Student Education Committee
The SCTS Student Education committee is made up of medical students from across the UK who work together to lead and coordinate a range of activities and events aimed at inspiring medical students to consider cardiothoracic surgery as a future career.
Cardiothoracic Surgery Handbook
The SCTS Student Education Cardiothoracic Surgery Handbook was created to address an important gap in Cardiothoracic Surgery teaching in medical school. Cardiothoracic surgery can be an exciting but often unfamiliar and intimidating specialty for medical students, particularly when entering the operating theatre for the first time. We wanted to create a resource specifically for students: one that goes beyond textbook knowledge and helps them understand what they are seeing, why it is happening, and how to engage confidently with the specialty.
What makes this handbook distinctive is its student-centered, practical approach. It brings together core cardiothoracic principles, relevant anatomy and physiology, practical theatre etiquette, and introductions to common cardiac, thoracic and congenital procedures within a single accessible resource. Rather than being another comprehensive surgical textbook, it has been designed as a practical companion for the student experience of cardiothoracic surgery: helping students prepare for theatre, follow an operation, understand the principles behind what they observe, and ultimately get more from every clinical opportunity.
Through this handbook, SCTS Student Education aims to make cardiothoracic surgery more accessible to the next generation, giving students an approachable starting point from which to build their knowledge, confidence and interest in the specialty. Click here to view handbook
SCTS Student Education Committee Members 2025 -2027
Benjamin Chapman- Student Lead
Hi, I’m Ben and I’m really pleased to be taking on the role of Lead for the SCTS Student Committee this year.
I’ve just completed my DPhil at Oxford, where I investigated how macrophages and lymphatics support myocardial regeneration in neonates. I’m now in my 5th year of medical school and have a strong interest in cardiac surgery and research.
As Lead, I’m looking forward to building on the excellent work of the outgoing committee by expanding mentorship opportunities, improving access to CTS for students across the UK, and strengthening links between local and national initiatives.
I’m looking forward to working with the new committee and meeting many of you over the coming year.
Chai Lim- Communications Lead
I’m Chai Jin Lim, a fourth-year medical student at the University of Sheffield, originally from sunny Malaysia! I’m the founder and current Chair of the Sheffield University Cardiothoracic Society, and I’ve previously served as Vice Chairperson of the United Kingdom and Eire Council for Malaysian Students (UKEC) and Social Media Director for MMIUK. As Communications Lead, I’m very passionate about content creation and especially keen to use media to bridge gaps and spark interest in students who may not have access or connections to this incredible field. Outside of medicine, I love playing the piano and going on spontaneous adventures- some of my favourites include sandboarding in the Sahara and snorkelling in Borneo!
Donovan Campbell- Treasurer
Hi everyone, my name is Donovan Campbell and I am delighted to be the new treasurer for SCTS SEC. I am an intercalating medical student from Queen’s University Belfast, undertaking an MSc in experimental medicine. I have a strong interest in both cardiothoracic and academic surgery and aspire to use this platform to inspire undergraduate students to develop their own interests in both. Alongside medicine, I am a keen (but very amateur) golfer and gardener with a passion for football. I look forward to working with such a fantastic committee for the next two years!
Eteesha Rao- Research Lead
Hi everyone! I’m Eteesha, an intercalating medical student at Newcastle University, currently completing an MRes in Cardiovascular Sciences. I’m really excited to be joining the SCTS Student Committee as your Research Lead.
Cardiothoracic surgery is a constantly evolving and impactful field with research playing a vital role in its progress. This year, I’m looking forward to helping create exciting opportunities for students to explore research, get involved in national initiatives, and connect with peers and mentors across the country.
Together with the committee, I hope to build an inclusive, supportive space where students at all stages feel encouraged to take part and excited about what lies ahead. I can’t wait to see what we’ll achieve together!
Ethan Alford- Medical School Liason
Hi everyone, I’m Ethan Alford, a final‑year medical student at the University of Southampton with a strong interest in cardiothoracic surgery. I’ve found real joy in pursuing cardiothoracics through theatre, teaching, and speaking with trainees. As the Medical Schools Liaison Lead for the SCTS Student Education Committee, I work closely with our Regional Lead network, the main link between SCTS and close to 40 UK medical schools, to strengthen student engagement and serve as a point of contact for anyone interested in the specialty. Each year, we aim to expand the outreach of our network nationally, and we hope to reach over 40 universities next year. I’m excited to work with the committee and our regional leads to continue building a connected national community of future cardiothoracic surgeons.
Sarah Guo- Education Lead
Hi everyone, I’m Sarah and I’m thrilled to be joining the SCTS Student Education Committee as the Education Lead. I’m currently a 5th year medical student at the University of Cambridge, with a strong interest in cardiothoracic surgery and a passion for medical education. Much of my work so far has focused on supporting local student engagement in the specialty, and I’m excited to continue this on a national level. I’m looking forward to working with the team to develop new opportunities for students at all stages in this wonderful specialty, improve access to educational resources, and continue supporting learning and engagement across the country. Please feel free to get in touch if you have ideas or feedback - I’d love to hear from you!
SCTS Student Education Committee Website – Updates for Education Section
Cardiothoracic Surgery Training Pathway Series:
The perception of cardiothoracic surgery is often viewed as out of reach or unattainable. As a committee we are committed to making a career in cardiothoracic surgery achievable for all. The Teaching Series was designed to educate medical students and qualified doctors about the cardiothoracic surgery training pathway, dissecting the different components from how to apply, to what life will look like after securing a training number.
Building on the success of the Teaching Series established by previous SCTS Student Education Committee members, the programme has gone from strength to strength. Following highly successful webinar series throughout 2023 and 2024, we were delighted to relaunch the series in 2025 with updated content reflecting the evolving training pathway and the diverse career opportunities available within cardiothoracic surgery. Alongside returning popular sessions, this year's programme introduced new topics including fellowships and parallel careers, providing attendees with an even broader insight into life within the specialty.
During the 2025/26 academic year we hosted the following webinars:
- How to Make a Competitive Application
- The Journey Through Cardiothoracic Training – Life as a Trainee and Consultant
- MRCS and Selection Interviews
- Academic Surgery
- Fellowships
- Parallel Careers in Cardiothoracic Surgery
The Teaching Series continues to reach hundreds of medical students and healthcare professionals from across the UK and around the world. Sessions are delivered live via Microsoft Teams, allowing attendees to participate free of charge regardless of location, with recordings available afterwards for those unable to attend live.
Join our mailing list to receive registration links, updates on future webinars and access to session recordings.
Nikan Hoorijani- Events Lead
My name is Nikan Hoorijani, a second-year medical student at the University of Glasgow. My career ambitions lie in minimally invasive cardiac surgery, enriched by entrepreneurship and medical technology. I believe in understanding history to shape the future; currently, my vision includes integrating artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and 3D printing into surgical education. As Events Lead, my role is to promote, organise, and foster partnerships with the next generation of cardiothoracic surgeons, both in the UK and internationally. With passion, optimism, and dedication, I aim to build upon the outstanding initiatives of our predecessors and launch new ventures. Stay tuned—this year, we'll forge global connections in cardiothoracic surgery.
Ananya Mathur- Widening Participation Lead
Hi! My name is Ananya Mathur, and I’m entering my fourth year at the University of Birmingham. As Widening Participation Lead, I want to make cardiothoracic surgery feel exciting, welcoming, and truly open to every student, regardless of where they see themselves starting out. This field can seem intimidating, but I want to help break down those barriers and show that there’s a place for everyone.
I’m fascinated by all things cardiothoracics - the delicate and complex nature of it to the constant innovation that pushes the field forward, like robotic and minimally invasive techniques. For me, it’s a specialty that combines immense technical skill with deep human impact, and I can’t wait to help share that with more students.
I’m excited to work alongside an amazing team and promote this incredible field to everyone!
Click here to view the Cardiothoracic Surgery handbook
Jasleen Nagi- Mentorship Lead
Hi, I’m Jasleen Nagi and I’m excited to be taking on the role of Mentorship Lead for the SCTS Education Committee! I’m going into my fifth year at Imperial College London, having recently completed a BSc in Cardiovascular Sciences. A career in Cardiothoracic Surgery has felt increasingly tangible thanks to the incredible mentors who’ve inspired and supported me. I’m keen to create opportunities that make the specialty more accessible and offer real insight to students at all stages. Outside of medicine, I enjoy playing bullet chess, exploring new restaurants, reading, and going to the gym.
Fatemeh Habibi Nameghi - Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead
Cambridge Specialised Foundation Program FY1 in Academic Surgery
Hi everyone! I’m Fatemeh Habibi, a fifth-year medical student currently intercalating in Cardiovascular Research at KCL. I’ll be going into my final year in September 2025. It will be a real privilege as EDI lead to spend the next two years using this platform to advocate for a more equal, diverse, and inclusive Cardiothoracics. I am looking forward to working with everyone on achieving this :)
The SCTS student education committee is dedicated to making Cardiothoracic surgery more equitable, diverse and inclusive.
The 2025-2027 committee is continuing the great work done by our predecessors on the medical student EDI survey. You can find the results of the 2021-2025 survey here.
Below are some examples of current initiatives aiming to address the barriers which students reported in the previous survey.
- Financial barriers: More funding made available through industry-backed monetary prizes for electives in Cardiothoracic surgery. Find details of previous grants here:
- Access to mentorship: Ongoing mentorship programs pairing seniors in Cardiothoracics with students across the country. Find details on our website.
- Opportunities: Shift of focus away from meritocracy-based application forms for opportunities within SCTS Student Education. Our application forms for committee-led opportunities place increased focus on how students will use the opportunity to aid future personal and professional growth. This gives students who are at the beginning of their portfolio journey a chance to shine through their ideas and potential rather than existing achievements.
The 2025-2026 medical student EDI survey is currently live. Please fill out the survey below. We aim to close the survey by the end of this year, and every answer helps us to identify barriers to EDI in Cardiothoracic surgery, creating opportunities from which every student can benefit. Fill out the survey here
We invite any input from students or otherwise on matters of EDI in Cardiothoracics. If you find yourself wanting to share your experience outside of the context of the survey, please contact us at sctsstudenteducation@gmail.com.
Student Engagement Day
The Student Engagement Day is an annual event designed to connect medical students with experienced surgeons and leaders in the field to motivate and educate them to pursue a career in cardiothoracics. This full-day event includes panel discussions, networking sessions and hands-on surgical workshops, providing students with a real-life glimpse into the world of cardiothoracic surgery. The event aims to encourage students to pursue careers in this challenging yet rewarding specialty, offering guidance, mentorship and opportunities to develop practical surgical skills.
Our 2025 Student Engagement Day was hosted at Royal Stoke University Hospital in partnership with Keele University Surgical Society. Centred around the theme "At the Heart of Cardiothoracic Surgery: Innovation, Resilience, and Progress," the day brought together leading clinicians from across the specialty to explore both the future of cardiothoracic surgery and the personal journeys behind successful surgical careers.
Highlights included inspiring keynote lectures from:
- Mr Bil Kirmani – The History and Development of Cardiothoracic Surgery: How Far Have We Come?
- Prof Mahmoud Loubani – Resilience in Practice: Finding Balance in High-Stakes Careers
- Prof Ali Zamir Khan – The Future of Cardiothoracic Surgery: Robotics, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Artificial Intelligence and Beyond
- Mr Juneenath Karattuparambil – Beyond the Operating Room: Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia and ERAS in Optimising Patient Outcomes
The day also featured a wide range of practical workshops including suturing, bronchoscopy, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), valve replacement and coronary anastomosis simulation, giving students invaluable hands-on experience alongside opportunities to network with trainees and consultants from across the UK.
We look forward to welcoming even more aspiring surgeons at our next Student Engagement Day.
MedPrep Work Experience Programme
Inspiring the Next Generation of Cardiothoracic Surgeons
The SCTS SEC MedPrep Work Experience Programme was established at Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, where it was developed to provide sixth form students from widening participation backgrounds with early exposure to cardiothoracic surgery and its closely related specialties. Combining immersive hospital work experience with dedicated medical school application support, the pilot programme demonstrated the value of structured clinical exposure in inspiring aspiring healthcare professionals and improving access to careers in medicine.
Building on the success of the Cambridge programme, the SCTS Student Education Committee is now expanding the initiative nationally to enable more cardiothoracic centres to offer high-quality, equitable work experience opportunities for students across the UK.
Alongside clinical placements across cardiothoracic centres, students participate in workshops focused on applying to medical school, including personal statement guidance, interview preparation and mock interviews delivered by medical students and clinicians.
By expanding the MedPrep Work Experience Programme nationally, the SCTS Student Education Committee hopes to provide equitable access to high-quality work experience opportunities for students across the UK. Through collaboration between cardiothoracic centres, university surgical societies and SCTS, we aim to establish a sustainable annual initiative that inspires and supports future generations of doctors and surgeons.
Interested in becoming a MedPrep centre?
We are actively recruiting cardiothoracic centres to join the national programme. If your centre would be interested in hosting a work experience week as part of the SCTS SEC MedPrep programme, please contact Sarah Guo at sarah.guo@nhs.net.