Helen Brough MSc Allergy

Hi, I'm Helen Brough and I studied MSc Allergy within Medicine at the University of Southampton.

The Allergy MSc at Southampton was instrumental in my obtaining the Clinical Lecturer post in Paediatric Allergy at St. Thomas' Hospital

Helen was a Specialist paediatric Registrar working at Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow whilst undertaking her MSc in Allergy on a part-time basis. She undertook her undergraduate medical training at King's College, Cambridge where she completed a Bachelor of Science in Experimental Psychology. Her post-graduate medical training was at the Royal Free and University College London Medical School. She has written a pocketbook for medical students in Paediatrics and Child Health ( Rapid series). She has recently been appointed to start as a Clinical Lecturer in Paediatric Allergy at the Children's Allergy Service, Evelina Children's Hospital, St. Thomas' Hospital, London. She is 30.

'I chose to undertake the MSc in Allergy at Southampton University as it was recommended to me by Consultants in General Paediatrics and Paediatric Allergy who had undertaken the course themselves.

The structure of the course was flexible in order to be able to chose which kind of degree was required (Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Master of Science) and also the type of clinical module desired (Nasal, Respiratory, Dermatology, Dietetics, Mechanism and Management of Allergic disease). The clinicians teaching on these courses were leaders in their field and were able to present a good overall knowledge as well as new directions in their field. The research modules (Basic research skills and statistics) were well suited to students from a range of research experience and were made most enjoyable by the extremely helpful and supportive teaching faculty from the School of Medicine, Research and Development and Statistics department.

I have been able to incorporate attending modules and completing assignments alongside full-time clinical commitments and the theoretical and practical skills obtained on the course have been invaluable in assisting the running of a paediatric food allergy clinic in secondary care. The research skills have enabled better review of the literature to inform my paediatric allergy practice and also to embark upon my dissertation research project (environmental sensitisation to peanut).

The Allergy MSc at Southampton was instrumental in my obtaining the Clinical Lecturer post in Paediatric Allergy at St. Thomas' Hospital, and the dissertation research project is a pilot project to the Medical Doctorate research that I will complete during this post. I wish to be a Tertiary Consultant in Paediatric Allergy and wish to continue my involvement in research the foundation of which was obtained during this MSc.'