Hi there!
I am Kadambari Bhide, a 3rd year undergraduate in the Chemical Engineering Department at IIT Bombay. I am someone who loves talking to people and ordering waffles 💗 The rest of my time on campus is usually spent going on long walks near the lake and trying to take ‘cool’ photos of whatever is going on around me 🙂
A Summer @Pfizer
I had the opportunity to do a two-month internship at Pfizer in Chennai during my 2nd year summer and writing this blog definitely brings back a lot of nostalgia!
The scenic IITM Campus
I have always had a passion for biosciences and I realized that the pharmaceutical domain was a perfect intersection for me to apply my chemical engineering knowledge in the healthcare sector. I also got to know that a few of my seniors in the department had interned at Pfizer in the past and a few of our alumni were also associated with the company, which drove me to apply for this role externally.
Before my internship was finalized, I had a few rounds of discussions with people associated with the modelling group at Pfizer through which I learnt about the projects they were currently working on and what would be expected from me during my time there. The role I was pursuing also involved a bit of Python programming, which I was not that confident about. So in the weeks leading up to my internship, I learned and reviewed some of those concepts based on the discussions with my mentor.
Chennai Express 😉
My main role was to build a database of experimental data to aid the cell culture modelling team. My internship was based in Chennai, at Pfizer’s site in the IIT Madras Research Park.
The beautiful IITM Research Park
I am from Thane, so going to Chennai was actually the first time I was truly away from home. For once there was absolutely no option of running home for the weekends 🙁 This naturally was a little bit scary and I still remember the nervousness within me as I said my goodbyes. But looking back, I still cannot believe what an amazing summer that was! I had my accommodation in one of the hostels at IITM and in the first few days, I found myself in the company of two amazing new friends. From driving a monkey out of our hostel room to making buttery toast on the ‘tava’ in the mess, every day was a special one!
My internship experience was very exciting. I got exposed to the world of pharma and the enormous amount of research and effort that goes into developing medicines. The best part was that all the people I met were so open to me about the work they do and the various experiences they have had. As an intern, I had a lot of questions and often did not understand the depth of their research, but everyone was extremely patient and kind to explain and clarify all my questions and respect my curiosity. As a UG student thinking about higher education or the possibility of a career in research, it was an absolute dream come true to be surrounded by such highly experienced researchers who told me all about their own ups and downs and how they took their own career decisions. Seeing chemical engineers like me work in the cutting-edge labs at the research park definitely revived the excitement for science I had right from when I was a small kid!
The summer pushed me to make my own decisions about the work I did as well as the fun I had 😊 Working during the week really made me appreciate the weekends better so my newly found friends and I used to have a great time exploring the city of Chennai, its beautiful beaches, and temples and of course eating lots and lots of good food. We made it a point to try something new every week and of course, were happy to get a break from the usual mess food. Travelling on my own, learning to take care of myself and managing my own expenses were some chaotic but crucial learning curves I experienced that summer.
Fooodd
A Learning Curve
In a company like Pfizer, everyone working around me had so much for me to learn from. I learned to observe how different people worked together, and how they approached complex problems and collaborated to reach a solution. I became aware of how an age-old company like Pfizer is built on its values and practices and how it connects with its patients and end-users. I realised the importance of following regulations and protocols, especially in the pharma industry where one mistake can affect millions of lives!
On a personal work front, I learned the importance of proper documentation and how it helps you keep track of your own work. Especially since my work involved working with a lot of data and codes, in hindsight I feel I could have been a bit more organized from the beginning of my internship itself! I also learned to communicate better and to be clear and concise. I learnt how it is important for you to ask what you want and seek advice when you need it.
The people I worked with always looked out for me. From sharing college stories during coffee breaks to getting me home-cooked food when I fell sick. It was these kind gestures that made me comfortable and adapt quickly to the new setting. I still remember that on my last day, we went out for lunch and my mentors gifted me a book with a message from them on the first page🥹They told me that this was their tradition every time someone was going to leave. This was the moment I felt truly grateful to have gotten to work in this team. It is the values I learnt from them that will always stick with me in the coming years.
The Last Supper 😉
I think internships that give you new experiences and force you out of your comfort zones are a must in order to grow as a person. As an intern, it is important to not just focus on the projects you are assigned but to take in the entirety of the experience, imagine the ‘future you’ in those roles and get a feel of the reality outside our campus. Interacting with more and more people that you get to meet through these opportunities will broaden your perspectives and give you a direction to aim for. In my opinion, internships usually make you realize what excites you (or more importantly – what does not excite you😉) Thus, it is important to explore and make the most of it and cherish the experience (and the aesthetic Instagram stories) that you will get at the end!
