Medical Sciences students present their scientific posters

Professional Training Year students present scientific posters

Medical Sciences students have showcased scientific posters on the work they carried out during the Professional Training Year, which gives them key research skills to prepare for their working lives.

Medical Sciences students are given a choice as to whether to take a Professional Training Year (PTY) in their third year of study, or to progress straight into final year.

During a PTY, students carry out laboratory-based work in a diverse range of disciplines internationally. Students have the opportunity to spend a year working at a world-class university, in industry, or in NHS research. A good proportion of the returning cohort of students worked in various cities worldwide, including Sydney, Copenhagen and Boston.

Thursday’s event (2^nd November 2017) saw students present their posters informally to their peer group and lecturers, as well as performing a short assessed presentation.

One student, Jack Thundercliffe, undertook a placement on the neurobiology of sleep in a Harvard Medical School research lab. Jack said: “My PTY allowed me to build my neuroscience knowledge, as well as learning a number of complex, novel lab techniques which I wouldn’t otherwise know.

“The collaborative nature of the research setting allowed me to develop an appreciation for how lab-based findings are translated to clinical practice. Outside the lab, living in the USA for a year was an unforgettable experience and I’ve forged incredible memories and friendships.”

Another student, Sai Ramesh, spent her PTY at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London. Sai said: “I had a fantastic experience and the PTY gave me an opportunity to learn invaluable laboratory skills, as well as network with top scientists in the field.

“Working with stem cells meant I was part of cutting-edge research and I believe this has set me up well for my chosen career path. The poster presentation event was a great opportunity to present the research I had done over the last year to my peers. I really enjoyed seeing what everyone else had done.”

Dr John Chilton, a Senior Lecturer at the Medical School, said: "It's a pleasure to see the results of our students' hard work on their PTY. I've been incredibly impressed at the knowledge and confidence with which our students have presented their scientific posters. These are very complicated areas of research and the students worked in top academic and industrial groups around the world, performing at a level expected of postgraduates. 

“The PTY is hugely useful in informing students' career choices and giving them valuable contacts in the science community. I'm delighted to see such wonderful outcomes from this year's PTY cohort."

Date: 6 November 2017