Meet Dr Hannah Barden, Senior Clinical Researcher in the Brain Injury Service at Westmead Hospital. She is also a FW–sponsored mentee in the Franklin Women Mentoring Program! Here she talks about the evolving trajectory of her career, holistic health services and aligning work with your values.
What is your current role and how did you get to be there?
I graduated as an occupational therapist (OT) in 2002 and developed a passion for how and why neurological impairments have the consequences they do. My first OT role was in general rehabilitation including a neurorehabilitation rotation. I then progressed to a clinical role as an OT in the inpatient service of the Westmead BIRS where I loved the challenge of working with people with traumatic brain injury (TBI), helping them start their life-long rehabilitation journey.
It was a conversation with the BIRS research team about an upcoming project and the possibility of completing a PhD that changed the trajectory of my career…
So, very nervously, but with lots of support, I embarked on my PhD, completing it in 2015 with a body of research that examined novel measurement techniques for upper limb spasticity. I subsequently became the Senior Clinical Researcher and continue my deep desire to help people improve their ability to do the things that are meaningful to them. I am fortunate that my role allows me to productively explore my curiosity and answer questions, which positions our team well for driving health systems change.
How does your work contribute to the field and/or overall health and wellbeing of the community?
My research has produced publications in multiple areas including spasticity, outcome measurement, TBI, spinal cord injury and stroke, as well as several book chapters. My core research continues to focus on the challenge of measuring upper limb function in people with spasticity, particularly those who require spasticity management such as botulinum toxin-A injection. This includes systematic clinical observation as well as technological based tools. I am also a foundation member of the “one-stop shop”, a clinic aiming at service delivery to young people and adults with complex developmental and intellectual disabilities. When people attend the “one-stop shop”, they receive comprehensive healthcare from select medical and allied health specialities brought together to address the individual’s needs in a single day procedure, often requiring a general anaesthetic. My ambition is that my research will lead to improved, inclusive and holistic healthcare services for individuals with neurological conditions.
What is a project you would love to get off the ground or a skill you would like to develop, if you had the opportunity?
I would love to improve access to healthcare and optimise holistic outcomes for the most vulnerable people in our community. This system would recognise the importance of open-minded clinician researchers who have genuine experience within the healthcare system. Embedding research within clinical services and growing and supporting clinicians/clinician researchers results in continuous service improvement, and allows for the establishment of meaningful career path options for clinician researchers within healthcare systems.
What are your loves outside of work?
Outside of work I love spending time with my husband and our four children (aged 14 to 3), watching the kids’ sport, where you will find me either at a baseball diamond, swimming pool or dance performance (often all three on any given day!). My “hour of power” in the week is a regular dance class – a time to forget about everything else and just move my body!!
What is one piece of advice you could pass onto others following their own career in health and medical research sector?
Everyone has their own unique combination of opportunities and challenges. No two people’s paths will be the same. Look inwards at how you might best align your work with your values, and outwards towards others that you value and admire, both inside and outside of your profession/area of expertise, for inspiration to keep forging ahead. The juggle between family and work is real; be compassionate with yourself and to others who are also being torn by their competing agendas. Know that there is a time in your career where you will move mountains and other times when you feel like you are treading water…that is normal, unavoidable and circumstances will evolve; there is always “the next day”.
A mentor’s advice I will never forget (and actively use) is “courage before confidence”. This statement reminds me to take a deep breath and try something new/different/challenging/exciting and to dream big. Finally, learn from everyone around you – colleagues, patients, family, mentors, friends…Never stop learning.