Student blogs

A unique part of the MBE program is that it includes two internships in the industry, which are called practical placements. This is one of the main features that attracted me to apply to the program. The first practical placement (PP1) starts in the second semester’s second half. When I was an applicant I was very curious about the details of the placements. Now that I have recently started my PP1 I wanted to share some insights on what it exactly is.

How do you get your placement?

For PP1 the placement companies are arranged by the practical placement course coordinator. You will get to share your preferences like company size, industry and project type, and the coordinator will allocate you to the placement according to these preferences. You can be placed in, for example, pharma companies, MedTech companies, Biotechnology companies, consultancy firms, etc. The placement is approximately 8 weeks and you will be allocated in pairs, which makes the experience less daunting. The second placement (PP2) is longer, and you have to find your placement company yourself, but you get a lot of help from the program, so you don’t have to worry that you will be left without a placement.

Can you do your placement abroad?

Technically yes. For PP1 it is unlikely that you will be allocated to a company outside of Sweden, and if you do it will most likely be in a remote setting. For PP2, as you can choose your own placement you can do it abroad. If you wish you can also find your placement for PP1 and do it abroad if that’s what you want, like some students in my class did.

Paid or unpaid internship?

In Sweden, it is very uncommon to get paid for an internship position. This can come across as a shock, as internships are mostly paid in some countries. That said, it’s important to remember that these placements are an integrated learning component of your degree. They’re designed to give you real-world experience, valuable skills, and insights into different industries, all of which are beneficial for your future career.

Where Am I Doing My PP1?

I’m currently doing my PP1 at Nordic Healthcare Group, a consultancy firm located in central Stockholm. I’ve been curious about consultancy work for a while now, and this placement is giving me a behind-the-scenes look at what consultants actually do. So far, it’s been an eye-opening experience, I’m constantly learning and getting involved in real projects. A bonus is that I get to practice my Swedish, since the project I’m assisting with is primarily in Swedish. It’s a bit challenging, but also a lot of fun!

The first placement was something I had been looking forward to since the start of the program, and so far, it’s lived up to the excitement. It’s been a valuable opportunity to apply what we’ve learned in class to real-world situations and get a taste of what a future career might look like. I hope this post provides a clearer picture of what the practical placements are all about and what you can expect