MRCGP, DRCOG, DCH
Andrew is a GP and Professor of Medical Education and the current Director of assessments and feedback for the Bristol medical programme. His main research interests relate to the teaching of primary care and assessments. He has published papers on the undergraduate curriculum in primary care and the remote assessment of clinical skills. His current focus is on ways of improving inclusivity in assessment and student wellbeing.
Research Areas: teaching in primary care, assessment, inclusivity, student wellbeing
What inspired you to become an educator and/or education researcher?
I was inspired by many of my teachers from clinical medical school and my supervisors in junior doctor posts.
What are your current medical education research projects on?
- Together with colleagues in the Centre for Academic Primary Care I am completing a qualitative research project on medical students’ lived experience of abuse. This project was initiated and led by a medical student.
- Together with colleagues from Bristol and Birmingham I am developing plans for a project that will look at different way of representing diversity in best-of-5 questions.
What job would you do if you were not a medical educator/researcher?
I would have liked to make films or be an architect
Who are your medical education/education research role models?
Sir William Osler was in my view the greatest medical educator – he championed bedside teaching and the importance of really getting to understand every patient.
What is your favourite quote?
“To study the phenomena of disease without books is to sail an uncharted sea, while to study books without patients is not to go to sea at all” Sir William Osler
What would you consider your greatest academic success?
Ensuring that our students graduated successfully during the COVID pandemic. And writing a textbook “Essential Primary Care” together with my colleagues in Bristol’s Academic Centre for Primary Care.
Have you ever had a piece of work go wrong and how did you deal with this?
I have failed to get some of my biggest pieces of research published and probably didn’t persevere enough. One of my biggest projects just ended up in a short letter and another wasn’t published at all.
Where is your favourite place in the world and why?
The botanical gardens in Edinburgh. Edinburgh feels like a second home to me. As a child I went to the botanics regularly and always return there when I go to Edinburgh. As well as memories it has beautiful trees and views of the city.
What do you think will be the greatest change to medical education over the next decade?
Ensuring that we enthuse our students sufficiently to remain in the profession when times are tough
What top tip would you give to new medical education researchers?
Don’t rush – there is plenty of time over the course of your career. Spend time gaining clinical experience – that is the basis of everything and then develop basic research skills.