| If you ask me this question a few years ago, my answer will be no. However, Covid 19 pandemic changed the way we see medical research. Covid 19 hit the world hard and wiped out around 7 million people (everyone’s family, friends, and relatives) and at the height of Covid, there was only one thing people waited for - a cure or prevention for Covid 19. The COVID-19 pandemic has indeed brought medical research to the forefront of people's lives and increased awareness of its importance. The global impact of the pandemic has highlighted the significance of medical research in understanding and combating diseases. The urgency to find a cure, develop vaccines, and implement effective preventive measures has led to increased public interest and engagement with medical research. Therefore, my answer after Covid 19 will be “yes” and people pay more attention and aware of medical research and can relate it to themselves and can get much more involved in medical research. |  |
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At first, I was hesitant about working as an administrative assistant in a research-related field. However, once I was in the field and in the University environment, I felt like I was in a good place to broaden my abilities and take on greater responsibility in the field of medical research in the future. Not with a needle and blood, but more likely with a computer, filing, and maybe in a public environment. My jobs' brief responsibilities include providing administrative assistance to study teams engaging in various research projects and assisting the operational lead with whatever administrative activities are required. At the outset, I had to attend a couple of orientations and a series of training sessions (some of which are still ongoing) to become familiarised with the organisation (NDORMS), its research objectives, and the individual projects I'll be assisting. I received training as well on the software, resources, and protocols utilised in the research environment. Looking back on those trainings and orientations, one speech from one of my recent trainings comes to mind. At the training, the facilitator stated regarding public speaking that "the audience does not want you to fail but wishes you to succeed in every possible way." In my case, the audience (the institution and my operational lead) does not want me to fail, therefore provide me with every possible tool (such as trainings, equipment, and flexible working options) I need to succeed. As a result, I'll be able to stand out and enjoy all the success in my position in the future.
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Once I finished the series of training, I am responsible for maintaining and organizing research-related documents, such as consent forms. Then I started to create and manage electronic filing systems, ensuring easy access and confidentiality of sensitive information. Furthermore, the pandemic has also demonstrated the collaboration and rapid advancements that can be achieved through medical research. When I am at EMCRF one thing I can’t help notice is that the operational lead is creating an inclusive organisational culture which make everyone feel to be a part of team and trying to give their best for the team. Finally, while COVID-19 has heightened public interest in medical research, it's worth noting that medical research has always played a vital part in improving healthcare outcomes and addressing various disorders. Medical research, even after the pandemic, continues to have a significant influence on our daily lives through enhancing medical knowledge, generating novel treatments and cures, and improving healthcare practises.
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Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic has raised public knowledge and appreciation for medical research, making it a daily topic of discussion and fascination in our lives. I have just discovered that we are a unique clinical research centre, maybe the only one in Oxford;therefore, I am privilege to be a part of team which is trying to create something great dare I say if not humanity but for people around us.
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