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My project led by David Baxter and Hanny Anwar is called the Spinal Sarcoma Priority Setting Partnership. The main aim of the project is to identify the top ten priorities for research in the field of spinal sarcoma from the perspectives of patients, their families and healthcare professionals in direct contact with these patients. Working on this project has taught me a lot; I have learnt a lot about spinal sarcoma as a condition and its impact on patients, but I’ve also learnt a lot in terms of clinical skills through speaking to patients to explain our project and observing in clinical settings.
As the research assistant on the project, I mainly analysed the demographics of the responses we were receiving, and I have been in charge of creating social media content for various platforms as well as designing promotional material and drafting documents for the steering group. I was also able to speak on a podcast for the hospital radio about our project. As the project progresses further I will be involved in the evidence checking and the final workshop to determine the top ten spinal sarcoma priorities.
At the beginning of the internship, I struggled with my confidence in my own ideas and sharing my opinion with the wider group. However, I quickly realised my insights were valued by the team as I often had different perspectives as an engineering student, and I was able to contribute a lot more to group conversations with the steering group as my confidence grew.
As someone with a very strong interest in working in a clinical setting, I was really excited to be able to observe in clinics and theatre almost every week, where I was able to speak to spinal sarcoma patients and understand more about the impacts the condition can have on them.
My experience at the RNOH working on this project has confirmed for me that I would love to work in the NHS after graduating. It has been a really insightful experience about the struggles and benefits of working within the NHS and I am sure that it is the right place for me!
I would like to thank my supervisors David Baxter and Hanny Anwar for all their help and also our project coordinator Catherine Siddiqui who was a huge support to me through the entire studentship process.