Whilst undertaking my integrated Masters degree in Psychology at the University of Liverpool, I found myself drawn towards the study of pain. Having taken part in several projects and internships investigating chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia and painful diabetic neuropathy, this area of interest led me to apply for the PhD project titled “Investigating predictors of chronification of post-surgical pain using data mining and qualitative interviews: an international mixed methods study”, supervised by Dr Jan Vollert. With a focus on chronic pain following groin hernia repair surgery, I aim to determine the role of specific risk factors in the development of chronic postsurgical pain, utilising both qualitative and quantitative methods to integrate big data and patient voices.