St George’s alumna, Dr Priya Kadam, named Outstanding Foundation Doctor of the Year
Published: 10 October 2022
St George’s Graduate Entry Medicine alumna, Dr Priya Kadam, was named Outstanding Foundation Doctor of the Year last year by University Hospitals Plymouth and Health Education England. She works in the Trauma Centre of Derriford hospital, part of the University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust.
Speaking about how it felt to receive the award, Dr Kadam says: ‘It was very touching to have my efforts acknowledged. Although it was a steep learning curve during the Covid-19 pandemic, I am grateful for the experiences that have helped make me a better clinician.’
‘St George's offers a strong foundation for clinical training, so receiving the award was also a validation of the teaching there in many ways. It was lovely to know that I had been able to apply my training from St George’s to bring real value to my team.’
- Dr Priya Kadam -
Alongside her role as a Foundation doctor, Dr Kadam has been involved in Quality improvement projects, focusing on training junior doctors and improving patient services and says, ‘I felt that these projects contributed to the heart of medicine and helping junior doctors in the ward’. She also enjoys the opportunity to contribute towards the junior doctor experience as the Vice President of the Dr’s Mess at Derriford Hospital.
Speaking about her transition from student to Foundation doctor, Dr Kadam says, ‘Completing my course during the Covid-19 pandemic felt like a steep learning curve and brought its own unique challenges - such as treating patients who may have been exposed to Covid with multiple co-morbidities.’
‘The challenges of being a Foundation Year doctor are different, because you’re adjusting to moving to a new area and a new hospital, and learning what is expected of you, all while juggling your role with day-to-day responsibilities.’
Dr Kadam soon learnt to respond quickly to the unexpected in her new role. She explains: ‘Within a month of joining the team, I found myself treating patients who had been in life-changing accidents, and worked alongside my team to treat victims of last year’s tragic Plymouth shooting.
‘There were a few very unexpected events during my shifts, including treating a patient who collapsed in front of me one day, and was later found to be suffering from radiation poisoning.’
‘The role has certainly been fast-paced, but being part of a supportive community has helped me manage the challenges of the role. One thing I valued about St George’s was its sense of community. I think it’s also the community feel in Plymouth that has allowed me to flourish.’
- Dr Priya Kadam -
Dr Kadam studied a BSc in Psychology and a Masters in Neuroscience before joining the Graduate Entry Medicine programme. She says, ‘I chose to study Graduate Entry Medicine because I was keen to take on a role that would involve hands-on patient care, and allow me to see the direct impact of my work.
‘I really enjoyed the practical nature of the programme; the problem-based learning helped me to apply everything I learnt by getting to grips with patient cases.’
Dr Kadam was proud to be able to present her elective project from St George’s at an international conference alongside her team, as well as having her artwork from the student-selected component exhibited. She says, ‘I feel that this artwork reflects the breadth of experiences encountered during my degree at St George’s.’
This year, she also became a Yeoman at the Prestigious Worshipful Society of Apothecaries, a union which began whilst she was undertaking a diploma in history of medicine during her Medicine degree at St George’s.
Speaking about her experience of teaching at St George’s as an alum, Dr Kadam says, ‘I first began teaching as a peer tutor alongside my degree, but I enjoyed it so much that I was very pleased to have the opportunity to come back and teach. I feel very proud to be a graduate of St George’s, and am glad to be able to stay connected to the university in this way.’
Dr Kadam also continues to be an active member of the St George’s community in other ways, including speaking at a future Open Spaces event about some of the challenges facing foundation doctors. Look out for further information on the Open Spaces event pages.