I began university studying Medical Science and Law in 2016, before deciding to continue with just Medical Science after two years - this turned out to be a good decision, as I was then able to graduate just before COVID hit. During the pandemic, I was fortunate enough to find a job within my field, working for veterinary pharmaceutical company Virbac Australia crafting antigens for use in veterinary vaccines. This was my first introduction to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and I found myself gravitating towards the aspects that interfaced with GMP, culminating into me moving to the Quality Assurance (QA) department after a few years. The QA role introduced me to the larger world of GMP, looking after sterile and non-sterile products across multiple sites and I wanted to do more formal study to increase my knowledge of the field. From here, I found the UTS/SeerPharma postgraduate GMP courses.
In my spare time I can usually be found in a theatre - I have been involved with over 30 musicals and plays as a performer or working in stage management, costumes, props, marketing and front of house.
Name: Mitchell Wassink
Undergraduate degree: Bachelor of Medical Science (UTS)
Location: My undergraduate (and current) university is UTS, and I am participating in the online mode of study for the Master of GMP course. I live in the Blue Mountains, NSW.
Current role: Quality Assurance Associate at Virbac Australia.
What do you hope to achieve with this course? Working in the industry, you get a lot of valuable firsthand practical experience, however being relatively new to the field of pharmaceutical manufacturing, I wanted to expand my knowledge of the theoretical background to my field to supplement my on-the-job knowledge. I went into this course with the intention of broadening my understanding of the field and widening my perspectives through a better knowledge of how everything 'fits together' in the industry.
Why did you choose to study the course? An important factor in my decision to study this course is the option for a fully online mode of study, allowing me to complete the degree full time whilst also working full time. I had always intended on pursuing further postgraduate study, and I found that the objectives of this course matched perfectly with both my current role and future aspirations.
How are you finding the experience of undertaking this course online? The online mode of study has allowed the course to fit in perfectly with my life, and over the course of the degree I've found myself perfecting the work/uni/life balance. I have quite a few commitments outside of work and uni, and I have been able to continue to balance these. Studying online does require a large degree of self-motivation, as without regularly scheduled classes, it's largely up to you when you engage with the content, so it's also a great opportunity to develop skills in this area.
How are you finding the interactions with the lecturers and other students? It's always hard to manage fully distant communication, however the lecturers are all more than happy to answer questions and communicate with the online students, and it feels like an online community despite the physical separation. A large part of the course requires involvement with online discussions, where we get a chance to directly talk and collaborate with other students, which has really allowed me to see the diversity of the industry and understand different perspectives.