Emily Robinson, a competitive swimmer with a keen interest in sport science, found physiology was central to her training and career success. Immediately after graduating with a double degree, including a BSc in Physiology, Emily won a job at Starship Hospital in the Respiratory and Sleep Physiology laboratory.
She said about her time in the department, “The Physiology department were great to work with” and noted that, “I kept leaving each physiology class wanting to know more.”
Emily took advantage of the opportunity to get a hands-on research experience by getting involved in a Summer Research project in the Physiology Department and said that, “Working more closely with the lecturers and other students inspired me to continue in this area.”
She says about her work at Starship, “In this job we are considered half scientist and half personal trainer, as we can often be heard down the corridor encouraging the kids to get their best results.”
And as for how her degree has prepared her for her career Emily says, “It is great to be applying the theory I learnt through my physiology degree to real clinical situations. The lab deals with a wide variety of patients throughout NZ and we work closely with the doctors and other specialists. I even have had the opportunity to conduct research within the hospital, and the research experience I gained at Otago has been invaluable.”