I was interested in Compass because many of my friends are affected by depression, and current treatments have often proved inadequate for them. Compass brings both innovation and compassion to the mental health world, and I have found it exciting to work for a company driven by a purpose I believe in.
Working as an intern in a growing startup has been an interesting experience. I worked mainly on communications and stakeholder engagement, but on occasions I was also involved in preparing documents for investors, replying to information requests and analysing scientific literature. I was encouraged to take initiatives and give my input on some decisions, which made me feel fully integrated in the team.
More than 15 new employees and interns have been recruited since I joined the company in May 2019. The team is diverse, with people coming from New Zealand, Germany, Turkey, France, Lebanon, the Netherlands, and other countries. There is a very sociable work culture: we nearly always eat together at lunch, and I have gone for drinks, dinner, bowling, ping pong games and pub quizzes with the team. The people I have met at Compass were one of the highlights of my summer.
Over the course of my internship, I have learnt about the regulatory framework surrounding treatment development, stakeholder engagement in Europe and the US, and the new exciting science around psilocybin. I was able to hone my communications skills and learn from people with a wide range of experiences. Compass has made me reflect on the importance of believing in the projects you’re working on, and I’m keen to see how the company will grow in the future.