Intern Alumni Champion
Emma Hamilton (Intern 2017)
What are you studying/ what did you study at University?
Bsc- Sports rehabilitation Msc-Strength and conditioningPhD- Using Past and Present Data to Identify and Develop Key physical and Mental characteristics of Modern-Day Male and Female Jockey Athletes. (Currently)
Why did you apply for the internship?
I have always wanted to be part of jockey research and as an ex jockey I came across an advert for ex jockeys to fill out a survey. I didn't fit the criteria they needed however, with my ambition to be within jockey research I reached out to them to see if i could gain some work experience etc. Just my luck they were connected to the scheme at the time and applications for interns opened up. Just perfect timing.
What was the Project you were involved with when attending the internship scheme?
'The jockey study'- looking at long term effects on bone health in jockeys.
What stood out to you the most as an intern?
How there are so many different components to a study and undertaking one. To get the research from an idea to a published article is a lot more difficult than people perceive.
What skills did the internship equip you with?
I learnt a lot of skills about analysing articles, recruitment, statistical analysis, publishing articles and ethics. One thing I learnt that has stayed with me, was that not every article is readable and some articles are placed out into the network to back a new product so it can be sold, so the article content will lack a decent statistical analysis and overall research content. It's good to be aware of these as in your Bachelors degree you tend to learn that every article is gospel and you aren't allowed to question it.
Why would you recommend the internship?
For a thousand reasons. The first being I made incredible friends on my internship and we made sure to explore every uni/city we went to throughout the scheme. The internship was a great transition out of a bachelors before doing a masters, it teaches you so much about your critical thinking and places you in a stronger thinking mindset when going into higher study. You also make really important contacts, I don't think I will be where I am today without the contacts I made on the internship.
What are your achievements since the internship scheme?
I graduated from my Masters with a distinction I have worked from premier league (highest league in the UK) field hockey for 3 years as their Sports Rehabilitator. I was with them when they won the national indoor championship in the olympic park/ broadcasted on the BBC. I travelled to Scotland for the home nations with the England Masters Team (we won gold), then to Rotterdam for the european Masters tournament with the England squad (we won bronze) and went to Vienna for the indoor european ladies tournament (we won silver and prompted England to tier 1 in Europe). All field hockey. I am about to attend the Great British field hockey training centre to do a talk on club level hockey and shadow their backroom staff. I've set up my own clinic in North Manchester and i'm about to start my PhD in jockey research with LJMU.
If working, what's your occupation and where?
I currently work on a racing yard riding racehorses (Colin Tizzard) part time while studying. I also do mobile treatments here and there still as I moved back to Dorset just before the pandemic.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Hopefully I have finished my PhD , then to carry on research and work with jockeys full time either within the UK or anywhere around the world. Or be within an olympic set up working towards preparation and performance aspects.