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Sarju Patel   BSc (Hons), PhD SFHEA

Dr Sarju Patel

BSc (Hons), PhD SFHEA

Interim Year 2 Director

School of Medicine

Email
PatelS2@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 29206 88858
Campuses
Cochrane Building, Room 5th floor, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4YU

Overview

I have been fortunate to have a wide exposure to equality, diversity and inclusion in my role and school. From events that happen in the school and society and my role working with student, I have recently developed a passion for Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI). I have been exposed to EDI in my roles, as CBL facilitator, personal tutor, deputy year director, a teacher and a member of Cardiff University. In my roles I observe how diverse the community is and the various needs and support systems that are required. To support this, I have taken up several committee leadership roles, as Deputy Chair of the C4ME EDI Committee, lead on the Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Attainment Task & Finish group and the co-chair of the Student Staff Race Equality Task Group and more recently, as the Associate Dean for Equality, Diversity & inclusion, College of Biological and Life Sciences. These roles and responsibilities have supported me in making policy changes as well as the education of students and colleagues on the importance of EDI for us all.

Biography

I am a Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Medical Education with over 25 years of teaching and research experience. I obtained my PhD in 1996 and have worked for Cardiff University all my working life, first as a researcher and since 2016 as an educator in the Medical School. My responsibilities within the medical course mean I play a key role in the design, delivery, and assessment of the undergraduate medical curriculum.

Since joining the Centre for Medical Education in 2016, I have been appointed to several leadership roles detailed previously. Within my roles, I have shown a track record of developing and supporting staff, academic and professional services, and students. I aim to build their competencies in a compassionate and inclusive way. I have also taken on significant projects such as the integration of the C21 Medical course in North Wales, a project I administered and enhanced for teaching and students which led to a 6-month secondment as the Year 2 Lead Bangor University.

In addition to these roles, my beliefs and work ethics to enable fairness, respect, truthfulness and equality for my colleagues and the students have facilitated my appointment to the role of Associate Dean for Equality, Diversity & inclusion for the College of Biological and Life Sciences. In this role, I have been fortunate to be able to lead on projects and develop policies that help create an inclusive, equitable and respectful environment and culture in which to work and study.

In addition to my roles and responsibilities for our current students, I in collaboration with Cardiff University’s Community Gateway project have developed and delivered the Promoting Academic Excellence (PACE) project since 2018. The project works with schools whose pupils are from widening access backgrounds, with the hope of inspiring these pupils to consider University as an option and view careers within the healthcare professions as a reachable goal.

Honours and awards

  • Education and Student Experience portfolio. Cardiff University Celebrating Teaching Excellence Awards - Selected as a Case Study - 2023
  • Excellence in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. Cardiff University Celebrating Teaching Excellence Awards - Nomination - 2023
  • The Nation of Sanctuary Awards (Team award) - Welsh Refuge Council - 2023
  • Recognition for being an aspirational, enthusiastic and supportive colleague. Centre for Medical Education Recognition Awards - Nomination - 2023
  • Recognition of Excellent inclusion work at a high level. Centre for Medical Education Recognition Awards - Nomination - 2023
  • Most Engaging Staff Member. Students Union Enriching Student Life Awards - Nomination - 2023
  • Recognition for Changing my life. Centre for Medical Education Recognition Awards - Nomination - 2022
  • Recognition for never failing to stand-up for students giving them a voice to change things within the medical school that are unjust. Centre for Medical Education Recognition Awards - Nomination - 2022
  • Recognition for being incredibly supportive throughout Year 2. Centre for Medical Education Recognition Awards - Nomination - 2022
  • Recognition of Service to the School of Medicine and Medical Admissions. Centre for Medical Education Recognition Awards - Nomination - 2022
  • Most Uplifting Member of Staff. Students Union Enriching Student Life Awards - Nomination - 2022
  • Outstanding Contribution Award Scheme, One-off Award. Cardiff University - Awarded - 2021
  • Recognition for Co-Ordinating the Student Response During the COVID Pandemic and Supporting his Tutees. Centre for Medical Education Recognition Awards - Nomination - 2021
  • Recognition for Kindness, Thoughtfulness and Generosity with Regards Making Time. Centre for Medical Education Recognition Awards - Nomination - 2021
  • Team Recognition of Co-ordinating C4ME Pandemic Volunteering Activities. Centre for Medical Education Recognition Awards - Nomination - 2021
  • Team Recognition of Phase 1 Curriculum Staff Go That Extra Mile Unstintingly. Centre for Medical Education Recognition Awards - Nomination - 2021
  • Most Uplifting Member of Staff. Students Union Enriching Student Life Awards - Nomination - 2020
  • Outstanding Contribution to Engagement Activities. Cardiff University Medic Star Award - Winner - 2019
  • Most Uplifting Member of Staff. Students Union Enriching Student Life Awards - Nomination - 2018
  • Personal tutor of the Year. Students Union Enriching Student Life Awards - Nomination - 2017

Professional memberships

Race Charter Panel Member Advanced HE2022
EDI Faiths task and finish groupMedical Schools Council2022
EDI AllianceMedical Schools Council2021
Senior Fellow Higher Education Academy2019
FellowHigher Education Academy2016

Academic positions

Cardiff UniversitySenior Lecturer01/09/2020Present
Cardiff UniversityLecturer01/06/201631/08/2020
Cardiff UniversityResearch Associate Cardiology01/08/200830/05/2016
Cardiff UniversityResearch Associate Geriatric Medicine 13/05/199631/07/2008

Speaking engagements

  • Naicker, R., Patel, S, Roberts, L., Morris, D. 2023. Developing an eLearning Module on Critically Appraising Antiracism: A Collaboration between Cardiff University and Ramona Naicker. University Health and Medical Librarians group (UHMLG), spring forum. Online https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2IzfymAC_k

  • Patel, S. Public speaking. African Caribbean Medical Association (ACMA), Southwest Networking Event 2022. Cardiff

  • Akinnawonu, O., Nelson-Rowe, E., Brennan, P., Patel, S. Strategies for improving race equality in healthcare institutions. Developing Excellence in Medical Education (DEMEC) 2021. Online

  • Metcalf, E., Johnson, T., Allen, J., Emerson, E., Tayyaba, S., Patel, S. 2019. Evaluation of undergraduate medical students’ self-assessment of reflective writing and in a structured clinical assessment (ISCE). European Board of Medical Assessors conference, Lodz, Poland.

Committees and reviewing

External committees

  • Race Charter Panel Member, Advanced HE
  • EDI Faiths task and finish group, Medical Schools Council
  • EDI Alliance, Medical Schools Council

Submissions to Government consultations

Benfield E, Brennan P, Casey R, Cochrane E, Ellis S, John W, Forty L, Morris L, McKay E, Richardson J, Patel S, Stanton N, Webb K (submitted October 2021) Submission to Welsh Government Consultation LGBTQ+ Action Plan https://cf.sharepoint.com/:b:/t/WelshGovConsultLGBTQActionPlan/EcO1YraVcVtIjcsckelIr4oBZR9PeARP2jB0oS_RNyU0IQ?e=HFwHg8

Allen J, Basu P, Brennan P, Forty L, Goodfellow R, Mensuoh L, Patel S, Vyas J (submitted July 2021) Submission to Welsh Government Consultation regarding an Anti Racist Wales https://cf.sharepoint.com/:b:/t/MEDICStudentRaceEqualityTaskGroup/EeCAc5vENyJMrz6KQUbzjaABhYNt-lHjociOqHA7b3GHmw?e=ESRuG1