What does it mean to you to have won this award?
Many people have put a lot of time and effort into making the new ‘Transition to Clinical Practice’ block a success in it’s first year, and it was amazing for this to be recognised and celebrated by the Faculty. The idea for TCP came from our students, and it has been a pleasure working with them to co-create something that students find helpful to manage what can be a challenging transition from pre-clinical campus-based learning to clinical learning environments.
This was a team award, and it has been fantastic working with student representatives from the Medical Students Association, my central faculty colleagues, the student experience team, colleagues from the King’s Medical Education in the Community team, and placement site-based colleagues to make TCP happen. It has only been through working together that we have been able to give the students on the MBBS course a head start for the coming clinical years.
What’s next for you in this area?
We are planning a more detailed evaluation of the TCP block in order to assess its longer term impact and to refine the content and delivery. We hope to share this both here at King’s to see if other professional programmes can use the findings to support students through similar transitions, as well as to the wider educational community.
What do you see as the strengths of our Faculty? What makes us distinctive?
From my perspective as an educator, it’s the commitment to innovative, student-centred teaching that really stands out. We’re constantly evolving our approaches to make learning engaging, inclusive, and relevant to today’s healthcare landscape. Being part of such a diverse and collaborative academic community means we’re always learning from each other—and that makes teaching here incredibly rewarding.
Briefly, tell us about your background and career up to this point?
I’m currently the Lead for Clinical Communication on the MBBS programme and module lead for the ‘Introduction to Values Based Clinical Practice’ module that medical students complete in their first year. I have been in the role for nearly a year now, and while it has had it’s challenges I really enjoy working with my team to deliver high quality education in an area of medicine that is key to practising successfully as a doctor. Prior to this, I worked on the Extended Medical Degree Programme with students from widening participation backgrounds. Before moving into academia, I worked as a doctor specialising in Emergency Medicine in education focused roles while completing a Masters in Education for Clinical Contexts.
What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?
Trust your instincts and don’t worry so much about what other people think!
Do you have any current projects that you’d like to tell us about?
Alongside my work as a lecturer, I am also a PhD student. My work explores how deeply rooted professional ideals—like perfectionism, emotional suppression, and outdated identity norms—may be contributing to burnout and emotional distress which is alarmingly common among medical students and doctors. It is an ethnographic study so I will be observing teaching, interviewing students and faculty, using digital diaries kept by students, and reviewing documents to generate my data. The aim is to understand how these ideals form and consider how medical education can evolve to support healthier, more inclusive professional identities.
What do you do with your time outside academia/work?
I have recently started playing the piano again after a gap of about 30 years, and I find it’s a great way to unwind. I also enjoy sewing clothes for myself and my children – the last thing I made was a jumpsuit for Glastonbury.
Who inspires you most and why?
Honestly, our students never fail to inspire me. This year, I had the chance to work closely with the Medical Students Association and attend the annual ‘Blues and Shields’ night. Hearing about everything they’ve achieved—whether in sports, volunteering, or leading projects at King’s and beyond—was genuinely uplifting. Their energy, creativity, and commitment to making a difference remind me why I love working in education.