International Women’s Day: My journey to a career in science.

Who or what motivated you to pursue a career in science?

My sixth form careers advisor guided me towards nursing or physiotherapy, but I always knew I wanted to go to university and so it was a nursing degree that I decided to study initially. Working on an oncology ward, I quickly became interested in the patient perception of disease and their experience of treatments. Encouraged by one of the medical consultants, I looked to pursue a career in healthcare research. Later, during my nursing career in the NHS, I was supported and encouraged by a nursing colleague already doing a PhD to start my own PhD to pursue my research interest. I signed up and began studying part-time. I moved into the pharmaceutical industry whilst studying and I’ve never looked back!

What’s been your biggest challenge?

At the start of my career there was no interest in funding research into the patients’ perspective. So, it was not easy to get funding to undertake research to answer research questions focused on patient perspectives. However, I believed in the need and so kept on looking for a route to get funding to do patient focused research for my PhD. I am so pleased attitudes have changed and that the patient perspective is now so credible to fund and study!

Do you have any tips or advice for women embarking on a career in science?

Never give up! Build networks. Find a mentor. Continue dialogue. Don’t be afraid to be the first at anything.

What are your career highlights?

• Completing my patient-focused PhD after 6 years part time studying
• Publication of my first peer-reviewed manuscript
• Many roles in my career have been the first of their kind in a company, building teams that continue to thrive and complete research that makes a difference

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