Halima Jawed

In combination I think my 3 personality types describe me very well. I enjoy assisting others using creativity and problem solving in my work (Coach), ensuring people are treated fairly and tasks are done accurately (Quality Controller) and researching and sharing information (Influencer). These traits all tie in directly with my job, allowing to create engaging content and complete my work to a high standard. 

Medical affairs is a job within the pharmaceutical industry that aims to educate healthcare about medicines and diseases. As an undergraduate student, lot of my time is spent making sure I am up to date on new research and creating educational materials for health care professions. As a student, I am grateful for the opportunity to learn what it’s like to work in the pharmaceutical industry. More specifically, I enjoy working in medical affairs as I get to use the scientific knowledge I have developed over the course of my degree to help educate others. Other aspects of the role I enjoy include getting to be part of a supportive team and utilising my creativity to create engaging educational content. 

Before joining university, I hadn't heard much about placement years. Once I had the opportunity to talk to people who had done placements, I realised it was a great opportunity to develop your professional skills and get a better idea of what field you would like to go into. To decide what roles I would be a good fit for, I made a list of the things I would like my job to be: scientific, health-related, involving collaboration and independent work, non-lab based and communicative. From there I identified the careers that best fit this description, leading me to apply to placements in medical affairs. 

I enjoy relaxing activities such as art, baking, yoga and photography!

When I get into the office I start by checking my emails and having a look at my calendar. I then write a to-do list/schedule for the day, including work I need to do and meetings I need to attend – this helps me stay organised and understand and what needs to be prioritised. I typically have a few meetings a day, which can consist of team catch-ups to to share what we are all working on, weekly 1:1 meeting with my manager to go over how I am doing and discuss projects I can help with or our monthly office book club! At midday I have lunch at the work canteen, which is a great opportunity to socialise with colleagues who I don’t get to work with. Lunch is normally followed by a short walk outside – it is good to get some fresh air and movement when you are at a desk most of the day! Every so often I will have an unusual day, which is always exciting. This could be volunteering with my team, presenting a poster at a medical conference, or going to a multi-day meeting! 

I did A-levels in Biology, Maths and Economics. I am now completing a BSc in Biology at the University of Bath.