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UCL IHE-RNOH Summer Studentship Scheme
14 April 2021
UCL Engineering and Institute of Healthcare Engineering will fund ten summer studentships at the Royal National Orthopaedic for UCL undergraduates
Overview of the studentship scheme
The IHE-RNOH Summer Studentship Scheme will give undergraduate students an exciting opportunity to shadow clinicians and take part in a related research project at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) in Stanmore. The projects will be jointly supervised by an RNOH clinician and a UCL academic.
Duration:
8 weeks over summer, 37.5 hours per week
Remuneration:
£10.80 per hour plus a £200 stipend
Eligibility:
This scheme is open to UCL undergraduates in the following departments and divisions:
- Mechanical Engineering
- Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Biochemical Engineering
- Computer Science
- Digital Health
- Division of Surgery
This scheme is not available to first-year students.
Student projects
In the first 3 weeks, students will have exposure to THE clinical setting and interaction with clinical teams. The remaining 5 weeks will be focused on their selected project. Ideally, the core of the project should be completed by end of week 7, using week 8 for write-up, handover and dissemination.
| Project title | Clinical unit | Lead clinicians | Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|
Supporting development of spinal bracing prototype for patients with compression fracture (multiple myeloma) | Spinal Surgery/Orthotics | Adam Benton Jim Ashworth-Beaumont | Student will be given opportunity to observe in outpatients, orthotics and operating theatre to develop understanding of the clinical problem prior to proceeding onto the project |
Engineering for airway management | Anaesthetics | Roxannah Zarnegar | Student will be given opportunity to attend operating theatre to learn about airway management and subsequently join onto existing project |
Vibration therapy for foot and ankle patients | Foot & Ankle Unit | Matt Welck Karan Malhotra | An opportunity for a student with an interest in robotics to work alongside a team of researchers and orthopaedic surgeons and aid in-patient rehabilitation |
Smart insoles for diagnosis and rehabilitation of gait falls | Foot & Ankle Unit | Matt Welck Karan Malhotra | An opportunity to work alongside the surgical team to develop smart insoles which can be used to aid diagnosis and enhance rehabilitation |
Return to driving after foot and ankle surgery | Foot & Ankle Unit | Matt Welck Karan Malhotra | Design an assessment using force plates to determine when one can return to driving following foot and ankle surgery |
The use of 3D printed anatomical models to aid surgical planning of hip replacement Project available to 2 students | Joint Reconstruction Unit | Johann Henckel Alister Hart | Opportunity to observe in operating theatres and Implant Retrieval Centre and help in developing a good assessment for use of 3D printed models in hip surgery |
Design characterisation of 3D printed orthopaedic implants Project available to 2 students | Joint Reconstruction Unit | Johann Henckel Alister Hart John Skinner | The student will be trained in the use of metrology equipment including coordinate measurement machines, a roundness measurement machine, an optical profilometer and light microscopy. Apply those techniques to design. |
Developing tools and techniques for minimally-invasive implementation of a novel neuromodulation device to control the bladder following neurological injury | Spinal Cord Injuries | Tacson Fernandez Lynsey Duffel Anne Vanhoestenberghe Sean Doherty | The student will have an opportunity to learn about the clinical problems associated with neurological injuries and contribute to designing specifications and initial prototypes of a minimally-invasive implantation tool (introducer) to facilitate the implantation of a novel stimulation device |
A study on the validity of pre-operative planning software with a lateralised reverse geometry shoulder prosthesis: a comparing of post-operative clinical motion | Shoulder Unit | Addie Majed | Student will have an opportunity to observe in clinical settings and contribute to the development of planning software. |
How to apply
To apply for the scheme, please submit a CV (3-pages maximum), a cover letter (1-page maximum), and indicate your 1st and 2nd choice of projects with a justification of why you are suitable for each (200 words per project) to healthcare-eng@ucl.ac.uk by 5 pm Monday 10 May. Please also let us know if you have another internship planned for this summer, and if so, how you will plan your time to do both.
Frequently asked questions
- Will I be assigned an academic supervisor?
Yes, we will select an appropriate academic supervisor to fit the clinical project.
- Where will I be working?
The internship will partly be based from home and partly working at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore.
- When will applicants be notified of the outcome?
Shortly after the deadline for submissions; between 14 and 17 May.
- Who do I address my application to/who is making the decision?
You can address the cover letter to “UCL/RNOH internships assessment panel”.
The panel is made of various staff members from UCL and the hospital.
- I'm unsure which project to choose/I'm interested in a project but I don't have much relevant experience
We will assess the motivation of the student to take on a project, and also that they have the necessary skills to complete it successfully. Experience is valuable, but we understand that students will need to learn and we will provide training for that.
We encourage you to select a project that motivates you the most. Remember that you can choose 2 projects and the panel will allocate you to one of them depending on suitability and availability.