My Placement Experience: Emma Smith

Posted on: 31 March 2022 by Samantha Riella in Student experiences

Student Emma Smith tells us about her placement at Bradford and District Care NHS trust.

Introduce yourself!

Hi I’m Emma and I study psychology. In the future I hope to be a clinical psychologist.

Where was your internship and what did you do?

My placement was at Bradford and District Care NHS trust. I was an Honorary Assistant Psychologist in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health neurodevelopmental team. I helped to conduct psychological assessments for children with suspected learning difficulties, ADHD and autism. I also got the chance to shadow mental health nurses, psychiatrists and occupational therapists. I helped to design a PowerPoint that was circulated to the whole team about how to improve the service.

How did you find the internship experience and what did you learn?

I really enjoyed my placement experience. I learnt more about applying psychological theory as well as the daily tasks an assistant psychologist undertakes.

What are some of the top skills you've picked up during the internship?

Communication skills, time management and resilience.

How did you find the support available while you secured your work experience?

The support available was helpful, and the staff on the 399-module provided lots of resources.

What is next for you?

I will be studying an MSc in Applied Clinical Psychology.

Did your work experience effect your future plans at all?

The work experience didn't change my plans but it made me more excited about graduating and being able to apply my degree in a real-life context. It made me even more sure about wanting to be a psychologist.

What has been your favourite thing about university?

My favourite thing about university has to be how I've grown as a person, as well as the friendships I've made.

What is your top tip for students currently looking for work experience?

Don't be afraid to email people and keep applying for work experience. Especially in the NHS a lot of people will say no but it only takes one person to say yes to give you an amazing experience.

*If you would like to find out more about getting involved in an internship you can visit Handshake, where we post daily new opportunities and experiences. Internships are a great way to work on projects, learn more about a particular field, make industry connections and develop your hard and soft skills. Internships can even lead to full-time job offers.

*To find out more visit Handshake and filter by the ‘internship’ tag, take a look on our website and our twitter page @livuniintern which posts internships daily.

*You can also visit the Career Studio at any time to find out more about internships and ask questions with a Career Coach. Our Career Coaches will help you explore career options, connect with employers, and apply successfully to jobs and opportunities. You can visit the Career Studio at any time, no appointment is needed. You can drop-in on University Square Monday to Friday from 10am - 5pm, or send a message to one of our Coaches on Handshake 24/7.