Students from across Oxfordshire were able to test their reaction time on a machine used in research for patients with Parkinson’s Disease. The Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (OxBRC) used this demonstration to attract students to their stand at the annual Careers Fest at the Kassam Stadium. The activity was fun but the underlying message was that there is a world of research opportunities and career choices available to those who study STEM (science, technology, engineering & maths) subjects.
Profiles were available to take away of real life scientists, research managers, nurse researchers and other careers and what route those people took to get to there. Students were also able to find out about some of the careers that may be open to them within a hospital or university setting.
One year 13 student said: “I wasn’t sure whether to go into a career in research or medicine, now I realise I can have both.”
Exhibiting at the careers event gave the OxBRC a chance to talk to students and teachers about work experience, tours and bursary schemes that are available at the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals and its research partners. It also was an opportunity to raise awareness of the public open day that is being held on 17 March at the John Radcliffe Hospital.