In this short video message, Prof Reed sends his best wishes to BSMS alumni over the festive period and new year, and shares details of next year's alumni reunion weekend – taking place on Saturday 22 June 2024.

Watch Prof Reed's video message to alumni here >

"I love working as a team within general practice to try and deliver the best care we can. Effective communication is key; I love trying to think of ways to improve how we do things."

Zainab was in the second ever cohort of students at the medical school and graduated in 2010. She works as a salaried GP in Stoke-on-Trent. 

Read Zainab's story here >

Join us for our 20th anniversary alumni reunion weekend and celebrate 20 years of the medical school on Saturday 22 June 2024.

Our celebrations will start with a family-friendly lunchtime event on the University of Sussex campus, with food and games. After this, you will have a few hours to spend in Brighton to relax and get ready for our evening event for alumni and partners, which includes a three-course meal and drinks at the i360 on Brighton seafront, plus a flight on the i360 pod exclusively for BSMS guests.

You have the option to book for both the lunchtime and evening event, the evening event only or just the daytime lunch gathering.

Find out more and book here >

The University of Sussex has a list of hotels in the city that offer a discounted rate as a guest of the university, subject to availability >

Be part of an important conference showcasing anti-racism projects in UK health and social care. We want to hear from anyone working (or studying) in health and social care (clinical, academic, or managerial) who has a recent anti-racist project they want to share. Present your work – a talk, workshop or poster – at our conference. The deadline for submissions is 15 January 2024.

Delegate registration is also open for this free one-day event, taking place on Tuesday 12 March 2024, 9:30am-4:30pm at the Medical School Teaching Building, University of Sussex campus.

Find out more about the conference here >

BSMS has been recognised for its commitment to gender equality in higher education and research by achieving the Gold Award as part of the Athena Swan Charter. The Athena Swan Charter was established in 2005 to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine in higher education and research and was expanded in 2015 to aim for gender equality for all staff in all subject areas in academia, professional and support roles, and for trans staff and students.

Commenting on the award, Ceri Butler and Suze Cruttwell from BSMS said: “Achieving our Gold Award has been a significant achievement for the whole medical school. An important aspect of the application was our approach to addressing intersectional inequalities and disadvantages looking across gender, ethnicity, disability and other relevant characteristics. We recognise that this award is not the end point but part of our vision to ensure that BSMS remains inclusive and justice-oriented.”

Read the full story here >

On 18 November the Chowen Lecture theatre filled with colleagues, friends and family who came together to remember and celebrate Dr Sue Eckstein. Sue taught ethics at BSMS until her death in 2013, and those present learnt how much she achieved alongside being a brilliant teacher and inspirational colleague. A novelist, playwright and journal editor, a consummate compiler (and completer) of to-do lists and spreadsheets, and an early blogger, Sue was a force of nature. A succession of wonderful talks powerfully conveyed that she is still sorely missed at BSMS and beyond, but her legacy was clear for all to see. 

New research suggests that High Ventilation Breathwork (HVB) can induce profound effects on the central and autonomous nervous systems, which could potentially lead to the development of new ‘breathing’ treatment of psychiatric disorders. HVB refers to practices employing specific volitional manipulation of breathing with increased ventilation, which have a long history of use to relieve various forms of psychological distress. Researchers at BSMS, under the guidance of principal investigator Dr Alessandro Colasanti, MD, have led a review on the effects of HVB practices to inform their mechanism of therapeutic action, safety profiles and future clinical applications. The Colasanti Lab are conducting a research programme to test HVB mechanisms and develop interventions.

Read the full story here >

A landmark report published last month presents the first detailed account of how to reduce the environmental impact of surgical care while maintaining high quality patient care and potentially saving the NHS money. In the UK, surgical care is responsible for the equivalent of about 5.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year – equivalent to that from heat, electricity, transport and waste of 700,000 UK homes. Reducing the emissions produced during surgery would be a significant step towards the NHS achieving its aim to be net zero by 2045. The report shows that solutions are available and, in many cases, could result in better options for patients while at the same time costing the NHS less. Prof Mood Bhutta and Dr Chantelle Rizan from BSMS were both major contributors to the report.

Read more here >

View the current list of BSMS vacancies, including an Anatomy Demonstrator/Resident Medical Officer suitable for F3-5 doctors, on our web page.

View the current list of BSMS vacancies here >

Join us for a special webinar to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Time for Dementia (TfD), a groundbreaking programme launched at BSMS in 2014.

TfD was created with the aim to prepare the future NHS workforce with the knowledge, attitudes and empathy needed to provide high quality and compassionate care to people with dementia and their families. Since then, the programme has expanded across the South of England, and more than 8,000 students and 2,100 families have taken part. The programme is now delivered across ten different training programmes at eight universities to students on courses including Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Radiography, Paramedic Practice and Dietetics. 

Our webinar will take place on Monday 18 March 2024, 11am-12.30pm, and will feature talks from the founders of TfD, and the families and BSMS graduates who have been involved and benefited from the programme during the past decade. Join us to reflect on the past, celebrate our achievements and find out how we are continuing to drive forward the future of dementia education. All are welcome to attend this free online event.

Register for our Zoom webinar here >

A flashback to MedSoc's Graduation Ball in 2018! Photograph and copyright: Max Langran Photography. Don't forget to share your own BSMS memories with us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using the hashtag #BSMSForever!