Professional Development

I believe that I have grown a huge amount professionally. since my first year in college I changed my study methods and general approach to learning . I found that the most successful way of learning for me personally was to take the time to truly understand a concept rather than to memorize it. this method of learning has impacted my grades hugely and i am progressing each year with better grades and an improved knowledge of the various modules and concepts. with the exception of a few the college modules I have undergone throughout my five years here at DIT have set me up for various different industries and environments. such examples would start with my laboratory practicals I have gained a massive amount of knowledge throughout my lab practicals. it is important in industry and college that the basic techniques regarding safety and equipment are thoroughly known and the experience gained from the college practical labs gave me that knowledge. I also became accustomed to certain instrumentation that is used the college labs but also in the labs of numerous different industries. I gained valuable practical experience with such instruments as the Polarimeter, UV-VIS Spectrometer, HPLC, GC-MS, Atomic flame spectrometer, NMR and PCR along with computer applications which has made me more competent and confident with various related hardware and software. other modules that I feel have given me the understanding to progress professionally include Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Instrumentation, Pharmaceutical Formulation and manufacturing, Pharmacology & toxicology, Microbiology, Occupational Health & Safety Management, Quality systems and regulatory affairs amongst others. in my third year of pharmaceutical healthcare i was required to do six months of work placement in a real working lab. The lab i was placed in was a microbiology lab in the Midlands regional hospital in Tullamore. Although microbiology was not one of my preferred fields of science this work placement ignited an interest in microbiology that was not previously there. This work placement gave me more experience than I could have expected, I soon knew for the first time what working in a professional environment entailed. I had encountered to some extent most of the techniques used in the microbiology lab in college microbiology modules and labs but it was a learning curve to perform them to the standard that is required in a working lab. during my time on placement i learnt new concepts that were directly related to pharmaceuticals, for several weeks I was taught extensively about antibiotics. this was an interesting branch of pharmaceuticals and it was exciting to learn about there emergence into the scientific world, there shortcomings regarding Resistance and the future of antibiotics. along with specific pharmaceutical related aspects of microbiology I learnt a considerable amount about quality in a lab environment. Quality systems is an important subject in any lab no matter what branch of science, I performed tasks and assignments while on placement that really broadened my knowledge of quality and how its implemented which will surely help me in future endeavours. This work placement also gave me insight and reinforced my career goals of drug related research or academic progression, although I enjoyed my placement I could not picture myself pursuing a career in microbiology or in a medical laboratory.