Internship Review at University of Birmingham

The Role

Role Description

My role as Research Assistant involved gathering information about the type of people who attended the Youthspace mental health clinics. The purpose of this was to find out how feasible it would be to recruit service users for future research on psychosis. This involved liaising with Youthspace clinicians, researchers and psychologists in weekly meetings to find out the clinical presentation and demographics of the service users.

I also assisted a research on a research project on Early onset Psychosis. This involved conducting statistical analysis and literature reviews.

1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

I enjoyed being empowered and independent when working on the project I was given, I also enjoyed meeting different Psychology researchers from around the globe and visiting a mental health clinic.

2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I was treated as a staff member rather than a student and I was even invited to staff meals! This allowed me to network with different researchers and learn about their career paths.

3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I was left to conduct an audit on the service users of a mental health clinic, but I felt that I was able to ask questions at any time. When working on a new project within the university, the researcher I was working with showed me how to use statistical programmes and how to structure a research report. I was also given extra reading material to fuel my interest and knowledge of mental health disorders.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

The placement was slow paced to start with, however, this gave me the chance to settle in to my new role and the environment. Later in my placement I was given more responsibilities and new projects to work on. I was encouraged to take breaks and not work on the same task for long periods of time.

5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I was fully responsible for the auditing of a mental heath clinic. This empowered me and enabled me to work independently.

6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I am now an author on a research paper for 'Schizophrenia Research', this will be a great addition to my CV. I also developed statistical, analytical and writing skills which will be beneficial for my third year project.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

In the office, most of the time was spent working on a computer on databases and research on the internet. However, I was in the same room as another researcher who I was able to talk to about my interests and about the project. I was also able to leave at any time to have a break.

8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 4/10

I organised this work placement by approaching a researcher in his lecture and asking if I could work with him during the summer. Therefore, there was work organised for me to do, but it was my responsibility to organise how I was going to go about gathering data.

9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Alot of time was spent explaining how to conduct a statistical analysis and the background of their research. Meetings were set up for me to speak to different researchers and meet clinicians.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

• Flexi Time
• Company Parties/Events

11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I am convinced that I would enjoy working for the University of Birmingham psychology research department, however, I would need to take on further education at masters and doctorate level. This is something I am considering and I know that the colleagues at my work placement would be willing to have me work as part of their team.

Other Information

12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

We went out for lunch to various oriental restaurants which was a new experience for me. I was taken out for Dim Sum, a Chinese meal on the last day of my placement.

13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

Meals were not expensive and I lived in my university accommodation so I was not spending any additional money. I had also applied for funding within the university for my placement to pay for my travels to and from the mental health clinics.

14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

I worked in Birmingham, so the night life is great ! However, I worked with a small team of researchers at the university and clubbing wasn't really their scene.

15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 4/10

There is loads to do around Birmingham, so I was able to enjoy my summer holidays at the same time as working.