Welcome!

Since the last update, the internships have started. I am interning at Astellas Pharma Canada Inc., and I feel that I can look back and comment on the placement process.

The placement process occurs in two rounds; Almost everyone is matched to a position in the first round, but for those who didn’t, a second round is available.

There are approximately 40 students in my cohort, and in total there were 60+ positions available. Obviously, the quality of positions varies, but there was something for everyone.

The placement process is described as the most facilitated job search you’ll ever have in your life since the University of Toronto has agreements with Canadian Big Pharma to pump in fresh blood annually.

The internships last a year, and after that you may continue at the same company or switch to a new role and/or company, depending on your candidacy. You’ll be on your own at that point, but not to worry, the employment rate upon graduation is very, very high.

The internships themselves are great, in my experience. It’s a great way to get exposed to the industry and learn the nitty gritty details that you might not have picked up too well throughout the coursework. Depending on the company, you may also have several classmates hired alongside yourself and MBiotech alumni already working there. If so, you’ll hardly ever feel like the odd one out in your first few months and the assimilation becomes very easy.

You should squeeze as much as possible out of your internships because the “Intern/Student” title can open a lot of doors for you. People are far more inclined to recommend opportunities, connect you to people, and explain concepts that they would otherwise withhold if you were just another employee.

My internship is in Commercial Operations at Astellas, and it is an analytical role that involves using big data to drive insights and formulating recommendations for sales and marketing. I’ve learned a lot in the last three months since I’ve started, and I’m curious to see where this takes me in the coming months.

Stay tuned for the next update, and thanks for reading!

Kind regards,

Ramis