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AHP AND NURSE INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME 2018-2021 (FUNDED BY VERSUS ARTHRITIS)

AHP and Nurse Internship Programme Versus Arthritis

Versus Arthritis has awarded renewed funding (2018-21) for the continuation of a prestigious national UK graduate internship programme, led by the University of Southampton. The overall aim of the programme is to build Musculoskeletal (MSK) research capacity across the UK within all Allied Health Professions (UK HCPC registerable) and Nursing. This highly successful, award-winning programme is run in conjunction with six other international research institutions renowned for Rheumatic & Musculoskeletal Diseases (RMDs) and include the Universities of Leeds, Oxford, Salford and the West of England, Bristol and Keele and Glasgow Caledonian Universities.

Watch this video to find out more from Prof Cathy Bowen (Principal Investigator) and Mary Fry (Programme Manager)

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What is the AHP and Nurse Internship programme?

The AHP and Nurse Internship Programme aims to bring together experts in allied health and nursing to develop the next generation of rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease researchers and clinical specialists.

Successful interns will get first-hand experience working on a research project of their choice, which will be hosted at a participating institution. Projects are specific to the promotion of musculoskeletal health involving both qualitative and quantitative methodology and have included:

Developing tools to assess functional deficits associated with chronic ankle instability
FALCON: A feasibility Randomised Control Trial of a Fibromyalgia Self-management programme (FSMP) in a community setting

Eight places are available each year for this national programme. The programme is 8 weeks full-time equivalent running from June to Sept with core training days in July and August. Flexible and part-time options are available to take account of individual circumstances and the programme will be delivered though a blended approach with online and face-to-face contact depending on Government guidelines

Experiences of a past intern

Hear about the programme from one of our 2019 interns, Joanna Simkins.

How do I qualify for an internship?

If you are a recent graduate (within 5 years) or final year student in an AHP profession (HCPC registerable), Nursing with either a predicted or a first or 2:1 degree you would be eligible to apply or an equivalent academic qualification if you are a nurse.

What will I get from the Internship?

The programme provides opportunities to:

learn and experience how RMD research relates to your clinical practice
obtain first-hand experience of working with a Centre of excellence of RMDs research via a blended approach of on-line and face-to face contact (dependent on Government guidelines)
attend actual and virtual site visits & receive supervision,evaluationandmentoring in research
participateinmulti-professional research seminars, conferencesand workshops
become part of a specialist network of RMD researchers and intern alumni

Is there any funding available?

The placements are unpaid but each intern will receive £1000 towards costs. Costs are also available to cover accommodation and travel to site visits at the participating Universities

Programme Model, Publications and Awards

The internship programme model developed by our team and recognised both in the UK and worldwide can be seen below:

Publications:

“Training the next generation of clinical rheumatology researchers: evaluation of a graduate allied health professional and nurse internship programme” David Wright, Mary Fry, Jo Adams, Catherine Bowen

Rheumatology, Volume 58, Issue Supplement_3, April 2019, kez106.029,

“Building research capacity in musculoskeletal health: qualitative evaluation of a graduate nurse and allied health professional internship programme” David Wright, Mary Fry, Jo Adams, Catherine Bowen

BMC Health Services Research volume 20, Article number: 751 (2020)

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-05628-1

“Allied health professional and nurse internships scheme: evaluation of year 1 cohort 2016” Mary Fry, Heidi Siddle, Begonya Alcacer-Pitarch, Michael Backhouse, Fiona Cramp, Sarah Hewlett, Candy McCabe, Gail Lang, Carina Price, Jo Adams, Catherine Bowen, the Arthritis Research UK Allied Health and Nurse Internship Scheme Consortium

Rheumatology, Volume 56, Issue suppl_2, April 2017, kex062.131,

https://academic.oup.com/rheumatology/article/56/suppl_2/kex062.131/4106634?searchresult=1

Awards

2019 BSR/ASME Education Research Prize for “Training the next generation of clinical rheumatology researchers: evaluation of a graduate allied health professional and nurse internship programme” David Wright.

More details on the programme can be found on the Versus Arthritis website.

Also, follow our Versus Arthritis AHP and Nurse Internship Programme on Twitter

How to Apply

For further information about the Internship Programme and how to apply please contact Programme Manager Mary Fry (MSc)

Via email M.L.Fry@soton.ac.uk

"This prestigious UK-wide programme will open up a whole new network of world leading researchers to our interns. Past interns have benefitted from a more rapid career progression in clinical research than their peers. The benefits of linking research with clinical experience is invaluable to ensure people with arthritis receive the best care"

Meet our project principal at Southampton

Professor Catherine Bowen - Principal Investigator

The governance of the programme is overseen by University of Southampton’s world-renowned podiatrist Professor Catherine Bowen.

“Many new graduates are just not aware that clinical academic career pathways exist, with this renewed grant from Versus Arthritis we want to be able to attract a new generation of young graduate stars, from the wider health professions, who will be right at the patient interface and be able to translate academic research into clinical practice.”

Meet our collaborative partners

Dr. Heidi Siddle

University of Leeds

Dr Fiona Cramp

University of the West of England

Dr Mwidimi Ndosi

University of the West of England

Dr Jenny Lewis

University of the West of England

Dr. Carina Price

University of Salford Manchester

Mrs. Gail Lang

University of Oxford

Prof Ruth Barn

Glasgow Caledonian University

Dr Andrew Finney

Keele University

Dr James P. Gavin

University of Southampton

Meet our 2019 Intern alumni

Anika Hoque

This internship has allowed me to build long-lasting networks and opened up an entirely new and exciting career path, and I am now more motivated and determined to establish a career in research.

The internship was invaluable as I got to network with likeminded individuals and it gave me the confidence to pursue a clinical academic career pathway.

Joanna Simkins

"The internship was invaluable as I got to network with likeminded individuals and it gave me the confidence to pursue a clinical academic career pathway."

Alice Johnston

“The internship provided me with an insight in to a career in research and skills that have already been invaluable in both my clinical and research work.”

Sally Gates

“It was a truly unique experience that has given me the confidence to really push my career forward."

Jennifer Andrews

“The internship provided me with an opportunity to meet incredible people and it has changed the course of my career immeasurably”.

Jennifer Dowdell

"The internship has allowed me to see the benefits and excitement that a career in research can provide in addition to building a network of supportive peers. It has built my confidence so that I can begin to build a career in research whilst also strengthening my clinical skills"

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