NIHR Undergraduate Surgical Research Methodology Internship

You’ll gain professional experience through a funded internship within surgical methodology research. The successful candidate will join a multi-disciplinary team consisting of clinical and non-clinical researchers within the Bristol Medical School.

The internship will involve working on an ongoing research project, applying qualitative, quantitative and/or evidence synthesis methods, depending on the candidate’s preferences and previous knowledge. You will gain experience and an understanding of how research data can be used to inform interventions in surgical care. The successful candidate can choose from a wide variety of existing data and the type of exploration in line with their interests.

The internship intends to offer opportunities that will help support an application for a Postgraduate degree or other research jobs. In particular, the internship intends to develop:

• New research/technical skills depending on the chosen area of focus (i.e. apply qualitative, quantitative and/or evidence synthesis methods).
• Research outputs (e.g. present at monthly team meetings)
• Collaborative relationships (e.g. through attending seminars and research showcases)
• Understanding of inclusive research practices (e.g. learn about research inclusion and cultural competency)

Funding

You will be paid £13.50 per hour. Working hours will be 35 hours per week and will include a pro rata holiday allowance.

The intern will be eligible for limited funding for travel and training costs.

Duration

The duration of the internship will be 6 weeks over the summer, with a flexible start date agreed with the successful candidate. There is an option of extending the internship for a further 2 weeks (8 weeks in total) if desired.

Location

The internship can be conducted remotely or can be office-based (Bristol Medical School, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS).

The successful candidate will be based within the Centre of Surgical Research (CSR) at the, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol. The intern will work within a team of methodologists in the NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) Surgical and Orthopaedic Innovation theme and the University of Bristol Centre for Surgical Research.

Click here for more information:

Supervisors and projects - NIHR UG Surgical Research Methodology Internship (Office document, 16kB)

Eligibility

• To apply you must be:
  • At least a second year Undergraduate student in the UK
  • Entitled to work in the UK (i.e. British or European Economic Area citizen, or overseas national with permission to work in the UK)
• Students on combined 4-year undergraduate/masters programmes and students have enrolled but not completed master's degrees are eligible

Essential candidate criteria

We are seeking a highly-motivated student with an interest in health research and commitment to a longer-term career in academia.

• Able to conduct the internship over the summer 2025 and commit over at least 6 weeks
• Meet the eligibility criteria stated above
• Ability to work remotely or in an office
• Basic knowledge and understanding of either qualitative, quantitative or evidence synthesis methods
• Interest in health services research
• Excellent communication skills
• Excellent time management and organisational skills

Additional considerations

Where the internship is oversubscribed, candidate scoring may also consider the following criteria (applicants who do not meet any of these criteria are still eligible to apply):

• your ethnicity is listed under Asian or Asian British; Black, Black British, Caribbean or African; Mixed or multiple ethnic groups; or the Other ethnic group category on the uk list of ethnic groups;
• you are a mature student (aged 21 or over when you started your first undergraduate course);
• you come from one of the more deprived areas of the country as defined by the government's Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) database. You can check your postcode ranking using the IMD website. Please note this criteria only applies to students who live in England;
• you are a care-leaveror an estranged student;
• are from Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, Showmen and Boater (GTRSB) communities;
• you are a refugee or asylum seeker;
• you have a disability. Please note that the term disability is very wide; further details of what may be considered a disability are in this link definition of disability;
• you are currently studying at a non-Russell Group university

Please complete the application form here, including details about how you meet the candidate criteria. Applications close at 9.00 am BST on Monday 12^th May 2025.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview (likely early June).

If you have any questions or would like to discuss anything prior to applying, please contact Sam Lawday samuel.lawday@bristol.ac.uk