UtoWhy did you all apply to Chugai Pharmaceutical when you were looking for employment after university?

EgusaFirstly, the job search process revolves around what you want to do, doesn’t it? For me, that was being involved in human health. I have always believed that good health is the most important thing in people’s lives. I developed an interest in the job of MR, which handles pharmaceuticals, and when I heard that Chugai Pharmaceutical, in particular, had many good products and an abundance of pipelines (potential new drugs), I thought that it had great potential for helping patients, so I decided to apply.

KawajiI was also attracted by its abundance of pipelines. I applied for a clinical development position, and I thought the process of negotiating with the authorities for new drug approvals looked particularly interesting, so I chose a regulatory affairs position. Chugai Pharmaceutical has many items that it has introduced from Roche, and I thought that I would be able to experience approval applications for many different new drugs.

KeoI studied pharmacy at university, where I did a practicum at a hospital pharmacy, so I was keenly aware that there are many patients waiting in hope for new drugs. That experience prompted my interest in jobs that would deliver safe, reliable drugs to patients through the new drug approval application process, which is why I applied to Chugai Pharmaceutical. At the information session, I heard someone describe the job of regulatory affairs as being like the conductor of an orchestra, connecting various departments toward the goal of new drug approval, and I thought it sounded like a rewarding job.

WatanabeI’m the same as Keo-san, in that I studied pharmacy at university. Most of my classmates wanted to become hospital pharmacists, but I was considering pharmaceutical companies because I wanted to do a job that included more involvement with people. So, during my job search, in the course of researching various companies, I came across the job of reliability assurance at Chugai Pharmaceutical. I applied because I sensed the great significance of the job that assured the quality of drugs and made it possible for patients to use them for a long time.

SumidaI also joined the company in a reliability assurance position, and I remember being struck by how rare that type of position was. Almost no other pharmaceutical companies were advertising for it. Initially, I had trouble imagining what kind of job it was, but at the information sessions, the head of the Unit said that the position of reliability assurance served as the final bastion for the delivery of safe drugs to patients, using the analogy of a goalkeeper in soccer. I thought that this was a job that might suit me. The fact that such highly specialized positions are open to new graduates may also be a sign of the expectations the company places in its young people.

EgusaAlthough I joined Chugai Pharmaceutical with the ambition to be an MR, because I came from a liberal arts background, I was anxious at first about whether I would really be able to do the job. However, they gave us a thorough education and training after we joined, so now, I spend every day working hard, dealing with physicians. For the patients and the doctors, it doesn’t matter that I’m only new. The study is hard, but when a doctor asks me a question and I am able to give a proper answer, it motivates me to work even harder.

UtoI am also an MR and I have been surprised by how flexible the working arrangements are. We are allowed to go straight to our customers from home and back again, without having to go into the office, and the medical institutions in each area are assigned to individuals, so we can use our own judgment in how we work from our first year. Because I can decide my own working arrangements at my own discretion, I feel that I have the company’s trust. This makes me conscious of wanting to do my assigned work and even more beyond that.

EgusaAlso, if there is anything we don’t know or we have any problems, our superiors and senior colleagues will support us straightaway. Everyone is so kind.

WatanabeIn my job of reliability assurance, we need a variety of knowledge about the quality of pharmaceuticals. I am extremely grateful to my OJT coach (new-graduate recruit mentor) and to my senior colleagues in my team for taking the time to teach me.

SumidaIn terms of how the reality of the job differed from my assumptions, before I started, I thought that the job of reliability assurance was mostly managing pharmaceutical manufacturing processes according to the set rules and controlling quality. However, I was surprised to find that it is not like that at all. There are some things that don’t have detailed written rules. Often, I have to judge for myself whether a certain production method is compliant with the regulations. I found it bewildering in the beginning, but I just kept asking my senior colleagues until I started to see the criteria for myself. I actually find those times when there is no set answer the most rewarding and interesting.

KawajiI felt that difference too. The role of regulatory affairs is usually to draw up a schedule for the application for approval of a new drug and coordinate with the relevant departments toward that goal. However, the role that I was given involved preparing the application documents digitally. A lot of the work is IT-oriented and there is so much I don’t know, but that in itself means I have been able to encounter new worlds, which has been a good thing.

EgusaChugai Pharmaceutical has many drugs that I want to recommend to the people who are important to me as well. I want to build up my career even further and become the kind of MR who engages with a variety of hospitals and doctors and who can deliver drugs to more patients.

UtoAfter I have gained experience as an MR, because this is an environment where I can take on new challenges, I’d like to try lots of different jobs, such as marketing in head office.

KawajiI want to perfect the work of regulatory affairs and become an asset who can deal with the people at Roche on an equal footing. If I have the opportunity, I would love to go to Switzerland and work at Roche headquarters.

WatanabeI want to hone my abilities more so I can work with people from overseas. Also, I want to be strongly aware of the existence of the patients who are on the other end of my work and to fulfill the mission of reliability assurance.

SumidaChugai Pharmaceutical will continue to move into new areas in the healthcare domain in future. With that challenge comes risk. I specialize in dealing with regulations, so my goal is to become a professional who can encourage innovation from the regulatory side.