design, the regulatory

environment, manufacturing, quality, and ethical marketing and promotion.

Pharmaceutical Medicine Specialty Training is one way to gain that

knowledge, but there are also Masters courses and on the job learning.

How have you developed during your time at Napp?

Jonathan: I’m certainly more commercially savvy now, but I also feel that my

clinical knowledge has grown; I now have a more in-depth knowledge of

pain and its management than I did when I was a surgeon.

Rod: I haven’t been here that long, but there’s always a learning curve

when you come into a new role. I have a bigger team here, so I’m learning

about myself as a people manager. The development opportunities in

pharmaceuticals are tremendous and companies are keen to invest in that

because they value the return, both for the individual and for the business.

James: I have a greater understanding of the role of pharmaceuticals in

healthcare. If I returned to clinical practice, I’d be in a much better position to

understand how we can work together to solve healthcare challenges.

What’s different about working in pharmaceuticals?

Jonathan: In clinical practice there’s a clear hierarchy of skills, whereas in

pharmaceuticals things feel more competency-based, and there are lots

of different types of people who bring with them a wide range of skills.

Being a surgeon was mainly about using my hands, but I feel that being in

pharmaceuticals is about a broader skill set, things like project management

and leadership.

James: I initially missed the camaraderie of the operating theatre, but I miss

that much less now that I’m integrated into teams. My ability to influence

strategic direction is much greater here, and I have a wider variety of projects

now.

What advice would you give to anyone considering a career in pharmaceuticals?

Rod: Make the move for positive reasons, and not because you no longer

want to be in clinical practice. Industry has its rewards, but it takes a lot of

commitment too; my industry colleagues work every bit as hard as their peers

in clinical practice. Speak to medics already working in pharmaceuticals to

get a really good understanding of what sorts of roles there are and whether

you’d enjoy them.

Rod Junor (Head of Medical Affairs), Jonathan Liu (Senior Medical Adviser) and James Mawby (Senior Medical Adviser) talk about life as a pharmaceutical medic and their roles at Napp Pharmaceuticals Limited

Pharmaceutical medicine: variety, challenge and development

“...the roles for a medic

in pharmaceuticals are

incredibly interesting and

varied...”

James Mawby

Senior Medical Adviser

www.napp.co.uk

A career in pharmaceuticals is varied and challenging, with many opportunities to apply one’s medical knowledge in the development of new medicines. Years ago pharmaceuticals used to be thought of as a back-up career for medics who wanted to leave clinical practice, but pharmaceutical medicine now has specialist status with a 4 year Pharmaceutical Medicine Specialty Tranining programme and accreditation

on the Specialist Register for Pharmaceutical Medicine; there are 220 medics on the Specialist Register now following its inception in 2003. My advice to anyone considering a career in pharmaceuticals is to think carefully about what interests and motivates them to consider this career path, because it’s just as challenging and competitive for the top jobs as it is in clinical practice. If possible, speak to a medic already in the career, attend career seminars in pharmaceutical medicine, and read as much as you can; the careers section of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine is helpful (www.fpm.org.uk).


INSPIRATION

CLIMBING THE HEALTHCARE CAREER LADDER

What opportunities are available to people working in healthcare in terms of personal development and career progression? We ask those who are climbing the ladder and making waves in the industry.

■ What do you do?

I work within a pharmacovigilance, or PV, team for a global pharmaceutical company. Pharmacovigilance is the process of collect-ing and analysing information from health-care providers and patients on the side eff ects (also called adverse events) of medications.

■ When and why did you decide on a career

in the pharmaceutical industry?

To be honest, I fell into PV by accident. I had graduated from university and initial-ly worked for a marketing agency. After two years I decided that I would prefer a career where I could use my scientifi c knowledge, and I stumbled across a job advertisement for a drug safety assistant at a local career offi ce.

■ How has your career developed since you

left university?

I have been lucky to have many opportuni-ties to develop my career along with my skill-set and education. Over the past nine years, I have progressed through several roles in my current company starting as a drug safety

scientist moving to senior drug safety scien-tist, then to drug safety manager and then to my current role as head of drug safety and local safety offi cer. Along the way I have completed a post-graduate diploma, a leadership develop-ment programme and many pharmacovigi-lance development courses alongside several opportunities to develop my soft skills.

■ What are you most proud of in your career?

I am striving constantly to achieve better things in my career. Being promoted to my current role was a great achievement for me personally, with (hopefully) completion of my MSc in Pharmacovigilance being next on the list.

However, the proudest moments for me came recently when I attended a patient presentation given by someone who had seen great benefi ts from one of our company drugs in his fi ght against terminal cancer. Knowing I had a part (albeit a small one) in getting that drug to market and impacting someone’s life made me proud to have taken a career in pharmacovigilance.

!Read more on the web:

careers.abpi.org.uk

Maxine, head of drug safety and local safety offi cer

■ What do you do?

I am responsible for the production of sever-al products, from obtaining the raw materials through to manufacture and packaging of the tablets and capsules. This involves managing a team of approximately 50 people, operators, fi rst line managers, technical staff and plan-ners. It’s my job to ensure the continuous sup-ply of products to tight deadlines.

■ Why did you decide on a career in the

pharmaceutical industry?

I have always wanted to work in the health-care industry, fi rst in hospitals and now in a pharmaceutical company making medicines.

■ Do you think additional qualifications

or experience would be an advantage for

someone entering the industry now?

Experience counts for a lot in the industry. A lot of people have worked their way up in the organisation by experience alone. Depend-ing on your fi eld of interest, and where you see yourself progressing, a degree obtained part-time or full-time is always useful.

■ How has your career developed since you

entered the industry?

After a few years as supervisor of a microbiol-ogy laboratory, I progressed to pharmaceutical laboratories supervisor incorporating micro-biology, analytical chemistry and raw materi-al sampling and inspection. Whilst doing this job I obtained Qualifi ed Person status.

I then worked for three diff erent compa-nies in a variety of roles, taking on more re-sponsibility each time, before I joined the company I currently work for.

I have worked for my current company for eight years. Initially as quality systems man-ager, but after 18 months I was promoted to quality assurance. I was then seconded to our Italian facility for 10 months. When I came back to the UK it was as quality control man-ager, responsible for a team of 65 staff , and af-ter two years became director of our Europe-an Stability Unit.

I was not in this role very long before the opportunity came up to move into produc-tion, something I had been thinking about for some time.

Mark, production director

■ What do you do?

I have been working in the pharmaceutical industry as a veterinary surgeon for three and a half years. I am part of a team of 10 vets looking after the care and welfare of the an-imals used in research. I give advice to the scientists on procedures they want to use on animals and anaesthesia and painkillers, to ensure that we cause the least amount of dis-tress to the animal.

■ What qualifications and experience

do you have?

I decided I wanted to become a vet when I was six. So I made all my subject choices at school based on becoming a vet! People told me it would be hard to get into, but I liked the challenge. I studied Physics, Biol-ogy and Chemistry A-levels. Physics wasn’t my strong point, so I had to spend a year retaking my physics A-level to get in to vet school. During that year I worked on my family farm and as a veterinary nurse, which was really helpful as it gave me an insight into both the positive and negative

aspects of the job, and gave me experience to prepare me for vet school.

I went to vet school at London University for fi ve years. I followed this with a PhD at a London Medical School researching diabetes and heart disease. From there, I had the op-portunity to go to the University of Georgia working in their vascular unit researching human and animal diseases for two years.


It sounds a little simplistic, but I feel like I’m making a contribution to improving the health of people, and ultimately ani-mals as well, because most of the drugs used in humans are also used in animals.

■ How has your career developed since

you left university?

As with a lot of professions, career progres-sion is really around my own profession-al development. In this job there are a lot of opportunities to go on courses and gain fur-ther qualifi cations and specialise in particu-lar areas of interest.

Wendy, veterinary surgeon

■ What do you do?

I am the healthcare manager for our cardio-vascular and metabolics products in north-west and north-central London. The products I currently work on are an antihypertensive and a newly launched diabetes product.

I am doing this role as a secondment to gain experience within a more commercial role which was important for my develop-ment. The role is aligned to sales and is really a high level sales position, working with hos-pital trusts (PCTs) to ensure that the right pa-tients have access to these medicines.

I work from home and in the fi eld, visit-ing customers on a daily basis, discussing our products and potential partners to work with. Its all about creating good relationships, un-derstanding what the customer is trying to achieve and looking out for opportunities.

■ How has your career developed since

you joined the industry?

I joined the industry as a medical infor-mation pharmacist about four and a half years ago, having already worked in medical

information in the NHS. After a year I was seconded into a role as a medical science manager to cover a maternity leave. This in-volved high level clinical and scientifi c dis-cussions with key opinion leaders about products in a particular disease area. This was a great role, that I loved and I jumped at a permanent opening when it came up.

This led to my most senior position, as medical advisor for a mature antihyperten-sive product.


Gaining 7 ‘Star’ awards and a distinction award over the last 6 years for my involve-ment in various projects. Also my relatively fast progression; I have been lucky enough to have enjoyed 6 promotions within 6 years.

Case studies provided by the ABPI.

Clodagh, healthcare manager


INSPIRATION

■ Within the UK, 65 per cent of all medical research and development is carried out by the pharmaceutical industry. The opportunities in the industry range from research and development to sales and marketing roles:

Research and development ■ R&D covers the initial scientifi c

research into treating disease through

to having a product ready to market.

Manufacturing and supply ■ The jobs of the manufacturers,

engineers and quality professionals is to

support the production of the medicine,

so that not only is it available in large

enough quantities to meet worldwide

demand, but also meets regulatory

demands which require the highest

possible standards of safety and quality.

Commercial roles ■ Medical representatives, sales

managers, health economics

experts, healthcare communication

professionals and product managers all

work together with the aim to promote

new medicines for the benefi t

of patients.

Support and administration ■ Within the pharmaceutical industry

there are many people who are there to

support the work of the scientists and

manufacturers, from legal experts to

human resources and training

and development.

SOURCE: ABPI

Working in thepharmaceutical industry

Documents

No. 1 / July 2013 Distributed within The Independent ...doc.mediaplanet.com/all_projects/12753.pdf · DIANE PRIESTLEY [email protected] ‘We look at the values of applicants