Full Blog:

Peter Tennant

Name:
Peter Tennant

Position:
Associate Professor of Health Data Science
University of Leeds

SSM member since:
2010

SSM committee roles:
ECR Subcommittee Chair (2012)
MCR Subcommittee Chair (2015, 2022-2023)
Honorary Secretary (2016-2020)
Membership Survey Officer (2024)
IEA Liaison Officer (2025-)

Topics of interest:
Causal Inference, Epidemiologic Methods, Perinatal and reproductive health

How did your career in social medicine/population health begin?
I was at a low point in life. I’d finished a master’s degree in Bioscience, been rejected from several PhD applications, and ended up in a temp job researching plagiarism regulations for a spinout company that was rapidly laying off staff. I saw a job advertised for a junior research assistant in epidemiology to work with Mark Pearce (the upcoming SSM president for 2026). I had no prior training or experience in Epidemiology, but through a mix of ignorance and arrogance, I applied and gave a presentation about ‘the epidemiology of plagiarism’. Lucky for me, the other applicant (with a PhD in Epi) flunked the interview. When Mark offered me the job, I remember asking, ‘are you sure?’. He kindly let me spend the first month just reading about Epidemiology and the rest, I guess, is history.

What is your research area and what excites you most about it?
I describe myself as a ‘translational methodologist’, a kind of meta-scientist focused on bringing new ideas and methods to the wider scientific community. I love methods research because you are always a student; there are always new ideas and methods to learn. But it can be very humbling. I spend a lot of time feeling stupid. I also believe translational methodology can have a huge impact. I’ve taught causal inference methods to over 500 people, many of whom (I hope) are now doing better research. I don’t think I could ever match that impact by just doing my own applied research.

How has SSM influenced your career journey and what have you got out of being an SSM member?
The first time I attended an SSM conference (Newcastle 2009), I was hooked. Until then, I’d only attended clinical conferences, and I felt like a total misfit. The SSM 2009 conference was the first time that I heard anyone talk about epidemiology theory in a proper nerdy way. I distinctly remember an argument about the different meanings of different measures of socio-economic position. I’ve since been to every SSM conference and spent over eight years on the committee. It’s hard to say where I’d be without the Society. Being an epidemiologist, particularly one focused on methods, can be lonely. Attending the annual meetings and committee meetings, and spending time with like-minded people, has been a real lifeline.

What advice would you give to someone just starting their career in social medicine/population health?
You matter far more than the project you’re working on. So, look after yourself, both inside and outside of work. A mentor can help. Therapy more so. But you’ll, regardless, have to learn to advocate for yourself. You should be making time for conferences, training, and personal development. If you find yourself in a job where that’s not happening, or you’re otherwise not happy, then move. Fast. Life is too short, and you are too important, to waste in a negative environment.

Tell us a (fun) fact about yourself that is unrelated to your career.
Around 10 years ago, I used to write blog posts and tweets about mental health under an anonymous alias. This may not be a surprise to anyone who’s experienced my oversharing on my supposedly ‘professional’ social media accounts. Anyway, one day I accidently cross-posted something that was meant to come from my anonymous account on my professional (Peter Tennant) account. Before I had a chance to realize my mistake, the post was shared by the mental health charity Mind to their 250k+ followers and my inbox was flooded with people saying, ‘I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S YOU!’. Shortly afterwards, I was shockingly nominated for a Mind Media Award and appeared on BBC Breakfast as a ‘Peter Tennant, Blogger’; clearly how I’d like to be remembered.