Bristol Medical School Lecturer Honored with Coveted Teaching Award
University of Bristol lecturer Dr Jo Hartland (they/them) has been named a National Teaching Fellow (NTF), the most prestigious award for teaching in UK higher education.
The NTF scheme recognises individuals who have made an outstanding impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession, and Dr Hartland has been recognised for their groundbreaking work in healthcare education.
A Senior Lecturer and Deputy Education Director at Bristol Medical School, Dr Hartland’s teaching focuses on the causes of health inequity, bias in healthcare, and ensuring the inclusion of marginalised people in the health curriculum.
Outside of their work at the University of Bristol, Dr Hartland sits on the Executive Board of the Medical Schools Council EDI Alliance, writes a BMJ Leader Blog, and external to their Bristol work is a lead author of The Association of LGBTQ+ Doctors and Dentists (GLADD) Medical School Charter on LGBTQ+ Conversion Therapy.
Commenting on the award, Dr Hartland said: “I have spent a lot of my career feeling a little like I sit on the periphery of what is accepted as ‘academic’ within academia. This is a lovely recognition that education focused on the needs of those most marginalized can be celebrated, and not just demonised.”
The successful award application focused on the benefits of co-producing teaching with others. “Without the students and communities I have worked with this would never have happened. I hope it inspires others to consider whose stories and knowledges are still being excluded in education.”
Dr Hartland said one of the key pieces of advice for educators is compassion. “Being transparent, honest and vulnerable in the classroom will always have a lasting impact.”
At 37, Dr Hartland is one of the younger recipients of the NTF, and says this may reflect the disruptive nature of their work. “Some people might think it is very early in my career to get such an award. I think this is down to high risk and high reward. My work is deliberately disruptive and the impact can be very large if it is successful. However, whilst I am proud of the work it’s important to note it comes with a high personal cost. It’s emotional work, and I have received threats over it.”
Reflecting on highlights from their teaching career to date, Dr Hartland said that their proudest moments are when a student tells them their work or visibility makes them feel they have a safer place in medicine. “Whether that is recognising their communities in what we teach, or as simple as seeing a queer disabled person in the faculty being open, successful and joyous – it means a huge amount for me to be that person for them,” Dr Hartland said.
Professor Tansy Jessop, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education and Students at the University of Bristol, said: “It is brilliant to see Dr Hartland’s inclusive and innovative teaching being recognised with this honour. Jo’s work reflects a personal commitment to being open and vulnerable, which has had a significant positive impact on the students they teach.
“The University of Bristol is held in high regard for the standard of its academic teaching, and it is a fantastic reflection of this for a member of staff to be named as a National Teaching Fellow.”