Student Voices: Kathryn Cesario – Exploring Road Traffic Collisions for our Summer Research Programme

Kathryn Cesario shares her experience of taking part in our first Summer Research Programme, from collaborating with students and learning from the EHAAT team to exploring how road traffic collision data could help improve future patient care.

Tell us a little bit about yourself

My name is Kathryn, and I am a final-year Paramedicine student at Nottingham Trent University, alongside working as an Emergency Care Assistant for Central Medical Services. I originally studied chemistry, but after volunteering with the ambulance service, I quickly realised how fulfilling a career in pre-hospital care could be. That experience inspired me to make the move into paramedicine, where I have found a real passion for helping people during some of the most challenging moments of their lives.

When I’m not studying or working, you’ll usually find me outdoors. I enjoy climbing, mountaineering, and volunteering with the Scouts, all of which allow me to stay active and challenge myself. I also love learning languages and travelling, something that has been heavily influenced by my Brazilian family and my interest in meeting different people around the world.

What made you want to take part in the Summer Research Programme?

As a paramedicine student, I have always been interested in understanding not only how we treat patients but also how research can be used to improve outcomes before we ever reach the scene. The Summer Research Programme was a great opportunity to gain experience in a field that I had not explored in depth before and to learn more about how the industry uses evidence to shape practice. Working in the pre-hospital sector, I have had the pleasure of working with air ambulance and critical care teams, such as EHAAT and it has always been a pleasure to see how efficiently and professionally they always operate. Having an opportunity to work on a project which has the potential to inform future patient care and improve my own research skills seemed like an amazing opportunity.

What project have you been working on?

During the Summer Research Programme, I have been working on a project exploring road traffic collisions (RTCs), specifically comparing collision data recorded by the police with information contained within patient clinical records. The aim of the project is to better understand how injury severity is documented across different datasets and to identify any differences or inconsistencies in the way injuries are recorded. By examining these relationships, the project seeks to provide a clearer picture of the true impact of road traffic collisions and how existing data can be used more effectively. Ultimately, the findings could help improve the quality and usefulness of injury data and support the development of evidence-based policy.

What was your favourite part of the programme this week?

It’s hard to single one specific favourite part. Throughout the programme it has been excellent to see how research works in a real-world healthcare setting and to learn how it impacts both clinical care and operational decisions.  However, I think the people are the highlight for me. Everyone from the EHAAT team has been incredibly welcoming, supportive, and willing to share their knowledge, which has made the experience both enjoyable and rewarding.

Working with other students from different professional and academic backgrounds has been invaluable to gain insights and different ways of working from diverse groups. Having the opportunity to collaborate, discuss ideas, and learn from others has helped me develop both personally and professionally. The friendships and networks I’ve made are something I’ll take away from the programme alongside the research experience itself. The supportive team environment among has made not just the week but the whole research programme memorable and has shown me how important collaboration is in healthcare research.

What was most challenging for you this week?

The most challenging aspect has been learning research methods to work with large datasets and interpreting this to obtain useful information accurately. Research requires a great deal of attention to detail, and it can sometimes be challenging to balance looking at the bigger picture while making sure the data is reliable and meaningful. However, we are incredibly lucky to be working with and supported by an amazing team, including my supervisors, Stephen Tatlow and Lisa Ramage, who have been invaluable and overcoming these challenges has helped me develop new skills and build confidence in my analytical abilities.

If you had to share one takeaway from the Programme so far, what would it be?

One of my biggest takeaways from the programme has been the importance of truly understanding the information you are reading and the data you are working with before drawing conclusions. Whether reviewing academic literature or analysing research data, it is essential to look beyond the headline findings and understand how the information was collected, interpreted, and presented. A strong evidence base relies not only on the quality of the data itself but also on our ability to critically evaluate and interpret it accurately.

Through this project, I have developed a greater appreciation for the process of turning data into meaningful information. Analysing datasets requires careful consideration of context, limitations, and potential biases, while reading research papers requires the same critical thinking to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the evidence being presented. This experience has reinforced how important these skills are in both research and healthcare, where informed decisions depend on the accurate interpretation of evidence. Ultimately, good data alone is not enough; it is the understanding and application of that data that leads to meaningful insights and improvements in practice.

Do you have any other comments you’d like to share?

I would encourage any student who has an interest in healthcare, science, or improving patient outcomes to take part in a research opportunity if they can. The programme has been both engaging and rewarding, and it has shown me a different side of healthcare that I had not previously experienced. I am grateful to the EHAAT team for being so welcoming and for providing such a valuable learning experience.

 We look forward to sharing more from the students in the coming weeks!

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