By Amy McNeilage
Amy McNeilage is a PhD candidate and senior research officer in The University of Sydney’s Medical School with expertise in qualitative methodology. Her research seeks to identify and mitigate harms associated with opioid and gabapentinoid use.
I felt incredibly fortunate to be selected as a delegate for the 2024 painSTAR Pain School for Translation and Research, held over five inspiring days in the beautiful Barossa Valley in November. I applied with the goal of expanding my network, improving my research communication and leadership skills, and learning from interdisciplinary experts and consumers on how to make my work more impactful. painSTAR exceeded all expectations – and left me feeling energised, motivated, and better equipped to contribute to the pain research community.
The event was impeccably organised, from the engaging program and fun social activities to the excellent catering (with plenty of sugary snacks to keep us going!) and beautiful accommodation with sunrise views over the vineyards. Although the schedule was full, I managed to squeeze in a few early morning birdwatching walks by the creek, including my first ever sightings of a musk lorikeet (left), rainbow bee-eater (right), and a grey currawong (we mostly have the pied ones in Canberra!).
One of the biggest highlights for me was the opportunity to present my own PhD work in such a genuinely supportive environment. I felt more relaxed than ever during my talk, thanks to the warmth and encouragement of both faculty and fellow delegates. The feedback I received was insightful and constructive, and I left with new ideas and renewed confidence in how I frame and share my research.
Professor Jeff Mogil’s workshop on giving better talks completely shifted how I think about preparing and delivering talks. For example, he encouraged us to pare back the detail and instead focusing on storytelling and clarity. I’ve already put this into practice in subsequent presentations (including at the Australian Pain Society [APS] conference in April in Melbourne), and I’m seeing a tangible difference in how my work is received.
Equally valuable was the grant writing session with Associate Professors Tasha Stanton and Wendy Imlach. Their generous sharing of experiences helped to demystify a process that can often feel daunting. I now feel I have a better grasp of how to approach grant applications strategically – and with a little more confidence.
Beyond the structured sessions, painSTAR created a strong sense of community. The social activities were a perfect balance to the intensive program. I particularly enjoyed my first-ever ‘paint and sip’ experience, which was equal parts silly and fun. This was such a great way to get to know fellow attendees outside of a research context. The final night’s pitch presentations were also a standout: creative, entertaining, and seriously impressive given the limited prep time.
Our group Pitch presentation win at pain
L to R: Margaret Phillips, Ati Sadr, Amy McNeilage, Marina Vygonskaya, Jay Whittem, Ghufran Alhassani
Since returning home, painSTAR’s impact has continued. It came at the perfect time – just as I was entering the second half of my PhD – and provided a much-needed boost of energy and motivation. I’ve been drawing on insights from the week as I start to draft my thesis.
Attending the APS Annual Scientific Meeting in Melbourne this year felt especially rewarding – reconnecting with painSTAR alumni and faculty made the conference experience feel richer and more collaborative. It was a great reminder of the community that painSTAR is helping to foster, and how valuable those connections can be. This is particularly so when introducing early career researchers to the wider APS network in such a welcoming and supportive way.
I’m incredibly grateful to the organisers, faculty, and fellow delegates for making painSTAR so memorable. I look forward to paying it forward by continuing to contribute to the pain research community in Australia and beyond.
L to R: Ati Sadr, Alison Sim, Amy McNeilage & Trudy Maunsell
Declaration:
Amy McNeilage has nothing to declare.
Australian Pain Society 