Growing as a researcher: Insights from my summer internship in surgical research methodology

Maria Eze, a second year biological sciences student at the University of Edinburgh, completed an internship within the NIHR Bristol BRC and the Centre for Surgical Research at the University of Bristol. Her internship was funded through the NIHR Undergraduate Internship Programme. Here, she reflects on her experience.

This summer I completed my first internship at the University of Bristol – and what an insightful, positively challenging and exciting experience it’s been. Coming in, I had never been involved in qualitative research before, let alone worked with real-world data, drawn from the voices of patients, clinicians and community members. I was both nervous and curious to dive into something unfamiliar. Now I’m leaving, not just with new skills, but with a real appreciation for how vital, inclusive and patient-centred healthcare research is.

My project was a secondary qualitative analysis of community interview data from the ALPACA study. This project aims to improve surgical shared decision making through real-time feedback tools. Using the COM-B (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation – Behaviour) framework, I explored the real-world factors that enable or hinder patient involvement in decision making. Barriers included language limitations, time constraints, and past negative experiences. Facilitators included supportive interpreters, strong family networks and a shared hope that things can – and should – get better. The findings from this project are presented in a poster.

On a typical day, I worked independently on my research, with the autonomy to structure my time and drive the project forward. But support was always close by. My supervisors were generous with their time and expertise, offering guidance whenever I needed help with coding, conceptual frameworks, or just talking through ideas. I also got to attend several research meetings, including one where I presented my project to the wider team; a moment that felt both slightly terrifying and incredibly rewarding.

From day one, I was welcomed into a team that was not only brilliant, but genuinely open and collaborative. I had the chance to speak with researchers from across disciplines and career stages, which gave me a real feel for what it’s like to work in health research day to day. Everyone was forthcoming in sharing their insights and experiences, and those conversations gave me a clearer picture of what a career in this space might look like. For the first time, I could see myself in it.

One of the most powerful moments of the internship came when I attended a meeting with a patient advisory group. Hearing their reflections on navigating the healthcare system, many of which echoed the themes I was identifying in my analysis, really brought the work to life. It reminded me that behind every quote in a transcript is a real person, and that research should be grounded in empathy, trust, and dialogue.

This internship gave me so much more than just research experience. It gave me space to explore, to ask critical questions, to learn from brilliant people, and to grow into my voice as an early-career researcher. It has also made me seriously consider a long-term career in health services research. This is something I hadn’t thought about before but now feels both exciting and within reach. It’s been a fantastic introduction to the world of research and, honestly, a very cool way to spend a summer.