SAS Forum

Ms Vinita Shekar is a SAS surgeon in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) at Ninewells hospital, Dundee. She was born in Northern India and qualified with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) from the prestigious SDM College of Dental Sciences, Dharwad coming to the UK in 2000. She completed her training in London while undertaking International Qualifying exams and Membership of Faculty of Dental Surgery exams at the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS). She joined Portsmouth Hospital NHS Trust as a specialty doctor in 2008. She studied a weekend programme of LLM in Legal Aspects of Medical Practice in Cardiff and completed her Masters in Law at Cardiff law school in 2010.

Alongside her main role, she is an honorary tutor at Dundee University, an educational advisor for SAS doctors and dentists in NHS Tayside and is on the Morbidity and Mortality steering group. She is passionate about equal opportunities for education and training of SAS doctors and dentists. In her capacity as an Educational Advisor, she works to facilitate education and career progression opportunities for SAS grades. Previously she was an investigator officer for doctors in difficulty, a whistle-blowing advocate, clinical audit lead, clinical governance lead and SAS representative to the Local Negotiating Committee.

She is an elected member on the council of the British Association of OMFS representing SAS surgeons, is chair of the SAS forum and an invited council member at the RCS ensuring that SAS surgeons have a voice on the council and she represents SAS fellows and members of RCS England on the SAS committee of Academy of Medical Royal Colleges.

Hesham Emam is a SAS surgeon in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) at Morriston Hospital, Swansea. He qualified as a dentist from Cairo University in 1998. He came to the UK as an International Medical Graduate (IMG) in 2002 and has been working in OMFS since. He is a member of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) and a Fellow of the Faculty of Dentistry of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland (RCSi). He has Post Graduate qualifications in Dental Implantology and Medical Education from Cardiff University.

He is an invited member of the FDS Board, representing SAS dental surgeons, an invited member on the SAS committee of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) and a co-opted member of the RCS England SAS Forum. In addition, he is a co-opted member of the Central Committee of Hospital Dental Services (CCHDS) of the BDA and a member of the local negotiating committee of the BMA.

Mr Emam is an Associate Fellow and a Council member of the British Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. His special interests include Oral Surgery, Dental Implantology and Medical Education. He is a named clinical supervisor for dental core trainees and is passionate about the education and training of SAS surgeons. He has been working towards empowering SAS grades, and improving their career prospects since 2014.

Sujatha Udayasankar is a SAS Doctor in General Surgery at Hywel Dda UHB, Wales. She grew up in South India and came to the UK after graduating in Medicine. She completed Foundation training and Core Surgical training before becoming a Speciality Doctor in General Surgery at Hywel Dda UHB. She is mum of 2 boys and lives with her family in Carmarthen.

She has a MSc in Surgical sciences from Edinburgh University is a Member of RCS England and holds a PG Certificate in Clinical Leadership from Swansea University where she is undertaking a formal ILM qualification in Coaching, she hopes to become a workplace coach for her Health Board.

Sujatha has completed silver IQT training and is passionately involved in Quality Improvement activities, National Audits and Research. She has presented her work in National and International conferences. In 2017 she was honoured with the BEST/BSAS award from Wales Deanery for Clinical Innovation.

Sujatha is an Honorary tutor at Cardiff University and enthused by simulation based learning. She is a BMA SAS representative at the Local negotiating committee and BAME Advisory group in her Health Board. She addresses SAS issues and contributes to the development of SAS Doctors in these roles. She is driven towards developing equal opportunities for SAS Surgeons in Surgical practice and encourages them to expand their roles based on their unique abilities and interests, Sujatha is a member of the RCS England SAS Forum.

Faiza is a SAS doctor in Otolaryngology at Betsi Cadwaladr UHB, North Wales. She is a graduate from Pakistan and came to the UK in 2011 when she started her first job in General Surgery and worked for 3 years as a trust grade doctor before choosing ENT as specialty.

Faiza faced many challenges as an IMG starting full-time work with a family and therefore she wants to help people who are in similar circumstances. Faiza is a mother to 3 children and lives in Bangor. 

Faiza is the SAS member of the Women In Surgery (WinS) Forum of RCS England and is also a member of  Women in ENT Surgery (WENTS) and have been involved in their mentorship scheme.

Faiza wants to work with the SAS Forum to raise the profile of  SAS surgeons and to expand the educational opportunities available for them and the LED doctors. She wants to help IMGs to face the challenges when they start working in the NHS which is a totally new system for them.