Our mission
To promote high-quality social and behavioural sciences for medical education to enhance the care of patients and populations.
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Our vision
To be a leading community of practice for social and behavioural sciences medical educators within the UK and internationally
Aims
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To champion social and behavioural sciences in medical education through active engagement with individuals, organisations, and policy-making bodies.
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To advance and influence the integration of behavioural and social sciences in medical education by leading and disseminating high-quality research and scholarship that informs educational practice, shapes policy, and guides national and institutional priority setting.
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To foster a vibrant and supportive community of practice facilitating networking, career development and the exchange of expert knowledge, experience and resources on effective teaching, learning, and assessment strategies related to social and behavioural sciences within medical education.
BeSSt 5 Year plan 2025-2030
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
Suhad Daher-Nashif
Lauren Hardie-Bick
Katy Jones
Jaqueline Lavallee
Sadie Lawes-Wickwar
Chase Ledin
Rory Parkinson
Kyla Pennington
Paul Stronge
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.