PhD Life Science Careers – A Day in the Life of An Analyst March 12, 2012
Posted by UCL Careers Service in : Finance & IT, Industry Focus, Science & Engineering, career profiles , add a commentOriginally posted at UCL Postgraduate Careers Blog
Another in our series of guest blogs by PhD holders who work at IMS Consulting Group. You will find more information about PhD life science careers and IMS Consulting Group in our Careers in Clinical Research, Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals Forum for PhD/research students which will be held on 28th February 2012. Go to the Forum page on the Graduate School website for more details about this event.
My current project is in the area of Pricing and Market Access, which is one of three practice areas of IMSCG. As an analyst, I am also exposed to projects in Brand and Commercial Strategy (analysing commercial models and optimising brand strategy) and Strategy and Portfolio Analysis (pipeline forecasting, therapy area value assessments, pharmaceutical portfolio management). I enjoy the variety afforded by this broad competency model, as I learn more about a range of aspects relevant to the pharmaceutical industry.
I currently work with IMS colleagues in Cambridge, New York and San Francisco. This means that as soon as I wake up I need to check progress the US team has made while I’ve been sleeping! There is no “typical day” but currently, when I arrive at the office the first call I make is to the consultant I work with in Cambridge. We are in constant contact with each other to ensure that we can plan our time and manage our workloads as effectively as possible. Working with a consultant also provides a great level of support, as there is always someone to point me in the right direction and help me out. As a result I have been able to quickly pick up a wide range of skills and learn new methods of data retrieval and analysis.
Typically, we decide to work on slides for a client meeting next week and catch up later in the afternoon. I use the rest of the morning to research pricing and reimbursement regulations in several European Union countries, and do some more background reading on the therapy area. It really helps to have a good knowledge of the mechanism of a drug and disease it is intended to treat in order to create summaries of the treatment landscape to share with the wider team, and members of the client company who may not have been directly involved with the development of the drug.
After lunch with other analysts, I spend time talking to three aspiring analysts in a break between interviews. This is one part of my job I really enjoy, as quite clearly I remember being in their position – it gives them the opportunity to relax a little between case studies, and ask questions about the recruitment process, training and starting work. They are particularly interested to learn about training on the job, as they are from scientific backgrounds with little previous exposure to the business world. Luckily IMS is very strong in training – my first week was spent on an intensive consulting skills course, so I reassure them that they will quickly pick up the skills and knowledge they need to start contributing to projects.
Back upstairs, it’s back to work on preparing the presentation for our client. Mid-afternoon I lead a teleconference call with IMS colleagues in Italy and Spain to organize two day-long workshops with influential doctors in Milan and Barcelona. I take them through a presentation to give them background about the project and decide on final logistics. We are really lucky to have a good relationship with our international colleagues, as their local insight and contacts are a great help in making final arrangements. I finish around 7pm and prepare for tomorrow, as I will be travelling to the IMS Cambridge office for face-to-face meetings with the project team.
Rachel Rowbottom, IMS Consulting Group
Thinking about doing a research degree? August 3, 2011
Posted by Andrew Falconer in : further study and training, postgraduate , add a comment
Talking to some students recently it became clear that they didn’t know there are two types of post-graduate course available. The main one is a taught Masters programme. This is similar to undergraduate tuition but will usually have a signficant independent research compenent. The other is a Research Masters. These arise accross most disciplines but are often associated mainly with science related degrees. The research masters does not usually include a significant taught element but focuses on the student undertaking independent research.
Choosing a research masters route can be difficult. Our colleague Terry Jones is a specialist careers adviser working with postgraduate students. He has recorded a podcast of him in coversation talking about common questions such as deciding on a project, supervisor or university. The podcast is 17mins long and can be downloaded here. Other podcasts are available here. To find out about postgraduate options within the University of London click here.
So I got my PhD, but I want to do something different… August 23, 2010
Posted by Helen Curry in : postgraduate , 3comments
Image by clevercupcakes
It is a common enough situation to want a change, particularly after the stress of finishing that PhD dissertation, but where do you go from there?
I recommend treating this as your next research project. Think about the methods you can apply to find the information you need – from resoures, people and advice – can you apply those research methods here too? In that vein, here’s a reading list…
Websites
Vitae is an essential place to start as they have heaps of information and resources, including help if it is worries about family, age or disability that you feel are restricting your academic options. And if you are looking for career ideas, take a look at these reports to see what others in your position did next – What do researchers do 2009.
From our own website, The Careers Group, download these specialised information sheets on CVs and careers for PhDs. See also our general CV guide How to write a CV (pdf) which actually has an example of a CV from a post-doc moving our of academia, p.34.
For a real-life stories of career choices following your research degree, Beyond the PhD is fantastic for getting perspective.
If you are a science researcher, I really recommend the QM researchers blog - the opportunities posted there are open to all and cover a range of career ideas relevant to your expertise. There are also some good lists of links.
And another blog worth trying is Leaving Academia, giving peoples’ experiences of changing paths.
Books
Two titles spring to mind right away – both broad in scope and good for exploring your choices and motivations, as well as how to proceed.
What else you can do with a Ph.D. - Jan Secrist & Jacqueline Fitzpatrick, Sage Publications
I like this one for the depth of information and analysis – it is written well for its audience. It is particularly useful for analysing your skills and work personality – essential when you are applying to non-academic jobs. The book also covers job applications, interview skills, negotiation and evaluating job offers – it leads you through the whole process.
“So what are you going to do with that?” - Susan Basalla & Maggie Debelius, Chicago University Press
This book is a little less thorough, but its strength is in the career choice section. It is very helpful if you are unsure of whether leaving academia is the right choice, and where to go next. In particular the examples in chapter 2 from PhD students who went into a variety of careers makes for interesting reading.
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Does anyone have any other resources they’d recommend, or experiences to share?
Got a biomedical PhD but looking for a career outside the lab? April 24, 2009
Posted by TCG Info in : career profiles , 1 comment so farHeard of medical communications? It’s quite a specific topic, but I just thought I’d write a quick note on this as we just heard about a new publication from NetworkPharma’s MedComms on becoming a medical writer.
So what is the role of a medical writer in medical communications agencies? It is to use science and language to deliver education and communication programmes for the pharmaceutical industry. You get to continue using your scientific knowledge and research skills, but you escape the treadmill of grant applications and over-specialisation. It is a type of technical author or technical writer, another role that may be of interest to science graduates.
Requirements: PhD and research experience advantageous, science degree essential.
Salary: Trainee writers can start on £20-30k. In a year or two progression can be quick, and some go on to run their own company.
Still interested? Find out more reading the new publication From academic to medical writer : a guide to getting started in medical communications . It includes invaluable tips on getting through the application process and the tests you may be asked to do, as well as other insider information that could prove useful in an interview.
Other resources
- European Medical Writers Association – www.emwa.org.
- International Society for Medical Publication Professionals www.ismpp.org
- eMedCareers: UK job search www.emedcareers.co.uk/
See p.15 of the publication for more.
Doing a research degree? January 20, 2009
Posted by TCG Info in : postgraduate , add a commentWondering if you should do a research degree? Unsure about the applications process?
In our latest podcast, careers adviser Terry Jones answers common questions about research degrees, including:
- What is the difference between research degrees and taught postgraduate courses?
- How do I apply for a research degree?
- How do I approach potential supervisors?
- How do I decide on a project, supervisor and university?
- How can I find the right topic?
If you have any more questions, leave us a comment and I can pass them on to Terry.
And remember to sign up now for the Guardian Postgraduate Study & Training Fair 2009 tomorrow!!
Scientific proof November 27, 2008
Posted by TCG Info in : Medicine and Healthcare , add a comment2008 university application figures showed an increase in interest in many science subjects according to the latest edition (Nov 2008) of the publication What Do Graduates Do? Apparently it seems that six months after graduation, the highest employment rate among scientists was for sports science graduates.
If you’ve just graduated with a degree or postgraduate qualification in science then you may well have already explored the vast range of jobs that are available in the sector. The latest New Scientist Graduate Special – Destination Where? includes a look at the UK’s top science hotspots as well as advice on writing your CV. On the topic of CVs, The physicist’s guide to writing your CV was one of a series of little booklets we received from the Institute of Physics. It’s one of a set of guides that are unique as they have been written to take into account the skills and abilities that someone with a physics training or background has. Other titles in the series include The physicist’s guide to assessment centres and The physicist’s guide to choosing a PhD. We’ve also had some of the handbooks for the 2009 round of recruitment for Clinical Scientists Opportunities in the NHS.
An interesting article in last Sunday’s Observer highlighted the fact that The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) has revealed that formal applications for science teaching posts have reached its highest level for 13 years. Given the current financial crisis the rise is expected to continue next year as many of these applicants are coming from the City. Salaries start at around £24,000 for science teachers.Disillusioned bankers quit the City for the rewards of teaching science.
