Dr Asha Venkatesh

Dr Asha Venkatesh
Dr Asha Venkatesh
Dr Asha Venkatesh

SFHEA

Senior Lecturer

About
Email Address
a.venkatesh@abdn.ac.uk
Telephone Number
+44 (0)1224 437810
Office Address

319, Suttie Centre

Foresterhill, AB25 2ZD

 

School/Department
School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition

Biography

Co-lead for Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) for the School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition (SMMSN) (2021- ): I aim to create an inclusive culture within the School in line with the University Aberdeen 2040 strategy to enable all staff and students to thrive. I co-led the creation of our SMMSN EDI strategy.

Co-lead for Athena Swan Self-Assessment Team for the School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition (2022- ): I led the submission of our first school-level Bronze Athena Swan gender equality charter (submitted November 23).

Assessment Lead for Anatomy (MBChB) (2022- ): Responsible for the strategy of MBChB Anatomy assessments and led the move to online Anatomy assessments for MBChB (Y1-3) on the ExamWrite platform.

Licensed Teacher of Anatomy (Licensed by His Majesty’s Inspector of Anatomy) (2017- ) with responsibility for ensuring image handling in accordance with the Anatomy Act (1984) as modified by the Human Tissue Act (2006).

Year 2 MBChB Lead (2015-2022): Oversaw the quality assurance of the curriculum for Year 2 MBChB in our systems-based curriculum. Responsible for liaising with NHS clinicians and university academics to ensure that our curriculum was delivered successfully. Between 2020 and 2022 I was responsible for leading the Year 2 MBChB curriculum through online delivery of teaching and assessment.

Course Coordinator for Year 2 MBChB Anatomy (2010- ): I coordinate the largest course within Anatomy which entails seven different body systems to class sizes of ~300 students. Course feedback from students is very positive and this course is regarded as a very well-designed and delivered part of their programme.

Athena Swan Lead for the Institute for Education in Medical and Dental Sciences (2016-2020): Successfully led the achievement of Bronze award for the institute (which is now IEHMS) and implementation of the action plan.

Memberships and Affiliations

Internal Memberships

Chair of the following Committees:

  1. Equality Diversity and Inclusion Committee (SMMSN) co-lead
  2. Athena Swan Self Assessment Team (SMMSN) co-lead
  3. Assessment Lead for Anatomy for MBChB
  4. Extenuating Circumstances Committee for Postgraduate Taught programmes (SMMSN)

 Member of the following Committees:

  1. SMMSN Executive Committee
  2. Schools EDI leads Committee
  3. University Equality Diversity and Inclusion Committee
  4. University Education Committee 
  5. University Gender Equality Steering Group
  6. School Teaching and Learning Committee
  7. SMMSN Decolonisation Implementation group
  8. Year 2 Executive (Medicine)
  9. Written and Anatomy Assessment Committee
  10. Exam boards (Y1-3 MBChB)
  11. SSLC (Staff Student Liaison Committee) – Year 2 MBChB
  12. Senate for University of Aberdeen (2014 – 2018

 Pastoral Care:

Regent for MBChB students

Pastoral care for students in Year 2 MBChB

External Memberships
  1. Membership Officer of the Anatomical Society (Jan 2022 - Dec 2024)
  2. External Examiner, Year 1 Medicine, University of Glasgow (2023-2026)
  3. External Examiner, Year 2 BDS, University of Dundee (2021-2024)
  4. External Examiner - Year 2 Medicine, Manchester University (2019-2023, completed)
  5. Member of the Trans European Pedagogic Anatomical Research group (TEPARG, 2021- )
  6. Member of the Anatomy Associations Advisory Committee (2022 - )
  7. Lead Organiser of the Scottish Anatomists Group (2014 - 2021)
  8. Reviewer for the Journals including Medical Teacher, Journal of Anatomy, Anatomical Sciences Education
  9. Also reviewed the following textbooks - Essential Clinical Anatomy 3rd Edition by Keith L. Moore and Anne M. Agur in May 2007. This is the recommended textbook at the University of Aberdeen for students of MBChB and BSc (BMS); “Embryology at a Glance” (Publisher Wiley Blackwell), manuscript reviewed in 2010, Oxford Assess and Progress: Medical Sciences (publisher Oxford publications) reviewed the Head and Neck & Neuroscience chapter in 2010

Prizes and Awards

AUSA and University of Aberdeen Best Undergraduate Lecturer 2020

AUSA and University of Aberdeen Best Undergraduate Supervisor 2021

AUSA and University of Aberdeen Best Undergraduate Supervisor 2022

Teaching

Teaching Responsibilities

Course Coordinator for ME3029 (Anatomy for Year 2 MBChB)

In addition I teach on the following courses:

  1. Anatomy for MBChB Years 1-3
  2. Anatomy for Year 2 Dentistry 

 

Undergraduate project supervision of:

  1. Biomedical Sciences Honours projects
  2. MBChB student elective project
  3. IEHMS summer studentships