Research Support Worker Review

During my placement as a Research Support Worker at Salford Royal Hospital, I worked in both laboratory and patient-facing environments, giving me a broad understanding of healthcare services and diagnostic processes. My role involved assisting with laboratory procedures, handling and processing samples, maintaining accurate records, and following strict health and safety and quality standards.
On a day-to-day basis, I worked as part of a multidisciplinary team and interacted with patients, helping to ensure they received a professional and positive experience. This required strong communication, organisation, and attention to detail. I was also responsible for managing administrative tasks, supporting service delivery, and ensuring that work was completed efficiently and accurately. Working in both laboratory and patient-facing settings helped me understand the importance of effective communication and collaboration in delivering high-quality patient care.

Yes, I was given a significant amount of responsibility during my placement. After my initial training period, I became confident working independently and was trusted to carry out patient visits on my own. This involved meeting with patients, collecting research samples and data, and ensuring that study procedures were followed accurately and professionally.
Being given this level of responsibility helped me develop confidence, organisation, and decision-making skills. It also showed me the importance of communicating effectively with patients and maintaining high standards of professionalism, particularly when working in a clinical research environment.

Yes, I learnt a range of new skills and further developed existing ones throughout my placement. One of the key technical skills I developed was laboratory processing and sample handling, which gave me hands-on experience of working in a clinical research environment and strengthened my understanding of laboratory procedures and protocols.
I also improved my communication skills significantly. A large part of my role involved interacting with patients, often independently, during research visits. This helped me build confidence in communicating with people from different backgrounds and adapting my approach depending on the situation.
Another important skill I developed was adaptability. During my placement, I worked across several different research teams and clinical trials due to changes in staffing and workload. This required me to learn new processes quickly, work with different colleagues, and adapt to varying ways of working.

I received a high level of support and guidance throughout my placement, particularly during the beginning when I was learning new procedures and becoming familiar with the clinical research environment. My colleagues and supervisors were always approachable and willing to answer questions, provide training, and help me develop my skills.

The company culture was diverse, welcoming, and supportive. Throughout my placement, I worked with people from a range of professional and cultural backgrounds, which helped create an inclusive working environment. The team was generally friendly and willing to provide guidance when needed, making it easier to develop new skills and gain confidence in my role. Working on the wards was more challenging at times due to the fast-paced nature of the environment and the demands of patient care. However, these experiences helped me develop resilience, adaptability, and stronger communication skills.

I thoroughly enjoyed my placement and found it to be one of the most valuable experiences of my degree so far. It gave me the opportunity to apply the knowledge I had gained at university in a real clinical research environment while developing new technical and professional skills.
One of the aspects I enjoyed most was working directly with cancer patients. I primarily worked with brain cancer patients at different stages of their treatment journey, including before surgery, on the day of surgery, and during follow-up MRI appointments. Being able to interact with patients and contribute to research that could improve future patient care was both rewarding and motivating.

Yes