The New Academic Year

As the new academic year begins, at The British Student Doctor we have a series of exciting announcements to make. The first, is that we are welcoming two new members of faculty to our Faculty Advisory Board.

The role of the Board is to approve all manuscripts that the editorial team have nominated for publication in the journal. This is a component of our commitment to rigorous peer review, to ensure the highest standards of academic rigour of the work that we publish.

We are delighted to welcome Dr Nick Cooper (left) who is the Associate Professor for Clinical Education and Programme Lead for the Masters in Clinical Education at Plymouth University Peninsula Schools for Medicine and Dentistry. He is a GP by training, and lectures in primary care and general practice. Dr Cooper is also a fellow of the Academy of Medical Educators and has been a member of the Academy's Council since 2013.

We also welcome Professor Val Wass OBE (right), who retired after five years as Head of the School of Medicine at Keele University, to take up a consultancy role as Emeritus Professor of Medical Education in the Faculty of Health at Keele. Amongst many achivements, she is the RCGP Medical Director for Europe, and the Chief Editor of the journal Education for Primary Care. In the 2015 New Year’s Honours she received an OBE for her services to medical education.

We would also like to extend our sincere gratitude towards Professor John Bligh, who since the journal's inception has been our Honorary Editor. After two years in the pivotal position, supporting the journal's development and offering valuable guidance to the editorial board, he has decided to step down from the post as part of his retirement. In his place, we welcome Julie Browne, Senior Lecturer in Academic Practice at Cardiff University and course lead for the intercalated BSc in Medical Education, to the position of Honorary Editor, recognising the fundamental role that she has played in supporting the foundation of The British Student Doctor.