APSR Short-Term Research/Training Scholarship

The Prince Charles Hospital (TPCH) is a tertiary referral centre and the premier thoracic disease hospital for Queensland and northern New South Wales. TPCH is the hub for specialised services including heart and lung diseases. The Queensland Lung Cancer Screening Study programmes are also based here. With the leadership of Dr Kwun Fong, TPCH becomes the lead site of International Lung Screen Trials (ILST) in Australia.

My APSR Short-Term Research/Training Scholarship started on 10 December 2017 and ended on 15 March 2018. I worked with Dr Fong and his ILST team for a three-month observership at the Prince Charles Hospital and University of Queensland Thoracic Research Centre. After this training, I completed most of my observership's objectives as follows:

First, I delivered several presentations in weekly meetings of the ILST project to report progress. I also gave a short presentation to introduce my previous work at Dr Fong's lab meeting with his PhD students.

Second, I helped research nurses (Linda and Elizabeth) on ILST radiation data entry, mapping different mid-term follow-up forms, and sorting annual report templates. During the three months, I fully understood the importance of rigorousness in medical research and the benefits of prioritising my tasks which will extremely improve my work quality and efficiency.

Third, I attended the multidisciplinary lung cancer management meeting. Now, I have a better understanding of multidisciplinary treatment (MDT) strategies in lung cancer.

Fourth, with the help of Dr Marshall and Dr Fong, I finished the research protocols of three sub-studies in ILST about what potential benefit a low-dose CT scan will have for high-risk lung cancer patients. After that, I clearly understood how to write a retrospective or prospective research protocol and familiarise the whole process of an internationally cooperative research programme.

I sincerely wish to thank the APSR for providing me this short-term research observership which gave me this valuable opportunity to improve my knowledge in lung cancer. Finally, I would like to show my sincere gratitude to Prof. Chunxue Bai, Chairperson of the APSR Research Committee; Dr Kwun Fong, my host supervisor; Dr Xin Chen, my home supervisor; Prof Ian Yang and Prof Rayleen Bowman, co-advisors at TPCH; Ms Barbara Page, Prof. Kwun's PhD student; Ms Linda and Ms Elizabeth, ILST research nurses; Ms Christie, Ms Mel, Ms Wendy, Ms Alison and Ms Lynda, medical secretaries; and staff at The Prince Charles Hospital and University of Queensland Thoracic Research Centre for helping me to finish this memorable observership.

ILST team (L→R) Dr Luo, Dr Fong, Linda & Elizabeth

LST team (L→R) Linda, Elizabeth, Barbara and Dr Luo Peng

Dr Luo and Prof Ian Yang

Dr Luo and Prof Rayleen Bowman

Dr Henry Marshall and Dr Luo

Christie, Dr Luo and Melanie

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