Patient Events and Communications intern Review

I absolutely loved the 12 weeks I spent working in the patient involvement team at Cancer Research UK. My independent project was so interesting and fun to work on and develop over the course of the internship, I can see how much I have developed in terms of my communication skills, independent thinking and working skills, my presentation skills and just my general confidence levels. Getting to know the other interns was also a really fun experience and something that is encouraged through various intern events and projects.

My team was so supportive and encouraging, they made sure they had time for me, whether to give me inductions into the team or chat to me about the project I was working on. I always received prompt and helpful feedback on all my pieces of work and was encouraged to push myself outside of my comfort zone and take on opportunities. I was made to feel included in the team and thanked on multiple occasions for the work I was doing, I felt really appreciated and made to feel that the work I was doing was making a real difference.

My manager consistently made time for me over the course of the whole 12 weeks. I never felt hesitant to ask her a question or pick up the phone and call her. Despite working in a different location to me, which could potentially have caused problems, I felt we communicated really well and never felt like I was bothering her. She allowed me the space to think independently and brainstorm and develop my own ideas but was also willing to give feedback and contribute her own thoughts and vision which I found really helpful.

This varied quite a bit. In the first few weeks, there was a bit of a lull in work but I threw myself into other opportunities such as intern fundraising or having inductions with other teams to find out more about their work. However, the work soon picked up to a comfortable pace for the rest of the internship, with a bit of a mad rush to get things done at the end but this is to be expected with most projects in my experience. If I ever found myself short of work I volunteered to help another team member out with something they were working on which they seemed to find valuable.

A lot. As well as my independent project which I solely was responsible for, I was also offered opportunities outside of this such as co-planning and running staff workshops, being offered the opportunity to present my ideas to patients and producing content for social media. At times this was quite daunting but I always felt supported by my manager and the team and knew I could rely on their help/contributions if I felt out of my depth. Working so independently has helped me develop my time management and project planning skills as well as encouraging me to have faith in my own abilities.

My communication skills have developed so much over recent weeks which I think will be a valuable asset in my future studies and any future career. The next big goal for me is to write my dissertation so I think the time management and project planning skills will be essential for this, as well as learning how to prioritise tasks based on importance which is something I have struggled with before.

It was a really positive and inspiring office to work in. The atmosphere was quite casual and staff were always willing to chat to you for half an hour if you wanted their help on a project or wanted to find out more about the team they work in. Everyone was very friendly and for the most part, I wasn't made to feel like an intern but a normal member of staff who was treated with respect.

Very well. From the onset I knew what was expected of me and what kinds of things I would be working on, primarily my independent project. While this changed over its development, as to be expected with any project, I was consistently made aware of any changes to the surrounding circumstances and how this would impact my project.

From the onset of the internship I was encouraged to think about my personal development and what I wanted to get out of the internship. My manager sat down with me and helped me create a personal development plan and thought of ways I could reach this goals, even if they fell out of the remit of my internship role. I was also given the opportunity to attend CV and presentation skills workshops and various focus groups with allowed me the opportunity to develop skills that I wasn't necessarily using in my role. I also found the mentor scheme really helpful, I was able to talk about job applications and personal development further through those fortnightly meetings.

I would love to work here in the future and have been encouraged to apply for positions here after I graduate. I think it's a wonderful environment to work in, the people are lovely and the work is exciting, interesting and meaningful. I feel very connected to the Cancer Research cause and it has made me more passionate about the organisation than I ever was before,

There were weekly intern socials organised by the social secs as well as intern fundraising and intern team building afternoons. This really helped everyone get to know each other and made the experience a lot more enjoyable, knowing people in the same situation and stage in their careers.

As the internship was in London it is obviously quite expensive. As I'm originally from London it made it much easier but not sure how feasibly it would be to move here for the duration of the internship as it is unpaid. Being allowed expenses for travel and lunch (as well as the subsidised café) made it much easier to afford.

Lots of really nice restaurants and bars. Very close to central London and good transport connections so lots of things to do after work.

Volunteering opportunities were frequently advertised through internal communications and the intern socials were another really good aspect. But not much aside from that.