Royal College Chiron Medal for city doctor

EXCELLENCE IN TRAINING: Dr Eirini Kasfiki

A Hull doctor has received a prestigious Royal College honour for her contribution to medical training.

Dr Eirini Kasfiki, a consultant in acute and general medicine based at Hull Royal Infirmary, has been awarded the Chiron Medal from the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE).

For the past five years, Dr Kasfiki has worked with Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s simulation laboratory, pioneering modern methods of teaching that are both responsive to clinical need and, more recently, effective under pandemic-related restrictions.

This has included leading work to convert some traditional face-to-face educational sessions into a 360-degree virtual reality experience for trainee doctors.

As well as her skills in clinical simulation and medical education, Dr Kasfiki, who is also the trust’s training programme director for acute internal medicine, is known for her genuine interest in the welfare and working lives of trainee doctors.

Dr Kasfiki still kept in contact with trainees during a period of maternity leave, for example, and made sure to reach out to them during the Covid pandemic to find out how they were coping and to ensure their training needs were still met.

Her proficiency in training and teaching is perhaps best reflected in the confidence her colleagues and fellow medical educators place in her to deliver effective training, which enables a culture of excellence to flourish across the organisation, the trust said.

Dr Kasfiki said: “I’m honoured to receive this award. I think it’s a reflection of the values and commitment of the wider Acute Medical Team at Hull University Teaching Hospitals.”

The Chiron Medal for excellence in teaching and training is awarded to an individual physician every year by the RCPE. Dr Kasfiki will be presented with the Chiron Medal at the College’s annual St Andrews Day symposium, to be held virtually this year, on Thursday, November 25.