Ersin Arif joined the Trust on an internship two years ago, working as part of the team responsible for the development and management of LTHT’s electronic health record system, PPM+. This is one of the Trust’s most important IT systems, supporting everyday nursing, medical documentation and clinical processes, and also used to enable data sharing across the region.
Ersin graduated in September 2021 with a first in Computer Science, and now has a permanent role in the team as a Senior Project Analyst. His role involves a wide range of responsibilities, including management of the eForm Development Team and also the Intern programme across Digital.
How does the intern programme work?
“The programme is designed specifically to support students studying in Leeds. We work exclusively with Leeds University Union and provide a range of opportunities. The positions offered are in the Development and Testing teams (suitable for all students enrolled in Computer Science), and Business Analysis team (for Business Studies students).
It can be challenging to study and work at the same time, so the programme is all about offering a supportive learning environment, making sure our interns get the absolute most from their time with us.”
What are the biggest benefits?
“Our interns get the opportunity to work on real projects which help clinicians care for patients and directly improve ways of working. The opportunity to do something like this whilst studying doesn’t come along very often!
Speaking from personal experience, I’ve had the opportunity to work in several different roles and experience the full software development lifecycle. This has helped me make some important decisions about the direction of my career. There are exciting times ahead too – we’re working on many new projects including capturing patient generated data in our eForms. This has the potential to involve patients more in their own care, saving time and reducing travel.
The programme is also a brilliant opportunity to give something back to our local community. Leeds is a fantastic place to live and work and we’re fortunate to have such a talented community at the University to tap into.”
What do you love most about your role?
“The role is quite different to what I used to do before, and I enjoy the fact that there is room for constant growth. It’s a brilliant opportunity for me to improve my existing skills and develop some new ones. The greatest benefit for me is that I work with proven experts in the industry and I am able to learn from them at first hand.
The work is challenging and interesting, and there’s nothing more motivating than seeing a piece of work through from start to finish and understanding that what you’ve done will help to improve patient care.
In summary, it’s a fantastic opportunity to gain experience, work as part of a brilliant team – and earn some money along the way!”
Martin Waugh, Associate Director of Digital, heads up the PPM+ team: “Our interns have done some fantastic work over the past few years. They play a really important role in the team, helping us realise the potential for new functionality, and have been invaluable during the Covid pandemic, getting involved in new releases and helping to expedite the development of key pieces of functionality. Ersin has a fantastic work ethic, and we’re very fortunate to have him as part of the team. We’re looking forward to continuing the development of the programme, offering a wealth of opportunities for local students to learn in a structured, supportive environment.”
For more information about the intern programme, contact the Joblink team at Leeds University Union:
Alex Harris
[email protected]
0113 380 1440