Zaynab Abid Sohail previously worked as a medical education fellow, where she had the opportunity to contribute to research, teaching and new learning resources for medical students. Here, she shares what she learnt during her fellowship at The Christie.
Dr Zaynab Abid Sohail
“I have been given so many opportunities to contribute to research and medical education during my year-long fellowship at The Christie.”
What is your fellowship specialism and where were you based before joining The Christie?
I am currently a medical education fellow and I previously worked as a foundation trainee at Royal Lancaster Infirmary.
What attracted you to The Christie?
I went to Manchester Medical School and one of my most memorable experiences was my placement at The Christie. There is a buzz in the air when you work here, and I have never forgotten how much I learnt from all the people working here and all the patients coming here for their treatments. The Christie is obviously world renowned for the research it contributes to, but I am most proud of being from Manchester and using my skills, past experience, and knowledge to contribute to The Christie at Manchester.
What have you enjoyed the most about your fellowship so far?
Working with colleagues who love to contribute to research, medicine, education, and patient care.
What has been your biggest achievement since the start of your fellowship?
I have been given so many opportunities to contribute to research and medical education during my year long fellowship at the Christie. Some of my highlights and achievements include:
- I developed a mini learning resource on Radiology in Oncology for Year 4 Medical students under the supervision of Dr Lubna Bhatt and Dr Damian Mullan. This project is currently being expanded in collaboration with Manchester Medical School to develop a radiology curriculum for Years 3, 4 and 5.
- I collaborated with consultant supervisors to create a new face to face session called Pause, Pull, Reflect which looks to improving professional responses to emotional experiences at The Christie. This is now a weekly session delivered to Year 4 students and we aim to expand this offering to Year 5 students too.
- I worked with Dr Dan Anderson to produce The Paterson Podcasts, The Christie’s postgraduate podcast series exploring wellbeing, navigating conflict in the workplace and organisational dynamics within the NHS.
- I organised and ran the Collaboration in Cancer 2024 conference, a one-day symposium structured around real patients with cancer to highlight their overall journey and interactions with healthcare professionals.
- I am working with Dr Lubna Bhatt to record and produce multi-professional undergraduate podcasts.
What advice would you give to other fellows to make the most of their time at The Christie?
Seek opportunities depending on your interests because there are so many and everyone at The Christie is always willing to help!
We’d love to hear your experience as a fellow at The Christie, and how it has helped you in your career.