I would strongly encourage women with a passion for the specialty to consider training in cardiology. There will invariably be challenges along the way but the reward in overcoming these is an immensely exciting, multifaceted and fulfilling career.

I am a Consultant Cardiologist at the Royal Berkshire Hospital with an interest in cardiac imaging (cardiac MR, CT and echo), cardiomyopathy and valvular heart disease. In addition to clinical work, I particularly enjoy teaching and hold the roles of specialty tutor and clinical tutor to Oxford graduate medical students.

I trained in the Oxford Deanery, rotating through the Royal Berkshire and the John Radcliffe Hospital. In my fourth clinical training year I was fortunate enough to be offered a BHF clinical research training fellowship, which allowed me to spend 3 happy years working as a research fellow in the Oxford Clinical Magnetic Resonance Imaging Unit. My research focused on aortic valve disease and cardiac MRI. I was awarded a D.Phil from the University of Oxford for this work, as well as the BHVS Young Investigator and the BCS Young Research Worker Runner-up prize. A book I co-authored for medical students during this period was also awarded first prize at the BMA medical book awards.

In my penultimate training year, I was offered the Royal Society of Medicine Ellison-Cliffe Travelling Fellowship which enabled me to take up a clinical fellowship in Cardiac CT, PET and Hybrid imaging using scanners at the forefront of technological development at the University Hospital of Zurich, Switzerland. Following my return to the UK, I spent a brief spell working as a Locum Consultant at Addenbrooke’s Hospital Cambridge before being appointed as a Consultant at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in 2015. I have been working there happily ever since, with a brief break in 2017 to welcome twin girls into the world.

I would strongly encourage women with a passion for the specialty to consider training in cardiology. There will invariably be challenges along the way but the reward in overcoming these is an immensely exciting, multifaceted and fulfilling career.