By Erin MacIntyre
Erin is in the final year of her PhD at the University of South Australia. She is interested in how technology can be harnessed to improve clinical outcomes for people suffering from pain.
I feel so grateful that I was able to attend painSTAR in the beautiful Barossa Valley. I was inspired to apply for painSTAR due to the positive experiences I’ve had at the previous trainee sessions at Australian Pain Society (APS) conferences and from rave reviews of previous alumni. My goals for attending painSTAR were simple – I wanted to build a network of fellow pain researchers and learn from the faculty of national and international experts. I can honestly say that after three action-packed days, I was able to achieve these goals and more!
It’s hard to narrow down the best part of painSTAR 2024. Highlights included learning about basic science from the best (I have a new appreciation for how complex this work is), sessions dedicated to working with industry (from both a researcher and industry perspective), and how to deal with imposter syndrome and (try to) achieve work-life balance. I also enjoyed that we were able to be creative – from paint and sip to our pitch presentations. Beyond this, faculty and patient partners were involved for the duration of the program. They attended all talks and activities and had meals with us. Unlike most conferences or events, this allowed us time to get to know each other and build genuine connections. These connections have already paid off – I have already met with one of the other delegates to solve a tricky analysis problem that has been plaguing me for months!
I am also incredibly grateful that I was able to get to know a whole cohort of painSTARs. My fellow attendees shared their research throughout the week in a series of presentations. I was blown away by the quality and the breadth of the research people shared. This combined with the passion that attendees had for their work was seriously impressive. I am so excited to reconnect with my fellow painSTAR alumni this April in Melbourne (and beyond). I think that the future of pain research in Australia is very bright!
My experience at painSTAR exceeded all expectations. I want to thank the APS and the painSTAR faculty for providing this opportunity. The event was incredibly well organised, and perfectly balanced fun and learning. As an early career researcher, I feel so incredibly grateful for the opportunities provided to me by the APS. If you ever get the opportunity to apply for painSTAR – do it!
Declaration
Erin MacIntyre has nothing to declare.
Australian Pain Society 