Richard Berwick
Dr Richard Berwick is a Consultant in Pain Medicine and holds a Versus Arthritis Clinical Research Fellowship. He is based within the Department of Musculoskeletal and Ageing Science in the Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences.
What type of fellowship do you have?
Versus Arthritis Clinical Research Fellowship.
When did you start your fellowship?
November 2022.
What is the aim of your research?
I am a pain clinician and anaesthetist working in the field of immunity in chronic pain conditions. My laboratory research is into the auto-antibody mediated symptom-based disorders.
Why did you choose to undertake your fellowship with the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences?
For my line of research and my clinical work, Liverpool was best placed because of my supervisor and its infrastructure. However, it is important to use the technology and expertise that your institution is leading on. For my project, the use of mass cytometry with in-situ RNA hybridisation was a significant aspect of the work package, which is a pioneering technology only available in Liverpool.
What made you want to apply for a fellowship?
The financial support to facilitate a PhD. The mentorship and opportunities that come with this position.
Which fellowship scheme did you choose and why?
I applied for the Medical Research Council and Versus Arthritis fellowships because these aligned best with my area of research and were offering clinician fellowships.
How did you go about writing your application and preparing for interview?
Preparation is key. It took 3-4 months to complete the process. When I had some ideas based on my own preliminary work, I contacted the Research Development Office who helped me with University of Liverpool expertise, collaboration and the interview.
Were you successful on your first attempt?
I applied for two MRC and two VA fellowships. The process requires a constant review of your work. It is important to identify the reasons an application was not successful. It can be helpful to have others review the peer review comments. One learns much more from failure than success.
Was there anything that surprised you about the whole fellowship application process?
The same application can be seen very differently by different peer reviewers – so do not give up. Enthusiasm with a good measure of realism is valued highly.
What are your top tips for someone thinking of applying for a fellowship?
Target your application to the funder and ensure you have had feedback for those that have been involved in the decision-making process within that funder. These people will help you to develop your pitch effectively.