Romford medic nominated for junior doc of year

A trainee heart medic at Queen’s Hospital has been shortlisted as Junior Doctor of the Year – beating hopefuls from 25 countries.

Rameen Shakur has made it to the last three in the prestigious British Medical Journal Awards, which saw around 650 doctors considered.

The 28-year-old has been working at the Romford hospital as a specialist registrar since October and is the first cardiologist ever to be shortlisted for the accolade.

He is undertaking research on heart failure mechanisms, and has set up a pan-London research teaching group.

He is also a clinical teacher in medicine at Oxford University, an honorary research fellow at the National Heart and Lung Institute and has published a number of books and papers.

“I have a real passion for teaching and research,” said Rameen. “Encouraging students and doctors to take part in research and clinical audit can lead to huge improvements in patient care.”

He trained at Cambridge, Oxford and Edinburgh medical schools and was also a Fellow at Harvard and Mayo medical schools in the USA.

Averil Dongworth chief executive of Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals Trust – which runs the hospital - said: “To have such a high calibre of junior doctors at our hospitals is a huge benefit to our patients.”

Rameen, from South Woodford, will find out if he has won at the finals in London on May 18.