Previous Student and Staff Co-chairs

When appointed as a MedRACE student co-chair, Amardeep said, 'I am from a Widening Participation (WP) background and entered Medical school through a Foundation Year. Following Active Bystander training through MedRACE, it became apparent to me that creating an inclusive environment is not optional, but essential. Working with MedRACE has instilled confidence in me to realise that the barriers I once faced as a student from a WP background can be challenged and potentially overturned, with the support and backing of other students and staff.

Since joining MedRACE, I have helped change local NHS policy in order to permit the kara; a religious metal bangle worn by many Sikhs, into theatres as well as supported the delivery of EDI teaching sessions to students and patient educators. As a student co-chair, I am keen to get NHS policy changed nationally and to encourage pre-clinical year groups that they are supported.

MedRACE has allowed me to feel more comfortable when talking about EDI and I want to inspire and empower students to use their voice to challenge and reform existing frameworks. I feel honoured to be sharing this role with Kiran and I aspire to lead changes to support those from underrepresented backgrounds.'

When appointed as a MedRACE student co-chair, Olivia said, 'I am particularly interested in tackling inequalities. The first step in combatting differential attainment -differences in attainment based on people with protected characteristics, such as ethnicity and gender- is understanding the issues faced by underrepresented students. My main goal is to help students with protected characteristics access support that promotes their wellbeing. For example, I would like to use regular anonymous surveys to assess medical students’ experiences of harassment. I hope that prioritising recurrent issues, developing strategies, then making this information accessible to staff and students would help students to recognise and speak up against similar situations.

I feel there should be teaching on the use of inclusive, non-offensive language and common cultural practices so we are more mindful of traditions practised by both colleagues and patients, especially those related to healthcare provision. I believe our badges and/or lanyards should contain our preferred pronouns to avoid misgendering and the option to include the phonetic spellings of our preferred names to support correct pronunciation. I also think the photographs on our lanyards should have appropriate coloring to be truly representative of students of all skin tones.

By advocating for changes proposed by students, I hope to encourage students with protected characteristics to reach positions of leadership. I’m in my penultimate year and I would like to leave medical school knowing I have been part of a team that leaves a long-lasting positive impact.'

When appointed to her role as student co-chair, Kiran wrote, 'I became interested in equality, diversity and inclusion during my first year when I submitted a successful motion to the BMA Medical Students Conference 2021 stating that active bystander training should be mandatory to all medical students across the UK in pre-clinical years.

From this, I got involved with MedRACE in helping co-develop and co-deliver active bystander training to medical students for the last few years. I also became the EDI Student Representative for LMS and participate in meetings with staff regarding equality initiatives in the medical school. Inspired by MedRACE, I later went on to help co-create the Midlands Racial Equality in Medicine Network (MREM) in 2022 and later went to be Conference Director for the second annual MREM conference held at Leicester in March.

Outside of EDI, I am a biochemistry graduate from the University of Nottingham. I am my happiest when cooking and baking and love going for a long walk or run outdoors. If I’m not doing either of those, you’ll often find me binge watching Harry Potter or Come Dine with Me.

In my role as Co-chair I hope to focus on sustainability for the future of MedRACE, with specific focus on solidifying and growing allyship within the medical school and the University. Alongside Amar, I hope to continue the growth and success of MedRACE by recruiting and inspiring more students and staff to join us as we continue to be at the forefront of change.'

When appointed to her role as student co-chair, Takunda wrote, 'I became interested in EDI and decolonising the curriculum following the BMA Racial Harassment Charter release, and used this as a way to channel the anger I felt at the many racial injustices I was facing at the time. Since joining, I have worked to decolonise the way dermatology is taught at Leicester, as well as co-developing and co-delivering bystander training to medical students. I have also appeared on a few podcasts discussing wider topics surrounding the charter and the work we do.

Outside of MedRACE, I am a Newcastle Physiological Sciences graduate, where my interest was reproductive health, on which I wrote my dissertation. This interest has continued and I am currently heavily involved with local and national sexual health charities, including on national boards, with the aim of delivering inclusive SRE to schools and the wider public. I have worked previously as a HCA and a support worker in both the disability and psychiatric sector, as well as volunteering for almost a decade. On open days you will likely find me in the demonstration room testing your lung function, or chatting your ear off on a student panel. My hobbies include dancing, baking, binge watching reality TV, and learning sign language; sometimes all at once!

In my role as co-chair I hope to further facilitate the group within the medical school to empower students and staff alike to lobby for change. I would also like to achieve further review/decolonisation of units, as well as increase collaboration with other courses and societies.'

When appointed to her role as student co-chair, Wendy wrote, 'I am a graduate entry medical student having studied Anatomy and Physiology at The University of Dundee. Following on from events that happened in 2020 such as the murder of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd there was widespread anger in the world and the work that the Black Lives Matter movement had been doing for years came to the forefront. The BMA Racial Harassment Charter was released, and Leicester Medical School made a commitment to sign up to it. I felt compelled to get involved in some capacity and got involved in the formation of what was then known as the BMA Charter Working Group. Now officially known as MedRACE I have been a part of several different projects such as co-developing and co-delivering EDI lectures and active bystander training to both students and patient educators. Outside of MedRACE I have an interest in surgery and have been involved in research concerning this. I also enjoy sports and play for the University Netball Team. When not doing that, I can be found sampling the baked goodies that Takunda makes (which I can confirm are delicious!).

As a student co-chair I hope to contribute further to aiding the great work the group has accomplished so far! From the changes that occur in policies implemented, to the events hosted in celebrating achievements from underrepresented groups my hope is MedRACE continues to contribute towards building a more inclusive and supportive environment for students and staff alike.'

'I started my medical studies at the University of Oxford in 2001. On graduation and after initial clinical training, I spent two years studying towards a Masters in Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. During this time, I also worked as a Clinical Research Fellow in the Cancer Epidemiology Unit in Oxford studying cancers in India and in ethnic minorities within the UK.

This was followed by an Academic Clinical Fellowship in General Practice with a particular interest in global health, primary care and family medicine. I continue to work with colleagues in Palestine towards the development of family practice and primary care as a core part of the Ministry of Health's strategy towards universal health coverage.

I have been a clinical tutor to medical students in Oxford over the last ten years and during this time completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, for which I was awarded a Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. I moved to the University of Leicester Medical School in 2020 as a Senior Clinical Educator, and am a Clinical Professor and Director of the International Partnership with Chongqing Medical University. In addition to working with colleagues in Leicester in developing and delivering teaching (primary care, MSc Clinical Education), I also work closely with students and staff in MedRACE towards ensuring a supportive and inclusive environment within the School.'

'I trained as a nurse before studying a degree in Politics at Warwick University. I undertook a PhD in applied health research and worked at the National Institute for Nursing in Oxford as a research officer before joining Leicester University. In addition to my research and teaching activity I have held a range of citizenship roles that have allowed me to follow my interest in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) including leading applications for Athena Swan Silver awards (National awards for gender equality) at Department, College and University level and setting University and College strategy for EDI.

My roles include Programme Director for the Masters in Applied Health Research in the Department of Population Health Sciences, and Pastoral Support Unit (PSU) Advisor in Leicester Medical School. I work closely with students and staff as part of the MedRACE group and facilitate a range of student led projects that support inclusion.'