The HLA: The Ripple Effect

This podcast features an interview with Hugo Layard Horsfall, a neurosurgery registrar and PhD candidate researching neurotechnology. He discusses his work on next-generation electrodes to understand brain information processing at a single-neuron level, its application in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), and the challenges of translating this technology into clinical practice. Horsfall also reflects on his participation in The HLA Scholars program, emphasising the importance of embracing failure, building networks, and the significance of soft leadership skills in both his professional and personal life. The interview concludes with a discussion of his current research and future aspirations.

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Sida Mao, a former HLA scholar, reflects on his experiences in The Health Leadership Academy program and its lasting impact on his personal and professional development. Sid recounts his initial motivations for joining The HLA, the application process, and the key aspects of the programme he found transformative, such as the emphasis on leadership versus management, the power of influence, and overcoming imposter syndrome. He details his project, creating a ward simulation for medical students and his subsequent role chairing The HLA conference, highlighting the practical leadership skills he gained, particularly in delegation. The discussion also touches upon the strong sense of community within The HLA alumni network and Sid's current career path in emergency medicine. Ultimately, the conversation offers insights into the value of The HLA in fostering leadership qualities, building confidence, and creating a supportive peer group that extends beyond the program itself.

Fasika Amdeslasie, a surgeon and healthcare leader from Tigray, Ethiopia. Fasika discusses his extensive career, including leadership roles during a wartime siege, and his participation in The HLA Scholars programme. He highlights the challenges of balancing clinical work with leadership responsibilities in a resource-scarce and politically unstable environment. The conversation reveals universal challenges faced by clinicians globally, regardless of their context, particularly the lack of formal leadership training and the struggle to balance career ambitions with financial security and family needs. Finally, Fasika describes his work with a local NGO focused on mental health rehabilitation in post-conflict Tigray.

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The Ripple Effect presents a podcast interview with Anne Meierkord, a former HLA scholar from the 2020 cohort who became a faculty member. The discussion explores her career journey, which includes working as a medical doctor in Berlin and a research scientist in health policy analysis, highlighting her unique perspective within the German healthcare system after studying medicine in a joint UK-German program. Anne shares her experiences in this international medical programme, including contrasting the UK and German healthcare systems. She reflects on how her involvement with The HLA, particularly during the virtual COVID cohort, impacted her leadership skills and career. Reinforcing the value of The HLA in fostering a global network and developing leadership capabilities for healthcare professionals at all career stages, encouraging others to engage with the community to drive positive change.

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Jacob Oguntimehin is an emergency medicine doctor and former Healthcare Leadership Academy (HLA) scholar. Jacob discusses his passion for equitable and efficient health systems, his journey into health policy and widening participation, and the significant impact of his social enterprise, The Aspiring Medic Support (TAMs). He recounts his initial ambition, the pivotal experience of his intercalated degree and his time with The HLA, which were instrumental in developing his leadership skills and expanding his network. Jacob shares the growth and achievements of TAMs in supporting aspiring medical students from underrepresented backgrounds and offers insights into the importance of strong leadership, networking, and staying connected to the core mission of an organisation. His experiences highlight a career dedicated to systemic improvement in healthcare and social mobility within the medical profession.

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This episode of The Ripple Effect features an interview with Maredudd Harris, a former scholar from The Health Leadership Academy (HLA). Med discusses his career trajectory since joining The HLA, detailing his current radiology training with a focus on interventional radiology and a past fellowship in artificial intelligence. He reflects on his experiences, including leadership roles during medical school and the impact of The HLA on his perspectives. The conversation explores his motivations for choosing radiology, the evolving role of AI in the field, and his general leadership philosophy, reiterating ambition and learning from opportunities. Med also shares his advice for individuals considering applying to The HLA, highlighting reflection, commitment, and perseverance.

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This podcast features an interview with Ahmed Kerwan, a doctor and HLA scholar, discussing his career journey. He highlights the importance of online presence in first impressions, his experiences at The HLA programme, and the impact of networking and mentorship on his success. Kerwan's path includes working in venture capital, studying at Harvard, and founding his own company in Silicon Valley. He highlights the value of embracing failure, building genuine relationships, and balancing his medical career and entrepreneurial pursuits.

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This podcast features an interview with Jim Determeijer, a global health PhD candidate and former HLA scholar. The conversation centres on Jim's unique journey, highlighting his experiences as one of the early international HLA scholars, his pivotal role in expanding The HLA's global reach, and his current PhD research on family participation in healthcare within resource-limited settings.

Jim emphasises the importance of building inclusive communities and fostering collaboration across diverse backgrounds and disciplines, showcasing these values both in his HLA involvement and his impactful global health research. The interview concludes with reflections on Jim's leadership style, highlighting his direct yet respectful communication, and his encouragement for listeners to forge their own paths.

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Marguerite O’Riordan, a junior doctor and HLA (Healthcare Leadership Academy) scholar, discusses her leadership journey and her project, Political Medics UK. She explores the project's origins within The HLA, its aims to educate and engage medics in medical politics, and its successes, such as establishing a national network and creating e-learning materials. She also reflects on challenges related to workload, delegation, and long-term sustainability.

Marguerite offers advice to future scholars, emphasising the importance of focusing on small, sustainable objectives and making use of The HLA network. She shares how her experience has shaped her current role as The HLA Awards Manager.

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This episode features an interview with Riddhi Shenoy, a 2019 Healthcare Leadership Academy (HLA) scholar. Riddhi recounts her early years at university, her unexpected entry into a management BSc programme—which sparked her interest in leadership—and her somewhat accidental application to The HLA, which turned out to be a surprisingly impactful experience. She discusses how The HLA programme and its networking opportunities influenced her career trajectory, including a significant role at the BMJ and her current academic clinical fellowship in ophthalmology. The conversation also explores themes of ambition, managing failure, the value of mentorship and networking, and Shenoy's evolving career aspirations, particularly her focus on addressing health inequalities.

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