WMS reflections

My first visit to Warwick started in confusion. The University of Warwick had opened a medical school in 2000, admitting 67 trailblazers, all biomedical science graduates. In autumn 2001, I was a newly accredited paediatric consultant with an interest in medical education and allergy and responded to an advert for a senior clinical lecturer post at the Warwick end of something called Leicester Warwick Medical School (LWMS).

Travelling down from the North East to visit for the first time, I stayed overnight (quite sensibly, I thought), just south of Warwick town. Pre smartphone, I bought a paper map at a service station and tried to find the University. There was nothing obvious in Warwick, but there was something in South Coventry. That couldn’t be the University of Warwick, surely? My geographical error corrected, I arrived at the brand-new Medical Teaching Centre (MTC), somewhat on its own in front of the then maths department.

There were few staff around that day, although when I started work after Easter I met Clare Blackburn, then in the School of Health and Social Studies, and heard about a young enthusiastic physician in Nuneaton by the name of Vinod Patel.

I already knew that this place (uniquely at the time) admitted only graduates and that the local team was small, that much teaching was via a two-way video link with Leicester and that the students shortly to go on to full-time placement were to join the Leicester students and be sent in some cases as far as Peterborough.

Later on the afternoon of that first visit, I went to the paediatric department at the Walsgrave Hospital, a large 1970s district general hospital that a few years before had taken only a handful of students.

WMS has been independent since 2007. Little remains of the Walsgrave Hospital, replaced by a £400 million new build in 2006 with the huge Clinical Sciences Building replacing the Portakabins where teaching used to happen. 67 students have been joined by around a further 3,000.

That first group of trailblazers, including many you will meet as consultants and GPs locally, have been followed by cohorts of, by many measures, some of the highest performing graduates of any UK medical school.

Finally, I have to say something about Covid in 2020. The response of students and staff to the sudden and necessary upheaval was nothing short of amazing. From providing the regional NHS with 521 frontline staff two weeks after the call for help came, to providing and partaking in a virtual medical course with, for some teachers and learners, one week’s notice.

Indeed it is notable that even at such a challenging time, the whole of our finalist cohort passed their finals, something that rarely happens, occurring perhaps every decade or two in most UK medical schools. Our response to Covid highlighted the strengths of our teaching teams, the maturity and resilience of our learners and the immense cooperation between both. This is the real strength of WMS and something that shows me that I came to the right place all those years ago, even though I initially struggled to find it on the map!

Written in 2020

As Warwick Medical School marks its 25th anniversary, it is a fitting moment to reflect on the journeys of alumni whose work has had a profound and lasting impact around the world. One such journey is that of Dr Maryan Qasim, a graduate of the Master's of Public Health Class of 2013.

Dr Qasim is a trained obstetrician and gynaecologist with more than three decades of clinical and public health experience. Her expertise is significant, but it is the resilience, vision, and leadership behind her career that make her story exceptional.

In the early 1990s, Dr Qasim fled the Somali civil war, leaving behind everything she had built and becoming a refugee in Europe. In the refugee camp, where lives were reduced to registration numbers on paper, she refused to lose her sense of purpose. As such, Dr Qasim stepped into leadership roles, organised community structures, advocated for the voiceless, and worked tirelessly to ensure that the needs of others were not ignored. She never accepted a passive role, even when the odds seemed insurmountable.

Her career since then speaks volumes. After completing her Master of Public Health at Warwick Medical School in 2013, Dr Qasim returned to Somalia and became one of the most senior and effective cabinet ministers in the country’s recent history. She held a range of ministerial portfolios including Minister for Human Development and Public Services, Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, and Minister for Women’s Development and Family Affairs.

In health, Dr Qasim led the development of Somalia’s first national Health Sector Strategic Plan and introduced the Essential Package of Health Services across nine regions. She launched the country’s first pentavalent vaccine and spearheaded a national campaign to end obstetric fistula. She was a champion of the Programme for Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa and led maternal health initiatives supported by the WHO and UNFPA. She also convened Somalia’s first post-conflict national health conference, helping to reframe national priorities in a sector long weakened by conflict.

In education, she led the Go-To-School initiative, which enrolled over 250,000 children into primary education, opening the door to learning for a generation deprived of access. Her leadership was critical in the passage of the National Education Act and the relaunch of the Somali National University, restoring foundational pillars of national learning.

Dr Qasim has also been instrumental in advancing gender equality in Somalia. She led the creation of the National Gender Policy, shaped the development of the Family Act, and championed legislation and public education efforts to combat FGM. Her advocacy helped introduce legal frameworks and community awareness that have redefined the lives of women and girls across the country.

She later served in senior advisory roles with UNFPA and other international organisations, continuing to shape and strengthen health and education systems at the national level. Her MPH from Warwick provided the tools to translate evidence-based public health principles into actionable policies and long-term systems change.

Dr Qasim’s story is not just one of survival. It is a story of courage, perseverance, and transformative impact. She has fundamentally reshaped public health, education, and gender policy in Somalia. Her work continues to influence systems, empower communities, and inspire a generation of leaders who follow in her footsteps.

As Warwick Medical School reflects on its 25-year legacy, Dr Qasim stands out as an example of the kind of global leadership and service that defines its alumni. Her contributions are a powerful reminder that even in the most difficult circumstances, knowledge and determination can rebuild nations.

I joined UHCW as a consultant anaesthetist in 2001, just as Warwick Medical School was being established. I’ve been involved in undergraduate medical education ever since, initially through bedside teaching and later in more formal leadership roles. Over time, I became the departmental representative for education, the specialty lead for anaesthetics, and more recently, the UHCW academic lead for Core Clinical Education.

One of my early contributions was developing simulation-based teaching for medical students - an area that was still very new at the time. I helped introduce simulation sessions into the curriculum, focusing on perioperative care and common intra- and post-operative problems. Since then, simulation has become an integral part of clinical education at UHCW, now led by dedicated teaching fellows in a fully equipped simulation centre.

Medical education has evolved enormously. There’s now a greater emphasis on structured placements, patient safety, and the use of digital resources. Simulation is widely used for both technical and non-technical skills, which helps ensure students are confident before entering clinical settings.

The student body has grown and diversified significantly. While numbers have increased, so too has the capacity of the hospital and its specialties. Today’s students come from a range of backgrounds and bring with them a breadth of life experience. As graduate-entry learners, they’re typically self-directed and focused, but they also face challenges balancing study with work and family life. Warwick Medical School has made real strides in supporting student wellbeing in response.

Although new technologies like AI may have a role - particularly in areas like imaging and data interpretation - I believe nothing replaces real, hands-on clinical experience. Every patient is different, and much of learning in medicine still happens at the bedside.

Looking back, I’ve seen positive and meaningful change. I feel proud to have contributed to the strong educational foundations we’ve built to train the next generation of Warwick graduates.

As two members of Warwick Medical School’s first cohort of trainee doctors, Dr Nish Waratunga and Dr Rachel Tindale reflect fondly on the unique experience of being part of a brand-new course back in 2000. Both now practising GPs, at separate surgeries, they met during their studies and have remained in Warwickshire ever since, building not only careers but a life together shaped by their time at Warwick.

Both had strong scientific backgrounds before coming to medicine: Nish in Pharmacology at Leicester and Rachel in Medical Sciences in Leeds. This had prepared them well for a fledgling course offered by Warwick and supported by Leicester Medical School.

In the early days of the course many of the lectures were via video. “Most of our cohort had a science-related degree,” says Nish. “So, when the video links from Leicester broke during lectures, something that happened more often than we’d like, we just got on with it. Or we’d go grab a bacon butty while waiting.”

The early days of the course were full of improvisation and camaraderie. Anatomy was primarily taught using images and demonstrators in large groups. “The anatomy colouring book saved my life during exam revision,” Nish laughs.

With only 64 students in the cohort, everyone knew each other. Rachel recalls the intensity of the first year: “The language of medicine would have been tricky to learn if you hadn’t studied A-level biology or had a first degree in a science subject back then. But that was a shared background most of us had, which helped us to navigate the curriculum together as a group.”

They also note how Warwick’s inclusive approach now encourages students from more varied academic backgrounds to apply which is something they see as a strength of the programme.

Social life back in the early 2000s had a postgrad flavour. “We’d all done the undergrad partying,” Rachel says, “so we stuck together for quieter nights and the occasional Top Banana outing.” They shared a house during their second year and began dating not long after.

The decision to study at Warwick felt like the right one from the start, irrespective of the fact the course was brand new. “The university had a great reputation,” Rachel explains. “That gave us confidence. The course felt well-constructed, backed by Leicester’s medical school.” For Nish, who moved from Sri Lanka, the prestige was particularly important: “In Asia, Warwick’s name carries real weight. We knew the degree would stand for something.”

Their early years weren’t without challenges as the course grew and developed. Placement allocation was co-ordinated by a team in Leicester, and not always seamlessly. “Some Warwick students were sent to Kettering and Boston Spa, while Leicester students ended up at Warwick,” Nish remembers. “It got sorted eventually, but it was frustrating at the time.”

They credit Warwick for influencing that decision. Nish recalls being told, on day one, that many of the cohort would go on to choose a career in primary care and indeed it turned out to be true for them.

Both began their medical careers in different specialties, Nish in cardiology initially but ultimately chose general practice. “I wanted a better work-life balance,” says Nish. “General practice gave me that flexibility and the autonomy to shape my practice to fit with my ethos and values.”

Rachel adds: “I originally specialised in paediatrics but also moved into general practice. It’s a fantastic job if you want to work part-time and create your own path.”

Looking back, they remember their classmates fondly: a diverse mix of students from all over the world including Scotland, New Zealand, Africa, the Caribbean, and the U.S. “It made for a really interesting group,” Rachel says.

Among their standout memories are the lecturers who made an impression. “Mike Stansbie and Alan Dolan were particularly fantastic,” says Nish.

Now settled in Warwickshire, the couple are part of a larger legacy, one shaped by the early days of Warwick Medical School and still growing through the careers of students turned colleagues. “Once you build relationships with consultants and the hospitals,” Nish says, “it’s natural to stay. That’s exactly what we did.”

I joined the medical school in 2007 as Professor of Primary Care Research and Vice Dean. Before then I had been working at Queen Mary University in London, where Professor Yvonne Carter, the founding Dean had been my boss before she moved to Warwick.

A big draw in joining the team at Warwick Medical School was the opportunity to work with Professor Sallie Lamb. There was an opportunity to combine our skills and go in for a big research bid, which would have been very impactful for the school – unfortunately, in the end we were the runners up, but it was still a worthwhile and exciting venture.

Other pulls to Warwick included a shorter commute, more affordable house prices and the beautiful campus; and it didn’t hurt that my wife was already working in the med school too.

A big part of my role was to shadow Yvonne in her role as Dean. By the time I joined WMS it was known that her illness was terminal, and there was a need to try and provide continuity within the school at what would be a difficult time. Therefore, my role was both in the Dean’s Office and the Clinical Trials Unit (CTU).

It was amazing to see all Yvonne did and achieved, considering what she was dealing with health wise. She managed the school through the process to gain independent medical degree awarding status and the following separation from the University of Leicester. I remember Yvonne’s funeral was standing room only – completely packed with WMS staff.

I then took on the role of Acting Dean for around 18 months, and I like to think I handed the school over in good shape when Professor Peter Winstanley came into post. A highlight during my time as Acting Dean was the creation of the Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology. We wanted to further strengthen and build upon the lab research happening at Warwick and recruiting fantastic research teams in that field was a big step forward.

In those early days it was exciting to be part of something so new, although we adhered to the University’s overarching procedures, we were also able to shape the school and make it into something of our own, with its own values and approaches, and much of that has fed into the school today.

I also took on roles as Head of the Division of Health Sciences and later Director of the Clinical Trials Unit. Looking back, my biggest successes were actually all other people’s successes. It was a real team effort.

As a methodologist, I’m still involved in a range of trials in the UK and overseas, but my focus nowadays is to support the development of the next generation of researchers. I feel proud to see the progress of colleagues who started at the school as junior researchers and are now putting in their own research grant bids and running trials.

Outside of research, there is one memory in particular from my time at WMS that springs to mind. Our CTU building was designed to be energy efficient and, as such, has flooring that allows for natural ventilation, pulling the air from outside into the building. In 2010 the Mechanochemical Cell Biology building was being built next door to the CTU and unfortunately a gas pipe was hit during the construction works. I was off campus that day, in London in meetings, so didn’t hear all about it until the end of day.

Apparently, the smell of gas started to come into the CTU building through the floor ventilation. In the end, it was so bad that everyone at the Gibbet Hill site had to evacuate – staff, students, even residents in local houses – it was hours before the site was reopened!

I am probably one of the very few Warwick staff remaining who was involved directly in the formation of the Leicester Warwick Medical School, as it was initially called. It was my job to provide HR expertise during its formation and bring the existing staff from different centres/departments across the University into the new entity. I worked with the DVC, Stuart Palmer, to recruit the senior team and a number of early professors, including Sudhesh (to whom I now report in his VP role, 20+ years later)!

My most vivid memories of WMS in its early years are of working with Yvonne Carter, the first Warwick-based Dean; she was a force of nature, huge fun to work with and was an inspiration to all around her, especially as she continued to work alongside her cancer treatment.

It has been a pleasure to watch the School develop and grow over the last 25 years, and I am delighted to be working so closely with many WMS colleagues again in my current role.

When Dr Alan Dolan reflects on the earliest days of Warwick Medical School, he speaks not only as a tutor but as someone who witnessed its very foundations being laid. Already part of the University before the medical school officially existed, Alan had completed his PhD as a mature student and was working within the School of Health and Social Studies when the new medical programme launched.

“There wasn’t really a medical school as we think of it today,” he explains. “It was more of a collection of hubs in those early days. We were based in the old Physics block on central campus, and our first cohort had just 67 students.”

In partnership with Leicester University in the beginning, there was a regular flow of staff and students up and down the M69. “In some ways,” Alan says, “the students were guinea pigs. We had a syllabus, but the logistics, how to actually deliver the programme, were something we discovered together.”

That sense of shared discovery left a lasting impression. “Many of those students had applied to do medicine at 18 and had taken a longer route to get here. They were passionate and driven, and because the cohort was small, you really got to know them. I was a tutor to quite a few of them in their first and second years—and I’m still in touch with some of them now.”

By the second year, Warwick’s bespoke medical school building was completed, and the intake more than doubled. “We went from 67 to 144 students in one go,” he recalls. “Having lecture theatres and seminar rooms on one site made a big difference.”

But the early days came with their quirks. “On the very first day of term, we arranged for tea and coffee to be served in the entrance to the Physics building. We had these massive urns of hot water and the steam set off the fire alarms. So our first morning teaching was somewhat disrupted!”

Alan went on to become Deputy Senior Tutor for Year One and taught the social and behavioural medicine strand. “On the whole working with the students was a joy. I managed other tutors as well, so I had a good view of how the programme was developing. We were building something new, and that was exciting.”

He fondly recalls moments of real-world impact. “Once, I took my mum to A&E and was looked after by a former student. It meant a lot. And another former personal tutee became my GP for a time. I remember turning up to an appointment and realising she’d been one of my students, we both had a good laugh about it.”

Alan remained at Warwick until 2015, witnessing the medical school grow rapidly eventually welcoming nearly 200 students a year. He was involved in curriculum refreshes and vividly remembers one year when they were oversubscribed. “We had to split the cohort across two lecture theatres and run a live link between them, technology came to the rescue, but as you can imagine wasn’t always plain sailing.”

He also has fond memories of the marking process. “In other areas of teaching, you take your work home to mark alone. At Warwick Medical School, everyone sat in a room together - from all different disciplines. You’d get fed and have fascinating conversations with people who taught things completely different to you. That sense of community was really special.”

Looking back, Alan’s sense of pride is evident. “It was a time of experimentation, learning, and connection. And it’s great to see when a student you once taught becomes the person caring for you or your family. That’s the legacy of education done well.”

Deborah Hilton was part of the very first cohort at Warwick Medical School, joining in 2000 as the school launched its innovative graduate-entry programme. Looking back, she describes the experience with warmth and pride, though acknowledges it wasn’t without its challenges.

“We were quite a tough crowd,” she reflects. “Most of us had already done a degree and were raring to go, expecting to dive straight into the clinical side of medicine from day one.” The reality, with its necessary grounding in theory and structure, took some adjusting to.

Add to that the lack of a dedicated medical school building in the early days, students were based in the old Physics block on central campus, and it made for a slightly bumpy start. But that pioneering spirit quickly took hold, and the students got stuck in, helping shape the course as it grew.

Deborah recalls that theirs was a close-knit cohort, just 67 students, which meant they all knew each other by name. “It felt cosy, really,” she says. “We studied together, socialised together, and supported each other. That probably explains why quite a few of us ended up in relationships. There are several couples who got married from that year and are still together.”

Having completed a biology degree at Hull, Deborah appreciated the varied academic backgrounds in the cohort. “It was interesting to learn alongside people who’d studied pharmacology, physiology, or other sciences. It brought different angles to our discussions and group work. It made things richer.”

She lived on campus during her first year but in accommodation slightly removed from the majority of other training medics, which allowed her a good balance of socialising and personal space. “It was healthy to have a little time away from fellow medics too,” she notes. “The social side was great, but a bit of breathing space was important.”

Deborah remained in the area after qualifying, taking up a year one foundation post and transitioning quickly into paediatrics, a specialty she had always gravitated towards. “My paeds block during training was fantastic. It really solidified things for me.” Now a Consultant Paediatrician at UHCW, she is heavily involved in medical education, serving as a safeguarding lead, an examiner, and regularly supervising students in clinic.

“I still remember what it was like to be in their shoes,” she says. “Some are nervous, but many are enthusiastic, especially when they’re keen on paediatrics.” She’s pleased to see the evolution in how students are treated and presented. “Back in our day, tattoos had to be covered. Now it’s much more relaxed and especially on teenage wards, it helps when patients can see doctors as real people.”

She’s also participated in the selection process for new medical students through multiple mini interviews. “That’s hard,” she admits. “You want to smile and reassure them, but you have to stick to the script. It’s difficult when you can see how much it means to them.”

Now a decade into her consultant career, Deborah still stays in touch with many of her cohort through continuing friendships or via social media updates. She finds joy in the fact that teaching remains a two-way process especially now that the Medical School has started to admit students from backgrounds other than science. “Students ask different questions based on their unique experiences and you can end up learning from them as well as them learning from you.”

While cautious about the role of AI in medical education, Deborah is a strong advocate for bedside teaching and real-world learning. “You can’t replace the experience of being at the patient’s side. Simulation and case-based discussion make a real difference. Lectures and statistics are important, but there’s no substitute for hands-on learning.”

Even during her maternity leave, she found herself visited by students while recovering from a C-section. “It was lovely, actually,” she says. “You realise you are part of a much bigger journey, for them and for yourself.”

Joining George Eliot Hospital in 2008, Amy Perry is a registered nurse with a background in acute medicine and critical care. She transitioned from front-line clinical to supporting the management of medical education delivery.

Having spent eight years in the intensive care unit at George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust, Amy has enjoyed working alongside many of the Medical School’s students over the years and still works clinically. She also supports students with their COMETs (Clinically Observed Medical Education Tutorials).

Now Medical, MAPS and Clinical Tutor Education Lead, Amy leads on the delivery of medical education within the Trust for both undergraduate and postgraduate learners. “In my education role, I get to follow the students on their journeys from Phase I to newly qualified.”

She remarks on the strong community feel. “To see how they’ve developed over the years, where they’ve got a job and where they go… and they come back to tell us, it’s lovely. It’s nice to feel you’ve been part of that [journey].”

Originally drawn to education through her clinical work, Hannah Webber is now a key figure in medical training at Warwick Hospital. "Patients come first, but strong professionalism in education ensures we’re training doctors to deliver the best care."

Inspired by mentors who made her feel heard, she seeks to provide the same support. "Two liver transplant consultants made me feel like my views mattered. That’s the environment I want to recreate."

She notes the transformation brought on by the pandemic. "Covid showed we could innovate. Students were so visible on the wards — people saw their value."

Hannah sees workforce planning and trainer engagement as future challenges. "We need more doctors passionate about teaching and the time to do it well. Education is patient care."

She’s especially proud of the resilience and commitment of the students. "We’ve had students with children, jobs, even hospitalised — and they still push through. The admin team is vital in supporting them through that."

And what she loves most?

"No two days are the same. Supporting students through tough times, and then seeing them succeed — it’s amazing."

Rachael has an extensive tenure at George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust, initially joining the hospital in 1977 and undertaking her training here. She formally joined the Trust in 1984, specialising in coronary care nursing.

More recently, she has stepped into the resuscitation team and has spent the last decade supporting medical school students as a resuscitation tutor.

Giving thought to some of her many experiences and memories at George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust and working with the Medical School, Rachael highlights the importance of the COMET programme and its inception.

Launched by Dr Rajiv Nair, Dr John Morrisey, Prof Vinod Patel, Delia Carrasco and colleagues, Rachael comments, “It’s an excellent learning tool… there’s a whole library of different conditions and three stations for assessment and investigation. […] A foundation doctor who trained at a different hospital wished they’d had it as a tool when they were training, it’s a brilliant programme to support students’ learning.”

Rachael, as she heads towards the end of her career, remarks how lovely it is to hear about the Medical School students’ hopes and dreams for their future careers.

“It’s been a delight and privilege to help them along in their journeys.”

Lisa Cartwright has seen medical education at George Eliot Hospital grow from modest beginnings to a dynamic, multidisciplinary programme.

"When the course first started, we were based in the old maternity building — just one floor with limited resources: a small library, a mezzanine, a clinical skills room and a couple of classrooms. It worked because we had smaller groups."

Over the years, she’s played a key role in shaping and expanding the curriculum.

"I’ve seen systems and courses set up from the beginning. We eventually moved into a bespoke building to accommodate the growing numbers — and we’re nearly outgrowing that too."

Lisa appreciates the variety her role brings.

"No day is the same. I love that. Our team has a multidisciplinary approach, so you really get to know both staff and students. It’s lovely to see the students come through, work on the wards, and now join us in the CEF (Clinical Education Fellow) posts."