JADE SCOTT-BLAGROVE
Founder of Widening Participation Medics Network
SPEAKERS
Mx Vassili Crispi
Talk: Pride in Surgery — championing inclusion, visibility & systemic change in the operating theatre and beyond
Vassili is a neurosurgery trainee and NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow in the West Midlands. They are originally from Italy, and as an LGBTQ+ doctor, are passionate about equality and inclusion within the profession, and especially in surgery.
They are also a trade unionist — having achieved significant changes at UG and PG levels, enhancing student representation, developing UK MLA policy, reforming the UKFP recruitment and fighting for pay restoration, safe rotas and working conditions.
They have led and been involved in lab-based and clinical research, presenting at multiple conferences and receiving awards for their contributions to the student experience, excellence in research and academic performance.
They currently hold several positions, including Member of BMA UK Council and Board of Science, and Birmingham Cohort Director at the Healthcare Leadership Academy.
Dr Ellen Collingwood &
Dr Sirajum Muneera
Panel: “I was Rad-Reached.”
Meet two incredible speakers who’ve turned mentorship into momentum. Dr Muneera & Dr Ellen are both proud graduates of the RadReach programme and are joining us for a powerful panel exploring:
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Mentorship that matters
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Demystifying radiology training
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Thriving as WP (Widening Participation) students in specialty applications
Muneera- ST1 Radiology Trainee in Wessex, educator, and national WP-EDI leader — shares how RadReach shaped her journey from mentee to mentor.
Ellen- Leeds-based paediatric radiology registrar and first-cohort RadReach grad — brings her passion for WP, disability advocacy, and mentoring the next gen of radiologists.
This panel is one not to miss.
Dr Raffaella Blaylack-Smith &
Dr Mae Mesgarnezhad
Talk: When the path isn’t straight: how you can make it as a doctor despite detours and duties.
Mae is an FY1 doctor who entered medicine via a non-traditional route. After experiencing foster care and lacking the initial qualifications for med school, she completed a degree in mathematics and began a PhD in theoretical physics. Her path shifted after meeting doctors researching DNA tangling—igniting her passion for medicine. A parent of two, Mae brings lived experience, advocating for inclusivity in medicine and better support for those balancing caregiving and clinical work.
Raffaella started in music, humanities, and education. As a teacher, and during a tough pregnancy, she was inspired by an incredible GP and began considering a career in medicine. She moved back to Newcastle as a lone parent, baby in tow, and attended a medical school open day—where she met Mae. Raffa now works less-than-full-time during her F1 training and is deeply passionate about widening access, drawing on her experience supporting students facing real barriers.
Their session will be a powerful reminder that there’s no “one way” to become a doctor—and that lived experience matters.
Dr Ellen Collingwood
Talk: A Second Widening Access Journey: Life in Medicine with a Disability.
Meet Dr Ellen Collingwood – a radiology registrar in Leeds with a subspecialty interest in paediatric radiology.
Ellen’s journey into medicine began through the SOAMS widening access programme at the University of Sheffield, where she graduated in 2019. She’s since gone on to give back as an ambassador for the scheme and as a mentor through the RCR’s pioneering RadReach programme, supporting aspiring radiologists from underrepresented backgrounds.
A passionate advocate for widening participation, disability inclusion, and medical education, Ellen brings a powerful perspective to the table.
Carl Kulimushi
Talk: Decolonising the Medical School Curriculum: 4 years later.
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Carl Kulimushi is a third-year medical student at the University of Manchester specialising in health equity, medical education reform, and student leadership. He chairs the African Caribbean Medical Society (ACMS) Manchester and serves as a Student Inclusion Partner within the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, where he co-developed the Nursing and Midwifery section of Manchester’s forthcoming Decolonising the Curriculum Toolkit and is launching a reverse-mentoring pilot that pairs minority students with senior staff to address structural inequalities in medical training. Carl’s research on patient leadership has been recognised nationally and internationally: he won first prize at the 2024 ESLIH Conference (supported by the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management) and presented at the IHI/BMJ International Forum 2025. He was also shortlisted as a finalist for the CAHN Student of the Year award.