Speakers

Meet the Speakers

Professor Michael Griffin OBE became President in 2018 when he was a Consultant Oesophagogastric surgeon at the Royal Victoria Infirmary. He developed the Northern Oesophagogastric Cancer Unit which is now the largest in Europe and North America. A Council Member since 2009, he was Chair of the Joint Committee for Intercollegiate Examinations (JCIE) and Professor of Gastrointestinal Surgery at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. His clinical and research interests have been focused on early diagnosis and radical treatment of oesophagogastric cancers. He was awarded an OBE for services to cancer health care in 2013.

Mr Pala Rajesh is a Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at the Birmingham Heartlands Hospital. His interests are in minimally invasive thoracic surgery, surgical training and education. He set up the Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery service in the Regional Department of Thoracic Surgery which is now a renowned centre for training in the UK. He is the lead examiner of the Joint Surgical Fellowship examinations in cardiothoracic surgery in Asia. He’s been on Council 2012-17 and served on several committees. He is a Member of Council in the European Association of Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Professor Rowan Parks is a Consultant HPB Surgeon and Professor of Surgical Sciences at the University of Edinburgh. Serving on the Council since 2009, he has been on numerous College committees and short life working groups. He organised the RCSEd Triennial Meeting in 2018, the annual President's Meetings held from 2013-2015, and the Lister Centenary Meeting in 2012. He has a significant interest in medical education and training and is currently Deputy Medical Director of NHS Education for Scotland (NES). Professor Parks is immediate past-President of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (ASGBI) and the Great Britain and Ireland Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association.

Dr Judy Evans is Consultant Plastic Surgeon in Plymouth since 1990. Her major interests are in malignant melanoma and breast surgery. She has been a College examiner since 1995 and is on numerous College committees. She has a strong commitment to equal opportunities in training.

Ms Clare McNaught is a UK Colorectal Surgeon based in Harrogate. Her academic interests include enhanced recovery and the effects of frailty on outcomes of emergency surgery. Clare remains active in surgical education, is an MRCS examiner and is faculty on a number of postgraduate courses. She was the founder and past chair of the RCSEd Younger Fellows Committee, supporting young Consultants in their early career. Clare has been on College Council for 6 years, was past editor of Surgeons News and is currently Honorary Secretary of RCSEd, taking post as Vice-President in November 2022. 

Ms Anna Paisley is a Consultant General and Upper GI Surgeon at the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh and Honorary Senior Lecturer for the University of Edinburgh. She has a particular interest in surgical training and assessment and was awarded a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Oxford in 2003 for research into the Assessment of Basic Surgical Trainees. She was part of the team that developed the Edinburgh Surgical Sciences Qualification and has been Director of Year 1 (Certificate) since its introduction in 2008. Anna became a Fellow of the RCSEd Faculty of Surgical Trainers in 2015 has been a Council Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh since 2015 and currently chairs the College’s Patient Safety Group. 

Ms Claire Edwards has been a Consultant Hand and Trauma surgeon at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital since 2010. She was elected to the Council of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 2020. She is Chair of the Trauma and Orthopaedics Surgical Specialty Board and sits on the Research and Awards Committee of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Claire is an examiner for FRCS (Tr and Orth) and a member of the National ST3 Trauma and Orthopaedics Selection Design Group. Claire is Director of Core Surgical Education for HEEoE and is active in research. 

Mr Andrew Garnham is the current chair of the RCS Ed Vascular Specialty Board. He has served on the council of the Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland since 2012 and is the current Treasurer. He has a long-standing interest in medical education and as training programme director has developed the vascular training programme within the West Midlands and is a member of the vascular SAC. Within the West Midlands he leads the faculty development for surgical training. He has been intimately involved with the development of the national ASPIRE programme for Vascular Trainees. He has a specialist practice in thoracic outlet syndromes well as a general vascular practice. 

Mr Sridhar Rathinam was appointed as a Consultant Thoracic Surgeon in November 2009 in the University Hospitals of Leicester. His practice includes all aspects of thoracic surgery with a special interest in parenchyma preserving oncological lung resections, chest wall surgery, minimally invasive lung resections and surgery for emphysema including endobronchial valve and coils. 

He is a keen surgical trainer and is faculty member in national cardiothoracic courses. He has co-founded training courses for surgical trainees as well as allied care professionals in Birmingham and Leicester.

His research interests include lung cancer biomarkers, proteomics in lung cancer, educational research, randomised trials of clinical devices in thoracic surgery and devices in thoracic trauma. He has presented in national and international meetings and has regularly published his work in peer reviewed journals. He is the Chair of the Intercollegiate Specialty Board Examinations for Cardiothoracic Surgery and the Chair of the Surgical Specialty Board for Cardiothoracic Surgery for the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. 

Mr Geoff Tsang graduated from Birmingham, UK in 1987. Trained in Cardiac Surgery also in the UK and in particular under the late Professor Robert Bonser in Aortic Surgery. Appointed consultant cardiac and aortic surgeon in 1999, and current lead aortic surgeon in the Wessex Cardiothoracic unit 1999. Major interest in aortic root repair, arch surgery with the frozen elephant technique and thoracoabdominal aortic surgery. Recent past chair of UK Aortic Surgery.  

Previous regional training programme director and specialty advisory committee member. Recent past Chair of the Cardiothoracic Surgical Specialty Board, RCSEd. Current examiner and board member of the Intercollegiate Specialty Board. 

Dr Shivaram Bharathwaj graduated from the Madras Medical College in 1986 and trained in surgery at Chennai, India from 1986 to 1990. He specialised in plastic surgery in the United Kingdom, from SHO level to Senior Registrar in Plymouth, Cambridge, Edinburgh, and East Grinstead successively from 1991 to 1996. He has published several papers and contributed several chapters in national and international publications. At present, he is Senior Consultant at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai and Sundaram Medical Foundation, Chennai. He is also Honorary Consultant Plastic Surgeon at the Southern Railway Headquarters Hospital, Chennai. He is an examiner for the MRCS for RCSEd and faculty for the National Board of Exams for Plastic surgery at Apollo Hospitals. 

Professor Ghulam Nabi, Professor of urology at the University of Dundee and honorary professor of biomedical engineering at Hariot-Watt university Edinburgh is robotics surgeon based at Ninewells hospital, Dundee.  He was trained at AIIMS, New Delhi and subsequently in the UK, Germany and France.  He is head of imaging and technology reader has division at the university of Dundee and editor in chief fir Scottish Medical Journal.  He has published extensively including acting as peer reviewer fir many prestigious journals.  Professor Nabi is director of many educational courses run by Dundee Healthcare Institute of Simulation in laparoscopic surgery in Urology.

Miss Amanda McCabe is a consultant paediatric surgeon for 13 years, based at Ninewells Hospital Dundee and Royal Hospital for Children and Young Adults, Edinburgh. Her practice specialises in lower GI (Hirschsprungs disease and anorectal anomalies). During her career she has taken a keen interest in surgical training, with particular focus on basic skills and fine motor development. She examines for MRCS (UK and overseas) and FRCS (paeds). She is a member of the SAC for paediatric surgery and is a member of RCS Edinburgh Council. A keen gardener and dog walker with 2 teenage sons and a very understanding husband.

Mr William Taylor was appointed a Consultant Neurosurgeon in Glasgow in 1994, having trained in Glasgow and London. He was appointed as a general neurosurgeon with an interest in complex spinal surgery, but during his appointment he helped develop a skull base service and this is now his main subspecialty interest within the NHS.

He has been active both locally and nationally in training, as Training Programme Director for the Scottish Programme, a member of the SAC in neurosurgery, lead for UK National Selection and Chairman of the Intercollegiate Exam Board in Neurosurgery, and current lead for the International Intercollegiate Exam in Neurosurgery.

Professor Nirmal Kumar is President for ENT UK and Consultant ENT surgeon at WWL Teaching NHS Foundation Trust, UK where he is also Director of Medical Education. Regionally, he leads the ENT Northwest research network for the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) in addition to being Honorary Professor at Edge Hill University Medical School where he has led MCh academic program in otolaryngology. He is a FRCS (ORL) examiner and council member of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh. He is MD, PhD examiner for several Universities in the UK and abroad, delivered invited lectures and has published extensively. 

Dr Smita Praveen is Director, Academics, Deputy Director, Comprehensive Ophthalmology, and Senior Consultant, Neuro-Ophthalmology at Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, India. She has trained over 800 post graduate students in cataract surgery and comprehensive clinical ophthalmology. As Head of the Dept of Community Ophthalmology (2002-2006) she led a group of 40 people to work seamlessly as part of outreach programs to deliver quality eye care. Her areas of interest include Optic Nerve Regeneration, Neuro-ophthalmic Rehabilitation and Training Students and Educators in Comprehensive Clinical Ophthalmology. She is an avid reader, loves music and learning languages. 

Mr Stuart Clark is a full time NHS Consultant in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in Central Manchester. He was elected to Council in 2016. He is actively involved in examinations, education, the Regional Advisory Network and International Medical Graduates. He is current Dean of the RCSEd International Postgraduate Deanery.  

Mr Roger Currie is a Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, in NHS Ayrshire and Arran. He is also the Associate Medical Director for Surgery, Anaesthesia and Critical Care. His clinical interests include skin cancer, surgical training and education and facial trauma. He was the Lead Clinician for the West of Scotland for Skin Cancer from 2016-2021. Roger is a past Chair of the Scottish OMF Society and is both an examiner and board member for the Intercollegiate FRCS in OMFS, and Fellow of the Faculty of Surgical Trainers. Currently he is the Editor of Surgeons News, having demitted from College council in 2020 after serving 10 years, with responsibilities for the RSA network, and Chair of both the Marketing Board and the Museum and Heritage committee. 

Ms Uma Krishnaswamy is a Consultant Breast & Oncoplastic Surgeon at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, training General Surgical Trainees for 3 decades and hence awarded DNB Teacher of Excellence Award by ANBAI, India, and made Distinguished Clinical Tutor by Apollo Hospitals Educational and Research Foundation.

Uma ran BSS and MRCS Preparatory Courses in Chennai, initially as an Overseas Tutor and later as International Surgical Advisor of the College. Examined for the MRCS examinations (2000-2019). Uma Has been examining for JSCFE (General Surgery), leading to the FRCS International, since 2014 and in 2019, was appointed Assessor for the MRCS examinations by ICBSE.

Professor Chintamani is Consultant and Head of Department of Surgery at VMMC Safdarjang Hospital, New Delhi. He is Governor and President of the American College of Surgeons India Chapter and a Member of the Master Surgical Educators group at the American College of Surgeons. He was the Founder President of the Asian Society of Mastology (ASOMA). He was President of the Association of Breast Surgeons of India from 2013 – 2015, President of the Association of Surgeons of India Delhi Chapter and President of the Indian Wound Society in 2007. He was Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of the Indian Journal of Surgery from 2013-2018 and Joint Editor –Indian Journal of Surgical Oncology. He was National Hon. Secretary of the Association of Surgeons of India (2012) and a Governing Council member of the Association of Surgeons of India 2009-2015.

Mr Sai Krishna Vittal is a Consultant Endocrine Surgeon based in Chennai, India.  His major area of interest is in Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery.  He is an Adjunct Professor of the Tamilnadu Dr MGR Medical University based in Chennai and Honorary Senior Lecturer, Edge Hill University, UK and Honorary Senior Lecturer of RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus.  He was an International Surgical Adviser of the College and is currently Convener of MRCS(Ed) Examinations in Chennai.  He has been a College examiner since 2011 and has worked extensively on behalf of the College especially in the field of assessment and education. He was President of Indian Association of Endocrine Surgeons in 2019-2020.  He was awarded Honorary Fellowship of College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka in 2017.

Mr Alastair Gibson is a Consultant Spinal Surgeon practising in Edinburgh, elected to Council in 2012. A College examiner for eight years, he has diverse interests in Clinical Research and Training with specialist expertise in minimally invasive surgery.

Professor Philip Taylor is Emeritus Professor of Prosthodontics at QMUL where he was an Honorary Consultant in Restorative Dentistry and former Clinical Director at Barts Health NHS Trust. He was a specialist in Restorative Dentistry and Prosthodontics. Philip qualified in 1981 from Newcastle Dental School and spent 12 years in NHS general practice in the North East of England where he gained his MGDS. In 1993 he moved to London to begin his specialty training gaining his MSc at the Eastman alongside the MRD and FDS examinations. After spending seven years in a combination of private referral practice in the West End of London and as lecturer at QMUL he was promoted to consultant level in 2003 and Professor in 2016. He has been president of the British Society of Prosthodontics and the British Association of Teachers in Conservative Dentistry along with several examinerships and roles on national committees.

Dr Sarah Manton is Director of the Faculty of Dental Trainers and the former Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at The Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh. She is a Specialist in Restorative, Periodontics and Special Care Dentistry and is currently working in specialist practice. She was Consultant (Honorary Senior lecturer) in Restorative and Special Care Dentistry at Dundee Dental School, where she led the sedation and special care teaching and clinical services. Previous posts have been held in university, hospital and primary care settings, including positions as Clinical Dental Director of a Community Dental Service and as a Lecturer in Oral Medicine and Periodontics.

Dr Pam Hardy, chair of the Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.  She is a Consultant in Emergency Medicine at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin where she established a consultant-led service; in addition, Dr Hardy is a Pre-Hospital and Retrieval Consultant for the Emergency Medical Retrieval Service (North) covering the remote highlands and islands of Scotland.  She is an Examiner for the FIMC RCSEd and DIMC RCSEd and sits on the Pre-Hospital Examinations Board.  Her contributions to pre-hospital care have been recognised with national and local awards. 

Mr Charlie Auld graduated from Aberdeen University and underwent his surgical training in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow before appointment as Consultant General Surgeon at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary. He has served as a member of Council at Association of Surgeons of Gt Britain and Ireland and committee member of the SAC In General Surgery. He has had a long association with RCSEd in his capacity of examiner, member of various committees, Chairman of the SSB in General Surgery and external assessor for the College. He was member of Council of RCSEd (2012-2018). He has been Lead for the Faculty of Perioperative Care since 2016. He has been instrumental in promoting the role of the advanced practitioner in surgery through working with Health Education England HEE) and the recently formed RCSEd/RCSEng Project Board. 

Dr Bhuvaneswari Krishnamoorthy is a Professor in Surgical Practice/Nursing and a postdoctoral National Institute of Health Research Fellow working at the University of Manchester, Salford University and the Manchester Foundation Trust hospital. She works across three institutions to bridge the gap between clinical teaching and academic research.  She stands as the National Education lead for the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh (Speciality advisory group for cardiothoracic surgery and Education Committee) and National Chair in the Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons for all Nurses and Allied Health Professionals in GB. Her vision is to promote interprofessional teaching in multidisciplinary teams which translates to creating better practice. 

Professor Angus Watson is a Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness and Caithness General Hospital, Wick. He has been Director of Research, Development, and Innovation in NHS Highland since 2010 and holds honorary chairs at the Universities of Aberdeen, Stirling and the Highlands and Islands. He is a national Clinical Advisor for Health and Social Care Innovation. He has over 170 peer reviewed publications and a grant income of over £8.7 million. 

Mr Noel Aruparayil is a higher general surgical trainee in Yorkshire and Humber deanery, UK. He is a PhD candidate at the School of Medicine, University of Leeds, interested in implementing surgical technologies, innovation and training in resource-limited settings. He promoted global surgery advocacy and leadership in his role as the President of GASOC in 2020 and also represented on the permanent council of the G4 Alliance. Noel has served on the RCSEd trainees’ committee for the last two years and continues advocacy work on the RCSEd Global Surgery Foundation committee. 

Dr Natasha Jones is a consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine in Oxford, UK, where she leads the Sport, Musculoskeletal medicine and exercise medicine services. Natasha is founder and director of the award-winning Moving Medicine project and is the President of the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine.  Natasha is also senior lead consultant for the Active Hospital Pilot which was piloted at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation trust. Natasha is senior Sports physician at the English Institute of Sport where she works with Olympic and paralympic athletes in multiple sports. 

Mr Pragnesh Bhatt qualified as a neurosurgeon in 1987 after training in India and the UK. Currently a consultant neurosurgeon at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, he has a particular interest in complex spinal surgery in both adults and children leading the multidisciplinary team for degenerative spinal conditions. An Honorary Senior Lecturer at NHS Grampian, Pragnesh also sits on the College’s Surgical Specialty Board in Neurosurgery and is a RCSEd Regional Surgical Advisor for the North of Scotland.

Mr Timothy Graham is a Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon and Senior Lecturer in Clinical Surgery at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, University of Birmingham and Royal Centre for Defence Medicine UK and a Civilian Consultant Cardiac Surgeon to the British Army. He’s a joint founder of the National Birmingham Review course in Cardiothoracic surgery and the National Birmingham Professional Development Course. He’s also a joint founder and convenor of the Asian Cardiothoracic Surgery Specialty Update Course (ACSSUC). Tim is Vice-President Elect for the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and will take up this role in November 2022.

Professor Janet Wilson is Professor of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery at Newcastle University and Honorary Consultant at Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne. Her subspecialty interests include voice, swallowing and patient reported outcomes development. She is an experienced College Examiner and Examiner Assessor, and a past adviser to women in surgical training.

Mr Zahid Raza is a Consultant Vascular Surgeon at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. His particular interests include vascular access and open aortic surgery. He is the past Deputy Convenor of RCSEd Exams as well as the Regional Surgical Advisor for Edinburgh. He has an interest in postgraduate exams and teaching. He runs the Edinburgh MRCS prep course nationally and internationally and has been an examiner for the college since 2004.