Sally Hayward

Project: The relationship between psychosocial stress, immune function, and tuberculosis risk among migrants

What were you doing before you joined the MRC DTP scheme?

I was working as a research assistant at King’s College London.

Why did you choose your primary institution (LSHTM or SGUL)?

I chose St George’s because it’s where my primary supervisor is based, and because of its close links with St George’s Hospital where I’m recruiting patients from for my study.

What do you enjoy most about your day-to-day work and the people you work with?

I love how diverse my project is – between interviewing patients in the clinic, running statistical analyses of big databases, and working in the lab, no two days are the same. I also really enjoy working as part of a team, I learn so much from others in my group and the university.

What do you value most about the MRC DTP studentship?

We have lots of opportunities for training which is great (training days for all of us put on by the MRC DTP plus project-specific training through our grants).

What additional training have you attended with MRC DTP money?

I’ve taken courses on qualitative methods, meta-analyses and power calculations.

Do you have any tips for future MRC DTP scholarship applicants?

Pick a project that you’re really interested in, this will become your life for three and a half years so you need to love it! Also try to meet or talk to your supervisors before applying, and try to figure out if you’re the right fit for the project and the group.