Holly Rylatt

The summer internship was an opportunity to develop my research skills. I was hoping to increase my awareness of how evidence-based medicine works and develop my understanding of how to conduct research. I also developed professional skills, learning from experienced supervisors that helped build my confidence within the specialism.

My internship focused on six research topics in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) that could be addressed to improve outcomes. The research built on a Delphi study, a study that gathers expert opinion in order to identify a consensus position. I conducted rapid reviews of these questions, to form summaries of the research.

I learnt a lot of new skills which I’ll be able to carry into any further research. The ability to conduct a rapid review and my way round the software required. How to critically-appraise papers looking at the quality of the paper, the risk of bias and any limitations it produced. I also developed skills in understanding research literature to synthesise large amounts of information to identify the key findings that would add to my research. And I’ve developed a greater understanding of PICU.

A taster session on the ward and observing standards of care was hugely beneficial. Spending a day in PICU was an amazing opportunity to develop my skills and understanding of the specialty. It’s an element within paediatrics that I’ve never had any experience in. It gave me a greater understanding of how many necessary medication lines a paediatric patient can have, and the high list of medications prescribed. I also got to see how the multi-disciplinary team works after sitting in on meetings. It was particularly impactful to see clinical teamworking and compassionate care in challenging situations.

Another highlight was seeing the outcomes of the rapid reviews. With all the information put together, I got to see the progress from beginning to end. It’s given me confidence, knowing that I’m able to do a research project in the future.

Learning how to use the rapid review software was a challenge. I’d never used the systems before, but my supervisor quickly got me up to speed. My supervisor was extremely supportive which helped with my personal development and growth.

I’m very interested in paediatrics, particularly the surgery aspect. After my placement at Alder Hey and following this research opportunity I’ve developed a greater understanding and insight into this specialism.

The internship has provided me with meaningful hands-on experience, developing my research confidence within a field of medicine I’m passionate about. I’m more aware of how research contributes to evidence-based medicine. The experience has strengthened both technical and transferable skills while highlighting again the importance of teamwork and compassionate care.