Summer 2025 Interns

Our 2025 interns were:

• Elvis Annan, who worked on the project 'Prescribing trends of Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs) in atrial fibrillation by ethnicity', supervised by Yvonne Nartey
• Falinyi Samson, who worked on on the project 'Recorded COVID-19 differed from other respiratory illnesses in school-aged individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic', supervised by Eleanor Walsh
• Joseph Okeke, who worked on on the project 'Development of an interactive dashboard for visualising output of phewas post-COVID-19 events in England', supervised by Marwa Al Arab
• Mercy Nthiwa, who worked on on the project 'Incidence of COVID-19 before and during pregancy', supervised by Arun Karthikeyan Suseeladevi 

At the end of the internship, each intern created and presented a poster - see the poster submissions here. We would like to thank the British Heart Foundation Data Science Centre CVD-COVID-UK/COVID-IMPACT research programme for supporting this work. Find out more about hosting or applying to the HDRUK Black Internship Programme here. Read on to find out more about the interns' experience with our group…

What interested you in the HDRUK Black Internship Programme in the first place?

Elvis Annan

The reason why I was interested in applying for a role at HDRUK Black internship programming was my interest in data science. In the past, I had conducted a previous project using coding tools, and I wanted to expand my knowledge and use more advanced tools within the industry. With the experience at the University of Bristol, I was able to gain tools that I would never have imagined I would have gained at the beginning of the internship. 

What have you enjoyed the most?

Joseph Okeke

The EHR meetings have been my favourite part. Each one feels like a mini masterclass - seeing how people explain their work and answer tricky questions. The Q&A shows real choices and honest replies, even “we don’t know yet.” It’s boosted my confidence and shaped my project: clear defaults, simple messages, and an easy metric switch.

What were you expecting from the internship initially, and was this different from your experience? If so, how?

Elvis Annan

At the beginning, I thought I would be highly micromanaged with the tasks that I did; however, my supervisor, Yvonne, allowed me to think freely and take the project where I thought was right, which allowed me to learn a lot more compared to if I were micromanaged at every stage. I’m going to admit, I did make some mistakes; however, those mistakes allowed me to learn, helping me to be a more well-rounded data scientist. 

What has been the most challenging?

Mercy Nthiwa

One of the most challenging aspects was embracing simplicity. I often get excited about the analysis and want to include everything in my results. Learning to focus on what truly matters and present insights simply was difficult but extremely valuable. This is something I will carry with me into the next stage, as it will continue to guide how I approach work. I am also very grateful for the immeasurable support I received from Arun throughout this process.

What have you learnt that you weren’t expecting?

Joseph Okeke

I didn’t expect to grow this much with R programming. I learned how to turn data into clear stories, how to fix things calmly when they broke, and how to keep the design simple so people don’t get lost. I also learned to think like a user - set good defaults, use plain language, and show friendly messages when data isn’t there. It’s been a big jump from “just code” to building something people can use. I also didn’t expect this much guidance from my supervisors. They were generous with their time, asked kind but sharp questions, and pointed me in the right direction when I got stuck. “Fantastic” is the word - they made the work feel possible.

What have you gained from the internship that you will carry with you to the next stage, role, or study?

Falinyi Samson

For me, I would say that this internship gave me structure and clarity about what I want to do next. It also strengthened my self-confidence in the work I do as a health data scientist. Coming from a background unrelated to data science, working from home helped me trust my work and feel confident in what I’ve accomplished. Receiving personal constructive feedback was a great help with that.

What advice would you give others who are considering a health data science internship?

Falinyi Samson

I would say GO FOR IT!!!!! It is such an amazing opportunity. You might not notice it in the first two weeks, but it’ll hit you on a random afternoon when you see the results of what you’ve done, and you’ll realise that you’ve gained a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Elvis Annan

The experience allowed me to learn a lot of health knowledge that someone with an economics and accounting background did not know much about previously, so it was an eye-opener. I would recommend that anyone should apply, even if you don’t have a healthcare background like me; you wouldn’t regret it.