My name is Joe, I’m 25 and from Nottingham. I’ve just completed my second clinical trial at Quotient Sciences.
I’ve always loved going on holiday and the thought of travelling has always been on my mind, I just had one problem - I am not very good at saving money!
Early in 2017, I decided this was my year to get away and I decided I wanted to go and spend the summer, or at least the majority of it, in Ibiza! I love the island but the only thing holding me back was financing my trip.
I asked my dad to help me. The following week, he came home from watching a Nottingham Forest football match and said he had seen an advert inviting volunteers to take part in paid clinical trials. I completed an application form for volunteering at Quotient and promptly had a reply to come to the clinic for an induction to find out more about what’s involved. I was a bit nervous at first and wasn’t sure if it would be for me, but all the staff were so welcoming and explained everything in great detail and I had plenty of chances to ask any questions I had. The nerves soon went and after a month or so, I was taking part in my first clinical trial.
During my time at the clinic, I thought I might be bored but there really is so much to do - there is an Xbox, PlayStation, Sky TV, board games and a ping pong table that we used for tournaments. Elaine, the Volunteer Liaison Officer, organises activities such as bingo, quizzes and crafts. During my first trial in the summer we even got to go on walks in Rushcliffe Country Park next door to the clinic which was amazing. If you want, you can literally lay in bed and spend the days relaxing - the actual medical procedures are only a small part of the time spent at the clinic.
I’m not a fussy eater at all but if you are, there are always several options for breakfast, lunch and tea. I eat a lot but whilst at Quotient I never felt hungry - the food is always to a good standard and the chefs are great.
I made some great friends during my time on the study, a few of them I even keep in contact with now via social media. There were people of all ages and backgrounds so it was a great opportunity to get to know people and we all had some great laughs. For anyone who is looking for a great way to earn some money for doing something that is not only fun and exciting but also very rewarding, I would say go for it.
I am already looking forward to my next trial and being financially and emotionally rewarded - in turn, it means I can plan my next travelling trip or a long holiday.