Our mission
Positively influencing social and behavioural sciences in medical education to enhance the care of patients and populations.
Objectives
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To champion social and behavioural sciences in advocacy, policy and practice in medical education through active engagement with individuals and organisations.
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To engage in research and scholarly activity related to social and behavioural sciences teaching in medicine.
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To foster a community of practice for social and behavioural scientists in medical education.
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To facilitate the exchange of expert knowledge and experience on learning, teaching and assessment relating to social and behavioural sciences within medicine.
Meet the BeSST Committee
Co-Chairs
Tracey Collett
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Jeni Harden
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Kathleen Kendall
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Committee Members
Heidi Bickis
Katy Jones
Cate Kennedy
Jaqueline Lavallee
Sadie Lawes-Wickwar
Paul Stronge
Sarah Wright
Patient representatives
Chandrika Kaviraj
Chandrika Kaviraj is a carer for two elderly parents with cognitive impairment. She was on the NICE Guideline Committee for Stroke Rehabilitation which published in 2023. She is part of NHSE Cardiac Transformation Programme and PPI member on an NIHR funding committee. She has been campaigning for better stroke, elder and palliative care and has been involved in research for different universities. She believes passionately in real world outcomes which directly support patients and their loved ones in challenging situations.
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Christine Vial
Christine is a long–time social activist with particular interest in diversity and engagement and lived experience of long term illness and caring. She has been active in many groups for almost 20 years now, both at a national level (eg member of Involve (NIHR) and local. Currently she is a member of University College London’s Expert by Experience panel and belong to their GP Education group and the Health Research Authority’s PPI group. As a creative person, she brings diverse ways of creating understanding, empathy and change and has used poetry, drama, film-making, the visual arts and whiteboard animation in health-related projects.