"Boehringer Ingelheim is a company with a wide range of animal health products. This promises job security, interesting perspectives and plenty of scope for development during the course of your professional career."
Dr. med. vet. Katharina W., Global Pharmacovigilance Manager, Research & Development
My name is Dr. med. vet. Katharina W. and I've been employed as a vet specialising in pharmacovigilance in the company's Animal Health business since 2012. My job is to ensure the safety of veterinary drugs. I analyse and assess reports of side-effects caused by veterinary drugs and discuss them with colleagues and authorities around the world.
Prerequisites for this job include experience in veterinary practice, lots of interest in veterinary pharmacology and a good knowledge of English. Our team is rather small compared to our global area of responsibility – but we're wholly dedicated to our work. We're in contact with staff around the world and also work on an interdisciplinary basis with colleagues working in authorisation or those in clinics and units who manage the societal side of what we do.
My typical working day at Boehringer Ingelheim
8:00 am
I meet colleagues for a coffee and start the day passing on pressing, important messages. The side-effects of drugs, even in veterinary medicine, often require urgent action. Security is paramount.
9:00 am
I log into the pharmacovigilance database and process new reports of side-effects.
10:00 am
Discussion of current topics with the team, as I can't answer every question on my own, nor do I want to.
12:00 pm
Information exchange with other business teams over lunch.
2:00 pm
Compiling periodical pharmacovigilance documents, such as regular documentation on the side-effects of our pharmaceutical products.
5:00 pm
Telephone conferences with colleagues in other time zones (e.g. the USA) take place later in the afternoon. This reflects the international nature of the company.