University provided perfect balance between work and study

The University of Dundee’s dedication to staff development has been invaluable to Dr Helen Donald-Simpson, who is graduating with a PhD in Medicine in June 2024.

Dr Donald-Simpson has successfully combined her career in nursing with academic achievements. She graduated from the University of Dundee as a Nurse in 2008 and has maintained her professional registration since then.

Continuing to build on her career and broaden her skills, Dr Donald-Simpson progressed to become an NHS Tayside Staff Nurse and then moved on to join the University’s Clinical Research Centre as a Clinical Research Nurse, co-ordinating clinical studies.

She said, “The experience gained as a Research Nurse was invaluable in my role in pre-clinical translational research as a Research Assistant. This then set me on a pathway to starting my PhD and I am delighted to have achieved that goal, with the support of colleagues and academic supervisors.”

Dr Donald-Simpson took the pathway to studying for a PhD part time and seven years on she will be receiving her Doctorate at the Caird Hall in Dundee on 21 June.

She has now become the first employee to achieve a Doctorate at the School of Medicine’s Tayside Innovation MedTech Ecosystem (TIME), where she works as the MedTech Manager.

Dr Donald-Simpson explained how her professional interests combined with her academic ambitions.

She said, “The University provided a unique opportunity to conduct research on Thiel-embalmed cadavers in collaboration with the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (CAHID). By integrating this research with advanced imaging techniques, we have been able to provide unparalleled medical device development and training.

This research contributed to the establishment of the Image Guided Therapy Research Facility in the TIME hub, where she now works.

Dr Donald-Simpson said, “My doctorate details the development of adding functions like simulated blood flow to the Thiel cadaveric model using a process called perfusion. This expands their usage to allow clinical imaging such as CT scans.

“The methods developed during my PhD have gone on to support training in NHS Tayside to deliver the stroke thrombectomy service, providing local patients with the most effective treatment for stroke currently available.”

Reflecting on her career and achievements, Dr Donald-Simpson offered some advice to anyone considering combining work with study in a university setting.

She said, “The University of Dundee has such brilliant people who have been so supportive and encouraging throughout my studies. I would urge anyone considering this option to look at what the University has to offer.”