speaker booklet 2025 proof

Convention MEDICINE DENTISTRY &

01 | 02 |2025

Panel Speakers

Veeru Kasivisvanathan is an Associate Professor of Urology, specialising in Focal Therapy and Robotic Cancer Surgery, working at University College London & University College London Hospital. He has expertise in delivering practice-changing clinical trials, developing collaborative research and novel research methods. His passion is to improve the care of patients suffering with urological cancers. He is most well-known for his work contributing to the biggest change in prostate cancer diagnosis for 30 years with the introduction of MRI as a standard of care test for prostate cancer. He was awarded the 2022 European Association of Urology Crystal Matula Award for being the top young academic Urologist in Europe, a Hunterian Professorship in 2021 from the Royal College of Surgeons of England for services to surgical sciences, the 2019 John Anderson Award from the British Association of Urological Surgeons for outstanding contribution to Urology and the 2018 Evening Standard Award for being one of London’s most influential people in Health. He is a regularly invited international speaker and has a number of national and international leadership roles. He has influenced national policy in prostate cancer screening and has changed NICE, European, Australasian and American guidelines for prostate cancer care through high-impact publications in leading medical journals such as the PRECISION Trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine. He is founding director of the BURST Research Collaborative and is the current European Association of Urology School of Urology Chair in Imaging, Focal Therapy and Uropathology.

Dr Veeru Kasivisvanathan

Bhanu is a consultant in paediatric infectious diseases, with interests in tuberculosis and in refugee child health at Northwick Park Hospital. Her educational leadership roles include postgraduate system dean for south west London and associate medical director for education within her NHS Trust. Her undergraduate training was at Nottingham, followed by SHO training in Lewisham and Guy's and St Thomas's Hospital. Following completion of membership exams, she undertook the diploma of tropical medicine and then worked in the Gambia for a year with Voluntary Service Overseas. Registrar training was in North London, with infectious diseases specialty training at St Mary's and Great Ormond Street Hospitals. She has previously served as global officer for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and is now a Trustee and the Assistant Registrar. She has worked in multiple low-income settings, including South Africa, Nepal, Myanmar and Uganda, leading on UNICEF and WHO funded initiatives to reduce child mortality through improved quality of care at district level hospitals. The Myanmar work was awarded the South East Asia Education Team Award. She has written over 20 peer reviewed papers and 5 book chapters on infections, global and migrant child health, one of which won First Prize in BMJ medical Book of the Year in 2022. Bhanu is married to a neuro-oncologist who works at Imperial and they have an 18 year old son who is in MTS Upper 6th and is an aspiring classicist and a 19 year old son who is a second year medical student. She enjoys swimming, tennis and theatre and has studied part time for a degree in English Literature with the Open University.

Dr Bhanu Williams

Dr Raymond Sacks (OMT 2001-06) is a dedicated GP Partner and Trainer with a passion for delivering exceptional patient care and mentoring the next generation of doctors. He began his medical journey at St George’s, University of London and honed his clinical skills during foundation training in Epsom and Chichester. Committed to primary care, he returned to North London and pursued General Practice training on the prestigious Barnet Training Scheme. Dr Sacks has spent the last seven years at his current practice, where he combines his clinical expertise with his enthusiasm for education, training recently qualified doctors to excel in General Practice. His commitment to the profession extends beyond the consulting room: he has represented his peers on the BMA Junior Doctor Committee and continues to advocate for primary care as a member of the Barnet Local Medical Committee (LMC). Returning to Merchant Taylors’ is a particularly meaningful moment for him who credits his time at the school for instilling the values of hard work, curiosity, and leadership that have shaped his career. He looks forward to sharing his insights, challenges, and the rewarding aspects of being a GP with the next generation of OMTs.

Dr Raymond Sacks

Mr Jonathan Dennis is dual qualified in Medicine and Dentistry working as a Specialist Registrar in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in North West London. He undertook his Bachelor in Dental Surgery at the University of Liverpool and Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at the University of Leicester. He has completed both dental and medical foundation training as well as core surgical training. .

Mr Jonathan Dennis

Professor Roby Rakhit BSc (1st Class Hons) MBBS MD FRCP FESC Consultant Interventional Cardiologist Royal Free Hospital and Professor of Cardiology, Institute of Cardiovascular Science, UCL. OMT 1984. Actively into music (cellist), orchestra, choir, community service, PHAB and tennis. Studied Medicine at Charing Cross & Westminster Medical School (Imperial College, London) where he was Student Union President. He completed his general medical, cardiology and interventional training in London and Switzerland. During medical training he completed a Wellcome Clinical Research Fellowship at the Rayne Institute, St.Thomas` Hospital, Kings College London (MD) and British Heart Foundation International Fellowship at the Swiss Cardiovascular Centre, Bern. He combines a busy clinical job with an active teaching and clinical research programme at UCL having supervised several PhD fellows. He has also contributed to senior leadership roles including clinical lead and divisional clinical director of cardiology & vascular surgery at the Royal Free. He is a fellow and former elected member of council Royal College of Physicians and fellow of the European Society of Cardiology. .

Professor Roby Rakhit

Guest Specialty practitioners

Anesh read medicine at University College London. He completed MRCP during his medical rotations before changing specialty to radiology, training in both the North East and London at the Imperial college training scheme including St Mary’s, Hammersmith and Charing Cross Hospitals. Anesh is fellowship trained in musculoskeletal (MSK) imaging whilst also practicing general radiology. He spent six months at the specialist bone tumour centre at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore and then undertook twelve months of sports MSK imaging training at St Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, Canada, followed by a final six months of general radiology and training at the same institution. Here he regularly taught on MSK imaging courses in British Columbia, whilst also producing multiple peer reviewed publications and co-authoring a book chapter. He has presented both nationally and internationally and reviews articles for an international MSK radiology journal. Considering his interest in sports both personally and professionally he was a radiologist at the recent 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. His current practice as a consultant radiologist is based at West Middlesex University Hospital, sub-specialising in diagnostic and interventional MSK imaging, with expertise in ultrasound, fluoroscopy, computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. He participates in weekly multi-disciplinary team meetings primarily relating to MSK conditions including the diabetic, orthopaedic and soft tissue sarcoma (lumps and bumps) meetings, whilst also double reporting on complex whole-body MRI relating to myeloma diagnosis and treatment. He is a member of the British Society of Skeletal Radiology and the Radiological Society of North America. His spare time is now spent with his wife Alexandra looking after their growing family, whilst trying to find the time to escape back to Whistler to spend time on the slopes

Dr Anesh Chavda

Kumail Versi is a Consultant Paediatrician at Chelsea & Westminster Hospital. After leaving Merchant Taylors' School in 2006, Kumail pursued medical studies at Imperial College London, where he laid the foundation for his career in paediatrics. Beyond his professional achievements, Kumail is dedicated to giving back to the community. Currently, he plays a pivotal role in the development of a £30 million community centre in Harrow, known as The Salaam Centre. As a member of the Executive Committee, Kumail not only contributes to the planning and building of the centre but also organises daily events that benefit the local community. In addition to his demanding career and charitable work, Kumail is a devoted family person. He is married and has two beautiful daughters. In his spare time, he enjoys playing sports and cherishing moments with his family. Kumail’s journey is a testament to his dedication, compassion, and commitment to both his profession and their community.

Dr Kumail Versi

Maryam qualified at Guy’s, King’s & St Thomas Hospitals, Kings College London in 2006. She did a vocational training post in community dentistry and then worked as a senior house office at Guy’s Hospital in the Oral Surgery and Restorative Dentistry departments. She worked alongside the UK’s top dental consultants, and also helped in the teaching of undergraduate dental students. Since then, Mayam has worked in private practice refining her skills and knowledge.

Dr Maryam Alkutubi

Dr Siddhartha Oke FRCP MRCP (Gastro) MD (Res) MBBS BSc (Hons) is a Consultant Gastroenterologist and General Physician

with a specialist interest in a range of gastrointestinal disorders, including:

inflammatory bowel disease, gastrointestinal cancers, irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal pain, heartburn and reflux, diarrhoea-related conditions, constipation, and gastric ulcers. He is also a fully-accredited and experienced endoscopist. He trained at King’s College London medical school and graduated in 2006. Having completed his core medical training in the East of England Deanery, Dr Oke undertook his speciality training in Gastroenterology and General Medicine in the North West London rotation. Four years of this training was spent at St Mark’s Hospital, of which three years of this was focused on post-graduate research. This research was recognised by a travelling fellowship from the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN). Dr Oke was awarded the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (BAPEN) Student Award for his research; and was runner-up for the BAPEN Powell Tuck Prize. Dr Oke received the degree of Doctorate of Medicine from Imperial College London in 2021. Dr Oke’s work has been published in international peer-reviewed journals and presented at medical conferences both nationally and internationally. Outside of work, Dr Oke enjoys cooking, tinkering with old cars, and spending time with his young family.

Dr Siddhartha Oke

Paediatric Registrar, studied at King’s College London, currently at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Dr Hagop Krikorian

I'm a paediatric registrar currently working in paediatric intensive care in the North West London Deanery and I'll soon be undertaking a retrieval fellowship at Great Ormond Street Hospital. I graduated from King’s College London Medical School in 2017 and spent a year intercalating in medical ethics and law. My key interests include medical ethics, for which I am a lecturer at Imperial College London, as well as global health and improving patient safety. With the aid of my research work which was presented nationally, I was able to help set-up a newly funded high-dependency paediatric unit at Northwick Park Hospital. I've also been heavily involved in the development and maintenance of a mobile app that provides succinct local medical hospital guidelines. In 2019, I spent 2 months volunteering in a rural hospital with the Tshemba Foundation in South Africa, where I worked on the paediatric ward, in the emergency department and in outreach clinics. I helped to deliver basic and advanced paediatric life support training. Since then, I've continued to provide advanced paediatric life support training as an ePALS facilitator in the UK. In my spare time I am a landscape photographer, and have previously worked with clients such as Lonely Planet, National Geographic and various tourism boards - all print sale profits donated to Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

Dr Kazim Ghafoor

I am a highly motivated and enthusiastic GP working for the past ten years in North West London having trained at Imperial College. My medical interests include medical education and coaching/mentoring undergraduate students having completed my Masters in Education. I also currently sit in on the interview panel for medical school admissions at Imperial College. I have been an Academic Lead in the Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne and Clinical GP lead for tri-borough care home education in Hammersmith and Fulham, Chelsea and Westminster.

Dr Lukshmy Kasivisvanathan

Rahul graduated from the University of Manchester in 1998. After completing vocational training, he worked as a Senior House Officer in the Department of Orthodontics and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings Lynn. Rahul obtained his Membership in the Faculty of Dental Surgery from The Royal College of Surgeons of England in 2000. Following a period in General Practice, Rahul undertook his specialist training in Endodontics at The Eastman Dental Institute, University College London. In 2005 Rahul obtained his Membership in Restorative Dentistry (Endodontics) from The Royal College of Surgeons of England and went on to be registered as a “Specialist in Endodontics” with the General Dental Council. Rahul worked as a part-time Honorary Lecturer in Endodontology at The Eastman Dental Hospital, and was Endodontic Module Lead for the Diploma in Restorative Dentistry, College of General Dentistry. He is currently a part-time Clinical Teaching Fellow at the Eastman Dental Institute, whilst running a Specialist Referral Practice, The Chequers Endodontic Practice, in Buckinghamshire. Dr Joe Bansal qualified in 2003 from Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry (QMW). He has spent most of his career working in the West End of Central London as an ethical Cosmetic Dentist carrying out a wide range of treatments within a team of Dental Specialists. His postgraduate training over years has taken him to various parts of the USA and Europe to fine tune his craft. In 2024, he became one of only 17 dentists in the UK to be accredited by the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. The BACD Accreditation process is to allow dentists to demonstrate that they have the ability to diagnose, plan and execute cosmetic dental treatment of the highest standard, safely, ethically, and competently. Joe is also a clinical instructor and teaches dentists on how to improve their skills in Cosmetic Dentistry.

Dr Rahul Goria

Dr Amerjote (Joe) Bansal

I qualified from Birmingham University in 2004, after doing A levels in Chemistry, Biology, Maths with stats and General studies. After qualifying I worked in an NHS practice in inner city Birmingham for 4 years, before venturing in to practice ownership. I haven't looked back since, myself and my wife now have a small group of practices in the South Bucks area. I currently have more of a "practice ownership and management" role which involves leadership, looking after staff, and managing the dentists that work for me. However, I do practice the art of fixing teeth on a few days per week; looking after my regular patients that have now been with me for the best part of 15 years.

Dr Amit Majevadia

Consultant Cardiologist, Studied Medicine at Cambridge University.

Dr Shelley Rahman Haley

Yusur graduated from the university of Manchester in 2006 with honours. She later gained the MJDF qualification from the royal college of surgeons London. Her gentle, considerate nature and commendable chairside manor has resulted in establishing great relationships with patients and colleagues in 17 years of working life . Yusur has a warm and welcoming aura and is especially keen to allay any dental anxieties and fears in patients. She often is involved in promoting oral health by visiting local schools and educating the young to look after their teeth. She thrives in continually improving her skills by attending courses to offer patients the latest in the industry. She enjoys making natural, conservative cosmetic makeovers including tooth alignment with Invisalign Go, composite bonding and tooth whitening. In her free time, Yusur is a busy wife and mum of 3 and enjoys cooking and socialising with friends and family. She is also fluent in Arabic.

Dr Yusur Al-Gailani

Specialist in Endodontics Consultant in Endodontics - Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust Honorary Clinical Lecturer - King’s College London Bhavin graduated from Guy’s Hospital in 1999. He then worked for five years in general dental practice in London. In 2005, Bhavin started his training to become a Specialist in Endodontics at King’s College London. He has limited his practice to the field of endodontics, treating patients with root canal problems, since 2006. Bhavin has held the position of Consultant in Endodontics where he supervises and teaches undergraduates and postgraduate students. He is actively involved in teaching at all levels, including undergraduate and postgraduate. As an Honorary Clinical Lecturer at King’s College London, he delivers academic and clinical teaching. Dr Al-Obaydi graduated from medical school in 2003. Following 3 years of post-graduate medical and surgical rotations in Norwich and London, he started basic surgical training in Coventry and Warwickshire. He joined clinical and interventional national radiology training scheme in 2010 at East Midlands Deanery. After core radiology and Interventional radiology training in Nottingham, Derby and Mansfield, He underwent a fellowship at Southampton to train in prostate artery embolisation and uterine fibroid embolisation. After attaining his CCT in Interventional and Clinical Radiology, He started practicing as a Consultant Diagnostic and Interventional Radiologist at the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust in 2016. He managed to introduce Prostate artery embolisation to Derby and performed many cases with excellent outcomes. In September 2022, he moved to Frimley Health Foundation Trust.

Dr Bhavin Bhuva

Dr Waleed Al-Obaydi

He specialises in vascular and urological diagnostic and interventional radiology. He is highly experienced in various Vascular, Urology, GI and Oncology procedures including angioplasty, Central venous access (PICC, Tunnelled line and porta cath), Ultrasound/CT guided Biopsy/drainage, Nephrostomy, Ureteric stent and embolisation therapy including prostate artery embolisation (PAE), varicocele embolisation and Uterine fibroid embolisation (UFE/UAE). In addition to Interventional Radiology, he maintained his interest and skills in diagnostic radiology and regularly preforms ultrasound. He regular attends and chairs the Urology MDT. He provides specialist service for patients with potential prostate cancer including reporting MRI of prostate and performed more than 400 USS guided trans rectal prostate biopsy using cognitive fusion. Mr. Vikram Sharma is a senior Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery registrar (ST8) on the Pan-Thames Plastic Surgery Programme (London Deanery), currently based at The Royal Free Hospital. His specialist interests include Craniofacial, Facial Palsy, and Head and Neck Surgery. Working alongside Consultant colleagues, he provides reconstructive plastic surgery for patients affected by skin cancer, trauma, sternal wound infections, and breast surgery. His research into craniofacial malformations led him to the University of Oxford, where he identified a novel disease gene in collaboration with the Clinical Genetics Group at The Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine. This groundbreaking work was published in *Nature Genetics* and *The Lancet*, secured national and international awards, attracted research grants totaling approximately £170,000, and resulted in the rapid development of a national gene test at Oxford and Great Ormond Street Hospital. He was awarded a DPhil (PhD) by the University of Oxford before resuming his surgical training.

Mr Vikram Sharma

Following a highly competitive international selection process, Mr. Sharma will return to Great Ormond Street Hospital this summer as their Craniofacial Fellow. He has also been a senior member of the Executive Committee of PLASTA UK, the world’s largest plastic surgery residents' association with over 3,000 members, serving as Vice President, General Secretary, and International Representative. Mr. Sharma has authored 15 scientific publications and presented his work at international conferences in Istanbul, Paris, Hamburg, San Diego, Boston, and Dubai. He has also published a book on Plastic Surgery Trauma, providing a structured approach to managing injuries of the hand, lower limb, burns, face, and severe soft tissue infections. His contributions extend to international collaborations with senior plastic surgeons and society presidents in the UK, USA, and beyond, including work with ICOPLAST. His dedication to clinical safety, quality, informatics, and leadership earned him a PGCert from Harvard Medical School in 2021 while actively working through the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, he has hosted multiple national and international webinars, attracting hundreds of attendees, on topics such as body contouring, cleft palate, nasal reconstruction, skin cancer, and chronic hand conditions.

Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon currently working in the NHS and in Private Practice (TheKids BoneDoc); Studied Medicine at UCL.

Mr Pranai Buddhdev

Orthopaedic Registrar & NIHR Academic Fellow, University Hospital Coventry; Studied Medicine at Edinburgh.

Dr Henry Searle

Clinical Director for Urological & Vascular Surgery, East Suffolk & North Essex Foundation Trust; Studied Medicine at UCL.

Dr Soumendra Datta

Consultant Colorectal & General Surgeon

Salman is currently Clinical Lead in the Department of Surgery at the Whittington Hospital in North London, where he also heads the inflammatory bowel disease service. He holds an honorary contract at University College Hospital where he undertakes colorectal cancer surgery. Salman has a passion for surgical education and during his junior career spent time as a Teaching Fellow at Imperial College. He is currently a tutor and examiner for undergraduate students at UCL medical school and runs an annual ‘Introduction to Medicine’ shadowing programme at his NHS Trust for prospective medical students. After leaving MTS, Salman attended Imperial College School of Medicine before completing his higher surgical training in the London North East Thames Deanery.

Mr Salman Rana

Speciality Registrar & Clinical Research Fellow, NHS; Studied Medicine at Imperial.

Dr Nikhil Patel

Consultant Upper GI Surgeon; Best-selling author 'Grow your Private Practice FAST!' Keynote speaker, business adviser and mentor to Consultants, GPs & Psychologists in Private Practice.

Dr Dev Lall

Current OMT medical students/early careers

I left MTS in 2023, having done Maths, Biology and Chemistry at A-level, and am currently a second year medical student at Jesus College, Oxford. Our course is largely pre-clinical at this stage, but as of now I’m most interested in orthopaedics and neurosurgery as potential specialties.

Seraj Ali

James is a Foundation Year 1 Doctor at Watford General Hospital. After finishing his studies at Merchant Taylors' in 2018, he went to University College London where he completed his medical degree, with an intercalated BSc in Physiology. He has a keen interest in pre-hospital medicine and led the programme at UCL alongside his volunteering for both London and East of England Ambulance Services.

Dr James Holt

I am a first year medical student at UCLMS with current interests in Cardiothoracic Surgery. This year I am fortunate to be part of the UCL Surgical Society Committee as well as the Cardiology Subcommittee. Whilst also enjoying my medical studies I have continued my interests in Art, Drama and Rowing at university. Balancing my preclinical years with work as a HCA at the Royal Free Hospital has been extremely rewarding. I hope to continue with equal enthusiasm for the next 6 years!

Yuvraj Juttla

I joined Merchant Taylors’ School in September 2015, and left as a monitor in 2022. I am a current 3rd year medical student, studying at University College London (UCL). I have completed my preclinical studies, and am currently pursuing an Intercalated Degree in Cardiovascular Sciences. In addition this, I recently won the Wolfson Foundation Scholarship to fund my dissertation research, where I am exploring the effects of the Novel Drug, UCL-TRO-1938, on various cardiac cell types. I have a special interest within the field of Cardiology, in addition to understanding the effect Artificial Intelligence has on the future of medicine!

Abhinav Kandala

Aathavan left MTS in 2022 and is currently studying Medicine at Birmingham.

Aathavan Viyaijen

Ethan is currently a second-year medical student at Bristol University. He was awarded the Vice-Chancellor’s Music Scholarship last year by the university. He has previously been part of Guildhall Youth Drama Conservatoire and the National Youth Theatre. He credits the confidence and communication skills built during this training in helping secure offers from all the medical schools at which he was interviewed. After GCSEs, he did 18 months of fortnightly voluntary work at Watford Hospital as part of their pandemic response. He has also worked on climate change, youth health and epilepsy advocacy projects, which have won national awards. He has co-authored a poster presentation accepted for one national conference, and his EPQ on snakebites which he completed at MTS has been accepted for an oral presentation at a second national conference this year. Rizwan is a clinical academic in training at the London Hospital and the Blizard Institute. After completing his pre-clinical years at Barts and The London School of Medicine, he pursued an MB PhD (intercalated PhD) within Silvia Marino’s lab, based at Barts Health, QMUL, and the Queen Square Institute for Neurology. involved in glioblastoma formation and treatment resistance. His research utilizes molecular and computational biology techniques, working with 3D brain organoids and experimental mouse models to investigate clinically relevant questions. Rizwan is happy to chat about life at medical school, intercalation, research opportunities during and after medical school, and the role of clinical academia in bridging science and medicine. Now in the first year of his PhD, Rizwan focuses on the epigenetic dysregulation

Ethan Williams

Rizwan Hameed

Merchant Taylors’ School, Sandy Lodge, Northwood, Middlesex HA6 2HT

www.mtsn.org.uk