51cg

People

Dr Kim Walker

Dr Kim Walker
Dr Kim Walker
Dr Kim Walker

Senior Lecturer

51cg
Email Address
kim.walker@abdn.ac.uk
Telephone Number
+44 (0)1224 437920
School/Department
School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition



Biography

Dr Kim Walker was appointed in 2019 as the 1st Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Health Education Research and Innovation (CHERI) to lead on faculty development and the delivery of pedagogic research.  She has been involved in research for over 30 years, with significant experience in qualitative and quantitative data including big data and population studies.  Her main areas of research are career choice and decision making, impact of generational issues, faculty development and doctors wellbeing.   More recently she has been appointed as the research lead for physician associates.  Kim has pioneered the use of novel methods of presenting and disseminating research output to ensure maximum effect and to reach out to new and diverse audiences whilst creating high impact academic articles.

Dr Kim Walker is an Aberdeen graduate who had an established research career in clinical pharmacology and human physiology before progressing to management roles.  In 2001, Kim started employment in NHS Education for Scotland (NES) where she was the Education Director and Scotland Foundation School Director. This involved a broad portfolio of work including management of ACT funds, quality management and research and representing NES on the  Project Board.  Kim was seconded on a part-time basis to the , the body which oversees the two years of postgraduate medical training following medical school, as Special Advisor and represented UKFPO on the UKMED Research Group and Project Board. She left these roles in 2018.  

 

 

Qualifications

  • BSc (Hons) Pharmacology 
    1981 - 51cg 
  • PhD Clinical Pharmacology 
    1985 - 51cg 
  • Certificate Professional Management 
    2003 - The Open University 
    Awarded a NHS Bursary to complete this course

External Memberships

In 2018, Kim was appointed Director of Journals on the Association for Study of Medical Education (ASME) Board.  In 2019, Kim was appointed Director of Publications on the ASME Board.  She has responsibility for the Journals, Medical Education and The Clinical Teacher together with the text books Understanding Medical Education and Researching Medical Education.

 

Kim has been an Educational Associate with the GMC for over 6 years particularly in Quality Management.

Latest Publications

  • Correction to: Expert consensus on best content of a robotic surgical curriculum: a systematic review (Journal of Robotic Surgery, (2025), 19, 1, (721), 10.1007/s11701-025-02893-2)

    Kieslich, A. K., Jardine, R., Ibrahim, H., Calvert, A., Walker, K. G., Walker, K. A., Watson, A. J.
    Journal of robotic surgery, vol. 20, no. 1, 261
    Contributions to Journals: Comments and Debates
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [ONLINE]

  • The erosion of justice and the moral necessity of professional dissent

    Johnston, P., Walker, K. A.
    Medical Teacher
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Development, integration, retention, and career progression of physician associates/assistants in UK NHS hospitals and clinical teams: a multiple-case qualitative study

    Zhao, Y., Swainston, R., Tooman, T., Walker, K. A., Williams, R., McGivern, G., Wong, G., English, M., Leckcivilize, A., Nagraj, S., Bakker, E. Y., Bascombe, K. S., Carey, M., Dliso, S., Gray, J. T., Harrison, K., Hill, E., Li, M. K. L., Louis, C., Rutt-Howard, J. F., Watkins, J., The ROADMAP-PA collaborator group
    BMC Medicine, vol. 24, 276
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • A systematic review of comprehensive Robotic-assisted surgical (RAS) curricula

    Kieslich, A., Jardine, R., Ibrahim, H., Calvert, A., Walker, K., Walker, K. A., Watson, A. J. M.
    Journal of robotic surgery, vol. 20, 130
    Contributions to Journals: Review articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Developing and integrating physician assistants/associates in UK hospital teams: a realist review of lessons from international experiences

    Zhao, Y., Nagraj, S., Swainston, R., McGivern, G., Tooman, T., Walker, K. A., Leckcivilize, A., English, M., Wong, G.
    BMC medicine , vol. 23, 707
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]
    • [ONLINE]

View My Publications

Prizes and Awards

2017 - Scholarship Award - NHS Education for Scotland

2022 - Research in Medical Education - NHS Education for Scotland

2023 - President's Medal - Association for the Study of Medical Education

Research

Research Overview

Kim's main research interests are related to selection and assessment and career decision making in both undergraduates and postgraduates, especially the early years.  More recently, Kim has developed an interest in training for the future generations and how learning and teaching needs to adapt to each the new generation who have different learning styles and values.  More recently she has been investigating doctors wellbeing especially during Covid-19 pandemic.

Kim has experience of both quantitative and qualitative research and has supervised honours students as well as Ph.D students.

Research Areas

Education

  • Supervising
View Research Area

Biomedical Sciences

  • Supervising
View Research Area

Current Research

CSO Covid 19 rapid research study - To develop evidence-based interventions to support doctors’ well-being and promote resilience during COVID-19 related transitions (and beyond).

 

UKMED study - "Investigating associations of post-graduate examination performance with socio-demographic characteristics, performance at medical school, medical school, SJT, and foundation school: a focus on first stage examinations of MRCP, MRCGP and MRCPsych."

 

Royal College of Surgeons -  "The ‘Improving Surgical Training’ pilot: A mixed methods comparative evaluation of the Scottish experience."

 

SMERC - "Enhancing the quality and safety of care through training generalist doctors: a longitudinal, mixed-methods study of broad-based training programmes in Scotland and Northern Ireland. "

 

SMERC - "An activity theory exploration of faculty development in three Scottish Medical Schools"

 

Research Fellowship: - Training for future generations

 

Collaborations

NHS Education for Scotland

University of Edinburgh

UKMED

Royal college of Surgeons

NHS Grampian

 

All medical schools in Scotland - Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, St Andrews 

Teaching

Teaching Responsibilities

Kim teaches on the postgraduate Clinical Education courses and is the main examiner for the M.Sc. dissertations.

Kim has recently co-edited and published the book "Starting Research in Clinical Education" which is a key text for new researchers especially those undertaking an intercalated degree or a postgraduate qualification.

Publications

Page 1 of 2 Results 1 to 50 of 85

  • Correction to: Expert consensus on best content of a robotic surgical curriculum: a systematic review (Journal of Robotic Surgery, (2025), 19, 1, (721), 10.1007/s11701-025-02893-2)

    Kieslich, A. K., Jardine, R., Ibrahim, H., Calvert, A., Walker, K. G., Walker, K. A., Watson, A. J.
    Journal of robotic surgery, vol. 20, no. 1, 261
    Contributions to Journals: Comments and Debates
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [ONLINE]

  • The erosion of justice and the moral necessity of professional dissent

    Johnston, P., Walker, K. A.
    Medical Teacher
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Development, integration, retention, and career progression of physician associates/assistants in UK NHS hospitals and clinical teams: a multiple-case qualitative study

    Zhao, Y., Swainston, R., Tooman, T., Walker, K. A., Williams, R., McGivern, G., Wong, G., English, M., Leckcivilize, A., Nagraj, S., Bakker, E. Y., Bascombe, K. S., Carey, M., Dliso, S., Gray, J. T., Harrison, K., Hill, E., Li, M. K. L., Louis, C., Rutt-Howard, J. F., Watkins, J., The ROADMAP-PA collaborator group
    BMC Medicine, vol. 24, 276
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • A systematic review of comprehensive Robotic-assisted surgical (RAS) curricula

    Kieslich, A., Jardine, R., Ibrahim, H., Calvert, A., Walker, K., Walker, K. A., Watson, A. J. M.
    Journal of robotic surgery, vol. 20, 130
    Contributions to Journals: Review articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Developing and integrating physician assistants/associates in UK hospital teams: a realist review of lessons from international experiences

    Zhao, Y., Nagraj, S., Swainston, R., McGivern, G., Tooman, T., Walker, K. A., Leckcivilize, A., English, M., Wong, G.
    BMC medicine , vol. 23, 707
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]
    • [ONLINE]

  • Clinician-educators; how do we engage the non-engagers?

    Nedelea, F., Walker, K. A.
    ASME Annual Scholarship Meeting 2025, e70267
    Contributions to Journals: Abstracts
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • It is those little basic things for people which make a big difference: how can we make this happen

    Johnston, P. W., Walker, K. A., Pope, L., Ferguson, E.
    ASME Annual Scholarship Meeting 2025, e70265
    Contributions to Journals: Abstracts
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Physician Associates: the future, navigating opportunities and a way forward

    Walker, K. A., Fraser, F., Allan, L.
    ASME Annual Scholarship Meeting 2025, e70266
    Contributions to Journals: Abstracts
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Expert consensus on best content of a robotic surgical curriculum: a systematic review

    Kieslich, A., Jardine, R., Ibrahim, H., Calvert, A., Walker, K., Walker, K. A., Watson, A. J. M.
    Journal of robotic surgery, vol. 19, 721
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Burnout, wellbeing and resilience of healthcare workers in the post-COVID world

    Malik, M. (ed.), Walker, K. A. (ed.), Weeks, K. (ed.), Bafna, T., Choudhury, M.
    Frontiers Media SA, Lausanne. 198 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Editorial: Burnout, Wellbeing and Resilience of Healthcare Workers in the Post-Covid World.

    Malik, M., Weeks, K., Bafna, T., Choudhury, M., Walker, K. A.
    Frontiers in Medicine, vol. 12, 1679590
    Contributions to Journals: Editorials
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Personalised Continuing Professional Development of Healthcare Professionals: a scoping review

    Nedelea, F., Walker, K. A.
    AMEE 2025
    Contributions to Conferences: Posters

  • Investigating discrepancies in perceptions regarding the provision of hospital rest and relaxation spaces in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: a qualitative study.

    Walker, K. A., Cunningham, K. B., Ferguson, J., Gibson Smith, K., Scanlan, G., Cecil, J. E., Gordon, L. J., Laidlaw, A., Pope, L. M., Johnston, P. W., Aitken, G.
    BMJ Open, vol. 15, no. 8, e096154
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • "I'd keep going until somebody said no and nobody ever said no": exploring identity strengths amongst medical students from widening participation backgrounds

    Gibson Smith, K., Cleland, J., Walker, K. A., Lumsden, C., Laidlaw, A.
    Frontiers in Medicine, vol. 12, 1530738
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Surviving and Thriving in Medicine: Developing Theory-Based Interventions for Students From Widening Access Backgrounds

    Gibson Smith, K., Ferguson, E., Gouveia, K., Walker, K. A., Poobalan, A., Laidlaw, A.
    The Clinical Teacher, vol. 22, no. 3, e70076
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Enabling and inhibiting doctors transitions: introducing the social identity resource and belonginess model (SIRB)

    Scanlan, G., Gordon, L. J., Walker, K., Pope, L.
    Advances in Health Sciences Education, vol. 30, pp. 475-496
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]
    • [ONLINE]
    • [ONLINE]

  • Rapid Response: Re: Physician associates and anaesthetic associates in UK: rapid systematic review of recent UK based research

    Nagraj, S., Wong, G., Tooman, T., Walker, K. A., McGivern, G., Zhao, Y., Rhys, S., Leckcivilize, A., English, M.
    BMJ, vol. 388, pp. e084613
    Contributions to Journals: Comments and Debates
    • [ONLINE]

  • Big data analysis: examination of the relationship between candidates’ sociodemographic characteristics and performance in the UK’s Membership of the Royal College of Physicians Part 1 examination

    Johnston, P., Vieira, R., Cameron, I., Kumwenda, B., Walker, K., Cleland, J.
    Advances in Health Sciences Education, vol. 30, pp. 53-68
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]
    • [ONLINE]

  • Staying in and getting on:: Developing strategies to support widening access students in their medical studies.

    Gouveia, K., Ferguson, E., Laidlaw, A., Poobalan, A., Lumsden, C., Walker, K., Gibson Smith, K.
    The Clinical Teacher, vol. 21, no. S2, pp. 50
    Contributions to Journals: Abstracts
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Staying and getting on:: Developing strategies to support widening access students in their medical studies

    Gouveia, K., Ferguson, E., Laidlaw, A., Poobalan, A., Lumsden, C., Walker, K., Gibson Smith, K.
    Contributions to Conferences: Papers

  • The power of animation: encouraging doctors to access support for psychological wellbeing

    Tooman, T. R., Wakeling, J., Cunningham, K. B., Gibson Smith, K., Walker, K., Cecil, J. E., Laidlaw, A.
    BMC Psychology, vol. 12, pp. 1-12
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE]
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Heard, valued, supported? Exploring the relationship between evidence and the policy on workforce learning

    Pope, L., Johnston, P., Walker, K., Laidlaw, A.
    The Clinical Teacher, vol. 21, no. S2, e13812
    Contributions to Journals: Abstracts
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Starting Research in Clinical Education

    Rees, E., Ledger, A., Walker, K.
    Wiley-Blackwell, UK. 296 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
    • [ONLINE]

  • Social identity resources can enable or inhibit transitions into the medical community: A qualitative study

    Scanlan, G., Gordon, L., Walker, K., Pope, L.
    ASME ASM 2023 - Developing a diverse workforce, pp. 57
    Contributions to Journals: Abstracts
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [ONLINE]

  • Creating an ecosystem for learning: the case for integrating new training developments with existing processes

    Walker, K. A., Nedelea, F.
    7th International Association for Health Professions Education's Post
    Contributions to Conferences: Posters

  • Integrating simulation into surgical training: a qualitative case study of a national programme

    Shah, A., Cleland, J., Hawick, L., Walker, K., Walker, K. G.
    Advances in Simulation, vol. 8, 20
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Context matters in curriculum reform: an analysis of change in surgical training

    Shah, A., Walker, K., Walker, K., Cleland, J.
    Medical Education, vol. 57, no. 8, pp. 741-752
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Scratching beneath the surface: how organisational culture influences curricular reform

    Shah, A., Walker, K., Hawick, L., Walker, K. G., Cleland, J.
    Medical Education, vol. 57, no. 7, pp. 668-678
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • ‘Here I am five years later…’: conceptualising the barriers faced by widening access students

    Gibson Smith, K., Lumsden, C., Walker, K.
    Contributions to Conferences: Oral Presentations

  • It's making me think outside the box at times: a qualitative study of dynamic capabilities in surgical training.

    Shah, A., Walker, K., Walker, K. G., Hawick, L., Cleland, J.
    Advances in Health Sciences Education, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 499-518
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]
    • [ONLINE]

  • Rest and relaxation spaces: Accessibility and availability for wellbeing of doctors

    Walker, K., Aitken, G., Cunningham, K. B., Gibson Smith, K., Scanlan, G., Cecil, J., Gordon, L.
    Contributions to Journals: Conference Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Scotland's improving surgical training (IST) pilot: a tale of two cultural webs

    Shah, A., Hawick, L., Walker, K., Walker, K., Cleland, J.
    International Conference on Surgical Education and Training (ICOSET) 2022, pp. 117
    Contributions to Journals: Abstracts
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [ONLINE]

  • Rest & Relaxation Spaces: Accessibility and availability for the wellbeing of doctors

    Walker, K. A., Aitken, G., Cunningham, K. B., Gibson Smith, K., Scanlan, G., Gordon, L. J.
    Contributions to Conferences: Papers

  • Scotland's Improving Surgical Training (IST) pilot: a tale of two cultural webs

    Shah, A., Walker, K., Hawick, L., Walker, K., Cleland, J.
    International Conference on Surgical Education and Training (ICOSET) 2022
    Contributions to Conferences: Posters
    • [OPEN ACCESS]
    • [ONLINE]

  • Heard, valued, supported?: Doctors' wellbeing during transitions triggered by COVID-19

    Gordon, L., Scanlan, G. M., Tooman, T. R., Walker, K. A., Cairns, P., Ferguson, J., Aitken, G., Cecil, J., Cunningham, K. B., Smith, K. G., Johnston, P. W., Laidlaw, A., Pope, L. M., Wakeling, J.
    Medical Education, vol. 56, no. 5, pp. 516-526
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]
    • [ONLINE]
    • [ONLINE]

  • Supporting doctors' well-being and resilience during COVID-19: A framework for rapid and rigorous intervention development

    Gibson Smith, K., Cunningham, K. B., Cecil, J., Laidlaw, A., Cairns, P., Scanlan, G., Tooman, T., Aitken, G., Ferguson, J., Gordon, L., Johnston, P., Pope, L., Wakeling, J., Walker, K.
    Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 236-251
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]
    • [ONLINE]

  • How can inhabited institutionalism inform the analysis of medical education

    Gulusaryan, A., Aitken, G., Fawns, T., Jones, D., Napier, J., Walker, K.
    Medical Education, vol. 55, no. 12, pp. 1363-1368
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Professionalism Disrupted

    Tooman, T., Laidlaw, A., Pope, L., Scanlan, G., Walker, K., Wakeling, J.
    ASME Annual Scholarship Meeting 2021, pp. 28
    Contributions to Journals: Abstracts
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Trusting judgements: A new approach to progression without the numeric scale

    Walker, K., Hayden, J., Melville, C.
    ASME Annual Scholarship Meeting 2021, pp. 8-10
    Contributions to Journals: Comments and Debates
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Navigating surgical training: A game of trust

    Shah, A., Walker, K., Hawick, L., Walker, K., Cleland, J.
    ASME Annual Scholarship Meeting 2021, pp. 28
    Contributions to Journals: Abstracts
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Navigating surgical training: a game of trust

    Shah, A., Walker, K., Hawick, L., Walker, K., Cleland, J.
    Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (ASGBI) Future Surgery conference 2021, znab361.027
    Contributions to Journals: Abstracts
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Interventions for the well-being of healthcare workers during a pandemic or other crisis: scoping review

    Cairns, P., Aitken, G., Pope, L., Cecil, J., Cunningham, K. B., Ferguson, J., Gibson Smith, K., Gordon, L., Johnston, P., Laidlaw, A., Scanlan, G., Tooman, T., Wakeling, J., Walker, K.
    BMJ Open, vol. 11, no. 8, e047498
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • What is being done to look after doctors during covid-19 and beyond?

    Johnston, P. W., Smith, K. G., Walker, K., Gordon, L., Scanlan, G., Aitken, G., Pope, L., Cairns, P., Cecil, J., Cunningham, K. B., Laidlaw, A., Tooman, T. R., Ferguson, J., Wakeling, J., SMERC Scottish Doctors’ Wellbeing Study
    BMJ Opinion
    Contributions to Journals: Comments and Debates
    • [ONLINE]
    • [ONLINE]

  • What is being done to look after doctors' wellbeing during Covid-19 and beyond

    Johnston, P., Walker, K.
    Non-textual Forms: Web Publications and Websites
    • [ONLINE]

  • Today's doctors: What do men and women value in a training post?

    Scanlan, G., Johnston, P., Walker, K., Skåtun, D., Cleland, J.
    Medical Education, vol. 54, no. 5, pp. 408-418
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [ONLINE]

  • Are there differences between those doctors who apply for a training post in Foundation Year 2 and those who take time out of the training pathway?: A UK multicohort study

    Cleland, J., Prescott, G., Walker, K., Johnston, P., Kumwenda, B.
    BMJ Open, vol. 9, no. 11, e032021
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]
    • [ONLINE]

  • Does initial postgraduate career intention and social demographics predict perceived career behaviour?: A national cross-sectional survey of UK postgraduate doctors

    Scanlan, G. M., Cleland, J., Stirling, S. A., Walker, K., Johnston, P.
    BMJ Open, vol. 9, no. 8, e026444
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]
    • [ONLINE]

  • Training for future generations

    Walker, K. A.
    British Journal of Hospital Medicine, vol. 80, no. 6, pp. 306-307
    Contributions to Journals: Editorials
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Relationship between sociodemographic factors and specialty destination of UK trainee doctors: A national cohort study

    Kumwenda, B., Cleland, J., Prescott, G., Walker, K., Johnston, P.
    BMJ Open, vol. 9, no. 3, e026961
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]
    • [ONLINE]
    • [ONLINE]

  • What factors are critical to attracting NHS foundation doctors into specialty or core training

    Walker, K. A., Scanlan, G., Johnston, P., Krucien, N., Skatun, D., Cleland, J.
    Asia Pacific Medical Education Conference
    Contributions to Conferences: Posters
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