Research Practitioner celebrates 25 years delivering research on International Woman’s Day

On International Women’s Day (8^th March) the achievements of women are celebrated around the world.  At Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), this date also marks the 25 year career anniversary of rheumatology research practitioner, Ann McGovern.

Ann’s research career involves the recruitment, coordination and delivery of paediatric musculoskeletal and rheumatology research. After taking a short career break to raise a family, Ann knew she wanted to work within a healthcare setting and in 1993 took a post to work alongside a paediatric spinal surgeon at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust (SRFT) to help run the patient clinics based at Pendlebury Children’s Hospital, which later become part of the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital (RMCH).

Ann went on to complete a Masters (MSc) at the University of Manchester before publishing a paper on musculoskeletal research. She joined the National Institute for Health Research Medicines for Children Research Network (NIHR-MCRN) in 2008 which aims to improve health outcomes by listening to the voices of children and young people and taking into account their experiences, priorities and perspectives.  It was here that she found a love for working alongside patients. 

Ann says;

Working in research has been the best thing I’ve ever done. I went from working in the home and raising my children to becoming an independent career woman in control of my life. I found a true love of working with patients and seeing the benefits and impact research can have on their lives.

Ann is currently working on observational studies to monitor disease progression and the effectiveness of prescribed medication. This means Ann sees patients and their families over long periods of time and builds close relationships with them;

Seeing patients develop and transition from children to adults services can be a difficult yet rewarding journey.  I am truly touched by the relationships I have built up with my patients and colleagues over the years, I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else.