First Few Weeks
This summer, I received the incredible opportunity to intern as a Software Developer with Target Healthcare, a leading distributor of generic, branded, and unlicensed medicines. The experience so far has been challenging and rewarding, allowing me to have a glimpse into the professional world of software development and IT.
My main project involves creating a programme that indexes medicines using the Symfony framework. The goal is to showcase the benefits and convenience of Symfony to the Target Healthcare team. We aim to demonstrate the result by presenting the final product towards the end of our internship. The project is designed to simulate a real-world development environment, giving me valuable experience. I am also working with two other Saltire Scholars who are also interning at Target Healthcare on this project.
Collaborating with team members has been a great part of my internship. I work closely with two other Saltire Scholars in the IT department, and we get along well. We also have frequent interactions with our senior team members, who are always available if we need any help.
Within the first week of working at Target Healthcare, I was offered the opportunity to participate in Tough Mudder with other members of the team. This was a valuable experience that was extremely challenging, but it was very rewarding and made me feel a lot more comfortable within the company.
My main goal during this internship is to acclimate to a professional work environment and gain a clear understanding of what it means to be a software developer. I aim to focus on what the key skills are that translate to success in software development. I also want to contribute meaningfully to the Target Healthcare team and hopefully become a valued member.
Overall, I am enthusiastic about my internship. It is providing me with hands-on experience in both software development and IT support, enhancing my skills, and preparing me for my future. The positive and accommodating environment at Target Healthcare has made settling in an enjoyable experience, and I look forward to the remaining time I have on my internship journey.
Halfway Point
Throughout my internship to date, I have faced many new challenges and new experiences. These experiences have been invaluable to me and for my personal development. I aim to continue to learn as much as I can during this internship.
The project I am working on has evolved a lot since I started and we have implemented advanced features, and our supervisors are very impressed with our progress. We have recently been given phase 2 of the project, which was never initially planned. However, since we have advanced faster than expected, we can now implement the additional features that are given in phase 2 of our project. The project involves using the Symfony web framework to develop a similar application to the one the company currently uses. The current system is outdated, and our project is a proof of concept to show off Symfony and maybe one day replace the current system. If we continue to do a good job, the software team might continue off from our work and adapt it to their needs.
The challenges I have faced have been more personal challenges rather than work-related challenges. I have been forced outside my comfort zone many times, finding myself in situations where I don’t know much, which for a period of time caused me to lose confidence in myself and my abilities. However, I have been forced to mature and come to terms with the fact that this is completely normal and okay. As someone who takes pride in my skills, this has been a humbling experience, revealing my limits. Working full-time with a team five days a week is very different from university and putting too much pressure on myself has been a significant point for personal development, and it is something I am currently working on.
We have all gotten closer and have had a lot of time to interact and communicate. Working in a team with two other Saltire Scholars has allowed us to develop a good working relationship and we have also been getting along well outside of work during lunch and travelling. My goals have slightly shifted and as this internship has gone on, I have realised that focusing on my personal development is more important than short-term results. This internship continues to provide me with valuable experiences and opportunities for growth, and I look forward to the remaining time in this journey.
