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Visitor teams: Imperial London Medical School

As part of the quality assurance process, medical schools are assessed by teams of visitors.

Below are details about the visitors who visited Imperial London Medical School during the 2007/8 cycle of visits.

Team leader: Prof Sam Leinster

Sam Leinster was appointed in January 2001 as the Inaugural Dean of the School of Medicine, Health Policy and Practice at the University of East Anglia which is one of the new medical schools established in response to the perceived need to train more doctors in England. His major interests are curriculum planning and assessment.

Prior to taking up his current post he was Professor of Surgery and Director of Medical Studies in the University of Liverpool where he was responsible for the introduction of a problem-based, student-centred curriculum in 1996.

He graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1971 where he held a Cadetship in the Royal Air Force. After house jobs in Cornwall and an SHO post in A&E at the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh, he was Unit Medical Officer in the RAF before being selected for surgical training. On leaving the RAF he began his academic career in Cardiff at the then Welsh National School of Medicine before moving to Liverpool in 1982 as Senior Lecturer in Surgery.

He has a background in surgical oncology with clinical interests in breast cancer, malignant melanoma and soft tissue sarcoma. His research has been on the epidemiology and molecular biology of breast cancer and the psychological correlates of breast disease as well as aspects of medical education.

He was a subject reviewer for the QAA round of medical school inspections in 1998-1999 and was a member of the working group who wrote the QAA Benchmark Statement for Medicine in 2000. He became a member of the PLA Board in 1996 and has been involved in the subsequent reviews of PLAB chairing the Review Subgroup on Scope and Standards in the 2004 review.

He is a team leader for the GMC Quality Assurance of Basic Medical Education programme which is currently undertaking the inspection of medical schools in the UK. He has recently joined the Healthcare Commission's Clinical Standards Advisory Group and the PMETB Examinations Sub-Committee. He was Chair of the Association for the Study of Medical Education from 1998-2004.

Dr Martin Talbot

Martin is a hospital physican in Sheffield with a wide background in medical education. A medical teacher for 30 years, he holds two master's degrees in education and also an Associateship of the Institute of Education. He has been sub-dean of a medical school, research associate in a department of education and director of undergraduate teaching at a major UK hospital.

A programme director for specialist registrar training for 4 years, he has recently been a Royal College of Physicians tutor. He is an external examiner for the University of East Anglia, an MRCP (UK) examiner, a member of the Association for Medical Education, and an appeals assessor for the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board.

He has peer-reviewed publications in both education and clinical medicine, has written two book chapters on clinical subjects and is a contributing author to 'Clinical Evidence'.

His research interests have included experiential learning, mentoring, creativity and assessment, and he has particular expertise in the area of humanistic psychology, learner-centred teaching and in selection for medical school places. He has been with QABME for three years.

Dr Sue Burge

I am a Consultant Dermatologist and Associate Director of Clinical Studies in Oxford Medical School. As Director of Clinical Studies (1999-2002) I was responsible for Oxford Medical School clinical curriculum and welfare of clinical students.

As Director of Dermatology Teaching, I have responsibility for the undergraduate dermatology course in the Oxford Medical School. In 2005 I established a new course "Teaching, Learning and Assessment in Dermatology", the first UK course specifically for teachers of dermatology. On behalf of the RCP, RCGP and British Association of Dermatologists, I produced a dermatology curriculum for GP trainees (published 1998).

Prof Richard Hays

Richard Hays is the Head of the Medical School at Keele University in North Staffordshire. He is a general practitioner with a strong interest in medical education, having attained both a PhD and an MD (Higher Doctorate) in education and medical education in addition to medical qualifications.

He was trained in Australia, graduating from the University of Queensland in 1976, and since then he has been a clinician in both rural and urban general practice, an academic GP at Chair level with broad responsibilities in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, and Foundation Dean of the first of the recent wave of new medical schools in Australia. He has a strong research record, predominantly in medical education and health services research areas, and he has been on the editorial boards of several research journals relevant to that expertise. His publication record includes 7 books, 12 book chapters, and more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles.

He has also an experienced visitor of medical schools in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Europe and North America, for informal exchanges, advising on the development of new medical programmes, or as a member of formal medical school accreditation teams. In 2001, based on a record of innovation in medical education, he was awarded the Centenary medal for services to Australia in health education.

He moved to the UK in 2006 to take up his present role leading the development of a one of the UK's new medical schools. He is also taking a leading role in establishing the Academy of Medical Education, a body that aims to enhance the quality of health care through the development and recognition of excellence in medical education.

Prof Olwyn Westwood

Olwyn Westwood is Professor of Medical Education at Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. She has worked for around 20 years in medical education and has a keen interest in making biomedical sciences education accessible and relevant in medicine.

Her Ph.D in biochemistry was studied at the Dept of Obstetric, United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospitals, University of London. Post-doctoral studies took her to St. George’s Hospital Medical School, prior to a lectureship in immunology. She went on to co-ordinate the set up of the medical curriculum and its laboratories for the Graduate Entry Programme in Medicine at University of Swansea in collaboration with the Wales College of Medicine in Cardiff.

Olwyn returned to her alma mater at University of Surrey as Reader in Medical Education to be involved in training the UK-equivalent of the US-Physician Assistants, and chairs the interim Board that is developing the National Accreditation Examinations for this new NHS role.

QABME-related areas of interest include: changing nature of the NHS professions and new ways of working, and inter-professional education, assessment.

Dr Chris Stephens

MA Ed MBA FHEA FCMI FRCGP is a University Director of Education and Deputy Head of the School of Medicine, University of Southampton.

Dr Stephens graduated from Guys Hospital in London and worked as a partner in a busy eight doctor urban training practice in Southampton until 1999. He has been interested in learning and teaching for many years and was involved with teaching undergraduates in the practice since 1985. In 1990 he became a GP trainer and in 1994 was appointed as a part time senior lecturer in Primary Medical Care at the University of Southampton. In 2000 he completed a Masters Degree in Education with the Open University and was appointed to the full time post of Director of Education within the School of Medicine. He chairs the Education Management Committee and Exams and Assessment committee for the School. He as worked as a consultant for the WHO helping a medical school in Sri Lanka develop their undergraduate medical curriculum, other international work includes Malaysia, Brunei and Kazakhstan. In 2003 he was appointed as a GMC visitor and is part of a team assessing the quality of undergraduate medical education. In 2005 he was appointed by the Secretary for Sate for Health as a member of the GCC where he chairs their health committee and is a member of the education committee. He has chaired the GCC revalidation panels all three Chiropractic programmes in the UK.

Prof John Ashton

Professor John Ashton CBE, North West Regional Director of Public Health and Regional Medical Officer was born in Liverpool in 1947. Educated at Quarry Bank High School in Liverpool, the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne Medical School and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, he has specialised in psychiatry, general practice, family planning and reproductive medicine and finally public health.

He worked in Newcastle and Northumberland, Hampshire and London before returning to Liverpool in 1983. For two years he was a Councillor on Hampshire County Council.

John Ashton is renowned for his work on planned parenthood and healthy cities and for his personal advocacy for public health. He was a member of the British delegation to Macedonia during the Kosovo emergency and fought to resolve the fuel dispute.

John holds chairs at Liverpool Medical School, Liverpool John Moores University, the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Manchester Medical School and the Valencia Institute of Public Health.

He is the author of many scientific papers; articles and chapters in books and of several books including “The New Public Health”.

Since 1993 he has held his regional position and has been active in developing government policies for public health. He was awarded the CBE in the Millennium New Year’s honours list.

Dr Niten Vig

Niten graduated from the University of Oxford in July 2006, having taken a BA in Physiological Sciences in 2003. He served as President of the University-wide Medical Society, and has represented students on committees relating to welfare, academic matters and curriculum reform. He was a member of the panels visiting UCL, Cardiff and Sheffield medical schools. In the coming year, he will be involved with the Quality Assurance of Foundation Programmes. He is currently doing his F2 year in Oxford.

Ms Suzanne Shale

Suzanne Shale is an independent consultant in medical education and medical ethics. She is currently based at the Centre for Medical Law and Ethics at Kings College, London, where she is conducting research into organizational ethics in health care settings, funded by the Wellcome Trust. Suzanne is consultant educational advisor to the Postgraduate Deanery for Kent, Surrey and Sussex and a lay visitor for the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board. Her consultancy clients have included Help the Hospices, The Health Foundation, the NHS University, and the universities of London, Oxford, and Cambridge.

Most of Suzanne's earlier career as a legal academic was spent at the University of Oxford, where she was Fellow in Law at New College. Latterly she was the inaugural Director of Oxford University's Institute for the Advancement of University Learning, where her work included formulating Oxford's learning and teaching strategy, instigating the first systematic research into tutorial teaching, and leading a strategic review of equality and diversity throughout the university.

Suzanne is the Chair of Umbrella, a mental health care charity providing employment support, residential and community care across central and north London. She is also a Trustee of the School of Five Element Acupuncture, and a volunteer bereavement counsellor at Trinity Hospice. She holds a master's degree in medical law and ethics and is an accredited mediator. Her interests in medical education include clinical teaching, clinical ethics, developing 'professionalism', and discourses around death and dying.

Mr James Read

James Read is currently a third year Medical Student studying at the Peninsula Medical School’s Cornwall campus in Truro. He has been involved in student support and student input into the development of the Medical School since starting in 2005. He sat as a representative on the Student Parliament in 2005/06 and then went on to become the Chairman in 2006/07. He has also been involved in support services that are offered through the University of Exeter and sits on the Research Ethics committee of the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry.

He has a particular interest in working with children and works for the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain, a charity that promotes the nurturing of musical talent in children aged 7-14.

Ms Maria Slade

Maria is currently in her 3rd year of the MBChB course at Warwick Medical School, having completed a BSc in Veterinary Pathogenesis at Bristol University in 2004.
Throughout her University education she has had particular interests in curricula delivery and widening participation schemes.