I loved the culture and the environment at AbbVie. They also threw me right into the work which was great to get the full experience and immersion.
What I wish was different
I wish I had gotten a little more out of my comfort zone with the location of the internship.
Advice
To just fully embrace the internship and don't be afraid to fail. Also to schedule as many 1on1's as possible.
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Engineering Service Intern
May - August 2021 • Worcester, MA
What I liked
My team is very supportive and helpful
What I wish was different
Be in person
Advice
Be creative and find meanings behind “tedious” tasks
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R&D Intern
May - August 2022 • Worcester, MA
What I liked
Working closely with another scientist
What I wish was different
Contributing more to research such as having a project
Advice
Don't be afraid to connect with other departments and scientists as well! They're all very friendly
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Summer Worker
June - August 2021 • Waukegan, IL
What I liked
I liked the people who worked there and the fact they gave me meaningful work.
What I wish was different
It was remote, I got to go in-person once. I wish I got to go in the office more.
Advice
Make the most out of it and ask for more work
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Summer Intern
June - August 2021 • Waukegan, IL
What I liked
I loved the skills I learned at AbbVie. Everything from how to network with managers to learning how to use power automate at a professional level
What I wish was different
I wish I had the opportunity to work in person for the whole summer instead of only the last two weeks.
Advice
Always be friendly and be sure to introduce yourself to those who you don't know! you never know who you could meet that could change your life.
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Research Intern
May - August 2021 • North Chicago, IL
What I liked
I learned a lot about the pharmaceutical industry which is a career path I am considering going into. I also got hands on experience in real labs and learned a lot about scientific processes and instruments used in research.
What I wish was different
I wish that I would have had a little more preparation or instruction about the research I was doing. I was thrown in head first and had to learn as I went which was frustrating at times.
Advice
Its worth it to get involved in research whenever and wherever you can. Being in the lad and doing hands on research is so helpful and so different that just being in a classroom. You learn real life lessons.
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Immunology Discovery Intern
June - August 2021 • Worcester, MA
What I liked
Interesting project work that was adapted to be done remotely; welcoming team and interesting science
What I wish was different
Advice
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Clinical Trial Operations Data Sciences Intern
June - August 2018 • Lake Bluff, IL
What I liked
I liked the talented interns I worked with, the abundance of networking and professional development opportunities, and the company's forward-thinking culture.
What I wish was different
I wish my manager was more available.
Advice
Connect with your manager/supervisor early to get a sense of your potential projects before accepting an internship offer.
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Pharmacovigilance and Patient Safety Medical Intern
May - August 2020 • Chicago, IL
What I liked
I liked learning about how the pharmacovigilance department works and what it's like to work at a pharmaceutical company.
What I wish was different
I wish it wasn't virtual, but glad that I got to experience it.
Advice
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Research Intern
May - August 2020 • East Ferris, Ontario
What I liked
I liked the excellent mentorship from Medicinal Chemists at AbbVie. They hosted mechanism problem solving sessions, a journal club, and gave lectures to help interns learn about medicinal chemistry.
What I wish was different
I wish I had been able to be located in Chicago for the summer, but I had to do a virtual internship due to COVID. I was very thankful, however, that AbbVie decided to continue virtually with the internship program.
Advice
Take advantage of all the opportunities provided by the programs. I was able to attend many lectures, tours, and development sessions to learn about the company, network, and learn how to further my career.
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Business Technology Solutions Intern
May - August 2020 • North Chicago, IL
What I liked
I liked how the work environment is flexible and interns are taken care of very well in the program. Lots of resources to learn more and many people who are willing to chat with you!
What I wish was different
I would probably take more time to go and have fun at intern events.
Advice
Really get to know the culture of the company. It would help you succeed and stand out amongst others.
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Clinical Trial Operations Intern
May - August 2019 • North Chicago, IL
What I liked
Great team, lots of networking opportunities and good projects
What I wish was different
More organized projects
Advice
Make connections because the people are wonderful and have a great time
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Clinical Trial Operations Intern
June - August 2019 • Chicago, IL
What I liked
Great company and people! I learned a lot about the various areas of clinical trials and Abbvie.
What I wish was different
Advice
Take advantage of all the opportunities and networking! Built a great network from this experience.
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Summer worker
June - August 2019 • North Chicago, IL
What I liked
I gained a lot of great experience doing lab work and research.
What I wish was different
I felt a lot of the time I would complete a task really quickly but then not have anything to do for a little while because my mentor was busy with their work.
Advice
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Bioinformatics Intern
May - August 2019 • Redwood City, CA
What I liked
The internship was relatively well organized. My manager was kind and understanding, and provided me with a lot of support throughout the internship. The whole office had a very good environment, and I was able to make meaningful connections with other full-time employees and other interns.
What I wish was different
The internship program is relatively small, mainly because Redwood City isn't AbbVie's main site. I also wish there were more opportunities to talk to people in different departments and functions.
Advice
Take the opportunity to reach out to people in different functions and get their perspectives. I came into the internship with a specific question in mind - whether to pursue a Ph.D. degree - and had numerous opportunities to talk to a diverse range of people, most of whom have gone through this decision at some point in their lives.
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Operations intern
May - August 2019 • North Chicago, IL
What I liked
Great environment, very diverse and sets interns for success
What I wish was different
Advice
Be prepared and dedicated. Do your best every single day, it is extremely competitive.
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Summer Researcher
May - August 2019 • North Chicago, IL
What I liked
- Networking with professionals
- Having hands-on experience working in the lab doing research
- Being able to present my work to people throughout the department at the end of the summer
- Learned a lot about the drug development process
What I wish was different
Having more activities with other interns because I didn't had the opportunity interact and getting to know with the other interns.
Advice
Network and socialize with people
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Operations Intern
June - August 2018 • North Chicago, IL
What I liked
Lots of different projects to get involved with.
What I wish was different
Advice
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Graphic Design Intern
May - August 2018 • North Chicago, IL
What I liked
I like that I learned more about my career in that experience than I did during all of my schooling
What I wish was different
I wish I could stay there and not come back to school.
Advice
Know your stuff. Don’t go In blind.
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research and development intern
May - August 2018 • Worcester, MA
What I liked
The people at AbbVie are incredibly kind and the mentorship they offer is unlike what other companies offer. Even in the intern role, I was able to contribute meaningfully to team projects. My opinions were valued. AbbVie has a great work environment because people are passionate about the work they do.
What I wish was different
It's difficult to discuss improvements because I interned at AbbVie for two summers and absolutely loved it both times. One thing to note is that the commute, especially if relying on public transportation , is long. Most people drive to AbbVie. The commuter rail is available, but does not run very frequently.
Advice
Get to know the other interns and the projects they are working on. Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it, the managers at AbbVie emphasize the learning aspect of the internship.
