Niamh Martin

Chair-elect, Public Engagement Committee

 Niamh’s clinical and research interests include pituitary disease, and she is the Chair of the Imperial Centre for Endocrinology Pituitary Multidisciplinary Service, based at Charing Cross Hospital, London. She leads endocrinology undergraduate education at Imperial College, which she loves.

What inspired you to specialise in endocrinology?

I always loved physiology as an undergraduate, for which endocrinology is a great platform. With hindsight, my intercalated BSc Physiology project focused on exocytosis in adrenal chromaffin cells, so the die was cast early on! More importantly, it was a person who inspired me most; I worked with Professor Karim Meeran in 1998 as his Senior House Officer at the Hammersmith Hospital, London. After that job, I never looked back.

What are you proudest of in your career, so far?

I have managed to keep my faith in the NHS and remain an optimist about its future, despite recent NHS pressures and sometimes negative press. I was involved in acute medicine throughout COVID lockdowns, and I witnessed how amazing all the NHS staff were in the face of such adversity. I felt very proud to be able to be part of that, even though it was often really hard.

What challenges face endocrinology and the Society?

At the last SfE BES meeting in Harrogate, I was really struck by how tired colleagues are from additional work due to the introduction of Advice and Guidance. This, of course, means clinicians have less time for other valuable activities, such as contributing to the Society for Endocrinology and research. I don’t have a solution for this, but I do worry about the implications.

What do you hope to achieve in your new role?

I am looking forward to finding exciting new ways to champion public engagement, particularly showcasing it at future SfE BES conferences.

Why is it good to get involved with Society governance?

I really enjoy meeting endocrinologists from all over the UK and Ireland, to explore how to promote endocrinology. I have met people whom I would never have known otherwise and, for me, that’s a huge bonus. It’s great to be able to explore different views and ideas as part of an endocrine community. I will also give a shout-out to the Society staff who are wonderful, and so make my governance roles really enjoyable.

What are your words of advice for aspiring endocrinologists?

I have had a wonderful time as an endocrinologist. I am continually challenged and learning more. There are also so many possibilities to subspecialise within endocrinology – I would really recommend it!

 

KATE WHITE

Nurse Committee Member

Kate is a Registered General Nurse with a background in acute and critical medicine, who has started an endocrine specialty.

She came into nursing as a second career and completed her degree as a clinical support worker.

What inspired you to specialise in endocrinology?

It’s funny, I remember when I was doing my degree, sitting in the human anatomy and physiology lessons looking at the endocrine system, thinking, ‘Wow that’s so complex, shelve that for a later date...’ A couple of years ago, I found out that I had an endocrine problem and realised that I had a massive gap in my knowledge. Being a proactive person, I thought that the best way to rectify that was to specialise in it!

What are you proudest of in your career, so far?

This is actually quite a difficult question, but I think it is taking the leap and doing my degree as a mature student. Having been out of academia for a very long time, and starting my degree as a single parent of two children in primary school, it was hard, very hard. But, I’m proud to say I achieved my degree with honours.

What challenges face endocrinology and the Society?

Speaking with colleagues, I think one of the big challenges is raising awareness of endocrine conditions and understanding its management in the hospital setting and in primary care. Ultimately, due to epidemiological factors, endocrine conditions will remain on the increase. The challenge will be for the Society to try and stay ahead of the curve regarding all aspects that feed in to this.

What do you hope to achieve on the Committee?

I would like to think I can help in raising awareness of endocrine conditions and their impact on the individual as a patient in a multitude of environments. I would also like to encourage sharing of information across different formats and platforms.

What inspired you to get involved with Society governance?

It was attending the Society for Endocrinology Nurse Update last year, and knew that I like to put myself in environments where I can learn and improve myself and my knowledge with people from different walks of life. What better way to be involved in governance than in an environment that provides this?

What is your advice to nurses who are considering specialising in endocrinology?

Just go for it. Once you have learnt something, you can take it with you and build on it, no matter what you do or where you go.