Author: andrew.bond

BMERG Committee Profile

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In the first of our BMERG Committee profiles, we shine the spotlight on Fiona Holmes, our School Education Director.

Fiona is Associate Professor in Health Science Education and School Education Director. She is Programme Director of MSc Clinical Perfusion Science and Co-Director of MRes Health Sciences Research. During her long career as a neuroscientist she enjoyed combining research with teaching, aiming to inspire the next generation of biomedical and clinical researchers. She has a particular interest in students’ academic and research skills development.

What was your first role or job as an educator?

I have been involved in teaching and supervising students for many years but my first formal role was as Co-Director of MRes Health Sciences Research over 10 years ago.

What inspired you to become an educator and/or education researcher?

I want to encourage and support the medical researchers of the future and hopefully instill a curiosity and passion for discovery science. I love working with students and see them achieve their full potential.

What challenges have you faced in your journey as a medical education researcher and how have you overcome these?

Making the switch from biomedical research (PhD and 20+ years of experience) to pedagogical research (starting from scratch, learning to appreciate qualitative research, developing more of a ‘social sciences head’ and finding my niche).

What is your current medical education research project on?

I am working with a colleague (Jody Stafford) on using desk-based simulation to support cardiopulmonary bypass training. With Gemma Ford and BMERG Committee members, we are piloting a project to embed the Bristol Skills Profile into academic personal tutoring.

Who are your medical education/education research role models?

My mum worked as a school lab technician and was full of ideas to add interest to the classroom (many projects were tried out at home from stick insects to eyeballs to hatching chicks). The school and university lecturers who stick in my mind (along with what they taught) were really enthusiastic and committed to our learning, with a bit of showmanship and eccentricity thrown in!

What would you consider your greatest academic success?

My first, first author paper – perhaps not my greatest academic success but it felt like it at the time.

Have you ever had a piece of work go wrong and how did you deal with this?

Yes! Who hasn’t?! This is particularly true of biomedical research which can be a roller coaster of highs and lows – you need patience and resilience and to try and let the highs carry you through the lows. You learn more from work not going the way you expect / hope – problem solving, criticality, insight. The important thing is that you do learn and don’t – to misquote Einstein – do the same thing over and over again and expect different results. I bang on about this a lot to my students!

What helps you to maintain your work life balance as a medical educator/researcher?

A nagging husband who thinks I love the University of Bristol more than him! To be more serious, work can be such a big part of your identity so it’s important to be doing something that you really care about. Prioritising family (I am bonus mum to 2 step-daughters – a primary school teacher and a nurse), friends and outside interests (travel, gardening and running) can enhance your A game at work.

What do you think will be the greatest change to medical education over the next decade?

At the moment I’m grappling with artificial intelligence (AI) and the challenges and opportunites it brings to teaching and learning per se. Besides this, it is essential to integrate understanding of the potential (and pitfalls) of AI to transform medical practice into medical education curricula.

What book are you reading at the moment?

I have recently read Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus – after being fired from her job as a lab tech, chemist Elizabeth Zott uses her new job hosting a 1950s television cooking show titled Supper at Six to educate housewives on scientific topics.

What job would you do if you were not a medical educator/researcher?

I probably would have done something clinical / patient-focussed. My retirement job idea is to be a florist.

What three top tips would you give to new medical education researchers?

  1. Collaborate: 2+ heads are better than one, there’s shared expertise and work-load and you are accountable to others which helps keeps you on track.
  2. Just do it: Make a start – fail, flounder – but do something. If you don’t start you will never have the opportunity to finish.
  3. Be a lifelong learner: Stay curious and open-minded, and being a student helps you put yourself in the shoes of your own students and be reminded of their perspective.

Where is your favourite place in the world and why?

Difficult to choose one favourite – lots of places hold special memories for all sorts of reasons – but I got engaged on the Franz Josef Glacier in New Zealand which was pretty cool (literally!).

Reflections from ASME 2025, AI, Assessment & Agency in Health Professions Education

Posted on by andrew.bond

In this weeks blog, Dr Dani O’Connor shares reflections from the ASME Annual Scholarship Meeting 2025, exploring key themes of Artificial Intelligence (AI), assessment, and agency in health professions education. It highlights insights from presenting on AI’s impact on critical thinking, engaging workshops, and the importance of learner empowerment, inclusion, and wellbeing in educational spaces.

“Reflect Reflection” by Pietro De Grandi/ CC0 1.0

I recently had the privilege of attending the ASME Annual Scholarship Meeting 2025 in the vibrant city of Edinburgh. Held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) from July 1st to 3rd, the conference brought together educators, researchers, and healthcare professionals from across the globe to explore the theme, “The A’s of ASME – AI, Assessment & Agency.”

One of the most rewarding aspects of the conference was the opportunity to present alongside my colleague, Zuzana Deans, on a topic that is both timely and complex, the use of AI in education and its impact on critical thinking. Our session explored how generative AI tools are reshaping the way students engage with academic tasks, and what this means for the development of independent, analytical thought. We discussed both the opportunities and the risks, how AI can support learning, but also how it might inadvertently deskill students if not integrated thoughtfully. The discussion that followed was rich and reflective, with attendees sharing their own experiences and concerns around AI in the classroom.

Among the many thought-provoking sessions, one that particularly stood out to me was the interactive workshop provocatively titled “The Death of the Essay.” This session invited us to critically examine the traditional essay as a dominant form of assessment in health professions education. Through group discussions and live polling, we explored whether the essay still serves its intended purpose in an age of multimodal learning, digital fluency, and diverse learner needs. The session didn’t just critique the essay, it opened up space for imagining alternative, more inclusive forms of assessment that better reflect the skills and creativity of today’s students.

Throughout the three days, the programme was rich with intra-conference sessions, oral presentations, and e-poster discussions, all of which highlighted innovative approaches to assessment and learner empowerment. I was particularly inspired by the emphasis on learner agency, how we can better support students from diverse backgrounds to take ownership of their educational journeys. This resonated deeply with BMERG’s mission to amplify underrepresented voices in academia and research.

One of the standout moments for me was the sound bath sessions, a unique wellness initiative woven into the conference schedule. These short, guided meditations provided a welcome pause amidst the intellectual intensity, reminding us of the importance of mental wellbeing in academic spaces.

Networking was another highlight. The Welcome Reception on the first evening offered a relaxed setting to connect with peers and mentors. I had the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about inclusive curriculum design, decolonising medical education, and the role of community in shaping equitable learning environments. ASME 2025 was a space where critical conversations about equity, representation, and systemic change were not only welcomed, but actively encouraged. I left Edinburgh with a renewed sense of purpose and a notebook full of ideas to bring back to my team and wider networks.

Author Biography

Dr Dani O’Connor is a Lecturer in Medical Education at the University of Bristol, where she teaches across a range of programmes within Health Professions Education and leads the online MSc. Her research explores gender bias and relational autonomy in clinical decision-making, as well as the impact of AI on critical thinking in education. She has published in the Medical Law Review and presents her work nationally and internationally.

Introducing the BMERG blog editors and the new series of BMERG blogs

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It’s the beginning of a new academic year and our BMERG blog series kicks off with an introduction to our new BMERG blog editors – and a call for blog writers.

“Blog Text” by Words as Pictures/ CC0 1.0

Following a refresh of the BMERG Committee and the opportunity to take on new roles, Dr Sally Dowling and Dr Andrew Bond have volunteered to be the new BMERG Blog editors. They will be doing this under the expert supervision of Dr Sarah Allsop. Sarah has overseen the blog brilliantly for the past few years, and Sally and Andrew are very grateful to have her expertise to draw on as they take on the role.

Who are we?

Dr Sally Dowling is a Senior Lecturer who has worked in health professions education since 2007, following a career in the NHS. She came to work in Bristol Medical School in January 2022 and currently holds positions in PGT programmes (Health Professions Education and as co-Programme Director for the MSc Reproduction and Development). She also works as Year 1 Student Choice Academic Lead on the MBChB programme. Sally has been a BMERG Committee member since 2022. She has been involved in several BILT-funded associate projects, including one looking at inclusive assessment. In 2024-25 and continuing in 2025-26, she is part of the Pedagogic research and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) culture project, working with colleagues across the university. She has an interest in supporting staff and student in writing for publication and has run workshops and written blog posts relating to this.

Dr Andrew Bond is a Lecturer in Cardiovascular Medicine, in Bristol Medical School, and Co-Director of MSc Cardiovascular Perfusion. He has over 20 years of experience as a scientific researcher in UK academia, undertaking and publishing a variety of research into atherosclerosis, paediatric heart surgery, islet transplantation for Type I diabetes, and bioengineering of blood vessels for heart bypass surgery. In 2023 he switched to the Teaching and Scholarship Pathway at the University of Bristol, and his teaching role predominantly involves developing and delivering content on the MSc Translational Cardiovascular Medicine, MSc Clinical Perfusion Science and MSc Cardiovascular Perfusion. He is co-lead for various units on the three courses. Andrew recently joined the BMERG Committee, and sees it as the beginning of his pursuit of pedagogical research, and the chance to better understand how students learn and thrive. His hope is to integrate insights from this research into his own teaching practice, so that research and practice continually inform one another.

What is a blog post?

Blog posts are short pieces of writing highlighting topics of interest, usually written in an informal, accessible or conversational style. Some blogs are focussed on a specific issue; others are more general. Writing a blog is a way of sharing your ideas, experiences and opinions – it also gives you a permanent URL from which your writing can be accessed.

What can I write about for in a BMERG blog?

The BMERG blogs are aimed at the medical education community at the University of Bristol and beyond. In the past some have been themed – for example about “Writing for Publication” or reporting on papers discussed at the BMERG Journal Club. We have had conference reports (such as this one) and advice on Academic Careers and Researcher Skills, and other staff development and teaching practice issues. Individual BMERG members have written about their research projects, events they have attended or activities they’ve been involved in. If you look at the BMERG Blog page of the BMERG website you can see the latest Blog posts, and search by topics or categories.

What will we be doing?

This post relaunches the BMERG Blog. Following this we hope to have a new blog published on alternate Fridays. To open the new series, we will publish topic blogs once each month and introduce a member of the Committee in the second blog. To whet your appetite – we have forthcoming blogs on the ASME conference 2025 and the Assessment in Higher Education Conference 2025, a blog on ‘Starting out in pedagogical research’ and introductions to the new BMERG chair and others on the committee. We’ll also be re-posting some earlier blogs about writing for publication and understanding Open Access publication.

Can I write a blog post?

Yes please! We would love to hear from anyone who would like to write a blog post for BMERG. We ask that you use this form to submit your details and the text of your blog. We will review all blogs submitted and let you know if any (usually minor) edits are needed. We’ll also let you know when we are scheduling the publication of your blog. Please let us know if you think there is a reason to publish your blog as soon as possible (for example, if it’s addressing a particularly current or timely issue).

In the next BMERG blog post Dani O’Connor will be writing about ‘Reflections from ASME 2025, AI, Assessment & Agency in Health Professions Education’.