Moving across the country for university is never easy, but for Bhavana, a third-year Bachelor of Advanced Pharmaceutical Science (Honours) student, she wanted to study at Monash because the faculty is ranked in the top five globally and for the tight-knit community at Parkville.

“The degree provides opportunities for industry experience before graduating, and the lecturers are experts in the field who are also engaged in researching pharmacy education.”

Stepping up as a mentor and student ambassador

Throughout her degree, Bhavana has actively sought volunteering opportunities that challenge her to grow. She's been a peer mentor and participated in the Domestic Student Recruitment student ambassador program, experiences that "pushed me out of my comfort zone by providing opportunities to develop teamwork and communication skills."

Her most transformative experience came through the Domestic Student Recruitment Student Ambassador role at Clayton campus – an opportunity she discovered by staying on top of her student emails about volunteering opportunities. The role delivered far beyond her expectations: It pushed her to develop public speaking skills, addressing groups of 20+ people. As a Parkville student, it helped her familiarise herself with the Clayton campus, its events and its facilities. Bhavana gained early access to opportunities like Monash Open Day ambassador roles and internal student jobs, and she participated in exclusive personal development workshops on branding and LinkedIn. Most importantly, it expanded her professional network significantly.

Outside of uni, Bhavana serves as an editing team leader for Dose of Pharma, a podcasting club associated with Monash Parkville that explores career pathways in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. This role combines her industry knowledge with communication skills, further building her professional profile.

The educators who made a difference

Bhavana's experience has been shaped by exceptional educators who helped her excel in her course. Lecturer Laurence Orlando stands out for "emphasising building employability skills early on, giving me a head start before placement and graduating." Meanwhile, Megan Waldhuber and Elizabeth Yuriev have been "excellent standout pharmaceutical educators, helping me truly understand foundational content and apply it in future units or roles." Her practical skills have been honed by teaching associates Josh Conner and Isabel Liu, who helped her improve her laboratory techniques – crucial skills in her field.

Bhavana's plans after graduating

Bhavana's career aspirations are clear and well-informed: "I aim to work in clinical trials because I believe it's the bridge between research into novel or innovative drugs and pharmaceutical manufacturing." Her degree is perfectly aligned with this goal. The curriculum, tailored specifically to the pharmaceutical industry, has equipped her with foundational knowledge through semester-long, team-based projects that apply pharmaceutical science to real industry scenarios. These experiences have developed her problem-solving and teamwork skills – essential in any clinical setting. The hands-on component has been equally valuable. "I've averaged around 40 hours of lab time per semester, helping me hone my lab skills and develop confidence in running standard operating procedures effectively."

Beyond coursework, she has access to placement opportunities with Melbourne-based clinical trial companies like Nucleus Network, Emeritus Research, and Veritus Research. Additionally, networking events exclusive to Pharmaceutical Science students have connected her with professionals across the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

"These experiences helped me clarify what I want to do and what I don't."

Advice for future students

Bhavana's advice comes from experience: "Take every opportunity you can because every experience will help you overcome the nerves bit by bit."

For students attending Open Day, she recommends speaking with current students both within and outside your intended faculty. "There's going to be 200+ of us around to give you insight into the Monash experience and hear about opportunities you can't miss. If there are any events that you find interesting, attend them! Every opportunity you seize is one step closer to your future career and graduate identity."