Maxillofacial surgery Trainees Research Collaborative (MTReC)
A trainee led collaborative delivering high quality clinically relevant research in Oral and Maxillofacial surgery
MTReC is a group of trainees at all levels who are interested and enthusiastic about designing, carrying out and presenting high quality collaborative research. The group provides a trainee led network to support research, undertake collaborative audit and research, disseminate findings in high quality peer reviewed journals and meetings and foster the concept of data sharing and collaboration in the specialty. By working together and sharing data we are able to produce high quality research on topics which are relevant to trainees. Collaborative research groups exist in all surgical specialties, and use the concept of working collaboratively on projects to create large multicentre audits and trials.
The MTReC collaborative includes trainees of all grades, from first degree to final year registrars, and elections for new committee positions are held annually. There are also project specific roles for each of the current projects, and consultant advisors with expertise in particular projects.
Applications for new MTReC projects can be made by any trainee. Only trainees may propose projects and only original research ideas will be considered. Applications will be opened periodically, where capacity and succession planning allow. Applications will be considered by the committee at a General Meeting, and all applications will receive feedback on their submission, regardless the outcome.
Committee:
Sam Kent
Chairperson
I am currently an ST in South Wales, having previously having worked in Aberdeen and London. I have been involved with MTReC since its first project, when I was a second degree student, and also as an SHO and now registrar. I firmly believe that trainee collaborative research has the power to inform and change our clinical practice and improve patient care. Involving as many trainees as possible in meaningful research, especially those that don’t see themselves as academics, can help build a solid academic future for our specialty in the UK.
Alastair Henry
Committee
I'm a ST3 in South Wales. I studied dentistry in Sheffield and Medicine in Cardiff. I've been involved with MTReC for 3 years; first as a Regional Lead and now as a committee member and website admin. I became involved as I believe strongly in being able to back up treatment choices with sound evidence. I look forward to seeing MTReC help fulfill this.
Basim Dawoud
Committee
I am currently an ST1 in OMFS based in Manchester having completed Academic Foundation in Leeds. As a founding member of MTReC I firmly believe collaborative research will drive our speciality forward and generate a new era of learning and understanding.
Becks Exley
Committee
Hello, I’m Becks and I’m pleased to be joining the MTReC committee. I’m a dually-qualified junior trainee currently based in London. I look forward to working collaboratively with other enthusiastic trainees across the UK. I hope the new team will to continue to emulate previous successes, and strive to add to the OMFS knowledge base through high quality clinical research.
Anusha Hennedige
Committee
I am an ST5 in the Northwest Deanery. I completed medicine at Edinburgh University in 2005 and graduated from Aberdeen Dental Institute in 2014. I have an interest in orthognathic, craniofacial and aesthetic surgery. Academically, I am involved in medical education and take a particular interest in promoting maxillofacial surgery and women in surgery. Socially, I love spending time with my 2 boys, baking and travelling.
Raghav Kulkarni
Committee
I am a Specialist Trainee in the East of England. I discovered OMFS in the latter portion of my Core Surgical Training. From here I proceeded to undertake a year as a Research Clinical Fellow in OMFS/Head and Neck Cancer Surgery. This allowed me to pursue my interest in both OMFS and research. After a successful year, I progressed to complete my DPMG BDS course at King's College London. Here I continued to work and contribute to research with my team, led by a very supportive supervisor. I assisted with the set up of MTReC by researching trainee collaborative groups and facilitated to set up its first projects. I endeavor to continue as a core member of the team and set up/lead projects in the future.
Alasdair Regan
Committee
I’m currently studying Medicine as a second degree at Glasgow University, having completed Dentistry - also at Glasgow - in 2014. My OMFS experience has been in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh. I became involved with MTReC after proposing a study into Facial Feminisation Surgery for transgender women for which I am the project lead. I’m really excited by the potential for MTReC to undertake unique research in order to address the gaps in literature within our specialty.
Alan Geddes
Committee
I am currently an ST in Glasgow having previously worked in South Wales and completed undergraduate training in Dundee. Twenty twenty marks the first year that I have been involved with MTREC and I am excited to have helped in executing the MANTRA project. I think that it is very important in our comparatively small speciality of Maxillofacial to support each other's work, combine our efforts and experiences in order to see a bigger picture. That's what collaborative research is all about. Socially I enjoy cycling and spending time with my son.
Christopher Blore
General Secretary
I'm a specialty trainee in the West Midlands, having studied Dentistry in Sheffield and Medicine in Birmingham. I have previously worked with research collaboratives as a medical student and during junior surgical training. I firmly believe that a trainee collaborative is the most powerful way to generate meaningful data and I want to help make that happen.
Dee Kumar
Social Media Rep
I am currently a second-degree student at Liverpool with previous training in South Yorkshire and Scotland. I'm thrilled to be joining the team and look forward to working with colleagues across the country to further widen MTReC's research network through my role. OMFS is a dynamic specialty attracting individuals with a variety of skillsets whether they be clinical, academic or otherwise: it is exciting to see how our individual strengths can be blended to bring about meaningful evidenced based improvements to patient care.
Chris Jefferies
Webmaster
I have just finished foundation training and am working as a clinical fellow in OMFS for the department in Leeds. I studied dentistry at Leeds University and medicine at HYMS. I became interested in MTReC through hearing of the exciting work that has been undertaken and the unique nature of it's collaborative approach. I hope to help in my role as webmaster, aiding where I can in the advancement of our projects.