JING Alumni interview: Faye Robertson, Edinburgh ECMC

This month we caught up with Dr Faye Robertson as part of our series of interviews with JING alumni. Faye is a consultant clinical oncologist and NRS career research fellow at Edinburgh Cancer Centre. Faye has attended the JING event and been part of the JING steering committee and she shares her reflections on being involved in both.

 

Can you give us a brief summary of your career?

I’m a consultant clinical oncologist and NRS career research fellow at the Edinburgh Cancer Centre. I am an honorary senior clinical lecturer at the University of Edinburgh. This means that I mostly work as a NHS oncologist, treating brain tumours, rectal and anal cancers but 20% of my time is dedicated to research. I am PI on several trials and CI on a phase I/II study in glioblastoma. I got involved in research early in my career, participating in several projects that led to publications during medical school, including one that was facilitated by a vacation scholarship. I did an academic foundation job then core medical training and continued to involve myself in various research projects during that time. I took time out of programme, during my registrar training, to do a lab-based PhD, which was funded by CRUK. I also took maternity leave and had a period of less-than-full-time working when my children were small. Once appointed as a consultant, I applied for the NRS fellowship which funds Scottish NHS clinicians to conduct research.

 

You attended the JING: TNG event in 2018, what was your highlight of the day?

I gained a lot from the trial presentation and feedback session. Input from a diverse group of experienced trialists really helped me to spot opportunities to improve my trial design.

 

You were on the JING steering committee, what did you gain from that experience?

I learned loads about the practical realities of designing and running trials. I also made connections with colleagues that I have maintained as my career has progressed. I have reached out to some of them for advice on trials I’ve worked on.

 

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received in your career so far?

I’ve had some very specific statistics advice that has been absolutely essential at early stages in trial design. I can’t recommend strongly enough that you engage with statistician colleagues and try your best to understand the stats behind trials. More generally, I heeded advice to get involved with multiple projects at the early stages of my career and this allowed me to meet lots of brilliant people as well as to get my name on some papers…

 

What advice would you give to the 2024 JING Cohort?

Follow your interests and be persistent. If you think your idea is a good one, find others who agree and keep running with it – everything takes longer than you expect but don’t give up.