“I love diving deep into organic chemistry and synthesis”

Why did you choose to study pharmacy?

“There are several reasons. First of all, I’ve always liked chemistry. It was one of my strongest subjects both in primary school and high school.”

“And another very big reason is my father. He’s a pharmacist himself, and I’ve always thought that many of the things he has done in his career have been exciting – things I could also imagine myself doing.”

What’s the best part of studying pharmacy?

“It’s a very social study, so there are a lot of wonderful people. That’s a huge plus.”

“On top of that, there are some fascinating subjects. I love diving deep into organic chemistry and synthesis – at the molecular level.”

“I also think it’s great that you learn both about the human body and about biochemical processes that are also found in nature. That way, you gain insight into yourself but also into some pretty wild things you might not have thought about. For example, the enzymes in pineapple. They break down proteins, which is why they can give you a tingling sensation in your mouth and also be used in marinades to tenderize meat.”

“I like that the program requires a certain amount of immersion before things make sense. At the same time, it’s really motivating that it’s so concrete and deals with medicines that can help people in real life.”

What’s the most challenging part?

“Of course, it’s a demanding study, but I think that’s okay. So the hardest part is probably balancing all the things I want to do.”

“You have to spend a lot of time at school and do many assignments, but you also want time for student jobs, hobbies, and all the social stuff. Luckily, I enjoy being a bit busy.”

“It’s a very social study, so there are a lot of wonderful people. That’s a huge plus.”

What student jobs do you have?

“I have four jobs, but the two main ones, which are also study-related, are being an ambassador for Pharmadanmark and a student assistant at ALK.”

“At ALK, I work in the Drug Substance Production department, where I, among other things, archive production material. I also review data and handle various administrative ad hoc tasks.”

“The job gives me direct insight into how GMP is such a huge part of the pharmaceutical industry, and I get to experience that firsthand.”

You’re going on exchange to Sydney in your sixth semester. Why do you want to go on exchange?

“I think it’s exciting to go out into the world and get the chance to live somewhere for more than a week, so you build a daily life there. You can learn a lot from being independent in that way. I also went on exchange when I was in 10th grade. I lived in the U.S. for 10 months, and that was really rewarding. I stepped out of my safe little bubble at home and got a fresh perspective.”

“I’ll be writing my bachelor’s project while I’m in Australia. I’ll be part of a research group and write with them, and I think that’s going to be really exciting.”

What career dreams do you have for the future?

“It’s hard to say, because there are so many opportunities. One area that really interests me is where pharmacy meets business. I attended Synapse’s BioBusiness Summer School in August, where I got to try that out.”

“The interaction between strategy and pharmacy is exciting – from a nerdy perspective, where you actually know how pharmaceutical production works.”

“But I’m also considering going into research, so I’m not entirely sure what I want yet.”