Skip to:

  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to accessibility
City, University of London
  • Student Hub
  • Staff Hub
Search
Menu
Home
  • Prospective students
    • Courses
      • Undergraduate degrees
      • Apprenticeships
      • Foundation courses
      • Postgraduate taught degrees
      • Postgraduate research degrees
      • Short courses
      • Professional development courses
      • City Health courses
    • Apply
      • Entry requirements
      • How to apply
        • Undergraduate
        • Apprenticeship
        • Information for teachers
        • Postgraduate taught
        • Postgraduate research
          • Preparing your application
            • Preparing your research proposal
          • All PhD research projects
        • Booking Short Courses
          • Business and Management Short Courses
          • Computing Short Courses
          • Creative Industry Short Courses
          • Creative Writing Short Courses
            • The Novel Studio published alumni
          • Law Short Courses
          • Languages Courses Online | Languages Courses in London
      • Prospectus
        • Undergraduate
        • Postgraduate
      • Visas
        • Student visas
          • Applying from outside the UK
          • Applying from within the UK
          • Applying for a dependant visa
          • Preparing your application
          • Working in the UK
        • Standard Visitor visas
          • How to apply for a Standard Visitor Visa
          • Non-visa nationals
        • ATAS certificates
        • Brexit and European nationals
      • Study abroad programmes
        • Study abroad programme
        • Partnership programme
      • Clearing
        • Applying through Clearing
      • Alternative entry routes
        • Foundation programmes
        • Second-year students
        • Work experience
      • Contact Admissions
    • Finance
      • Funding options
      • Earn while you learn
      • How to pay
        • Payment methods
        • Fee schedules
        • Deposit refunds
      • Additional expenses
    • Accommodation and housing
      • Compare residential halls
      • Applying for halls
        • Undergraduate
        • Postgraduate
        • Clearing
      • Paying for halls
      • Private accommodation
        • Finding a place to live
        • Accommodation for families
      • Short-term accommodation
    • Open events and fairs
      • Campus tours
      • Online chats
        • Undergraduate online events
        • Postgraduate online events
        • Ask a student
      • University fairs
    • Student life
      • London experience
      • Local area
      • Sports
        • Sport clubs
        • Non-competitive sport
        • Competitive sport
      • Social activities and groups
      • Religion
      • Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer plus
      • Volunteering
      • Student wellbeing
        • Your health and wellbeing
        • Learning support
        • Young, estranged students
        • Care leavers
        • Young adult carers
        • Personal tutoring programme
      • Learn another language
    • Career development
      • Placements, internships and employment opportunities
        • Micro-placements
      • Career pathways
      • Job prospects and graduate destinations
      • Careers team
    • Subjects
  • Research
    • Research centres and groups
    • Research impact
      • Research Excellence Framework
      • Research case studies
    • Research strategy
    • Research support
      • Grants and funding
      • Integrity and ethics
        • Research ethics
          • Principles
          • Approval process
          • Approval outcomes and appeals
          • External ethics approvals
        • Ethics guidance and resources
          • Participant information and consent
          • Recruiting participants from City
          • Records management
          • Research conducted abroad
          • FAQ
        • Research integrity
          • Framework for good practice in research
          • Research misconduct
      • Research data
        • Managing active research data
        • Digital research data and Figshare
      • Researcher development
    • City Doctoral College
      • About us
      • Doctoral Training Resources
        • Researcher Development Programme (DRDP)
      • Student Journey
      • Scholarships and Funding
      • For Research Supervisors
  • For businesses
    • Start your business
      • Develop your startup idea
        • One-to-one startup advice
        • The Good Entrepreneur Festival
        • Startup Camp
        • Startup Seminars
        • Side Hustle
        • CitySpark Workshops
      • Launch your startup
        • Start-up visa
        • Launch Lab
    • Grow your business
      • Fund your business
        • Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
      • Hire an academic consultant
      • Purchase our intellectual property
      • Companies formed
    • Develop your people
      • Bespoke training
      • My Home Life England
      • Degree apprenticeships for business
        • What is the apprenticeship levy?
    • Business impact case studies
    • Access our student talent
      • Recruit with us
      • Meet and support our students
        • Become a mentor
        • Employer engagement events
        • Micro-Placements
        • Industry Led Projects
      • Information for placement partners
        • Speech and Language Therapy training
  • Alumni and supporters
    • Alumni benefits
    • Alumni Events
    • Global alumni network
      • Networks and Groups
        • City Alumni LinkedIn groups
        • MENA Alumni Board
        • US Alumni Board
      • Alumni Ambassadors
      • Special Interest Groups
      • Alumni News and stories
    • Contact Alumni Relations
    • Support City
      • Donate to City
      • Volunteering
      • Your impact
  • News and events
    • News
    • Events
    • Social media directory
      • City social accounts
        • WeChat social accounts
      • School and Departmental accounts
  • About us
    • Schools and Departments
      • School of Policy & Global Affairs
        • About the School
          • Athena Swan
        • Department of Economics
        • Department of International Politics
        • Department of Sociology and Criminology
          • Postgraduate Sociology at City
      • School of Communication & Creativity
        • About the School
          • Athena Swan
          • Creatives in Residence
        • Department of Journalism
          • James Cameron Memorial Lecture
            • Lectures
            • Special awards
            • Winners
        • Department of Media, Culture and Creative Industries
          • English, Publishing and Creative Writing
          • Culture and the Creative Industries
          • Library and Information Science
          • Media and Communications
        • Department of Performing Arts
        • The Centre for Language Studies
      • Bayes Business School
      • School of Health & Psychological Sciences
        • About the School
          • Athena SWAN
          • Selection Process
          • Occupational Health Checks
          • Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) enhanced check (formerly CRB)
          • MSc Nursing - RPL
          • Reference request
        • Department of Health Services Research and Management
          • Health Services Management at City
        • Department of Language and Communication Science
        • Department of Midwifery and Radiography
          • Radiography undergraduate learning contract
          • Postgraduate Midwifery at City
          • Radiography at City
        • Department of Nursing
        • Department of Optometry and Visual Sciences
        • Department of Psychology
      • School of Science & Technology
        • About the School
          • Athena Swan
          • Aviation Management at City
          • Civil Engineering at City
          • Computer Science at City
          • Cyber Security MSc courses at City
          • Energy MSc courses at City
          • Library and Information Science at City
          • Maritime Management at City
          • Placements and internships
            • Placement and internship schemes
        • Department of Computer Science
        • Department of Mathematics
          • Potential PhD projects
        • Department of Engineering
      • The City Law School
        • Academic programmes
          • Undergraduate degree LLB
          • Graduate Entry Law GE LLB
          • Graduate Diploma in Law GDL
          • Master of Laws (LLM)
        • Professional programmes
        • Research and Scholarship
        • Athena Swan in The City Law School
        • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at The City Law School
        • Barrister training
          • Bar Training
          • Pupillage Advice Service
        • Solicitor training
          • Future Solicitor Advisory Service (FSAS)
          • The Solicitors' Qualifying Exam (SQE)
        • Law in real life (Law IRL)
          • Legal work placements
          • Court visits
          • Mock Trials
        • About The School
          • Prizes from The City Law School
          • Global Engagement
      • Dubai Centre
    • History
    • People
      • Academics
      • Research students
      • Students
      • Honorary graduates
      • Past students
      • Professional Services staff
      • International agents and representatives
      • Senior people
      • Extraordinary women
    • Facilities
      • Campuses
      • Libraries
      • Gym
      • University of London facilities
      • Specialist facilities
    • Work for us
      • Apply
      • Benefits
      • Career development
    • Vision and Strategy
      • Academic excellence
        • Rankings
        • Education
          • Flexible learning spaces
          • Active and collaborative learning
          • Term dates
        • Student statistics
      • Equality, diversity and inclusion
        • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy
        • Data and objectives
        • Staff networks
        • Digital Accessibility
      • Sustainable development
        • Get involved
        • Environmental Impact and Performance
      • Civic engagement
      • Social responsibility
        • Social responsibility in our outreach
        • Social responsibility in action
    • Governance and legal
      • Charter and Statutes
      • Rector
      • Council
        • Audit and Risk Committee
        • Corporate Governance and Nominations Committee
        • Remuneration Committee
        • Strategy and Finance Committee
        • Development Committee
      • Senate
        • Board of Studies
        • Collaborative Provision Committee
        • Educational Quality Committee
        • Research and Enterprise Committee
        • Senate Research Ethics Committee
      • Executive leadership
      • Financial statements
        • Financial Summary
      • Legal documents and policies
      • Committees
    • Global City
    • Contact us and find us
      • Find us
      • Contact us
      • Staff directory
    • Guidance on Coronavirus
      • Admissions advice during coronavirus
        • Coronavirus accommodation information
      • Latest updates
      • Advice for visitors to our campus
  • Student Hub
  • Staff Hub
  • Prospective students
    Prospective students
    • Courses
      • Undergraduate degrees
      • Apprenticeships
      • Foundation courses
      • Postgraduate taught degrees
      • Postgraduate research degrees
      • Short courses
      • Professional development courses
      • City Health courses
    • Apply
      • Entry requirements
      • How to apply
      • Prospectus
      • Visas
      • Study abroad programmes
      • Clearing
      • Alternative entry routes
      • Contact Admissions
    • Finance
      • Funding options
      • Earn while you learn
      • How to pay
      • Additional expenses
    • Accommodation and housing
      • Compare residential halls
      • Applying for halls
      • Paying for halls
      • Private accommodation
      • Short-term accommodation
    • Open events and fairs
      • Campus tours
      • Online chats
      • University fairs
    • Student life
      • London experience
      • Local area
      • Sports
      • Social activities and groups
      • Religion
      • Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer plus
      • Volunteering
      • Student wellbeing
      • Learn another language
    • Career development
      • Placements, internships and employment opportunities
      • Career pathways
      • Job prospects and graduate destinations
      • Careers team
    • Subjects
  • Research
    Research
    • Research centres and groups
    • Research impact
      • Research Excellence Framework
      • Research case studies
    • Research strategy
    • Research support
      • Grants and funding
      • Integrity and ethics
      • Research data
      • Researcher development
    • City Doctoral College
      • About us
      • Doctoral Training Resources
      • Student Journey
      • Scholarships and Funding
      • For Research Supervisors
  • For businesses
    For businesses
    • Start your business
      • Develop your startup idea
      • Launch your startup
    • Grow your business
      • Fund your business
      • Hire an academic consultant
      • Purchase our intellectual property
      • Companies formed
    • Develop your people
      • Bespoke training
      • My Home Life England
      • Degree apprenticeships for business
    • Business impact case studies
    • Access our student talent
      • Recruit with us
      • Meet and support our students
      • Information for placement partners
  • Alumni and supporters
    Alumni and supporters
    • Alumni benefits
    • Alumni Events
    • Global alumni network
      • Networks and Groups
      • Alumni Ambassadors
      • Special Interest Groups
      • Alumni News and stories
    • Contact Alumni Relations
    • Support City
      • Donate to City
      • Volunteering
      • Your impact
  • News and events
    News and events
    • News
    • Events
    • Social media directory
      • City social accounts
      • School and Departmental accounts
  • About us
    About us
    • Schools and Departments
      • School of Policy & Global Affairs
      • School of Communication & Creativity
      • Bayes Business School
      • School of Health & Psychological Sciences
      • School of Science & Technology
      • The City Law School
      • Dubai Centre
    • History
    • People
      • Academics
      • Research students
      • Students
      • Honorary graduates
      • Past students
      • Professional Services staff
      • International agents and representatives
      • Senior people
      • Extraordinary women
    • Facilities
      • Campuses
      • Libraries
      • Gym
      • University of London facilities
      • Specialist facilities
    • Work for us
      • Apply
      • Benefits
      • Career development
    • Vision and Strategy
      • Academic excellence
      • Equality, diversity and inclusion
      • Sustainable development
      • Civic engagement
      • Social responsibility
    • Governance and legal
      • Charter and Statutes
      • Rector
      • Council
      • Senate
      • Executive leadership
      • Financial statements
      • Legal documents and policies
      • Committees
    • Global City
    • Contact us and find us
      • Find us
      • Contact us
      • Staff directory
    • Guidance on Coronavirus
      • Admissions advice during coronavirus
      • Latest updates
      • Advice for visitors to our campus
  1. Home
  2. …
  3. People
  4. Students
  5. Martina Curtin
People
  • Academics
  • Research students
  • Students
  • Honorary graduates
  • Past students
  • Professional Services staff
  • International agents and representatives
  • Senior people
  • Extraordinary women
Martina Curtin is an MRes Clinical Research student

Martina Curtin

MRes Clinical Research student

School of Health & Psychological Sciences Department of Health Services Research and Management

Tags:

  • Student
  • Postgraduate taught
  • United Kingdom

Martina is studying the MRes in Clinical Research. She chose this course to become a clinical academic and further her skills in research.

What was your main motivation to undertake postgraduate study?

I'm a specialist Speech and Language Therapist working in the NHS. I wanted to undertake postgraduate study to become a clinical academic and further my skills in research. As a clinician, I want to provide the children I see with the most effective input, which in turn should have the greatest impact on their lives. The MRes in Clinical Research was the perfect first step in upskilling in evidence-based practice.

What were the main challenges that affected your decision about postgraduate study? How did you overcome them?

I had to talk extensively with my employer about how the 50/50 split would work between work and study. We needed to ensure that undertaking the MRes would not have an impact on my colleagues or the children/families I see. I’m very lucky to have managers that value the worth of having a clinician skilled in research within the team.

Time management was also a concern of mine, i.e. would I have a life outside of work and university? I figured I would as long as I remained organised. I had such a drive to start studying again that I knew I would find a way.

Why did you choose City?

The main pull factor was City’s affiliation with the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR had 10 scholarships for the MRes course. I applied for the scholarship via City and was accepted, meaning my course fees were paid for.

In addition to this, I trained as a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) at City and already knew how exceptional the teaching staff were there. I follow many of the academics in the Department of Language and Communication Science on Twitter. I read their research and attend their seminars and talks regularly. Dr Madeline Cruice was named as module leader of the MRes at that time. She taught me as a trainee SLT and so I knew I would be in good hands.

What has been your student experience at City so far?

Our lecturers are active researchers (known nationally and internationally) and so their knowledge and expertise is incredible. Teaching is purposeful and relatable to our working life as clinicians and novice researchers.

The spaces we are taught in are all very swish too, especially now with all the modernisation! There are so many different types of work spaces available and lots of computers too; it makes student life very easy. The library and all the available resources are brilliant. I’ve always been able to find the resources I’ve needed, and anything the library doesn’t have, you can request.

I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the other students in the MRes cohort and supporting them in my role as part-time student representative. Everyone is very friendly, supportive and keen to work together!

I feel very safe around the University, even when working late at night. Security patrol the 24 hour areas.

Lastly, food and drink prices are very reasonable here.

How has studying a postgraduate degree helped you develop personally and professionally?

Whilst on the MRes course, I got a promotion at work. I feel that my dedication in promoting research at work (learnt at City) played a part in achieving this. Since starting the course, I feel I am more considered. I seek information and ask questions before I act, and review and analyse most of my decisions with far more care. My organisational and multi-tasking skills are the best I think I’ve ever seen them, both in terms of meeting deadlines at work, at the university, and making sure I fit in time for family and friends. It doesn’t go without stress, but I’ve learnt to channel that positively by seeking out stress-relievers such as gym classes, talking to loved ones and weekends away.

I’ve learnt that the academic world can be a very supportive environment; the City staff are testament to this fact. In response, I feel that I am now more supportive and encouraging to those around me: I share news, events and helpful resources with colleagues, I’ve run a journal club at work to skill up other therapists in critical appraisal, and I help run the Clinical Excellence Network for SLTs in Deafness. These activities make me feel like I’m passing the knowledge on and promoting the research work of others.

What skills and knowledge do you think the course has helped you develop?

I feel strongly that the MRes was the perfect career move for me. It has given me a huge amount of motivation to create my own path in clinical research and though I am still a novice, the course has equipped me with a good level of knowledge and skills in quantitative and qualitative research methods and data analysis.

Being able to critically appraise research has strengthened my work as a clinician. I am thinking far more of the ‘so what?’ element of my therapy at work: is what I’m doing really making a difference? What is the biggest difference I can make and how can I measure this? The course has provided me with the skills to begin to answer these questions and I look forward to seeing more positive effects of having research embedded into my practice.

I know more now about the issues that develop from real-life research in clinical settings and I understand the challenges that come with having a dual role. Yet despite this, I can recognise the value of being a clinician active in research, not just for my own personal development, but for the benefit to patients receiving my input.

What opportunities and experiences has City offered you during your course?

One of the modules of the MRes involves undertaking a research placement. I did mine at The Deafness, Cognition and Language (DCAL) Research Centre, Europe's biggest research centre in deafness. Whilst there, I learnt so much more about how the research world works.

I assisted one researcher, Dr Rosalind Herman (also a Reader at City), with the analysis of some data. Dr Herman then offered for me to co-present the data with her at the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists’ National Conference in Glasgow. Of course I jumped at the chance and enjoyed the experience immensely! Without that module, none of those amazing opportunities would have transpired.

After the placement had finished, I was sent a link from Dr Herman, encouraging me to submit an abstract to present my own MRes research at a different conference. I'm waiting to hear if I've been accepted, but without the experiences on placement and the teaching received on the MRes, I don't think I would have had the confidence to submit my work.

It’s been an interesting experience representing my cohort as student representative. It has provided another insight into how caring and passionate the staff are at City, ensuring courses and modules are run well, and students are happy with the experience. I’ve really enjoyed working with the relevant City staff to problem-solve concerns and celebrate the successes.

What advice would you give to people thinking about postgraduate study? What would you have liked to know then that you know now?

Go for it! If you are lucky enough to be in the position to take on postgraduate study, then do so (and at City)!

Before applying, I went to an Open Evening and spoke to the course module leader. I also spoke to colleagues who had completed the course to see how challenging it might be. This enabled me to be more informed about my decision and the challenges and benefits of the course.

What would I have liked to know then that I know now? That I would love the course, far more than I thought and that it would have a real, worthwhile impact on the work I do in the NHS.

What are your career plans once you have completed your postgraduate degree?

I'm carrying out the MRes part time, so I still work as a Speech and Language Therapist for the NHS for half the week. I will be continuing my NHS role, but in time, I would like to return to the world of research and I am currently looking at future funding options to help me achieve this goal. I’d really like to do a PhD and City is top of the list in terms of where to study for this.

How do you think City has equipped you for the next stage in your career journey?

I feel like I know enough to return to work and make changes to my practice. I’d like to help managers with clinical audits and continue with the running of our journal club. I’d like to talk to parents and ask them what questions they have that need answering. I’d also like to start carrying out case studies of interesting patients and build up evidence that way.

I know I am still a novice researcher and there is a lot I still don’t know, but the course has helped me identify the gaps I have and has inspired me to develop my skills in those areas. I want to be a clinical academic leader in my field one day, and the MRes course has been the perfect foundation for me to leap from to achieve this.

Date of interview: Friday, 4th May 2018

Help us to improve this page

City, University of London

The University of business, practice and the professions

  • Library Services
  • Moodle
  • Email
  • Staff directory
  • Term dates
  • Book a room
  • Schools and departments

Back to top

Contact us

Make an enquiry

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • TikTok
  • Weibo
  • Youku
  • WeChat
Social media directory

Find us

City, University of London
Northampton Square
London EC1V 0HB
United Kingdom

Campus map

Our global campuses

  • London
  • Dubai

Awards and accreditations

  • Athena SWAN: Bronze Award
  • Stonewall: LGBTQ+ Inclusive employer - Silver Award 2023 logo
  • UKRI Research England logo

Useful links

  • Accessibility
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies
  • City Store
  • Support City
  • Work for City
  • City Magazine
  • 中文

© 2023 City, University of London

University of London