Well done to James for being Highly Commended in the ‘Zeshan Qureshi Award for Outstanding Achievement in Medical Education’.
James has been passionate about delivering high quality teaching since his early years at medical school. Enrolling in medical education courses as a junior medical student helped him to develop the skillset and confidence to become an excellent teacher. He started out by teaching clinical skills to medical students and has progressed to getting involved with an Advanced Clinical Practice MSc, running leadership courses for students and teaching surgical skills to medical students and junior doctors.
“I strongly believe that teaching is one of the best ways to self-reflect and improve.”
For James, teaching medical students is not only beneficial for the students but also for himself. Teaching surgical skills at a huge range of events has improved his technique and confidence. He is convinced that this was a contributing factor in winning the regional heats and going on to be awarded runner up ‘Louis Solomon Knights Award for Surgical Skills’ in the UK for the national RCS surgical skills ‘Are You Cut Out For It?’ competition.
As well as being passionate about teaching, James has presented original research at a number of local and national conferences, winning prizes for his presentations. He has also won two prizes for his elective in plastic surgery at Melbourne Hospital.
Now that he is further along in his training, James is acting as a mentor for final year medical students and foundation doctors, empowering them to present and publish their own projects. He is hoping to formalise his interests in medical education through a postgraduate qualification, alongside his further training where he starts ST3 general surgery In his first choice deanery this October.
Best of luck to James throughout the rest of his career and particularly in his nomination for Core Surgical Trainee of the Year in his Deanery – a huge achievement.
