Emily Keane

Age: 25

What are you studying and what year?
Final year Medicine

At what university are you studying?
University of Otago – Wellington Campus

When were you at the GMRI?
Summer of 2014/15.

What are your career aspirations?
I think I’d like to work in hospital medicine, potentially in paediatrics, but I’ve still got lots of time to decide, so I like to keep my options open.

Why did you decide to do a studentship at the GMRI?
I have always wanted to get involved in research. This was a great short-term opportunity to get a taste of what research is like. It was great to be able to do this within a small research group, where I felt that my ideas were valued.

What research were you involved in during your studentship at the GMRI?
Expression of components of the renin-angiotensin system in venous malformations.
 
What’s the most important thing you have learned while you were at the GMRI?
The true value of research; the trial and error, repeated experiments and basically the shear amount of work that goes into it.

What’s the thing you liked most about your studentship at the GMRI?
It was great to work alongside other students working on separate projects, especially those who had already been involved in previous research.

What’s the most exciting thing you have done/been involved with during your studentship?
Working on our own project in the lab, following through experiments from beginning to end, getting results and working out their implications.

Would you recommend the studentship at the GMRI to other students? If so, why?
Yes, it is a great opportunity to get a taste of research within a supportive environment.

What has your practical experience at the GMRI taught you that university can’t, or hasn’t?
I guess the day-to-day life of research with successes and setbacks, and everything else that it entails.
How do you think the studentship at the GMRI will help your career development?
Although initially daunting, the weekly presentation at research meetings and lay presentation have been very valuable. Through these I have been able to refine my presentation skills, and I learnt to share information and ideas with more knowledgeable colleagues.

What have you achieved since you completed the studentship at the GMRI?
I have co-authored a paper on my work, which was recently published in an international medical journal.