Students, staff and societies were celebrating big wins at this year’s Guild Awards this month following a glittering awards ceremony at Mountford Hall.
Every Spring, these awards recognise and celebrate the individuals and groups that have made this academic year extra special. Head to Liverpool Guild of Students (link) for the full list of the 2023 deserved winners.
Category: Biggest Impact on the City of Liverpool
Winner: Year Four Student Doctor Jessica Lwin
Jessica’s role as President of Liverpool’s Humanitarian Society (link) and Secretary of Asylum Seeking and Refugees for Help the Homeless Society (link), has seen her lead on events that raise money and awareness for those in need. These include the Myanmar Cultural Festival, which raised over £5000, and the Access to Healthcare talk, which spread awareness about asylum seekers.
Jessica says, “My biggest highlight this year was definitely the Myanmar Culture Festival Fundraiser which we held to fundraise for internally displaced families in Myanmar who have been affected by its recent political situation. The money we raised went towards necessities such as sanitary supplies, blankets, food, clothes, and school supplies for children.
We thought it was such an overlooked but important grassroots campaign to advocate for and wanted to introduce some cultural aspects to Liverpool while fundraising.
Of course, I couldn’t have done any of this without the help of the Humanitarian Society committee, comprised of student doctors Mahima Bharadwaj, Nicole Yap and Anika Chedalavada, who deserve just as much praise.
This year I also took part in fundraising activities for both local and international causes, including an International Women’s Day Concert for Refugee Women’s Connect and the Period Packing project that promotes period poverty. I also supported the Turkish Society with their fundraiser for the Turkey/Syria earthquake, as I empathised massively with students who want to help their home countries.
Next year I will be reprising the same roles in these societies, and I hope to organise even bigger events to raise awareness for lesser-known campaigns. I encourage any student who wishes to support a cause important to them to contact the Humanitarian Society (link), as we would love to use our platform to help students make a difference.”
Teacher of the Year, Dr George Ampat
Category: Teacher of the Year (Health & Life Sciences)
Winner: Dr George Ampat
Dr Ampat is a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and Clinical Teacher at the School of Medicine. He took home this prize in recognition of his ability to approach complex topics in ways that make each student feel valued, appreciated and included. Students appreciate his motivation, inclusivity and sense of humour, and how he champions each of his students’ success, making it clear he really cares about each of them going on to succeed.
Dr Ampat says, “Firstly, I thank all the students who nominated me.
I am humbled and delighted to get this award – it is a highlight in my career for which I am so grateful.
I also wish to thank all my colleagues and the Leadership Team at the School of Medicine who are constantly committed to providing a considerate, supportive and caring environment that brings out the best in us.
Coffee to celebrate the last CBL of the year
I have been reflecting on my role as a teacher and the factors that might have made it possible. As John Henrik Clarke, a prominent African American historian and professor, stated, "A good teacher, like a good entertainer, first must hold his audience's attention, then he can teach his lesson". I have strived to achieve this using the following four principles.
- Preparation: As an orthopaedic surgeon, my everyday working knowledge mainly centred on the musculoskeletal system and spine. Though I had studied Internal Medicine many years ago, it was not part of my regular clinical practice. Hence, I had to do a lot of reading to relearn what I had learnt in med school many years ago, sometimes spending more than 6 hours preparing for a CBL (case-based learning).
- Power to the learner: I usually start my class with the following, "There is no silly or stupid question; please feel free to ask any question, however stupid or silly yours may seem." I add, "The only stupid or silly question is the one you wanted to ask but did not ask". This gives power and freedom to students to ask exploratory questions and understand the subject. Finding answers to some of these questions has also reinforced my knowledge.
- Personal: My memory of names could be better! To help me remember the names of my students, I invite each student to display a name board in front of them as an aide memoire which helps create a non-intimidating, friendly atmosphere which encourages learning.
- Praise: In his book ‘The Light in the Heart’ Roy T. Bennett wrote, "Be an Encourager: When you encourage others, you boost their self-esteem, enhance their self-confidence, make them work harder, lift their spirits and make them successful in their endeavours. Encouragement goes straight to the heart and is always available. Be an encourager. Always." I aim to bring the spirit of this quote into the classroom every time, which creates wonders.”
BME Medics at the Guild Awards ceremony
Category: Inclusivity Award
Winner: BME Medics Society
BME Medics (link) scooped this award for a year in which they have prioritised and championed racial and cultural inclusivity through their Black History Month activity, fundraising for the Sickle Cell charity, the creation of a Culture Ball and their first Inequalities in Healthcare Conference.
The society’s President, Year Five Student Doctor Mahima Bharadwaj, couldn’t be prouder.
"At BME Medics we aim to create a platform for students from ethnic minorities. That being said, we are passionate about promoting cultural awareness across the campus and the society. We had rough ideas of what we could do to educate and raise cultural awareness after the first meeting of the academic year. Once we decided, there was no looking back!
After five months of work, we were able to host the University’s first ever Culture Ball.
We incorporated several different cultural elements into the event (link) such as Afro-Caribbean cuisine for dinner, South-East Asian and Chinese snacks for the tables, culture flashcards for every seat, Afro and Bollywood Dance and a talk from Afro-Carribean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT). It was lovely to see people connect with their cultural roots and take part in the culture walk!
We celebrated the Black History Month with a movie night and collaborated with other medical societies (GI Soc and Derm Soc) on social media to raise awareness of identifying skin conditions in the BAME population.
Our National Inequalities in Healthcare Conference 2023 was fully funded by the Alumni Friends Fund and the Guild, allowing us to make the conference free and more inclusive!
We wanted to use this as an opportunity to create a platform to raise awareness of the discrepancies in healthcare for those from a minority background and highlight ways to tackle these inequalities at the forefront.
BME Medics host their first annual conference
As a multi-pronged approach to the theme of inequalities in healthcare, we touched upon cultural/religious influences, migration status, medical law and ran a workshop on micro aggression in the workplace, creating an event that was very informative and engaging.
As a society, we would like to thank our Speakers and Judges, Dr Enam Haque, Prof Amel Alghrani, Dr Jonathan Folb and Dr Fayo Ibidapo for taking time out of their busy schedule to attend the conference.”
Year 4 Course Reps Eric and Siona at the awards
Category: Course Rep of the Year (Health & Life Sciences)
Winner: Eric Dos Santos De Andrade
Year 4 MBChB Course Rep Eric picked up the award for his efforts that have led to meaningful change and tangible benefits for the medical school community. His unwavering kindness and support are a testament to his genuine interest in his peers’ wellbeing and success.
Eric says, “I'm absolutely thrilled with the win at the Guild Awards, it's truly an honour. As Course Rep, my biggest highlight was being able to give my peers a voice and contribute to our collective progress.
This award is a testament to our shared resilience, adaptability and commitment.
A special shoutout to fellow Rep Siona, who's been an incredible partner in this journey. Looking forward to continuing our work for the betterment of our educational experience!
A massive congratulations to all winners on well-deserved recognition for their contributions to a fantastic year!
Discover more
- Connect with the Humanitarian Society (link) if you are passionate about global health, fundraising and spreading awareness of global humanitarian issues.
- The School is blessed with some excellent clinical educators! Nominate a teacher for a Commendation (link) and make their day!
- Join BME Medics (link) and help celebrate cultural diversity and tackle inequalities in healthcare.
- Keen to follow in Eric’s footsteps? Consider running for Course Rep (link) next year.