Early Career Researchers’ Study Day

British Society for Oral and Dental Research (BSODR) Early Career Researchers’ (ECR) study day

Why did I attend?

Hi everyone, my name is Evelyn, and I am a Clinical Teaching Fellow in Oral Surgery. Newcastle University has such a strong research presence and so when I started my job here last year, I was hoping I would have the opportunity to become more involved with dental research in some shape or form. When the British Society for Oral and Dental Research (BSODR) announced that it would be holding its Early Career Researchers’ (ECR) study day right here in my backyard, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to attend and learn more.

Who was the ECR study day aimed at?

The ECR study day was aimed at any academic in the early stages of their career, who was involved or interested in dental research. Attendees ranged from newly qualified dentists to PhD students and everything in between. The topic for this year’s study day was clinical trials, from inception to implementation, and it certainly provided some food for thought.

Benefits of attending

During the day, several esteemed speakers from around the UK spoke on the different aspects of clinical trials. These presentations spanned the whole process of clinical trials, from the planning and implementation to how best to translate findings to clinical practice. Some of these talks also covered aspects of clinical trials I hadn’t previously thought much about, such as evaluating the cost of the trial and the role of a health economist in facilitating this. For someone like me, who has had limited involvement with clinical trials but is keen to get more involved, this study day was eye-opening. It provided me with so much new, exciting information and I felt a renewed spark of interest when hearing all the speakers talk so passionately about clinical trials!

Another notably important part of the day was that it was the first meeting that had been held in person since the COVID-19 pandemic began. It was truly wonderful to be able to meet and socialise in person again. There was a palpable excitement in the room from all attendees about being able to talk to each other face to face. For me, the study day provided a wonderful opportunity to connect and network with fellow young dentists from across the country who share my interests.

Final thoughts

It was so beneficial for me, as someone in the early stages of their research journey, to attend this event. If you are interested in getting involved with research in any capacity, I would highly recommend that you consider attending future BSODR events. I am sure you will enjoy them as much as I enjoyed the ECR study day.

Evelyn Rennie,

Clinical Teaching Fellow

Newcastle University