From Classroom to Corporate Strategy: How Nishant Patel Landed an Internship at Apotex
Turning career goals into action, Nishant Patel (MHIA ’26) shares his journey to securing a Strategy & Corporate Development Internship at Apotex and the role CCD resources played along the way.
After discovering the opportunity through Handshake, Patel took a proactive approach to preparing his application by making full use of the Centre for Career Design (CCD)’s resources. He refined his resume and cover letter using guidance from the MHIA Orientation and program workshops, ensuring his application clearly highlighted his impact, analytical skills, and alignment with the role. His preparation paid off, with Apotex sharing that they were highly impressed with his resume.
To prepare for the interview process, Patel booked a mock interview with Career Design Advisor Dali Cela, where he strengthened his behavioural responses, refined his storytelling, and gained valuable feedback on communicating his experiences effectively. This helped him build confidence for a competitive four-stage interview process that included a panel interview, HR interviews, and a final interview with an Apotex Vice President.
In addition to leveraging CCD resources, Patel thoroughly researched Apotex, its strategic priorities, and the pharmaceutical industry, enabling him to confidently demonstrate how his background in healthcare strategy, analytics, and business intelligence could contribute to the organization.
Reflecting on his journey, Patel shared: “I knew I was always drawn to pharma and confident in the impact I can make, so I approached every step with intention, stayed consistent in my preparation, and trusted that the right opportunity would follow.”
His advice to fellow students is to stay intentional, make the most of the resources available through the CCD, and remember that consistent effort compounds over time.
