What drew you to pathology?
My interest in pathology began at quite a young age. When I was about 14, I was given the chance to do work experience, and spent three weeks in chemical pathology – now part of blood sciences – at a local general hospital in Southeast London. It was my first real taste of the discipline, and it immediately sparked my fascination with clinical biochemistry and the diagnostic role of laboratory medicine.
That early experience set me on a path that carried through my university years and beyond. After completing my first degree, I returned to the field, combining my professional training with a PhD in chemical pathology, focusing on cardiac markers in renal failure.
During that time, I had the opportunity to work on a Department of Health–funded project introducing a new test for heart attacks – the troponin test. At the time, this was revolutionary. It hadn’t yet been adopted in the UK, and here we were, trialing it at a small district general hospital in South London, rather than at one of the big teaching hospitals. That project not only opened doors but also reinforced my passion for pathology, which I’ve carried with me ever since.
What motivated your shift in focus from clinical practice to education?
I first considered the move while working at St George’s Hospital in London, when I was invited to serve as an external examiner for biomedical science at the University of Westminster, London. That role reintroduced me to the academic world, and it quickly became clear that there was a wide disparity in the level of attainment among students on life science courses.
Some students were excelling – often those who had completed a year-long placement in a laboratory. Their hands-on experience gave them an edge, not only in knowledge but also in confidence. Others, who lacked that practical exposure, struggled to perform at the same level. Observing this gap was my first real step into thinking seriously about a career in education.
The second motivator came when a new academic role was advertised, and my predecessor encouraged me to apply. By then, I felt I had “done my time” in clinical work and research, and I was ready for a new challenge. It seemed like the right moment to give back – helping the next generation of biomedical or clinical scientists and pathologists develop the skills and experience they would need to succeed in the field. That was really the turning point in my career, and it set me firmly on the path of medical education.
How did you develop your skills as an educator?
My early teaching experience came from giving lectures and presentations at conferences. I was comfortable in that setting, speaking to peers with established knowledge. But teaching students was a very different challenge. Many of them came with only limited or basic understanding, which meant I had to adapt my delivery style and think carefully about how to make complex concepts accessible.
Working in the UK higher education system, I also needed formal qualifications. I completed a fellowship with the Higher Education Institute, which provided mentorship during my transition from clinical work to academia. That guidance in my early years was invaluable, and over the past nine or ten years, I’ve continued to refine my approach in the classroom.
Other roles have also contributed to my development as an educator. For example, as Commissioning Editor for reviews in Clinical Biochemistry, I regularly assess the quality of submitted manuscripts. That editorial work sharpened my ability to evaluate how effectively someone is communicating an idea – skills I now apply when marking student responses.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of your work?
What I enjoy most is watching students' progress. One of the most striking things is seeing students on their very first day – often a little anxious, unsure of what to expect from university life – and then following their growth over the years.
I’ve also seen the transformative effect of year-long placements in diagnostic laboratories. I oversee the students who take part in these, and they are often the ones who show the greatest improvement. That year of real-world experience not only matures them but also deepens their enthusiasm and understanding of the subject. Pathology is, at its core, a practical discipline, and no amount of lectures or short lab sessions can replicate the hands-on exposure of a working laboratory.
For me, seeing that kind of growth and knowing we’ve helped prepare them for their careers is one of the most rewarding aspects of the job.
What are the challenging aspects?
One of the most difficult aspects of the role is managing such large cohorts of students. On the biomedical science course alone, we welcome between 300 and 400 new students each year. With numbers like that, it’s impossible to build an individual relationship with every student or to fully understand their needs.
The challenge is that those who are struggling – often the ones who don’t attend regularly or who hesitate to ask for help – are the ones most at risk of falling behind. Even though each student is assigned a personal tutor and a project supervisor, meaningful engagement can be hard to establish. Meanwhile, the students who are flourishing are naturally more visible; they seek opportunities, ask questions, and become actively involved. It’s rewarding to watch them thrive, but it is frustrating to see others slip back simply because they are less forthcoming in seeking support.
Another significant challenge is the growing impact of AI in education. We’ve already moved away from traditional written exams toward more “authentic assessments” that aim to test real understanding and application of knowledge. But with students increasingly using AI tools to help complete their work, assessing genuine comprehension has become more complex. Finding new and effective ways to evaluate knowledge and critical thinking is one of the biggest challenges currently facing higher education – and one we are actively grappling with.
Tell us about a memorable experience in your career so far.
One student’s story stands out for me. He was a mature student who had come to us through an access to higher education course. His background was far removed from science – he had previously worked as a heavy goods vehicle driver and a refuse collector – and he started with no prior scientific training.
Despite that, he was an engaging and hardworking student. Midway through his second year, he hit a difficult patch and considered leaving the course altogether. We sat down together, went through his exam results and feedback in detail, and discussed strategies for improvement. In the end, he decided to take a year out to gain practical experience in a diagnostic histopathology laboratory.
That decision proved transformative. He returned more confident, more motivated, and with a stronger grasp of the subject. He went on to graduate with first-class honors – a tremendous achievement given where he had started.
What makes the story even more rewarding is seeing how his career has developed since. He mentors students at the university, delivers guest lectures, and now serves as head of a laboratory as well as a medical registration assessor. Watching someone from such a non-traditional, disadvantaged background succeed at that level has been one of the real highlights of my time in education.
What have been your key learnings from your career so far?
Moving into medical education has been a journey of personal as well as professional development. Coming from a clinical background, I was accustomed to the culture of the laboratory. Transitioning into academia meant learning how universities operate – their hierarchies, structures, and pathways for progression. Building a career in that setting brings its own pressures, particularly the emphasis on productivity: research, publications, and measurable outputs.
At the same time, I’ve found that academic roles open doors to opportunities that might not have been available in a purely clinical career. Outreach, for example, has become an important part of my work. As a STEM ambassador, I’ve been able to engage with secondary schools and colleges, showing students what careers in pathology and biomedical science could offer, often at a time when they are unsure about their future direction. Providing that glimpse of possibility can be hugely impactful.
Academic life has also allowed me to take on editorial roles, contribute to books, and write chapters – experiences that have broadened my perspective and strengthened my skills as an educator. I was fortunate early on to work within a medical school closely linked to a hospital, which made it easier to move between clinical and academic environments. For colleagues in purely clinical settings, without that overlap, making a similar transition into academia can be much more difficult.
How would you like to see undergraduate training evolve over the next decade?
One of the key challenges is ensuring students are aware of their career options early – before they graduate. If they leave university without that knowledge, it can be much harder to navigate into the field later, especially if they lack the right qualifications or haven’t engaged with professional bodies. That’s why it’s so important to expose students to the breadth of possibilities during their studies.
For me, that means bringing industry professionals and pathology specialists into the university environment. When students hear directly from those working in the field, it resonates more than when an academic simply explains what careers exist. It also allows students to start building professional networks – something we actively encourage.
Alongside academic achievement, skills such as communication, resilience, and confidence are critical in preparing them to be truly “job ready.” Embedding those skills into the curriculum is one of my priorities.
What are the key qualities of a good teacher, in your opinion?
Good listening skills are essential. That’s something I learned early on. As educators, we are often positioned as the “experts” – standing in front of a class, delivering lectures, and sharing knowledge. But the real test comes when a student approaches you with a question, unsure about a concept or struggling to connect the dots. In those moments, you must listen carefully – not just to their words, but to what they’re really missing – and help them bridge the gaps in their understanding.
This applies not only to academic content but also to career guidance. I often see students reach the end of a degree program and then, just before graduation, ask how to become a biomedical scientist. Part of our role is encouraging them to take ownership early, so they leave with a clear understanding of the pathways available.
For colleagues considering a move from practice into education, the biggest challenge is often the fear of losing that clinical connection. At Westminster, for instance, we don’t have a medical school, so staff are not actively engaged in clinical duties. That can feel like a barrier for those who value the day-to-day patient-facing aspect of their profession.
On the other hand, many academics recruited into life sciences and pathology come from strong research backgrounds but lack experience in diagnostic practice. They can teach the science and techniques, but without real-world examples, students may not fully appreciate how those skills translate into professional practice.
That’s why it’s so important to bring practitioners into the classroom – whether for guest lectures, demonstrations, or sharing their experiences. It connects students to the reality of working in the field and helps them see the possibilities beyond academia. For aspiring educators, embracing that balance – between theory, practice, and mentorship – is key to preparing students for the world that awaits them.
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