UKFPO Fellow biographies and projects

I am Dasha, a UKFPO National Leadership Fellow for 2024–2025 and a specialised foundation doctor with a strong interest in leadership, based in Manchester. My primary areas of focus are equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), particularly sexual safety, as well as professionalism and doctors’ wellbeing.

As part of my UKFPO Fellowship, I have been working on several impactful projects, including my primary initiative that I have been leading to enhance EDI teaching for foundation doctors. I have collected and analysed data nationally to assess the current provision of EDI teaching and identify areas for improvement as well as good practice, ensuring alignment with foundation doctors’ educational needs. This work has provided me with opportunities to present at national meetings and conferences. Additionally, I have been involved in delivering webinars for foundation doctors, including one which I led on Sexual Safety and Professionalism: An Introduction for Foundation Doctors.

In collaboration with the other UKFPO Fellow, I have continued efforts to enhance educational and training opportunities for foundation doctors. This has included designing and leading workshops for both foundation doctors and senior medical education leaders to address key challenges and propose practical solutions.
A significant aspect of my role so far has been chairing the Foundation Doctors Advisory Board, which brings together regional foundation representatives to share best practices, provide feedback, and establish robust communication channels. This ensures the voices of foundation doctors across the four nations are heard and represented effectively.

Additionally, I have engaged with external stakeholders, including the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and the Academy Trainee Doctors’ Committee (ATDC), contributing to national discussions and initiatives to improve the training environment for doctors in the NHS.

This Fellowship is an immensely rewarding experience, offering me valuable insights into the complexities of shaping and improving medical education and training systems. It has deepened my understanding of how strategic collaboration and leadership can create meaningful change for both current and future doctors and I look forward to continuing this and exploring even more during the rest of my Fellowship.

My name is Jie Fei Lau, UKFPO Fellow and FY2 doctor based at Tameside and Glossop Hospital. Through this fellowship, I have learned about the various organisations within the NHS that govern our working lives as doctors. I have had the opportunity to voice out the foundation doctor perspective on matters relating to the quality of foundation training and progression to higher specialty training.
 
I also have a passion for creative writing which has paved the way for my UKFPO project. Creative narratives help us become more empathetic with our patients, our healthcare colleagues and ourselves. This project also serves to highlight the creative talents of foundation doctors, either intertwined with or distinct from our professional selves.
 
Projects and events that I have been involved in include:
– Starting “Humans of the Foundation Programme”, a platform for foundation doctors to share their stories, experiences, and creative talents to foster connection, inspire others and celebrate the diversity of experiences within the Foundation Programme
– Engaging with relevant stakeholders at various meetings and focus groups such as the Education Delivery Group (EDG) and Academy Trainee Doctors’ Committee (ATDC)
– Co-chairing the Foundation Doctors’ Advisory Board (FDAB) meetings
– Presenting at the UKFPO webinar series
– Helping with shortlisting abstracts and judging poster presentations at the annual National Foundation Doctors Presentation Day (NFDPD) organised by the UKFPO

I’m Aysha Nijamudeen, a UKFPO Fellow and F2 doctor at the Manchester Royal Infirmary. I applied for the Fellowship as I’m passionate about improving training and conditions for doctors and wished to be involved with initiatives for the Foundation Programme and to represent my colleagues on a wider basis. I have enjoyed this Fellowship as it has given me the opportunity to deliver a project that will hopefully improve training opportunities for future foundation doctors, but it has also helped me understand the roles of the different governing bodies, and how decisions are made that impact upon our training and working lives.

Projects and events I have been involved in are: 

–  Improving training opportunities for foundation doctors by looking at protected time on rotas 
– Presenting the above project at multiple national UKFPO meetings and working with stakeholders on implementation 
– Working with the AoMRC Trainee Doctor’s Committee on improving conditions to retain doctors 
– Working with NHS Employers on standardised payroll guidance
– Chairing the Foundation Doctors’ Advisory Board (FDAB) meetings 
– Working with foundation doctor representatives nationally on improving guidance for core teaching 

Hi, my name is Doanna Daoud and I am an F2 at The University Hospital of North Durham in the North East and I have had the pleasure of working alongside the UKFPO as a fellow. In my role as a UKFPO Fellow, I’ve embarked on an enriching journey of discovery in leadership and management within the realm of medicine. Immersed in meetings that unveil the intricate layers of healthcare, I’ve found excitement in exploring a different facet of the profession. Crafting my own project, I’ve delved deep into the nuances of project development and navigating the complexities of creating a national teaching course. Forging connections with diverse professionals has been instrumental in my professional growth, offering insights into my own capabilities as a future leader in medicine. 

One highlight of my experience was judging oral presentations at the UKFPO national foundation doctors’ presentation day (NFDPD), a newfound skill that I otherwise may have not been able to explore as an F2. As a creative individual, I thrive on the process of creation, and this role has illuminated the possibilities for innovation within the medical field. Through these experiences, I’ve come to realize my potential to lead with creativity in a domain often governed by tradition, laying the groundwork for a future defined by inventive approaches to healthcare leadership.

Hello, I’m Wassim Merzougui, one of the UKFPO Fellows based in the East Midlands. The UKFPO leadership fellowship is a great opportunity to learn more about academia and develop your own leadership skills. You are given the opportunity to learn and work with various HEE members, in order to improve foundation training for doctors nationally.

Personally, some of the projects that I have been involved in are:  

– Presenting at several UKFPO conferences/webinars
– Creating a national teaching series to aid new foundation trainees settle into their foundation posts
– Working closely with various organisations and developing policies to enhance foundation training  
– Working to improve communications between the UKFPO and foundation trainees through newly created materials