Briefly, tell us about your background and career up to this point?
I started my career as a pharmacist, working in hospital and community pharmacy environments. I quickly realised how much I loved teaching work experience students, so I applied to work as a Teacher-Practitioner at UCL. It was a brilliant first experience within academia which inspired me to join the team as a Teaching Fellow in Pharmacy Practice. Fast-forward 5 years, and I accepted a position at the University of Sussex as a Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice, while working for King's as a casual member of staff supporting the Clinical Communication team with facilitating workshops. When a role came up to work at King's, I jumped at the opportunity as a proud King’s graduate. I really enjoyed teaching Clinical Communication and using my practice-based experiences to support student learning.
Alongside my academic achievements, I am also committed to following my heart and soul in life. When I first joined UCL, I had started a master’s in Playwriting and Screenwriting at City University of London as I have always loved creative writing and wanted to learn more about it. I went on to write, direct and produce a short film (‘Tea and Coffee’) which was selected for numerous international festivals. It is now being used by the The Alzheimer’s Society in the UK, as it showcases a story depicting the cultural experience of dementia within the South Asian community.
I am also a qualified Personal Trainer and a Social Prescriber, which certainly enhances the holistic approach I take when working with patients as a pharmacist. In addition, I am currently in the final year of my master’s in Creative Health at UCL, where we are sourcing and/or producing scientific evidence to support the role which non-medical interventions play in health and wellbeing. I am passionate about creative health as a discipline, as I feel that it fosters race and gender equity, the decolonisation of medical practices, and a holistic approach to treatment.
What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?
Even though you can’t see role models who look or act like you in the areas that you are passionate about, go for it. I think I held myself back from a lot of opportunities when I was younger because I thought “people like me don’t do things like that” and I am very glad that I no longer hold this belief.
Do you have any current projects that you’d like to tell us about?
I am currently conducting my master’s research in exploring whether mindfulness can influence perinatal mental health in Black and South Asian pregnant women, as there are poor outcomes and high risks of complications during pregnancy and childbirth for women of these ethnicities. This is a mixed methods study aiming to spotlight an under-researched area in an underrepresented patient population, using a relatively novel creative health intervention.
I am also an advocate for anti-racism, cultural competence and social justice within medicine and healthcare, and I hope to continue offering scholarly project supervision on projects related to these topics to our medical students. This year, I conducted educational research on the impact of these projects on student learning and their future practice as doctors which was largely positive, and I presented these findings at two conferences in March.
Lastly, I am excited to be sharing research on a playful learning initiative which I pioneered during my time working with pharmacy students at UCL. I turned a pharmaceutical calculations workshop into an ‘Escape Room’ experience for students. Data collected from this experience showed that students (n=158) self-reported an increase in competence, confidence, team-working skills, and resilience after participating. I recently presented this at the King's/UCL Freedom to Learn conference and I'll be sharing more insights at the upcoming Advance HE Teaching & Learning conference.
What do you do with your time outside academia/work?
So many things! Spending time with my gorgeous toddler at places like Forest School and Music classes, supporting my personal training clients, working on my master’s research into perinatal mental health for ethnically diverse women, going to the cinema with my husband, and organising family trips to the theatre whenever we can. Until recently I was also in practice, working as a Community Pharmacist on Sundays, which I really enjoyed.
What is something positive that happened to you in 2023?
I was selected to join The Old Vic Theatre’s Creative Facilitator programme, with the aim of teaching theatre and arts-based techniques to help foster group engagement and empathy. It was an excellent experience where I met so many incredible actors, directors, teachers, and artists. In terms of impact, the course has empowered me with a host of skills to facilitate group cohesion and communication within my participatory research and supported me to reflect on the way I engage with groups of medical students during teaching sessions.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
Having my son, working at King's, and completing a master’s in Creative Health at the same time! It has been a challenge but I have really enjoyed being in these very different spaces over the past couple of years, which has only been possible thanks to the support of my family (special mention to my husband!) and the kind understanding of my brilliant team at King's.
What is your favourite thing about working at King’s?
Learning about how King’s has evolved since my time here as an undergraduate, and how it is so open to creative thinking, innovation, and inclusive considerations with regards to teaching. I have been incredibly appreciative of the open and welcoming reception to my suggestions of creative, playful, and inclusive teaching initiatives since joining King's.
QUICK-FIRE:
Favourite season: Summer because I love sunshine
Favourite cuisine: Italian, especially pizza and gelato!
One thing you could not go a day without: Meditating
Describe yourself in three words… Reflective, fun, creative