From Interns to Future Innovators: The Internship Journey at AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is proud to recognize its dedicated employees and leaders through Personified, a digital series, which highlights the impactful work, achievements, and lives of the people that make AstraZeneca a great place to work. This special feature introduces five interns that embody the mission of AstraZeneca and the core values we hope to instill in our future leaders through our summer internship program. Our participating interns: Aubrey Koch, Braden Gilday, Haley Phalines, Isabella Lavia, and Joel Bannerman, have spent this summer building and refining their professional skills under the mentorship of various leaders across multiple functions and sites at AstraZeneca. Read more about their stories in this Q&A.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background? What led you to pursue an internship at AstraZeneca?
Haley Phalines (Finance, Wilmington, DE):
I will be a senior at the University at Albany this fall, majoring in Accounting and Business Administration with concentrations in finance and management. Initially, a career in pharmaceuticals was not on my radar. I learned about this internship through an employee that suggested I apply because of my skillset. I grew up in South Jersey and still live there. I am the oldest of three siblings, with a younger sister and brother. A fun fact about me is that I play Division I lacrosse at school. My hobbies include cooking, hanging out with friends, and going to the gym.
Aubrey Koch (On Market Technical, Coppell, TX):
I am a rising senior biomedical engineering student at Texas A&M University. My previous internship involved process engineering work, and I wanted to explore a different field this summer, so I applied for a role with the On Market Technical team at AstraZeneca in Coppell, Texas. This position, which is chemistry-heavy and involves a lot of technical problem-solving, seemed like a significant departure from my previous experience, but I was excited to try something new. I am from Texas as well, hailing just 30 minutes from Dallas.
Joel Bannerman (R&D BioPharma, Gaithersburg, MD):
I will be a senior at the University of Maryland, and I am currently working with the analytical sciences team, where we test samples using various methods. While at school, I mentor students in the College Success Scholars program, which supports first-year Black and Latinx students, and serve as the education chair for a pre-health fraternity. I also took part in a research team where I proposed a research idea for a blood substitute that could aid people who are injured and need blood quickly. This is my second internship with AstraZeneca, with my first being at the Frederick, MD manufacturing site in their Global Technical Operations division. I was first introduced to the pharmaceutical industry through many conversations with professors and through my previous internship in Frederick. Through my valuable experience with the company last summer, I decided to apply again. I loved the culture of AstraZeneca and how welcoming the colleagues were of me. In this industry, it is important to keep patients in mind in everything we do. Since college, I have always wanted to have a career where I can help patients in the healthcare field and AstraZeneca has been great in fulfilling my passion.
Braden Gilday (Analytics & Insights, Wilmington, DE):
I am a rising senior at the College of Charleston, studying Supply Chain Management with a minor in Finance. I grew up in Chester County, PA and attended Unionville High School. Entering my internship search, I wanted to explore new career paths because I was not sure which direction I wanted to go in this summer or post-graduate. While I initially knew little about the pharmaceutical industry, I was drawn to AstraZeneca because of its excellent reputation and the opportunity to learn more about the field. The internship has been an opportunity to gain new skills and insights.
Isabella Lavia (US Payer & Specialty Pharmacy, Wilmington DE/ Field-based):
I am a rising senior at West Chester University in Pennsylvania, set to graduate in May 2025 with a degree in Pharmaceutical Product Development. My previous experience includes a large pharmaceutical background for my age. I worked as a pharmacy technician at CVS and interned at SAI MedPartners, which were both great experiences where I learned a lot. I met an AstraZeneca recruiter at West Chester’s Career Fair when I was looking for an internship this summer, who provided information about internship opportunities at AstraZeneca. I applied to gain experience at a pharmaceutical company, and after a successful interview, I secured the position.
What does a typical day look like for you as an intern at AstraZeneca? Could you walk us through some of the projects or tasks you have been involved in during your internship?
Haley Phalines:
My day starts with pulling the Daily Sales Order for one of the drugs I focus on. I also assist with data analysis and prepare updates for my managers, who provide further drug-specific updates to key stakeholders. I have compiled a lot of information from our team's workbooks to make it easier for my teammates to input data.
Aubrey Koch:
There is not a typical day for me as the tasks vary, and I am one of the few interns that work in a laboratory-based role at one of AstraZeneca’s manufacturing sites. My project involves understanding the chemical mechanism of how the product exchanges potassium under different conditions and evaluating how the manufacturing process can be optimized while maintaining the product quality. Because of this, I have developed a deeper understanding of chemistry and have learned a lot about important lab instruments that our team uses daily.
Joel Bannerman:
The primary role of my department is working on different streams of drug development, collecting samples, and testing. This summer, I am focusing on bridging operations between old and new instruments to ensure data accuracy and comparability. I have been training on both machines and performing analyses to validate the transition. Each day, I meet with a great teacher and mentor of mine that has been training me in these different fields throughout the summer.
Braden Gilday:
My tasks vary daily. I first worked on vaccine data and learned about the market impact these products could have. Recently, I have been involved with data analysis and am working on an early assets project involving data cleaning and forecasting, which allows me to support extensive data cleaning. Additionally, I try and network with as many AstraZeneca departments as I can and regularly schedule meetings to connect with fellow employees.
Isabella Lavia:
I am primarily field-based but attend in-person meetings and events when necessary, including any intern events hosted for us. Interestingly, I am the only intern on my team, so I have been involved in many projects, including Medicaid analysis and attending committee meetings. I also was given the opportunity to shadow multiple individuals across different fields: Contract Operations, Trade Operations, Oncology Contract Strategy, and Field Sales. I also support the team by helping with various tasks across the portfolio.
Are there any surprises or challenges that you encountered or are encountering during your internship?
Haley Phalines:
One surprise was how quickly I adapted to the jargon and acronyms used here. I was unfamiliar with some of the medical terms, but I was able to quickly adapt. Although I am trained in Microsoft Excel, I faced challenges in reactivating my skills and learned to seek help when needed rather than struggling on my own. It was a learning curve, but a welcomed change.
Aubrey Koch:
I was surprised by the depth of my project and the variety of lab instruments I had to use. My initial knowledge was less than I anticipated, so learning about these instruments and the chemistry involved has been both challenging and educational. However, I have embraced the challenges and excelled, and I believe that my lab training at AstraZeneca will be important moving forward and will translate into whatever career path I choose in the industry.
Joel Bannerman:
I was pleasantly surprised by the friendly and supportive work environment. The tight-knit community of colleagues who listened and offered advice have made my experience enjoyable, both this year in Gaithersburg, MD and last year in Frederick, MD. I was also surprised by the scale of the operations and the diversity of the projects.
Braden Gilday:
I was surprised by the level of support and openness from everyone here. Despite my initial lack of knowledge about the industry, I have found people willing to help and explain things thoroughly. A challenge I am still working on is understanding the specialized language used in meetings, but I have been learning as I go. Everyone is willing to help me learn because the language was new to them at one point.
Isabella Lavia:
A major challenge was quickly learning the complex U.S. healthcare system and the various acronyms used during meetings. However, I have found that asking questions and being fully engaged is helpful in staying updated. I was pleasantly surprised with the level of involvement and responsibility given to me. Not only have I worked on important projects, but I have also been involved in particularly important meetings. The level of involvement the company shares with interns speaks to the investment they see in us as potential future employees.
Can you share an example of a project or task where you felt you made a significant contribution during your internship?
Haley Phalines:
I would say the most significant contribution would be pulling the direct brand expenses, or DBEs, for two drugs to lead the monthly review meetings. In these meetings, each group reports out on expenses. I managed the Excel sheets and PowerPoint presentations, which helped alleviate some tasks from my manager. It has been a great experience running meetings and gaining leadership skills. In addition, I work with the other finance interns on our final project.
Aubrey Koch:
For my project, I helped create a batch of drug substances using the second-generation manufacturing process in our own team lab and ran seven different analyses on it. I have been able to work with different equipment and instruments to make and test the drug.
Joel Bannerman:
What I have done this summer was perform a bridging operation between two instruments, a method called capillary electrophoresis. One of the instruments that AstraZeneca uses for all their work on molecules has been recently updated, so it was important to bridge the two instruments to ensure it facilitates a seamless transition to match the comparability of the data between the platforms. It has been a great experience attaining the validity and reliability of the tests. We try to find the discrepancies between the two machines and figure out if we need to phase out the machines and start using new machines with the same accuracy.
Braden Gilday:
I made a significant contribution by efficiently handling a data request for European Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and COVID-19 data. Instead of manually processing the data, I used coding skills to access the raw data set, which allowed me to deliver information quickly and accurately.
Isabella Lavia:
I have worked with a regional payer for AstraZeneca’s commercial request for proposal, so I have seen the process since the beginning and have joined customer calls. I hope to see the entire process come to fruition before the end of my internship. Another internship project includes gathering feedback in specialty pharmacy and Medicare.
Based on your internship experience, what advice would you give to students aspiring to intern at AstraZeneca or similar companies?
Haley Phalines:
Start with a strong resume and highlight all relevant experiences, even those that seem minor. This can make a significant difference in securing an internship. Also, be prepared to adapt quickly and ask for help when needed.
Aubrey Koch:
Do not be afraid to apply for roles outside of your comfort zone. Internships are learning opportunities, and trying something new can provide valuable experiences and insights.
Joel Bannerman:
The first piece of advice is to be yourself. Bringing your whole self and being confident in who you are is very important. I think it will carry you a long way, whether it is an interview or something alike, just being excited about what you do and being able to talk about yourself is one of the best ways to get far in an industry like this. Also, do not be afraid to make mistakes, because everyone makes mistakes, and that is the only way you will learn.
Braden Gilday:
Internships offer valuable opportunities for networking and learning. Be open to meeting new people and gaining new skills. Embrace the chance to learn from others’ experiences and contribute to the overall goals of the organization.
Isabella Lavia:
Be open to exploring different projects and roles within the company. Do not hesitate to try new things and learn from various experiences. Building relationships and understanding different perspectives can help guide your career path and open future opportunities.
AstraZeneca takes pride in the journeys of all its employees and is dedicated to the professional development of their student interns, so they can prosper in whatever career they choose. If you or someone you know is interested in a future internship opportunity, please visit https://careers.astrazeneca.com/early-talent to learn more about what AstraZeneca has to offer.
These employees have since left AstraZeneca.