A third year MB ChB student at Warwick Medical School has been awarded the prestigious Individual Innovation Prize by the Junior Association for the Study of Medical Education (JASME) in recognition of the sexual violence training she has developed for her peers.

Alice Roberts joined the graduate entry medicine programme after several years' experience in the rape crisis sector. With 1 in 4 adult women in the UK experiencing sexual violence in their lifetime, Alice was keen to develop training in recognition of the fact that doctors are likely to encounter survivors of sexual violence every day of their careers. She explains: "Sexual violence has many varying health consequences, yet most doctors don't receive any formal training on how to support survivors. Unfortunately, as a result, research into survivors' experiences of healthcare shows that they are often dissatisfied with healthcare encounters."

Working alongside colleagues from the rape crisis sector, Alice developed an online workbook that students complete in their own time, preparing them for an in-person interactive session delivered by professional rape crisis centre trainers. The course aims to increase students’ awareness of sexual violence and boost their confidence in asking patients about sexual violence and responding to patient disclosures.

Following a successful pilot session in September 2023 with a group of 15 students, Alice's training was then delivered as part of the curriculum for all fourth year students in May this year, and all second year students in July. Feedback has been very positive, with evaluation of the students before and after the training revealing significant increases in knowledge and confidence.

In recognition of this work, JASME has awarded Alice its Individual Innovation Prize for 2024, given to those who show imagination and enthusiasm for developing new ideas in medical teaching or education.

Alice says "It’s so lovely to receive this award and have my work recognised by JASME. This project means a lot to me - I really hope it’s just the start of expert-informed training for healthcare professionals on sexual violence. I want to give a big thank you to Warwick Medical School for how supportive they’ve been of this student project, and of course to all my colleagues and friends in the rape crisis sector."

Professor Colin Macdougall, Associate Dean Medical Education, and Professor Kate Owen, Director of Medical Studies, said: “Alice has achieved a tremendous amount in this very important area and this award rightly recognises her achievement, with the reviewers stating that her submission was ‘stellar’. We are very proud to have her as one of our students.”