Student profile
“ As a pharmacy graduate from Bath, it is not hard to find jobs in the UK.”
Gigi Wong, graduate from MPharmacy in 2007
Why Bath?
I chose the University of Bath because it is one of the top ranking universities in the UK league tables. In particular, the School of Pharmacy is internationally recognised for pharmacy education and research.
The charms of the City of Bath also helped – it is a very beautiful city surrounded by sites of historical significance such as the Roman Baths and the Royal Crescent.
Coming from Hong Kong, I’m used to life in a big city – and Bath is less than fifteen minutes from Bristol and has easy access to its international airport, so you’re never far from entertainment.
Why did Pharmacy?
I have a strong interest and passion in medicine since I was in high school. In particular, I love to develop professional skills that allow me to reach and help patients from all walks of life. I have been fascinated by how different chemical structure of drugs function in our body and what can be done to improve the safety and efficacy of medicine use.
What was best about Bath?
Bath is a cosmopolitan city despite its small size. It is home to people coming from different parts of the world, which gives us the opportunity to meet students from all over the world through different kinds of social activities or sports. This helped me a lot in developing global outlook. In addition, professors in the course have been very supportive and open-minded; you can just pop in anytime and ask them for questions!
Where did you go after your graduation from Bath?
To become a pharmacist, graduates need to complete one-year pre-registration training in the UK. I chose to do a spilt pre-registration training so as to gain a broader insight of the pharmaceutical world.
I worked in Pfizer, where the training comprises a six-month training period in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Laboratories, followed by a six-month training period at the North Middlesex Hospital in London. Throughout my placement, I contributed to live departmental projects and was given real responsibilities.
It's a fantastic opportunity to gain an insight into how one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies operates, while advancing my own academic knowledge and technical skills.
How long did it take you after your graduation to get a job offer?
As a pharmacy graduate from Bath, it is not hard to find jobs in the UK; I was very lucky to get a couple of job offers for me to choose from prior to my graduation.
Where are you working now?
I am currently working in AstraZeneca, one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world. My position is regulatory affairs associate and I am responsible for managing drug regulatory submissions, devising regulatory strategy to support product introductions and performing compliance work.
How has Bath helped you to achieve this?
Bath Pharmacy School is one of the very few pharmacy schools that offer overseas placements for students in the final year. It has very good linkages with some of the best pharmacy schools in the world.
In my third year, I was selected to work in the University of Michigan, one of the most elite universities with its pharmacy school ranked second in the USA. This placement is a unique experience to learn, explore new things as well as to take up new challenges. Bath gave me the chance to develop international outlook and this helps me so much in developing my career and understand what I want to do later on in my life.
In addition, the knowledge and experiences I gained through the Master of Pharmacy program prepared me to enter any pharmacy-related field. The pharmacy school reputation for its all-around excellence created immediate career opportunities that wouldn't have existed had I studied my degree in a lesser known university.
Would you recommend the University to a friend?
Yes, definitely! I have thoroughly enjoyed the time at the University of Bath and highly appreciated the opportunities I was given there. These life experiences are so invaluable that not only did it help with my career but also taught me to be a better person. I hope you will find your time at Bath as rewarding and as enjoyable as I have. If you’re not, keep on trying!
