Age: 20
What are you studying and what year?
4th year Medicine
At what university are you studying?
University of Otago – Wellington Campus
When were you at the GMRI?
I undertook a summer studentship at the GMRI in 2015/16.
What are your career aspirations?
4th year medicine is our first taste of the different specialties within medicine. I’m going in with an open mind to experience as many as I can to decide what specialty I’d like to join. Along the way, I’d also like to contribute to medical knowledge and new treatments through research.
What research were you involved in during your studentship at the GMRI?
I was involved in exciting research looking for novel treatment targets for Dupuytren’s Disease – a debilitating hand disorder which is currently poorly understood and treated.
What’s the thing you liked most about your studentship at the GMRI?
The team at the GMRI made my studentship the awesome experience it was. They were all really friendly and willing to help us. Everyone had their own area of specialisation and I enjoyed learning from each of them.
What’s the most exciting thing you have done/been involved with during your studentship?
I’ve learned an incredible amount during my studentship, which is definitely the most exciting thing. From conducting my own research, talking to the other staff about their research, to problem solving when things didn’t go as planned, I’ve gained so many new skills and experience which will help me to conduct my own research in the future.
Would you recommend the studentship at the GMRI to other students? If so, why?
I would totally encourage other students to do a studentship at the GMRI. It’s a friendly environment to work in with excellent facilities, but I think that most importantly, they really enjoy helping us students learn and achieve great things.
What has your practical experience at the GMRI taught you that university can’t, or hasn’t?
We get exposed to very little of the research process in medical school, so this experience has been really valuable.
