I am an Italian SLT recently graduated at the University of Ancona. I am carrying out a CAMPUSWORLD internship experience from the end of February and I will continue it until August at UCLan’s Allied Health Research unit in Preston.
The purpose of this internship is to learn the main processes of a research study, for this reason also the participation in various conferences and seminars that is giving me the opportunity to grow as a professional.
A particularly interesting conference was the 5th International Health and Wellbeing Research with Real Impact Conference entitled “Global and Health Wellbeing” which took place on March 5th in Preston where several professionals specialized in different sectors presented and shared their latest research.
Particularly, I am acquiring research skills such as:
-Recognizing and analyzing different research designs
-Learning about the design of various research processes
-Contributing to report projects and research documents
-Discussing and sharing ideas with my mentor and other trainees and professionals
During my internship I had also the opportunity to meet Chris Curtis, founding member of the national charity association – The Swallows Head and Neck Cancer Support Group – and Wendy Brown, charity executive of the same association.
Chris and Wendy are collaborating with Dr. Hazel Roddam in a national survey aimed at adults who have been or are currently assistants for someone with any type of cancer.
Questions are asked about the types of carer roles and activities they might have undertaken, how they feel about being involved in this carer role including physical health, mental and emotional well-being.
One of the aims of this research project is to demonstrate that there are different or additional pressures on carers for patients with certain types of cancer.
This study will also help to demonstrate the need for future research in this area, in particular to highlight gaps in the evidence base on the range of support people can have, as well as equal access to relevant health and social care.
We hope to present part of the results of this national survey in a poster at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) conference in Barcelona in September 2019.
I am glad to have chosen this research internship, because it is helping me to grow professionally and personally.
Finally, I would suggest this experience to anyone who has interest in research.