Salford PhD student reflects on 'invaluable' undergraduate internship

Rachel studied Prosthetics and Orthotics at undergraduate level, noting that her course combined everything she was looking for in a degree: creativity, problem solving, and the chance to directly impact people’s lives.

“I initially began looking into physiotherapy,” Rachel said, “many of my classmates were going down this route, and I felt that it made the most logical sense with my A-Levels in PE, Biology, and Maths.  

“I came across the University of Salford and listed next to Physiotherapy in a list of courses was Prosthetics and Orthotics – I was intrigued by the course and decided to attend an open day.”

As with many undergraduate Allied Health Professional (AHP) courses, Rachel felt that the primary focus of her degree was on becoming a clinician, with less emphasis on research or postgraduate opportunities, and so she decided to take it upon herself to explore what a career in research may look like.  

“I was initially hesitant to apply as I had very little research experience.

“The application process involved answering a few questions about my experience on my degree such as my motivation for applying to the internship. The interview itself was relatively informal.

“It was more about assessing my enthusiasm for the project and ensuring that I genuinely had an interest in research, rather than focusing on experience.”

Like with any job, the internship offered a progression of roles and responsibilities throughout Rachel’s time there, ranging from basic skill development in writing, presenting and familiarising herself with software, to data collection and processing, and shadowing postgraduate researchers.

This range of experience consolidated a lot of Rachel’s university learning and gave valuable insight into how research in Prosthetics and Orthotics is conducted. Rachel was also able to refer to aspects of her internship during her PhD application process, demonstrating that she could conduct research in the field and had the necessary skills to succeed.  

“Every day was different which kept the internship engaging and educational – as it progressed, my responsibilities evolved.

“My internship project had similar themes to my current project — working alongside a company to create a consumer product that alters a person's gait and improves comfort, so I was much more confident about the transition to PhD, as I was already familiar with this type of research and with liaising with industry.”

“The internship opened doors for me, and now as a PhD student, the skills I learnt during my internship continue to support my research and academic growth.

When asked if she had any advice for students who were considering undertaking an apprenticeship, Rachel said:

“Take as many opportunities as you can to expand your knowledge and experience.

“It is an invaluable opportunity to be able to learn freely and make mistakes, which will make you a better scholar, and ultimately, a better clinician.”