From Kerala to ICON Ireland: Dr. Amala’s Bold Leap into Clinical ResearchFrom Kerala to Clinical Trials: Amala Sajeev’s Journey into Ireland’s Pharma Industry

I am Dr.Amala Sajeev , a clinical research professional currently serving as the Team Lead for Firecrest at ICON PLC, in Dublin, Ireland. I completed my master’s degree in biotherapeutics from University College Dublin. I spoke with Leap about my master’s journey in Ireland for their Student Expert Series, featuring Indians who had recently studied abroad and are still in that country pursuing their dreams, to assist others who wish to follow a similar career path.

Q. Tell us about your background.

I am from Thodupuzha in Kerala. After finishing my 12th, I was confused. I wanted to take a science-related course. I had attempted the entrance exams but didn’t quite crack them, so I began exploring science-based courses. Around that time, a family friend of my mother's suggested that I consider a career in pharmacy. It was an industry that was just beginning to gain recognition in India. I was part of the fourth batch in the country to pursue the Doctor of Pharmacy program. What initially attracted many, including me, was the professional status associated with the field; one would be addressed as a "doctor" and have the potential to work in hospitals and healthcare settings.

I went on to pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm. D.) degree, a six-year program that includes a one-year internship. I completed my course in Tamil Nadu, at the Kovai Medical Center in Coimbatore.

Q. Why did you choose to study abroad?

During my first year of the Pharm.D program, I realized that working in a hospital setting wasn’t for me. When I first joined the course, I spoke with seniors and faculty to understand the available paths. Almost everyone pointed to the same options, which were working as a clinical pharmacist in hospitals or opportunities to work as a licensed pharmacist abroad. No one really talked about careers in pharmaceutical companies, CROs (Clinical Research Organizations), or the broader clinical research industry.

But I kept researching. It wasn’t until my fifth or sixth year that I started having serious conversations with a friend about exploring options abroad. At that time, opportunities in India felt limited, especially for fresh graduates, and without mentors or seniors to guide me toward alternative routes, most people I knew simply followed the hospital path.

Eventually, my friend and I decided to consult with an agency and explore study options abroad. We shortlisted a few courses and decided to go.

Q. What made you choose Ireland?

I narrowed down my options between the UK and Ireland, primarily because they were English-speaking countries. Ireland stood out because it offered one-year master’s programs. Also, Many global pharma companies moved their European bases to Ireland, especially after Brexit, because of tax advantages and regulatory clarity. That opened up a lot of opportunities for someone like me looking to break into the industry.f

I was confused between University College Dublin (UCD) and Trinity College Dublin. After doing some research, especially through Facebook student groups, I found that many students considered UCD to be more welcoming and student-friendly. So, I went with UCD.

Q. What was your student life like?

Three months into college, COVID happened. Everything became online. I even did my projects online. I wasn’t interested in taking up a course that was just an extension of pharmacy. I wanted something a little different, something that would give me exposure to areas we didn’t cover in our Pharm.D. In pharmacy, our focus is primarily on how to treat a patient when they walk in, but we don’t really learn about the manufacturing side of medicines or the technical processes behind drug development. I wanted to understand that side of the industry.

Coming to fitting into Ireland and the culture, there were some difficulties initially with regard to the Irish accent. I took some time to get familiarized with that. There were instances when I  misheard a professor because of the accent. I did the opposite of what he asked us to do. I had to redo the project.

Q. How much did your course cost, and how did you finance it?

My course was around twenty-six thousand euros (₹ 24 lakhs). My father helped me out with the fees. Luckily, I also received a scholarship from the University, which was based on my UG course CGPA. I got a fee waiver of around six lakhs. I was also able to get a part-time job after moving to Ireland. I worked in a grocery store, a bookstore, and as a pharmacy technician.

Q. How did you land your first job in Ireland?

After my graduation, I looked for something that was 6 months long. I looked for internships and contract jobs. At the time, I knew I needed experience within the Irish job market. Until then, all my practical exposure,even internships, had been in India. This was during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a biotech company was developing a COVID-related instrument. I managed to secure a six-month contract with them, which gave me my first work experience in Ireland.

My core strategy was to build local experience, however small, and use that to strengthen my profile for future roles. I relied heavily on LinkedIn to find openings, and I also reached out to people already working at companies I was interested in. I’d ask if they were open to giving me a referral or offering advice.

It wasn’t easy. I went through several rejections and interviews, but I learned that in Ireland, networking and being proactive are key. Here, you need to make the first move, apply, follow up, and ask for help when needed.

Q. Any final thoughts?

One piece of advice I always give others is: don’t just look at the course title, go through the modules in detail. You don’t necessarily need to have studied every module before, but you should be familiar with what they cover. That awareness helps you understand what you’re signing up for and how it aligns with your goals.

When I first came to Ireland, I didn’t really have anyone to guide me through the process. I chose my course based on the modules, without fully understanding the differences between programs. At the time, I didn’t realize there was another master’s course that included an internship component. My course only had a research project.

It was only about six months later that I found out some programs offered structured internships as part of the curriculum, and I immediately saw the value in that. The students who took those internship-based courses often found it easier to secure jobs afterward because they already had relevant experience in the Irish market.

Looking back, I wouldn’t call it a regret, but it's definitely something I wish I had known earlier. So my advice to anyone planning to study here would be: look closely, not just at the modules, but also at whether the course includes an internship.