Summer student Review

I did a research internship which I enjoyed very much. The scientific community is very vibrant in Cambridge, particularly in the Biomedical Campus at Addenbrookes Hospital. I enjoyed attending talks and meeting people at the forefront of health innovation worldwide and I can confirm it is everything I expected it to be.

As a summer student, I felt very valued in the group. I was well received and was encouraged to speak my mind and give my opinion at all times. I attended lab group meetings alongside everybody else and I was treated with respect throughout. My colleagues trusted my skills and expertise for the purpose of my project.

I was given sufficient guidance by my supervisor, who spent time training me in hands on skills that I was lacking, as appropriate. I worked independently for the most part, and support and guidance were provided when I asked for them. While daunting at first, it was a positive experience in the end as it taught me the difference between undergraduate study and the professional world.

I was never under a lot of pressure on a daily basis to complete my tasks or run on a strict schedule. My schedule was determined by me and I was able to communicate transparently and firmly with my supervisor in terms of how much I felt comfortable taking up at any given time. I believe my supervisor prioritised the quality of my research as opposed to the actual volume of it, which I appreciated.

I was given as much responsibility as any other member of the group. I was given full agency over my project and I was given the opportunity to attend collaborator meetings and speak freely, present results of my own choosing, etc. My research was never treated as disposable and I was granted the full trust of the people I was working with.

I developed my skills further as part of this placement. This experience was invaluable for me and my decision to undergo postgraduate study in biomedical sciences. I got to understand how academic research works and how world-leading research is produced as part of a collaborative environment, which I am very grateful for. This internship opened my eyes to many pros, as well as cons, of a career in academia.

As everyone in the group worked on unrelated projects, there was little opportunity for interaction outside breaks. We were not sharing any equipment or even stationery etc, which made for a very quiet, very focus-driven work environment. We all worked individually and hardly spoke at all during the day, which was a bit disheartening at the beginning. It is hard to seem approachable or to approach people when you hardly talk at all.

The structure of the placement was pretty much in my hands, start to finish. This was an advantage, as I could try and make the most out of it and mould it to suit my skills and interest. I think it was a typical type of placement in the academic sector, with the typical emphasis on individual work and the freedom to structure your work as you see fit/as the project takes turns that are to be expected in research.

I am not inclined to return to the particular research centre I worked at, as I discovered this area of biomedical research does not interest me as much as I thought it would. I was not offered a PhD position during this time, nor can I say I wished for one to be offered to me.

The social scene was not the best, though I was used (from past placements of this kind) to a tightly knit group of researchers in the same building/university. My expectations were thus quite high and they went unmet. There were some social activities and we spent quality time together on those occasions, though I believe it is fair to say they did not come up often and the enthusiasm was not too high.