Why did you chose Novartis for your training position as a Master student?

I chose to do my internship at Novartis because of the leading position as a pharmaceutical company and its great reputation in discovering and developing innovative medicines. Furthermore, several of my fellow Master students had completed their training period at Novartis. They gave enthusiastic feedback about the quality of research at Novartis, the excellent working environment, quality of life in Basel, and the supervision of their experiments. Consequently, by applying at Novartis, I expected to find all these conditions which would allow me to develop a strong basis for the beginning of my career. I also chose Novartis to improve my skills in foreign languages because in such an international company, you will get in contact with people coming from various countries.

What are the experiences you have made so far at Novartis?

During my internship I learned to manage my project independently and to schedule my experiments in an appropriate way. I analyzed my results and prepared presentations to explain my project to my colleagues. I regularly came into contact with people originating from all parts of the world. Consequently, I could improve my English skills. Finally, during these eight months of internship, I put my theoretical knowledge in molecular and cellular biology into practice and enriched it by using a variety of techniques. The precious advice of my skilled colleagues was always very helpful. Last but not least, I also learned how an international company is organized.

How will the things you learned at Novartis affect your future work life?

During the training period I acquired useful technical know-how and gained the understanding of the seriousness and conscientiousness that is expected from candidates in drug discovery research. The things I learned at Novartis will allow me to integrate quickly and efficiently in my new work life.Thanks to my internship, I completed my specialization in cellular biology which will help me to take up a role in new projects with own responsibilities.

Why do you think is Novartis an excellent place for a student to do an internship or a research project?

From my point of view, Novartis is an excellent place for a student to do an internship as everything is done to support students in their career start. You learn how to manage your project independently and you become more specialized in your subject. You also have access to the cutting-edge technology used and developed by Novartis. A successfully completed internship at this company enables candidates to enter the professional life with good technical background and adequate behavior.

Thomas Dannequin
Scientific Associate NIBR (Trainee in 2009)