Intern: Divya Sharma
Major: Pharmaceutical Sciences
Company: AstraZeneca
Location of Internship: Waltham, MA
Internship Title: Co-op/Intern
- Why did you choose the company that you work for?
- AstraZeneca is a well-known pharmaceutical industry carrying out innovative and patient oriented research. The project they were offering was relevant with my doctoral research project and I was interested in learning more about the techniques that could be used in this project while gaining valuable industrial work experience.
- What were some of the requirements for your internship?
- For the position, first I was interviewed on technical information regarding the project I was going to be working on, by three of the scientists in the AstraZeneca Early Product Development Formulations Research and Development team in a thorough telephone conversation. During the internship I independently worked on the research project assigned. I formulated and optimized subcutaneously injectable extended release formulations for supporting pharmacokinetic studies of small molecules in preclinical animal models. I developed methods for studying in vitro release, analysis, and drug loading tailored to polymer/drug properties using QBD approach. Moreover, I was required to present my work during weekly project update meetings and during monthly global team meetings. I also participated in the AZ 2019 summer intern-poster presentation session.
- What is your favorite part about your internship experience?
- My favorite part was getting acquainted with pharmaceutical industry work culture, specific attention to detail, getting trained on pharmaceutical equipment and also the experience of working within an interdisciplinary team.
- What is the most challenging part of your internship? How have you overcome these obstacles?
- Most challenging part was to manage multiple experiments in the limited period of the internship, to deliver through a complete well-rounded research project.
- How did you find your internship?
- Through my own self-guided research
- Why was it beneficial for you to register your internship for credit through the Internship Program?
- I could be enrolled in my graduate program while gaining the internship research experience.
- What advice would you give a student who is in the process of applying to an internship?
- Apply for positions relevant with your experience. Also, don’t get disheartened with negative decisions and keep applying for the positions you find interesting.
