Hello and welcome back to the 3rd post in our healthcare science week series! As I’m sure many of you know, it was the Chief Scientific Officer’s 2019 conference last week. Unfortunately, no one at STP perspectives was able to attend. However, we’ve been lucky enough to receive some feedback about the conference from someone who not only attended, but took part in a panel session as well. This piece, written by Ang Davies, a Senior Lecturer and Programme Director at the University of Manchester, gives an overview of some of the themes of the conference as well as some really valuable learning points that she took away- that I think as trainees we should pay particular attention to!
Continue reading “CSO conference at a glance”Author: Jes
I am a trainee clinical bioinformatician working at the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust. I am passionate about increasing awareness and discussion about healthcare science and particularly the routes into the field.
Healthcare Science Week 2019
It’s healthcare science week 2019! A celebration of all the amazing work healthcare scientists do throughout the year to improve patient care and outcomes. For healthcare science week this year, I was appointed by our lead healthcare scientist to coordinate the activities of the trust to celebrate the week. This appointment came through being the trainee representative in the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust healthcare science network. The network was created with the aim of establishing a corporate profile for healthcare science, to represent the workforce with one voice and facilitate celebration, innovation, collaboration and communication across specialisms.
STP perspectives podcast | Dr Cloutman-Green
Late last year, Dr Elaine Cloutman-Green, Lead Healthcare Scientist at Great Ormond Street Hospital/@girlymicro, HCS social media influencer on Twitter, co-created a play with playwright and scriptwriter, Nicola Baldwin (@NicoBalders). The play was called Nosocomial and aimed to increase public awareness and understanding of healthcare scientists, as well as demonstrate the variety of roles and collaboration within healthcare science. The play is now a well-deserving finalist in the CSO awards.
Continue reading “STP perspectives podcast | Dr Cloutman-Green”
How to: choose your specialism
As the date for the opening of STP applications draws ever closer I’ve had emails asking for advice from several people hoping to apply.
When I found out about the STP, I knew I wanted to do bioinformatics and this is something I think I’ve taken for granted. Much like choosing your university course, if you’re not 100% sure what you want to study, all the different options can seem overwhelming. Yes- you’re unlikely to pick Medical Physics if you studied biomedical sciences, and vice-versa, but there are still plenty of different specialisms to choose from that might interest you. So today’s STP application advice session will be focussed on the things you might want to consider when choosing which STP specialism to apply for.
Editors note: This post was written for the 2018 applications and might not be accurate for future years.
STP Insights: The MSc
Having just spent 2 weeks up at Uni, I thought now would be the perfect time to write the second instalment of our STP insights series. I’m actually writing this on my train home so the memories of coffee-fuelled lectures and late night games of exploding kittens* are fresh in my mind: the perfect time to get them down on paper/…into my laptop.
Before I start, as usual- a disclaimer that the experience each specialism has during their MSc, and even each year, varies massively. This is just an account of my personal experience to give you an insight into what it might be like for you if you’re thinking about applying for the STP.
Look who’s talking: An amateur’s guide to giving presentations
The year is 2003(ish) and it’s speech day in my high school English class. I stand alone and exposed at the front of the room. Behind the safety of their desks, my classmates track my every move. Looking up from her paperwork, my teacher gives me the nod. Show time. I draw in a deep breath and yell “DANGER!”. My voice booms out across the room, bouncing off the walls and the faces of my stunned audience. A classroom of eyebrows rise in unison. My teacher frantically scribbles in her notes.
Continue reading “Look who’s talking: An amateur’s guide to giving presentations”
STP Insights: NHS employment
Since the STP applications are opening relatively soon, I thought it would be good to help potential applicants decide if it’s the right path for them. Every other resource tells you- it’s a graduate scheme with a work-based and MSc component, but what exactly is it like to be on the STP? And what are the challenges you can expect to face on your STP journey? We’ll tackle these questions over a series of posts, using our experiences over the last 15-ish months to provide a real insight to the highs and lows of the STP and exactly what you’re signing up for. A big part of the STP is the fact that you are employed by an NHS trust, so for the first post in this series let’s unravel what it’s like to work for the NHS as a healthcare science trainee.
What is pathology?
But… don’t pathologists just look at dead people…?
…Not quite.
I’m well aware that here, at STP Perspectives, we bang on about “healthcare scientists” a lot. That’s because we want our readers to be as passionate about it as we are! However, this week, as it is National Pathology Week, it’s only right that we bang on about pathologists. So what exactly is a pathologist and why should you care about them?
3 months until STP applications open!
So you want to apply for the STP 2019 intake? Read on to hear our top tips for making that application stand out. These tips are tailored purely for the written application and we will do another post later on to tackle the interview process.
Editors note: These tips were valid for the 2019 application process and might not be accurate for future years.
If you’re not sure about the process for the application there are basically 2 parts:
– Aptitude tests: Mathematical and logical reasoning.
– Personal Information and short written answers to 4 questions.
An amateurs guide to blogging
Artwork by Joe Mahon
I feel like I talk a lot about things being scary on this blog.
Blogging is scary. Blogging is putting your writing, reflections and opinions on the internet and totally opening yourself up to criticism. If you don’t think that’s scary then can you come and write a blog post for us please?!
STP Perspectives 