Taking Initiative and Ownership: How Swetha Ravichandiran Earned an Extension of Her Apnimed Internship
- Widler Casy
- Sep 21
- 4 min read
Biotech Intern Newsletter
Welcome to this edition of the Biotech Intern Newsletter. We are excited to feature Swetha Ravichandiran, whose onsite internship at Apnimed highlights how adaptability, initiative, and curiosity can accelerate growth in clinical trials and regulatory affairs.
Internship Snapshot
Company: Apnimed
Location: Onsite
How It Started: “I discovered the opportunity through NUWorks. What began as a search for practical experience in clinical research turned into an internship that gave me end-to-end responsibilities much like a full-time employee.”
A Day in the Life
At Apnimed, Swetha worked on clinical trial coordination and regulatory support.
“I coordinated day-to-day clinical trial activities, including site and vendor management, wearable device tracking, and compliance documentation, while supporting 510(k) regulatory preparations for Software as a Medical Device.”
Her work gave her the opportunity to apply her pharmaceutical regulatory background in the medical device space, particularly in digital health.
Lessons from the Lab
Biggest Learning: “The most important thing I learned during my internship was how to translate my pharmaceutical regulatory experience into the medical device space, especially digital health. I had the opportunity to work independently and manage end-to-end responsibilities much like a full-time employee, which strengthened my foundation in coordinating clinical trials and supporting 510(k) submissions.”
Best Advice Received: “Take initiative and figure things out on your own. This taught me to be resourceful, confident, and proactive in tackling new challenges.”
Wish I Had Known: “I wish I had known more about the unique regulatory pathways and documentation requirements for medical devices. It would have helped me transition even faster from my pharmaceutical background into digital health projects.”
Wish I Had Learned: “I wish I had learned more about the end-to-end 510(k) submission process. Gaining deeper insight into regulatory strategy beyond my assigned tasks would have strengthened my understanding of medical device approvals.”
Fun Moments and Growth
Most Fun Experience: “The most fun experience I had during my internship was meeting team members in person when they visited the office. It gave me the chance to build stronger connections beyond virtual meetings.”
Biggest Struggle: “One struggle I faced during my internship was not having much of a head start. I had to jump in and begin contributing from my very first day. This taught me how to quickly adapt, prioritize learning on the go, and stay proactive in asking the right questions.”
Short Story of Growth: “During my internship, I faced challenges with data monitoring when Power BI dashboards did not align with the raw clinical data. To overcome this, I worked closely with the data management team, learned troubleshooting techniques, and validated outputs against source records. This not only resolved the issue but also strengthened my analytical skills and taught me the importance of cross-team collaboration in ensuring data integrity.”
Behind the Scenes
Who Made It Memorable: “I would credit my manager, Ketan Mehta, for my success during the internship because he encouraged me to explore different opportunities, methods, and tools, which gave me both the confidence and flexibility to learn and contribute effectively.”
Resource I Wish I Used More: “I wish I had spent more time collaborating with cross-functional teams. It would have given me a deeper understanding of the company’s broader roles and enhanced my knowledge of how different functions contribute to clinical and regulatory success.”
Advice for Future Interns
Words of Wisdom: “Stay curious and proactive. Ask questions, seek out cross-functional exposure, and treat every task as a chance to learn. Internships are the perfect opportunity to explore independently while building skills that prepare you for full-time roles.”
What Interns Should Focus On: “Interns should focus on building both technical knowledge and cross-functional relationships. Developing the skills needed for their role while also learning from other teams can create long-term career opportunities.”
Rapid Fire
Coffee or Tea: Coffee
Meetings: In-person meetings
Mountains or Beaches: Mountains
Closing Thoughts
Swetha’s journey at Apnimed demonstrates that jumping into challenges early, asking the right questions, and taking initiative are key to success in biotech internships. From coordinating clinical trials to troubleshooting data integrity issues, her story is a powerful reminder that adaptability and curiosity can open doors in regulatory science and digital health.
Her advice to future interns is, “Stay curious, seek out cross-functional exposure, and treat every task as an opportunity to learn.”
Do you have a story that can inspire the next generation of biotech professionals? Submit your experience to the Biotech Intern Newsletter today.
Connect with Swetha Ravichandiran on LinkedIn to follow her journey in biotech.
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