School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing

Upcoming Events

Follow @UofGMedSchoolAS, refer to this page and check internal email circulation for up-to-date announcements regarding SoMD&N events

Autumn/Winter 2019 - Writing Bootcamps

The latest round of writing 'bootcamps' are aimed at staff in the School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing who would like to dedicate either a full- or half-day to write - whether it is a paper, a grant proposal or a programme information document. PGR students in the writing-up phase are also invited!

In past bootcamps, participants have successfully worked on manuscripts and papers, their PhD or MD thesis and course information documents. 

5^th September 2019 - Civility Lunchtime Talk

August 27^th 2019 - Mentoring Networking Event

Athena SWAN Staff Focus Groups (Spring 2019)

Open focus groups (for all staff) are to be held at the following locations/dates:

• Nursing & Health Care School, 2nd May 2019, 1pm-2pm, Rm 305
• Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, 21st May 2019, 1pm-2pm, Teaching & Learning Centre, L0005

Aims of the Focus Group(s)

• To better understand the School’s culture and working environment from the perspective of staff from different areas, job families and grades
• To provide a forum for staff working within the School to share experiences – these will inform the Athena SWAN Silver Award application process
• To highlight areas of good practice within the School and identify areas where improvements could be made to better staff experience

The latest round of staff focus groups held by the SoMD&N Athena SWAN Intern were at WMSB and 

• Glasgow Royal Infirmary, 25th April 2019, 1pm-2pm, NLB Meeting Rm 205

Winter 2018/Spring 2019 - Writing Bootcamps

 13^th November 2018 - 'Mind Your Mate' Suicide Awareness & Prevention Training Workshop

In association with the Glasgow University Students' Representative Council 

7^th June 2018 - Promotions Workshop for School Staff - All Welcome!

24^th & 25^th April 2018 - Domestic Abuse Training - Line Managers & Clinicians

16^th April 2018 - Menopause in the Workplace - All Welcome!

8^th March 2018 - International Women's Day 2018 (Pecha-Kucha) - All Welcome!

29^th March 2018 - Managing Mental Health at Work

13^th November 2017 - School Promotions Workshop

13^th July 2017 - Research & Scholarship peer mentoring group

This is a group for staff (at all grades) and PGR students in the later stages of their PhD, across the school. The aim of these meetings is to enhance peer-level support and networking in the school, with a focus on research and scholarship (e.g. discussing grant/fellowship applications, developing new collaborations, promoting informal internal application reviews, facilitating mock interviews for shortlisted candidates etc). 

For our inaugural July 13^th meeting (New Lister building, conference room), we will focus on networking, identifying areas of interest for subsequent meetings, and sharing best practice. We plan for this first meeting to be informal, and hope that participants will bring ideas to the table for the benefit of the whole group. 

For more info and to register: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/somdn-research-scholarship-peer-mentoring-group-tickets-35729237110

24^th October 2016 - Developing mentoring solutions for SoMDN workshop 

This workshop described existing mentoring opportunities available to SoMDN staff and presented case studies/best practice from both inside and outwith the School. Attendees had an opportunity to network alongside active participation in the session to explore the wants and needs for mentoring in the School. A specific output of the workshop is a map of proposed directions for mentoring in the SoMDN. 

Who attended: SoMDN staff interested in mentoring - in mentee and/or mentor capacities

April 1st/2nd 2019 - Mind Your Mate (SRC)

The Students' Representative Council (SRC) launched a suicide prevention training programme to help empower all students and staff to support themselves and each other. The 'Mind Your Mate' training programme was a 3hr interactive workshop covering basic mental health awareness and suicide prevention skills. The overall aim was to reduce the barriers preventing people from accessing the help they need, provide participants with the confidence and skills to help someone in crisis and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and suicide discussion. Student and staff trainers were professionally trained and evaluated by a specialist mental health charity and had already delivered the training to over 200 UoG staff and students in the past year. Participant feedback was overwhelmingly positive and following the initial pilot period the workshops are now being offered to all through open sessions. 

The most recent sessions were April 1^st and 2^nd.

To find out when our next sessions are, keep an eye on the GUSRC Facebook page.   

8th March 2019 - International Women's Day #BalanceForBetter

The SoMD&N celebrated International Women's Day online - view some of our pledges

Pledge 1 and Pledge 2 (@UofGMedSchoolAS)

December 2017 - Toby the Puggle visits the School Library

‌The School's mascot, Toby the Puggle, was on duty in the Medical School Library in the run up to the Christmas holidays, meeting students, helping to calm exam nerves, and spreading Christmas cheer. Both Toby and Professor Matthew Walters were sporting Christmas jumpers for the occasion, which was captured by a film crew from STV. Toby is delighted to have gone viral and you can watch the whole film online.  

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8^th November 2016 - PGR Careers Advice Session

This session was arranged to provide careers advice to current PGR students in the School, and more widely across the College of MVLS. Two recent PhD graduates gave presentations on their post-study career paths and answered questions, with a third presentation showing routes into industry from the NHS. These were followed by a talk on the services available to research students from the ‌University's Career Service, and and 'Golden Ticket' career planning exercise by the University's PGR and ECR adviser, Mrs Katrina Gardiner.     

2^nd November 2016 - Confidence and Leadership Roadshow

Join us for The Confidence and Leadership Roadshow on Wednesday, 2nd November 2016 in the Senate Room at either 10am or 1pm for the Confidence session. This roadshow comprises three 60 minute sessions designed to build confidence and leadership and help you to achieve your goals. Topics covered include guidance on how to build confidence and leadership, feel empowered and able, and increase positivity and decision making.

Register for roadshow

26^th February 2016 - Getting published in Science - hints and tips from an insider‌

This seminar aimed to lift the lid on the editorial process and includes hints and tips for preparing and submitting a research paper, persuading editors to publish it, surviving the peer-review process, and developing long-term publishing strategies.

 Dr Hilary Hamnett is a lecturer in toxicology in the School of Medicine. As an insider in scientific journal publishing for the past seven years, she has handled several thousand manuscripts from submission to publication. This has included overseeing the peer-review process, doling out rejections and acceptances, and editing and proof-reading.

The School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing’s Athena SWAN Bronze Action Plan (2016-2019) outlines the School’s commitment to progressing the careers of staff through skill development, information sharing and a formalised internal mentoring scheme.

Historically, a strong culture of informal mentoring has been embedded within SoMDN. Although this will continue, a formal scheme allows all staff equal access to the benefits of mentoring. In 2015, a lead for the mentoring working group was appointed, Dr Emilie Combet, who planned and initiated the formalisation of this scheme with the help of the SAT.

What is mentoring?

Mentoring is a customarily planned pairing of a more skilled or experienced person (usually in the same field of work) with a less experienced person. It is a one-to-one learning intervention provided to enhance the skills, abilities, knowledge and behaviour of the mentee to enable them to reach their career aspirations and goals.

There are many different types of mentoring, all with the core aim of career development. This document outlines the different mentoring opportunities available to those within SoMDN - Mentoring Opportunities [PDF].

This document, presented at the SoMDN formal mentoring scheme introductory session, outlines the stages of mentoring in detail - Mentoring Information [PDF].

What are the benefits of mentoring?

Mentoring aims to facilitate skill development, ultimately for career progression. Mentoring can provide mentees with the following benefits:

• Impartial advice, encouragement, information and support
• Assistance with problem solving
• The opportunity to build self-confidence and further professional development
• Improved skill development and increased knowledge

Benefits for mentors within the mentoring partnership include:

• Increased job satisfaction and self-esteem
• The opportunity to reflect on own practice and develop relationships
• Insight into other areas of work

What has SoMDN done so far?

Different activities have been conducted in relation to mentoring within SoMDN. 

Since 2016, several peer-mentoring sessions have been held:

1. October 2016 - Mentoring workshop
2. July 2017 - Networking, upcoming opportunities in research and scholarship
3. September 2017 - Research identity and strategy
4. December 2017 - Upcoming research/teaching opportunities
5. March 2018 - Research, publication and REF
6. May 2018 - Teaching, best practice, scholarship and promotion

A mentoring pilot scheme recruitment drive was conducted for both mentors and mentees between April 2018 – May 2018. Mentees drive the selection and matching process. All participants create an online profile (within a secure internal server) and mentees browse mentor profiles. Mentees selected their most preferred mentor before the mentoring working group made basic checks – e.g. mentor availability – and then introduced the pairing to the participants. Once linked, mentees 'set the pace' for the relationship – mentees requested meetings and outlined their mentorship expectations.

Several writing bootcamp sessions have run on campus, across three series. These are attended by a small number of staff and students, working on a range of outputs, from PhD thesis, to grants, manuscripts and course information documents or lecture plans.

How successful has the scheme been?

The SoMDN mentoring pilot scheme was initiated in September 2018. Mid-point evaluation (May 2019) revealed the success of the pilot so far, and several participants offered positive commentary in response to questions (see Mentoring Feedback)

To join the scheme, as a mentor or mentee, please contact med-sch-mentoring@glasgow.ac.uk.

Mentoring Pilot Scheme Case Study

Answers from a Mentee involved in the pilot

1. Why did you apply to be a mentee in the scheme?

"Because I felt I would benefit from it. I felt that I wasn’t really sure where my career as a new senior clinical lecturer/honorary consultant would go and I was struggling with work/life balance. Although I have good colleagues, no one could really give me an unbiased opinion so this was why I applied to join the scheme."

2. What did you find most valuable about your mentoring relationship?

"Having an unbiased person with more experience than me to talk to and discuss aspects of my career etc. that I couldn’t really discuss with colleagues or line managers"

3. Did your mentoring relationship contribute to any developments in your career? How so? (i.e. has mentoring resulted in you achieving promotion, attending training courses, gaining contacts, improving your work/life balance)

"Yes. I have now informally spoken to line managers about applying for flexible working to try and improve my work life balance. There still seem to be hurdles but they don’t seem so impassable now." 

4. Why do you think it is important that staff participate in the mentoring scheme?

"I can’t imagine anywhere else that I could have gone to discuss things so openly and with no agenda, and benefit from others experience"

5. Any other comments to add?

"It’s been so helpful and beneficial, I hope it continues!!!!" 

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Answers from the corresponding Mentor

1. Why did you apply to be a mentor in the scheme?

"To help other people develop and share benefits of my own experience (good and bad)"

2. What did you find most valuable about your mentoring relationship?

"To provide support to a junior colleague and hopefully facilitate overcoming any problems. Gaining more in-sight into the good and bad experiences facing younger staff."

3. Why do you think it is important that staff participate in the mentoring scheme? 

"For mentees - access to an independent person, outside the normal channels of communication (an additional safety valve) and for mentors to keep in touch with issues affecting younger staff"

International Women's Day 2019 - Social Media Pledges

International Women's Day 2018 - Pecha-Kucha Event 

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International Women's Day 2018 - New Lister Building

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The New Lister Campus Halloween Quiz - October 2017 

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28^th October 2016 - The MVLS PGT Halloween Spooktacular - Queen Margaret Union

PG students are invited to the first of our social events for 2016-17, the Halloween Spooktacular. The event will take place on Friday 28 October 2016, from 7pm at Queen Margaret Union, hosted by MVLS Graduate School. 

A programme of events is available here: http://www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/mvls/graduateschool/currentstudents/postgraduatetaught/socialevents/  

Please RSVP to tracy.maxwell@glasgow.ac.uk   

The New Lister Building Staff & Student Quiz - Monday 27th June at 12.30pm

There will be a quiz held for staff and students of New Lister, on , which coincides with the 2nd anniversary of the official opening of the New Lister Building.  Please come along and join us.  Lunch will be provided.

The MVLS PGT Barbecue - Garscube Sport Complex, Wednesday June 22nd, 12-5pm

This event is free and open to all Postgraduate Taught Students within the College of MVLS - transportation, food and outdoor activities included!

Glasgow Dental Hospital and School Runners

This running group is for staff and students of the Glasgow Dental Hospital and School

"Our aim is to promote a healthy, work/life balance to individuals who have an interest in running, no matter if they are a complete novice or an experienced runner. All will be made very welcome!"

Our founding members strive to get students and staff involved in lunchtime tempo runs, interval sessions and easy Friday jogs. The group is accredited by Jog Scotland and has a fully qualified Level 3 coach, as well as two qualified jog leaders.

As a group we train for various events depending on what participants would like to do - we regularly have large teams travelling to Campbeltown for the Mull of Kintyre Half Marathon and 10k Race (MOKRUN), as well as the Great Scottish Run held in Glasgow (10k or half marathon) during September. In 2018 we also had a team participate in the Stirling Marathon. Quite a few of us have trained with the group for the London Marathon and this year two of us will be training for the Berlin Marathon (2019).

Glasgow Dental Hospital and School Runners enjoy exercise whilst supporting each other in a social setting! There is also a dedicated Strava page to keep track of participant progress and encourage improvement. 

The group's honorary member is Mr Lachie Stewart - Commonwealth Gold Medal winner over 10,000m (Edinburgh, 1970). Mr Stewart used to work in the prosthodontics lab of the Dental Hospital. 

For more information:

• The group's noticeboard is located on level 3 of the Dental School, just along from the general office
• Have a look at the group's Facebook page - where all training runs and mass participation events are advertised

 Group contacts are Neil.Nairn@glasgow.ac.uk, Robert.McKerlie@glasgow.ac.uk  and Alison.Cairns@glasgow.ac.uk

Parents & Carers' Group

Do you balance work or study and caring responsibilities? Did you know that the SoMD&N has a Parents & Carers' Group for all staff and students with caring responsibilities? The aim of this group is both peer support but also to think how we can work together to improve the support given to those of us who care for others and work or study in the University. 

If you'd like to be involved (in any capacity), or just fancy a chat, then please come along so we can start a conversation about what we think needs to be better and how we can make that happen. Coffee and biscuits provided!

Contact: Dr Lindsey Pope (Lindsey.Pope@glasgow.ac.uk)

Peer support  - Part time staff & staff on maternity or carer leave

Are you part-time, thinking of changing to part-time or returning from a period of maternity/ parental leave?
Are you on leave and returning to work for “keep in touch days”?
This is an informal support group, providing an opportunity for support and discussion as well as hearing from selected invited speakers.

Lunch will be provided and children are welcome. Meeting days will vary to in order to suit as many as possible.

Contact: Dr Catherine Hankey (catherine.hankey@glasgow.ac.uk) and Dr Carol Ditchfield (carol.ditchfield@glasgow.ac.uk)

David Tedman Deputy Head of HR MVLS in past spoke at our meeting and answered queries relating to part time and leave issues.

Postgraduate Club

The club is an informal gathering of MVLS postgraduate students, aiming to let students share their experience, gain knowledge, skills throughout their study period, while getting to know each other!

It is run by students and all PG MVLS student at any year of study are welcome

Contact: Ms Wesam Alyahya (w.alyahya.1@research.gla.ac.uk) and Susana Palma (s.palma-duran.1@research.gla.ac.uk)

Research & Scholarship Peer mentoring group

This is a group for staff (at all grades) and PGR students in the later stages of their PhD, across the school. The aim of these meetings is to enhance peer-level support and networking in the school, with a focus on research and scholarship (e.g. discussing grant/fellowship applications, developing new collaborations, promoting informal internal application reviews, facilitating mock interviews for shortlisted candidates etc). The meetings will run every other month at locations across the SOMDN sites. 

Contact: Emilie Combet (emilie.combetaspray@glasgow.ac.uk) and Matina Iliodromiti (stamatina.iliodromiti@glasgow.ac.uk)

Within the SoMD&N several topics have been the focus of workshops, talks and seminars for staff and students. Following on from the individual successes of each event, please see further information below.

Domestic Abuse in the Workplace

In alignment with our 'Domestic Abuse Training' workshops:

• Responding to colleagues experiencing domestic abuse - guidance by SafeLives and the Department of Health 

In April 2019, the Domestic Abuse Act came into effect in Scotland making coercive and controlling behaviour an offence that can be prosecuted and also recognising that children are victims of domestic abuse. To read more, see here. 

• Scottish Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline - 0800 027 1234

Menopause in the Workplace

After our 'Menopause in the Workplace' talk by Professor Mary Ann Lumsden, some excellent resources include:

• www.menopausematters.co.uk - an award winning, independent website providing up-to-date, accurate information about the menopause, menopausal symptoms and treatment options. Created by a Scottish doctor - Dr Heather Currie
• Guidance on menopause and the workplace - an informative resource from the Faculty of Occupational Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians

Different sources of useful information were signposted by and developed after this event, based on NICE guidance partially written by Professor Lumsden including:

• Treatment for symptoms of the menopause
  
• An interactive chart detailing menopausal symptom management
• 'Health and Work' menopause infographic (Faculty of Medicine) detailing National statistics in a simple format
• A policy on menopause, specifically for healthcare staff (NHS Wales)
• Menopause - RCN guidance for nurses, midwives and health visitors 

Impact of Incivility in the Workplace

Following from our 'Civility' lunchtime talk, delivered by Dr Michael Murray, several resources were highlighted: 

• TED talk by Dr Christ Turner on the impact of incivility in healthcare
• Civility Saves Lives - a website by healthcare professionals aiming to raise awareness of the power of civility in medicine
• Incivility - The Facts [PDF] - infographic

Mental Health & Suicide Awareness

Following from 'Mind Your Mate' Suicide Awareness & Prevention Training, different online resources include:

• Breathing Space - Helpline 0800 838 587 
• Mental Health Helpline for Doctors and Dentists - Call 0300 0303 300 or email health@nhs.net. The phone line is open Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday 8am to 2pm. Text NHSPH to 85258 for the out-of-hours crisis text service
• Mind - How to be mentally healthy at work
• Short informative films to provide knowledge about suicide - 'Save A Life: Every Life Matters', 'Ask, Tell - Have a Healthy Conversation', 'Ask, Tell - Look After Your Mental Health'

Wellbeing

Dr Christine Goodall (Wellbeing Group Lead and Chair) contributed to the Little Book of Wellbeing, produced by RCPSG. The book discusses:

• Professionalism
• Team working
• Civility
• Work-life balance

The Women In Research Network is an initiative supported by the Wellcome Trust ISSF, awarded to Dr Jennifer Logue and colleagues in ICAMS applied for the College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Sciences. 

31^st January 2019 - Staff Mental Health & Wellbeing

This event provided a range of information and workshop activities relating to mental health and wellbeing of staff in our institution at a timely point during the academic year (Semester 2). The topics were wide and varied - so as to appeal to as wide an audiance as possible - focussing on how we deal with stress and setting out ways in which we can stress-bust (increasing our overall quality of life) with short, 15-minute contributions by our School of Psychology lecturers on sleep, stress and mindfullness, yoga, dance and circus skills. Active participation was strongly encouraged! 

Programme: Dr Maria Gardani - 'Are you losing sleep?', Prof Lawrence Barsalou - 'Stress and Mindfulness', Dr Maxine Swingler - 'Yoga', Dr Chiara Horlin - 'Dance and Circus Skills'

20^th November 2018 - Workshop with Dr Tracey Stead on Resilience 

After a previous successful workshop with Sarah Shinton, it was decided to repeat this concept with a workshop linked to Prof Shankland's talk covering resilience. 

7^th November 2018 - Talk with Prof Carron Shankland

A recommendation from those who saw Professor Shankland's talk at an Aurora event - this talk involved Prof Shankland (Prof of Computer Science, University of Stirling) speaking openly about her own career and struggles with work-life balance affecting her health, and how these struggles were overcome.

18^th September 2018 - WIRN with Dr Veena O'Halloran

We were very pleased to welcome Dr Veena O'Halloran for this session. As someone who made the transition from academia to professional services, Dr O'Halloran will be discussing both alternative careers for academics and personal development in professional services roles. This was followed by a Q&A session. 

21^st June 2016 - Dr Sara Shinton - Succesful Networking [training session]

"Networking is an uncomfortable process for many of us, particularly if we associated it with the cynical manipulation of others to our own ends. Yet when we listen to the stories of successful people, a common theme is the access to opportunities from others (or “luck” as it’s often described). This session will look at the role that our networks can and should play in our career success and help you to get more from your network without selling your soul."

Read our storify of the day here

8^th March 2016 - Prof Andrea Nolan

Professor Nolan is Principal and Vice Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University. She was formerly Senior Vice-Principal and Deputy Vice Chancellor, as well as Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, at the University of Glasgow. Professor Nolan, who was the first woman to ever be appointed to a Vice Principal role in the University will speak about her pathway to leadership. The event commemorated International Women’s Day and staff of all genders are encouraged to attend.

Post-talk presentation:  University Communications and Public Affairs Office followed by group discussion covering personal publicity and "identity" both externally and internally within the University, including online profiles and social media.

26^th January 2016 - Prof Jane Norman ‌

‌Prof Norman is Professor of Maternal and Fetal Health, Director of the Edinburgh Tommy's Centre and Vice Principal, People and Culture at the University of Edinburgh where she has oversight of the University strategy and performance in the area of equality and diversity.

Post-talk discussion: fellowships and funding. This will cover a wide range of issues from having confidence to apply and the role of mentoring, pressure to apply for research funding from non-traditional research positions (e.g. teaching posts), to funding targetted at those who have taken career breaks or worked part time.

Doodle on the right by Dr Matthis rielhe - available on his blog along with further doodles from the WIRN series.

26^th November 2015 - Dr June McCombie MBE

Dr McCombie is a Senior Researcher in Chemistry at Nottingham. In 2013 she was awarded an MBE for her work on the Institute of Physics’ Widening Participation/Diversity programme and particularly her Chairmanship of the Juno project from 2008-2012. The Juno Project rewards university physics departments which address the under-representation of women in their employment. Dr McCombie has also been a member of the Institute of Physics Diversity and Inclusion Committee for over ten years.

Post talk discussion:  challenges of moving locations in order to progress in academic careers - is this still expected? How can this be managed with partners careers, family or caring commitments and the current financial constraints of house/rental prices?