Mr Owen Hughes, Dr Duncan Cole, Mrs Abby Nolasco Wilson, Professor Helen Houston, Dr Simon Braybrook
A surgeon at University Hospital of Wales has been named the best clinical teacher.
BMA Teaching Awards 2015Mr Owen Hughes, a consultant urological surgeon, was presented with the BMA Cymru Wales/BMJ Clinical Teacher of the Year award for 2015.
The award recognises a clinical teacher in Wales who has excelled in their work supporting doctors in training and medical students in Wales.
Dr Duncan Cole, a Senior Lecturer in Medical Biochemistry and Metabolic Medicine at Cardiff University was identified as the ‘rising star’, while Dr Simon Braybrook, a GP partner in Butetown Medical Practice scooped the prize for teaching and learning innovation at the BMA Awards.
Mr Hughes, who has been at UHW for almost 12 years, has taken a personal interest in all doctors in training, pushing trainees to reach their full potential and excel. He has been devoted to delivering high quality clinical care, and leading and developing post-graduate training in his specialty in Wales.
Mr Hughes said he was surprised to be given the honour, adding: “I’m very fortunate. We have got some great facilities in Wales and some very good individual teachers.
“I’m lucky to have been nominated by my trainees, who I have learnt a lot from. Despite my thinning hair, they keep me feeling young.”
Judges were impressed at how Mr Hughes opens up to trainees on his own personal struggles and thoughts on dealing with challenging cases.
A number of his students commented that his humility had given them a lot of confidence about their own performance and future ambitions.
Stephen Jones, Deputy Welsh Secretary at BMA Cymru said: “Clinical teachers across Wales play a vital role in the delivery of high quality training for our doctors throughout their professional careers and encouraging more doctors to make Wales their preferred choice to complete their postgraduate training.
“We are pleased to be able to celebrate their achievements at this annual event.”
Deputy Minister for Health, Vaughan Gething said: “These awards are all about those who have raised the bar, those who have excelled themselves and, in doing so, have become excellent role models for their students to follow.
“They are the people we trust in developing the workforce of the future and each nominee should feel immensely proud.”
The nominees for the national award come from local awards given by the Wales Deanery, Swansea University College of Medicine, and Cardiff University School of Medicine. The winners of the individual awards were considered by an independent panel of judges who then decided the overall ‘all-Wales winner’ which was announced at a ceremony in Cardiff on Tuesday.
Clinical teachers from across Wales were recognised at the award ceremony, which is now in its fifth year.
