Latest news

Methodology interns join our ARC for the summer

Six enthusiastic and promising students have joined our ARC as summer interns.

The salaried interns will work as part of the Enabling Methodology theme for two months, and will be based at Newcastle University.

Professor Luke Vale from Newcastle University leads the ARC NENC’s Enabling Methodologies theme.

He said: “Methodologists play a critical role in health research, yet many methodological disciplines have recruitment issues. We decided to create this funded internship scheme to offer students the opportunity to experience life as a methodologist in applied health research. This will hopefully support them to consider careers in this area. We are looking forward to seeing how the next two months unfold.”

The interns will be mentored by experienced methodologists, and each will work on one of the following research projects:

• A systematic review on methods used to analyse Sequential Multistage Assignment randomised Trial designs (SMART).
• Collection and analysis of social media data on (a) women’s weight-related behaviours, and experiences of material obesity and health care (from Mumsnet); and (b) nutrition and weight loss in adults from Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
• A systematic review of characterising rapid methods in qualitative research during Covid- 19
• Economic evaluations of interventions for autistic people: A systematic review of methods and instruments
• Cancer services in primary care for the most deprived communities before and in the time of Covid-19: a practice-level study in Northern England from 2019/20 to 2020/21
• A qualitative research project focusing on online content (discussion forums, website and blog posts) about staff uniforms in care homes.

As well as undertaking a research project, the interns will be part of a programme of events highlighting other areas of methodology such as evidence synthesis, health economics, qualitative research, and statistics.