At Learna | Diploma MSc, we are committed to improving the quality and accessibility of healthcare education, to upskill more healthcare professionals to improve the provision of medical care.
We recently appointed Dr Anish Kotecha as our inspirational new Director of Education, who shares the company mission and values, with a background, vision and commitment to learning that make him an excellent fit for the role.
Having worked as a GP for 8 years, Dr Kotecha brings a wealth of clinical experience, medical teaching experience, and experience in a whole host of other healthcare related roles. We caught up with Anish to discuss all things opportunities, motivation in medical education, and how and why he came to be involved with Learna | Diploma MSc.
Anish firmly believes in pursuing and taking opportunities, and his impressive background is testament to this. His roles include work as a GP appraiser, Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) PCI Accreditation Clinical Lead, RCGP SE Wales Education Lead, RCGP PCD GP Adviser, InnovAiT AKT editor, RCGP Clinical Events Quality Assessor, Cardiff University Communication Skills Tutor, and Examiner for medical students and GPnotebook TV presenter. He has written many clinical and non-clinical articles for Pulse, GPOnline, MIMS Learning, Health Education and Improvement Wales and has chaired and spoken at several medical events.
How do you balance all of your different roles and responsibilities?
“It can be difficult to balance it all sometimes. I absolutely love the work I do in medical education - I’m enjoying it more and more, so I’ve recently reduced my clinical workload to concentrate on medical education. I set aside time in the evenings to spend with my family, and unless something really urgent comes up, I treat that time as sacred. I’m a Dad and a husband first. These are two of the most important roles in my life.”
How did you come to be involved with Learna | Diploma MSc?
“As a medical student, I first reached out to Professor Steve Davies [our founder] about medical resources I was using that he had created, which I ended up assisting with as a Medical Editor. We recently reconnected via LinkedIn, and after catching up realised that the Director of Education role was a direct fit for me.
You never know where the next opportunity is going to come from. The more people you know, the more people you get introduced to, the more events you might attend, the more conferences and award ceremonies you go to, the more you get to know other people - and that’s where opportunities arise.”
What drives and motivates you in your role as Director of Education?
“I absolutely love medical education. It’s a way of keeping my own knowledge up to date, I am constantly learning and researching new material. Then it’s also really nice to be able to give back to the profession. I'm helping doctors improve their knowledge, which ultimately leads to improved patient care. The more doctors train in good medical practice, the more patients end up benefiting.
The thing about Learna | Diploma MSc is that it’s online, it’s flexible, it can fit into the lifestyle of healthcare professionals. You can study around your work and life commitments - you can work whenever you want and achieve a postgraduate diploma or master’s certificate. I really liked the idea of working for an online organisation that is able to deliver education that works for the majority of people.”
Finally, what advice would you give to people considering our postgraduate qualifications?
“The programmes at Learna | Diploma MSc are designed by the profession, for the profession. Our programme leaders have frontline experience which is invaluable, our course material is relevant and appropriate. We don’t just teach, we encourage independent learning, which helps students to gain skills they can utilise for further learning. It’s a really rich learning environment, with the opportunity to learn from the real life clinical experience of a number of different tutors. With access to a dedicated mentor to guide you through the learning process, it becomes a smooth and rewarding experience.”
One of the most appealing benefits of studying our fast-paced postgraduate qualifications is that they allow for all-important balance: there are no lectures or seminars, and no set times to log on. Instead, students participate in the academic forum at a time that suits them, allowing them to balance their personal and professional responsibilities with their studies, continuing to work full-time while they study part time, and like Anish, prioritise time with family.
Building a professional network is something that many of our students and graduates value highly in their learning experiences: each course comprises a multidisciplinary network of healthcare professionals around the world, with whom students can connect, share global best practices, and learn from each other. We are proud to work with an exemplary selection of tutors who are experts in their field, who offer academic guidance throughout the programme, and support students in finding opportunities in the field.
Along with his extensive experience, Anish offers unique insights and industry knowledge to shape Learna | Diploma MSc’s programmes in a way that works best for our students, and we are certain that his influence will continue to contribute to continuous improvement of Learna’s university-validated qualifications.
The countdown is on! With the 1st September application deadline fast approaching, time is running out to join our September 2023 intake. Take it from Anish, “you never know where the next opportunity is going to come from” - so don’t miss this incredible opportunity to invest in yourself, build an impressive global network, and enjoy a flexible learning experience.
Apply today via our website to take the next important steps in your medical career.