Student of pharmaceutical sciences: »We’re not just training for the pharmacy counter«

I always thought I’d end up studying economics, but when I realised what kind of jobs it led to, I changed my mind. A master’s degree in economics is basically a one-way ticket to a desk job, and I wanted to be able to try out different things — office work, working with people, travelling for work, and working in a lab.

I asked my friends what they imagined I’d study, and they all said something science-related — medicine, biology, that sort of thing. That was a real eye-opener, and after that I did all the research I could on different subjects. I actually made pros and cons lists for every degree that seemed interesting.

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Before I made my decision, I got a job as an office assistant at a pharmaceutical company where I worked with loads of pharmacists. They all spoke really highly of their degree, so in a way, that helped me make my choice too. They just seemed so happy with their jobs.

I adjusted my whole mindset to figuring out whether the degree was right for me — and it meant brushing up on chemistry and physics at B-level. It was a kind of test to see whether I could handle it, and luckily, I could.

Much more than working in a pharmacy

Pharmaceutical sciences are about drug development — how do you invent a drug? How do you develop it? That was the focus during the first year.

As the programme progresses, we also learn about what happens afterwards — how you test drugs on the population, examine side effects, and how to market and distribute medicine. Most people think pharmacists just work in pharmacies, but you can work across the entire pharmaceutical industry.

Lots of people say university is completely different from high school — but I haven’t felt that

A lot happened during the first weeks of the programme, but I only remember it as a positive time. Of course I was nervous, because I didn’t know anyone, but already after the first day I felt calmer, because I’d met the people I’d be in class with.

On the Pharmaceutical Sciences programme, there are loads of tutors and mentors ready to welcome new students — tutors organise the intro cabin trip, and mentors give presentations and plan events. They did a lot to make us feel included.

I’ve actually spent part of this summer being a mentor myself, because I wanted to give something back to the new students.

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Like secondary school, but more advanced

Before I started, I’d heard that university would be really tough, so I was surprised to find I could actually keep up. It’s been challenging, but more manageable than I expected. I also found some good friends to study with, and the social side has really kept me going.

Lots of people say university is completely different from secondary school — but I haven’t felt that. It’s secondary school 2.0, just at a higher level. We have a lot of teaching hours and tons of group work, so it feels like being in school five days a week.

Because we do so much lab work, we don’t have as much independent reading as you hear about in other programmes. I’m really grateful for that.

Some subjects are more interesting than others. We just had Pharmaceutical Physical Chemistry, which I didn’t find very engaging, so I had to push myself a bit. It’s about mathematical calculations of physical processes — it sounds complex, and it is.

But we just had Organic Chemistry, and I was hooked. That’s where you really see what the programme is all about — we were in the lab trying to develop drugs. That’s when it all felt real. I thought it was insanely cool.

It only finally clicks for you at the exam

There are definitely things I’ve had to get used to. Lectures go really fast, and we’re sitting in a hall with 250 other students, so you can’t just ask the lecturer to explain something again. You have to take initiative and figure out how you learn best.

Pharmaceutical Sciences isn’t a programme where people are obsessed with grades and student jobs. The tutors are good at reminding us to take it easy, because the first year is overwhelming. The exams are tough, and for many it takes a few tries to pass. It’s more about getting through the degree than getting top grades — and we’ll still land good jobs afterwards.

My best advice to new students? Come in with an open mind — you’ll be well received. And give it time. Six months or a year. It’s a demanding and overwhelming programme, but talk to your fellow students about it. I didn’t really start understanding the subjects until the exams. That’s when it clicks. I’ve heard nearly everyone say that.

You can sit in class thinking, none of this makes sense — what does it have to do with Pharmaceutical Sciences? — but it will all make sense at the exam.