The purpose of the KentHealth studentship award is to provide undergraduates with experience of research and to encourage them to consider a career in healthcare research. The high enthusiasm of Medway NHS Foundation Trust to participate in the scheme was evident from the beginning. The first project in 2012 was supervised by Dr Richard Patey and is related to feeding problems in infancy, specifically ‘colic’. The success of the first project led to annual appointments.
Once the 8 week student vacation scheme ends, many students express interest in staying longer.
The Trust Consultant renowned for supervising students under the scheme is Mr Sunil Jain, Orthopaedic Surgeon. Below are a few extracts taken from feedback provided by students supervised by Mr Jain:
“The working environment in the department made me feel I am respected by my colleagues and the work I produce is recognised.”
“This placement not only has helped me gain confidence in pursuing medicine but I also feel I would be a strong candidate in such a competitive field.”
“This experience at Medway Maritime Hospital has definitely made a difference and has highly impacted my decision on my career path.”
This year the Trust agreed funding of up to £6,000 to assist the undergraduate with costs such as travel or accommodation. This scheme is a great example of the productive collaboration between the University of Kent and Medway NHS Foundation Trust.