Exciting, Challenging, and Insightful – This Is the Impression Pyry Simi, an 18-year-old from Tampere, Gained of the Pharmaceutical Industry After Spending a Day with Outi Vaarala, SVP of Innovative Medicines & R&D at Orion.
Through the Job Shadow Day initiative, organized by JA Finland, Pyry had the unique opportunity to experience a day in the life of a senior leader at Orion’s headquarters in Espoo. The program aims to help young people recognize their potential by allowing them to shadow influential professionals in various fields across Finland.
“I found the pharmaceutical industry intriguing. The team had its own specialized language, filled with biology and chemistry terms, which I couldn’t always follow since I haven’t studied those subjects yet,” Pyry remarked. “Still, I’m open to the idea of a career in the field.”
With interests in law and business science, Pyry sees a future where these paths could also lead to roles within the pharmaceutical industry. “I think working in an area that drives socially meaningful progress, especially in medicine, would be very rewarding,” he added.
Gaining Insight into Drug Development The day began with an introduction at Orion’s head office, where Pyry and Vaarala exchanged thoughts on studies and career aspirations. Vaarala introduced Pyry to Orion’s internal unit website, requesting his input on how the site’s content and images could be updated.
Pyry was then invited to shadow Vaarala’s daily work, signing a non-disclosure agreement to allow participation in various meetings. Over the course of the day, he observed discussions on workplace well-being, AI and machine learning, and budgeting for Orion’s new R&D office in New York, planned to open in 2025. “I felt very welcomed in the meetings. The team took time to explain each topic to me and encouraged me to ask questions,” he said.
Towards the end of the day, Pyry toured the medicinal chemistry department, where he witnessed the intricate process of designing new drug molecules. “The drug development process seems like a meticulous, multi-step journey. It was fascinating to learn about it in detail,” Pyry reflected.
Through this experience, Pyry left with a deeper appreciation of the pharmaceutical field, inspired by its potential for social impact and innovation.
