Advice – STP Perspectives

Preparing for the STP Interviews!

Hey! My name is Nic and I’m a first-year Clinical Engineering STP trainee, specialising in Rehabilitation Engineering! (So take this post through the lens of someone who researched the heck out of the STP applications and prepare to have that experience shared with you.)

Congratulations on getting to the interview stages of the STP application! (Or you’re just snooping around to find out more about the application process 👀)

Preparing for the interview for the STP can be a difficult process given the limited information or guidance out there! The interview process has changed considerably over time, especially due to circumstances during COVID. To better understand the expectations during the interview, here’s a bit of history around the (NSH England) STP interview process!

New home, new lab, old problems

Hi, I’m Aaron. I’m a first-year STP in histology. I’m also an experienced biomedical scientist in the same discipline. I was working as a biomedical scientist in Northern Ireland when I applied. Northern Ireland is a very cheap country to live in, much more so than England. So you might wonder, why would I move country and uproot my entire life for what amounts to a net pay cut? Opportunity, that’s what. Yet despite all the problems that came with moving I would do it again in a heartbeat.

The STP is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, it’s the main route to becoming a clinical scientist. Being a clinical scientist is a role that combines the joy of science with the clinical aspects of healthcare. To be a clinical scientist is to work in a developing role with constantly expanding scope and opportunity. This is especially relevant to histology where the role of clinical scientists is debated.

Life after training as a clinical scientist in Immunology. A culture change, a career change, and a location change

Hi, this is the first blog post I have written, so I hope it will be useful for anyone curious about alternative career options after completing the STP. So hello, my name is Francis, I finished the STP in Clinical Immunology in 2022 and now I work as a Scientist for a contract research organisation (CRO). We research the effects of pharmaceuticals on the immune system. But before I talk about my current role, I’ll talk about my journey to where I am now.

Scientist Training Programme 2024 Application Advice

Is it worth applying if I’ve just graduated from university? 

Totally! I have many colleagues who have come straight from university – so it’s an option. I also have colleagues who have a PhD, or a masters and colleagues with young children– it’s a whole mixing pot. However, (personally) I have always enjoyed taking time out between each career step to breathe a little. The STP is a very full-on three years with no breaks and it’s easy to become burnt-out. I think taking time out of education has put me in a better head-space to take on the academic challenges an MSc and the STP involve. 

Tips on how to write a Research Proposal

Hi, I’m Elle and I am about to enter my third year as a Clinical Immunology STP at Oxford. My research project is evaluating our service which aids in the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis and potentially implement a new test to make the process more streamlined.

As you may know, as part of the MSc component of the STP, everyone is expected to complete a research project. This ideally should equate to ~10 weeks’ worth of work and is conducted in collaboration with your workplace. Based on personal experience, the project will be decided by the seniors within your department and is often a project they believe will improve and enhance their service. However, if you have a particular interest, don’t be afraid to have a discussion with them or your training officer about some ideas you may have. It is never a bad idea to put forward your own interests and passions. As this part of the MSc, your university needs to also approve your project. This is done by writing a research proposal. You will get more information regarding what is suitable for a project from your course leads. This little blog post is just to give some advice on how to approach writing a research proposal to make it a lot less daunting.

Balancing parenthood with the STP

Hi! I’m Danni, a first-year Clinical Bioinformatics Genomics STP based at the Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Foundation Trust. I’m also the proud parent of a 3-year-old daughter. Having just finished a PhD, I thought I knew exactly what it was like to study while raising a toddler. Little did I know that balancing work life, home life, and studying would prove to be quite the challenge! So I’m here to share my experiences, hoping they’ll help any new parents embarking on this exciting journey (congratulations, by the way!)

Roundtable Discussion with the Editorial Team – Exploring Mental Health, Work Routines, and Personal Experiences

What’s the most mind-blowing fact you’ve learned during your training?

Estelle – (Microbiology) Some armadillos carry Mycobacterium leprae on their paws.

Leanne – (Biochemistry) before we had hCG blood tests for pregnancy they used to inject a frog with a woman’s morning urine and if it spawned then she was pregnant.

Jess- (Bioinformatics) Bioinformaticians are also known as bioinfomagicians 🪄 (we seemingly do complicated things when in actual fact we just muck around with software and data until it works)

Hannah – (Genetic Counselling) The National Society of Genetic Counsellors Professional Status Survey found that 93% of Genetic Counsellor respondents identified as women, 89% as White, and 89% as straight. This is a statistic from the USA, but it is arguably comparable to the UK. We need to work harder at increasing diversity in the workforce to help tackle inequalities!

My Journey to the STP in Cancer Genomics

Hi! My name’s Josh and I’m a first-year trainee on the Cancer Genomics STP at Oxford. It’s a bit surreal to be writing a blog entry for STP perspectives, as for the past 3 years I was on the other side reading these entries and hoping to secure a place myself. Nevertheless, after a few years of applying, being unsuccessful (three times!), and reflecting on how I could develop and improve upon my skills each time, I’m now in the position I find myself in – sharing my experience to help with your future applications! So, in this entry, I’ll talk about my time at university (as a student and member of staff), my employment history, and reflect briefly on how these have been valuable to my training so far. I hope I can highlight that often our journeys to the program are never straightforward, and what feel like setbacks at the time actually open new doors for personal and professional development.

On becoming an STP student without a background in science

My name is Ruth, and I am coming to the end of my first year as a Genomic Counselling STP student. I’m ‘mature’ (apparently I am ‘Gen X’, although my friend reckons we’re Xennials…), a parent of three, and from a non-traditional background. I’m hoping that in reading this, others like me will be encouraged to apply for the STP.

Turning Procrastination into Prioritisation

Hi, my name is Maddy and I am coming to the end of my first year in the Microbiology STP. My background is an integrated master’s in biomedical science and a year working as a medical laboratory assistant in an NHS Microbiology lab. When I started the STP I thought I would be at a disadvantage academically, I was surrounded by others with specific microbiology masters, PhDs and years of experience as Biomedical Scientists or other roles in Microbiology. Little did I know that academic knowledge would only get you so far on this course….