Professor Kamila Hawthorne MBE
Biography
I have been an MRCGP Examiner since 1997, becoming a member of the Simulated Surgery Core Group in 2002, and of the Clinical Skills Assessment Core Group in 2006, leading to the nMRCGP exams in 2007, which became the licensing exams for British general practice.
I have been the Faculty Representative on RCGP Council for the SE Wales Faculty since 2007, Chair the Assessment and Curriculum Development Group of the MRCGP, and in 2015 have been elected as Vice Chair (Professional Development) for RCGP Council.
Major Honours and Distinctions
- RCGP/ Medical Insurance Agency Research Training Fellowship, 1991-1994
- Tawe Prize in Research, RCGP Spring Symposium 1997
- UK Doctor of the Year Awards, Takeda /Diabetes prize, October 2000.
- Shortlisted for ‘Asian Woman of the Year’ Award, 2003 (Professionals category) and for ‘Welsh Woman of the Year’ Award 2004 (Science and Technology category).
- Innovations in Teaching award, Cardiff University, May 2007.
- Royal College of GPs medal: nMRCGP Foundation Medal 2007.
- Excellence in Teaching award, Innovations category (for the development of the Diversity Curriculum), Cardiff University, July 2008.
- ‘GP of the Year’ prize - British Polio Fellowship, 2010 (patient nomination).
- ‘Best Practice Team 2011’ prize - RCGP Wales Awards, (patient nomination).
- Harvard Macy Scholar 2011 (Programme for Leading Innovations in Health Care Delivery and Education).
- Awarded an MBE for services to General Practice in the 2017 Queen's New Years Honours list.
My qualifications
Research
Research interests
I have a longstanding interest in Black and Ethnic Minority (BME) communities’ experiences of access to health care in the UK, particularly in Type 2 Diabetes, dating back to 1991. I have worked with a number of BME communities in Nottingham, Manchester and Cardiff, and also worked closely with Diabetes UK (Cymru). I have been a member of the Trustee Board of Diabetes UK from 2011-2013.
Between 2001 - 2008, I led an integrated community project in Cardiff (the HeartLink Project) for BME communities to raise awareness of diabetes and heart disease, funded by the Health Inequalities Fund (Welsh Assembly Government). I have published a Cochrane Review on culturally appropriate diabetes health education for ethnic minority groups, updated in 2014.
I have a concomitant interest in Medical Education and Assessment Research, and have researched into e-learning and interactive modules in Diversity Teaching. I have an Innovations in Teaching Award from Cardiff University to develop links with other schools in the University in Diversity Teaching. More recently, I have been working on a research project funded by the Association of Royal Medical Colleges with a Knowledge Transfer Project grant to analyse the sociolinguistic characteristics of candidates taking the Clinical Skills Assessment module of the MRCGP exams (the Membership of the Royal College of GPs, a licensing examination for GPs in the UK). This has resulted in a published book, e-learning modules and peer reviewed papers.
I was awarded an MBE in the 2017 Queen's New Years Honours, for services to general practice. I continue to practise clinically on a part-time basis as a GP in Cardiff.
My teaching
I have been teaching undergraduate medical students since 1991, which has included teaching students in my own general practice surgery, as well as core academic learning and teaching duties at the School of Medicine, Cardiff University, from 2002 - 2015. These included Sub Dean for Assessments, Associate Dean for Quality and Governance and from 2012 - 2015 I was also Director for Community Learning, for the new medical undergraduate programme. This was be a patient-centred, community-focused course that integrated scholarship and science with clinical medicine from the first year. I have also developed and chaired the Equality and Diversity Committee for Medical Education at Cardiff.
I have been external examiner at Barts’ and The London, Imperial College Medical School and Peninsula Medical School, and am External Examiner for the MSc/ PG Cert in the Delivery of Primary Health Care, Faculty of Education, Health and Social Care, Winchester University.
As Associate Dean for Medicine and Professor of Medical Education, I have been leading a bid from the University of Surrey to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and Health Education England (HEE) for medical student places to launch a new medical school in Surrey. I have also designed and developed a new Postgraduate Diploma programme for Physician Associates at Surrey, which began in September 2016.
My publications
Publications
BACKGROUND: Although there is published research on the methods markers use in marking various types of assessment, there is relatively little information on the processes markers use in approaching a marking exercise. This qualitative paper describes the preparation and experiences of general practice (GP) teachers who undertake marking a written assessment in an undergraduate medical course. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven of the 16 GP tutors on an undergraduate course. The purposive sample comprised two new markers, two who had marked for a couple of years and three experienced markers. Each respondent was interviewed twice, once following a formative assessment of a written case study, and again after a summative assessment. All interviews were audio-taped and analysed for emerging themes. A respondent validation exercise was conducted with all 16 GP tutors. RESULTS: Markers had internal concerns about their ability to mark fairly and made considerable efforts to calibrate their marking. They needed guidance and coaching when marking for the first time and adopted a variety of marking styles, reaching a decision through a number of routes. Dealing with pass/fail borderline scripts and the consequences of the mark on the student were particular concerns. Even experienced markers felt the need to calibrate their marks both internally and externally CONCLUSION: Previous experience of marking appears to improve markers' confidence and is a factor in determining the role which markers adopt. Confidence can be improved by giving clear instructions, along with examples of marking. The authors propose that one method of providing this support and coaching could be by a process of peer review of a selection of papers prior to the main marking. New markers in particular would benefit from further guidance, however they are influenced by others early on in their marking career and course organisers should be mindful of this when arranging double marking.
BACKGROUND: This study examined the processes of thinking and learning undertaken by general practitioners (GPs, family physicians) brought about by the presence of undergraduate medical students. METHOD: A qualitative study was undertaken using critical incident templates (a novel approach in this context) and focus groups. Data were analysed thematically, with iterative discussion between members of the study team after independent analysis. RESULTS: Thirty-eight critical incident templates were returned (40%), of which 27 (28%) were completed. Three themes were identified: challenges to the GP's thinking or learning behaviour (these included having to justify actions and answer questions); changes to the dynamic between doctor and patient (listening to discussion of their condition between doctor and student was reported to change the patient's experience); and additions to the GP's workload. Teaching made GPs' day longer and sometimes caused friction with colleagues. CONCLUSIONS: Our data elucidate a range of thinking and learning activities that are brought about by the presence of a student in a GP's consulting room. They show that there are a number of challenges that stimulate these activities. We recommend that undergraduate teaching in general practice be given greater recognition for the stimulus it provides for continuing professional development.