Before Synergy Vision, I was stuck in a mini quarter-life crisis. Currently studying general biology at university, I already see how my degree might open many doors, albeit without any specificity. To add to this, university has been a breeding ground for imposter syndrome. Although I have never been shy, I feared the challenges and interactions that entering the workplace might have in store. This is one of the reasons I decided to embark upon a summer internship, to prepare myself for life beyond academia.
Arriving at my last week as an intern, I can say that Synergy Vision has taught me a lot in just 2 months. I’ve learnt a lot, and I know that there are plenty more learnings that will only reveal themselves to me as I move forward in my career. For now, I will share just a few of my epiphanies…
No. 1: The industry
I think it’s a rather universal experience among us students to be oblivious to the existence of Med Comms as an industry, until we come across it one day by chance. When I started, I thought that Med Comms was just a niche within advertising. However, as time went on, I learned that Med Comms much more broadly contributes towards medical education and the industry grew on me. Finding the most efficient way of communicating scientific knowledge to the healthcare sector and the general public is at the heart of the industry. Agencies have intricate processes to develop materials and meet high industry standards. They go back and forth with client and internal teams to develop the right materials to support healthcare professionals and ultimately help patients, with added steps in place to ensure complete accuracy of data, language, and messaging. Reaching the final endpoint on a project can seem tedious to an outsider, but I now understand how every step of that process is crucial, and I am extremely grateful to have been part of it.
No. 2: The hustle
Efficiency is the most valuable skill I took away from this internship: how to deliver quality content while juggling multiple projects at once. Great prioritization is daily practice for the team. Prioritization is ubiquitous, but doing it well is a skill in itself. It was satisfying to see how efficiently the team identified priorities and distributed work to ensure no one was ever left overwhelmed. Meanwhile, the team always had time to share a random thought, slip in a joke, and have a laugh. They look out for each other as colleagues but also as friends.
No. 3: The assurance
By the end of my second week, I found a sense of reassurance that I hadn’t set out looking for. Having come from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) backgrounds themselves, the Medical Writing and Editorial Team members empathized with my current situation. It is easy to feel directionless when people around you seem to have their futures already carved out. But it’s perspective that matters. Now, I see that there are infinite possibilities and ‘knowing’ where you are going is useless when life is so turbulent and unpredictable. As long as you are open to experience and reaching out, things will eventually fall into place. As of now, nothing tangible in my life has really changed in terms of my plans for the future, but I am at ease with where I am, and happy to be here, just learning as I go. And for that, I have the Synergy Vision family to thank.
