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My path to research - a cancer nurse's story

A senior nurse shares how she utilised the support of the NIHR’s Research Design Service to focus her application which saw her being awarded a HEE/NIHR Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship.

Published: 22 October 2019

Find out more information on the HEE/NIHR ICA Programme on the NIHR website.

Author: Alison Finch

Alison Finch is Assistant Chief Nurse at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and has been awarded a Health Education England/NIHR Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship.

Alison Finch is Assistant Chief Nurse at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and has been awarded a Health Education England/NIHR Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship.

She is a cancer nurse who has spent 15 years working with young people in haematology and broader cancer specialty.

In this video, Alison shares insight into her career, how her local Research Design Service supported her in submitting applications, as well as some of her top tips for other health and care professionals looking at applying for a fellowship award.

Through her research, Alison hopes to help fulfil one of her organisation’s strategic aims of engaging nurses in research inquiry earlier in their career. She plans to offer mentorship as she progresses to support nurses and other health and care professionals to develop research projects in their own clinical areas.


Find out more about the NIHR's Your Path in Research campaign.

Find out more about the HEE/NIHR Integrated Clinical Academic Programme.

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