On Monday, 8 June our BRC hosted the eighth Ophthalmology Clinical Academic Trainees Forum, designed to provide clinical trainees with guidance and support. In the words of Prof. Omar Mahroo our Clinical Academic Trainees Development Lead, this informal meeting gives the inside story behind the paper and the podium moment.
Prof. Omar Mahroo, our Clinical Academic Trainees Development Lead, opened the session by welcoming Prof. Gus Gazzard, Professor of Ophthalmology (Glaucoma Studies) at UCL and Director of Glaucoma Service, Moorfields Eye Hospital.
Prof. Gazzard is currently the only glaucoma specialist in the UK offering the NIHR-funded innovative ‘FLiGHT’ procedure, an outpatient minimally invasive laser procedure without opening the eye, effectively delivering “surgery without the surgery” (find out more on his website). He said the best advice he was ever given was to ‘get a thing‘, which then, for him, became lasers. He says the key is collaboration, as researchers are stronger together. Working in research, he imagines himself at the centre of a spider’s web pulling in specialities.
Our second speaker, Dr. Shruti Chandra, is an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow and an ST4 Ophthalmology Registrar. Dr. Chandra spoke about the importance of her mentor Prof. Sobha Sivaprasad, who has been fundamental in helping her map her career as a clinical academic. She emphasised that showing commitment to the job in the smaller moments builds a bigger picture. It establishes confidence in others that you will be able to juggle the pressure of clinical academia. She said the BRC has helped her step out of research and connect with the wider community.
If you would like to discuss how the BRC can support your career, please contact ‘alice.g.thompson@ucl.ac.uk’.
IAT Guides:
NIHR: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/career-development/research-career-funding-programmes/postdoctoral/iat-progr…
UCL: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/health/sites/health/files/ucl_iat_guide_3.pdf
Helpful contacts:
Sarah MacKilligin UCL Clinical IAT Programme Manager: s.mackilligin@ucl.ac.uk
UCL Clinical Academic queries: aco-enquiries@ucl.ac.uk
If you would like to be added to the mailing list for these sessions, please email Queenie Wong (w.wong10@nhs.net).