• Question: what is the best thing about your job?

    Asked by hairybeast169 to Laura, Thanasis, Nicola, Norman, Sandra on 11 Mar 2013. This question was also asked by delilahbeatrice, skyscraper23, qirett22.
    • Photo: Laura Soul

      Laura Soul answered on 11 Mar 2013:


      I like lots of things about it, but I think probably the best thing is when I get to go on trips to interesting countries, either to do research or to go to conferences to tell other scientists about my work. I’ve been to Australia, Argentina, Spain, Ireland, the USA and all sorts of places, and a lot of the time I don’t even have to pay for it, my boss does so that’s really great!

    • Photo: Nicola Wardrop

      Nicola Wardrop answered on 13 Mar 2013:


      Same as Laura I think – the best thing is travelling. Because I study diseases in Africa, I get to go to Africa quite a lot for work – normally I go for 2 or 3 weeks at a time, and I’ll have a car with a driver. There are loads of fun things on fieldwork – lots of off road driving (although it can get boring when you get stuck in the mud for ages!), lots of wildlife to see, new people to meet, new foods to try, markets and shops with nice things to buy – and of course some sun! We can’t work all the time, so on the weekends we get to see a bit of the sights!

    • Photo: Sandra Phinbow

      Sandra Phinbow answered on 13 Mar 2013:


      One of the things I love about my job is helping to give relief to patients.

      We offer a clinic, and patients come to that clinic because they have found a lump, maybe in their breast or armpit or in their neck. So we need to pop in a teeny tiny needle (the ones we use for babies, so it doesnt hurt).

      We draw off some cells and spread them onto a slide, stain them and look at them under the microscope. While we do this, the patient goes off for a cup of tea or a walk. It takes about 20 minutes.

      But while they have been waiting to come in for their test they have been very frightened, about what the diagnosis might be. They are terrified it is cancer, and that they will die, and who will take care of their children, and what will happen to their pets and loved ones. It’s really heartbreaking.

      But luckily most tests turn out to be nothing dangerous, and they are so relieved, and sometimes want to shake your hand or hug you, and they just want to hold your hand for a while until they have calmed down.

      The best thing about my job is when a patient hears they do not have cancer, and no they are not going to die 🙂

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