This weekend I will... live the life of a working mum: go running in the park, walk the dog, watch my boys play cricket, decorate a Christmas tree, do a lot of washing, restock the fridge, and try to get a bit of secret Christmas shopping safely stashed away!
I'd originally planned to work... as a paediatrician or psychiatrist- this was my dilemma when I completed my medical training 20(ish!) years ago. I now work with young people with mental health problems, so I guess my interests guided me back to doing both.
The qualities I most value in my colleagues are... passion for what they do, integrity and a willingness to work around and over obstacles to complete a task. I hugely value the diverse skills held by different members of the clinical and research teams I work in. There is something very special to me about genuine collaboration and sharing of ideas as part of a team.
Career wise, I’m most proud of... clinically-based research I’ve been involved in which has genuinely improved the quality of life of people with severe mental illness. I work with people who have had psychotic illness, who often become marginalised and socially excluded. There is much to be done to improve their quality of life- not only in minimising their distressing symptoms, but also in enabling them to have equitable physical healthcare and a role in society.
The sector's biggest challenge going forward is... making genuine progress in translation of research findings into clinical practice. Research needs to be applicable in real-world settings. To make change there needs to be better recognition of the value of research embedded in clinical practice, and of the role of implementation science. Until academic metrics reflect the value of translation and implementation in their measures of impact, the field won’t move on.
