My Experience as an NIHR Intern: Exploring the Economic Costs Associated with Preterm Birth Complications

Why I applied for this internship 

When I saw the NIHR SPCR internship on the economic costs of preterm birth complications at the University of Oxford, I was immediately drawn to it. The project combined two things I am passionate about: understanding perinatal health and applying data to real-world problems. I was especially interested in how the financial impact of preterm birth influences healthcare decision-making and support for families. Being involved in research that could help improve care for preterm babies and their families felt genuinely meaningful.

Knowing the role would be competitive, I was delighted to be offered the internship. Working under the supervision of Dr Sungwook Kim and PhD student Yunhao (Helios) Xu showed me showed me just how much there is to learn from observing research in practice.

My role as a second reviewer

As a second reviewer, I contributed to the evidence synthesis for the paper. I screened titles, abstracts, and full texts using Covidence against predefined eligibility criteria, extracted data from included studies, and discussed any disagreements with the review team. Working alongside such a supportive team helped me gain confidence in questioning decisions and engaging in methodological discussions – skills that were entirely new to me as an undergraduate.

A highlight of my role was writing a plain-English summary of our findings and presenting early results at a Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) meeting. Explaining complex methods and preliminary findings to a non-specialist audience challenged me to communicate clearly and concisely and gave me a new appreciation for how research can be made accessible to those it ultimately serves.

Reflections and future plans

Taking part in this internship confirmed that I would like to pursue a career in research. It gave me hands-on experience in systematic reviewing, which directly informed my third-year undergraduate project: a systematic review and meta-analysis on how prenatal alcohol exposure affects birth length and height in childhood and adolescence. It provided a strong foundation of skills and confidence that I continue to build on throughout my studies.

Moving forward, I hope to build on this experience by contributing to research that turns evidence into practical solutions for improving healthcare outcomes.