Education and Academia

Education and academia are very important to me. While it is vital from the point of view of our yearly appraisals as doctors that we keep up to date with the latest developments, doing so is also something I take pleasure in and, I believe, makes me a better doctor. Furthermore, I like to actually be involved in those latest developments and am actively involved in research, including with international studies and collaborations. I have presented over 20 national and international posters and oral presentations, and am an author on 20 academic papers, and 4 book chapters within respected Plastic Surgery textbooks. I have spoken regionally, nationally and internationally on a variety of subjects within plastic surgery.

I also very much enjoy teaching, and teaching the next generation of surgeons and doctors is very important to me. I am a recognised teacher of medical students and trainee plastic surgeons within the Mersey Deanery, and have won awards for teaching from University College London and Queen Mary, University of London.

Being actively engaged in teaching and research is, I believe, also good for my private patients. Firstly, it means that I can offer them up to date advice, and secondly, it means I can better help them to understand what are sometimes complex and difficult subjects, enabling them to make the right decisions for themselves.

University Education (University College London)

MBPhD programme combining medical degree and PhD

Intercalated BSc in Neuroscience

Basic Medical Sciences

· BSc (Hons) 1st Class in Neuroscience with Basic Medical Sciences

Institution - University College London (UCL)

What does this mean? This is an undergraduate Bachelor of Science Degree. It is common in many universities to do this as part of the medical degree, as I did (making it an “intercalated” degree)

· PhD

Institution – The Institute of Child Health, University College London

What does this mean? A PhD is a doctorate, the highest level of academic degree and makes you a “Doctor of Philosophy”, essentially an academic doctor. I did my PhD as part of my medical degree (about 6 people a year are selected from national competition to do this “MDPhD” programme at UCL).

· MBBS

Institution – University College London

What does this mean? This is the Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree attained at the end of medical school. Getting this degree is what makes someone a “medical doctor” (as opposed to an "academic doctor"). It’s equivalent to an “MD” in, for example, the United States.

· MRCS

Institution – The Royal College of Surgeons of England

What does this mean? Becoming a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons occurs after having undergone basic surgical training (which I did at University College London Hospital) and completing the MRCS exam. Unusually, in the UK and Ireland, upon getting this degree the surgeon tends to be called either Mr, Miss, Ms or Mrs. This is harks back to the days when surgery was an apprenticeship undertaken by people who were not doctors, but often tradespeople such as barbers. If you want to know more about the history of this, please see the attached link - click here.

· FRCS (Plast)

Institution – The Royal College of Surgeons of England

What does this mean? Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Division). The award of the FRCS (Plast) occurs towards the end of specialist training and follows rigorous assessments, and written and oral exams. Attainment of the coveted FRCS (Plast) enables the successful candidate to go on to do their certificate of completion of training (CCT) and so become a plastic surgery consultant. It is roughly equivalent to being “Board Certified” in the United States.

“Best 3” – rated as one of the top 3 asethetic plastic surgeons in Liverpool (2019-2022)

Teacher of the Year Award – Queen Mary University of London Microsurgery Course 

Distinguished Teacher Award – University College Hospital

Research Studentships - University College London Medical School and British Heart Foundation

MBPhD programme - Successful application to University College London Medical School MBPhD programme. Competitive entry, 6 entrants per year nationwide