Dr Alun Hughes
Associate Dean Curriculum (Science)
Senior Lecturer
Biography
Alun is a Senior Lecturer in School of Medicine in St Andrews where he delivers teaching on physiology and pharmacology and is also a member of the School's dedicated Medical Support Team. He is also currently the Associate Dean (Curriculum) for the Faculties of Science and Medicine. Alun is a also is a member of the Board of Trustees for Medical Research Scotland.
Alun joined the University of St Andrews in 2011, and since then has held a variety of teaching management roles within the School: Prior to being Head of the Education Division, he held the role of Director of Teaching and worked extensively with colleagues as the University of Dundee on the curricular and regulatory development of Scotland's first Graduate Entry Medical programe (ScotGEM). He also led on the School's teaching response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He has also been the first-year, first-semester Module Controller for the BSc (Hons) Medicine programme, through which he supported over a decade's worth of students transition to University and welcomed them to medicine.
At his previous institute in Aberdeen, Alun was a researcher in pharmacology and predominately worked on "new tricks for old drugs", such as the chempreventative effects of aspirin or the anabolic effects of statins on bone. He was extensively involved in public engagement, including supporting the local Young Person's Group for the Medicine for Childrens Research Network by delivering interactive workshops on the development and testing of medicines in children.
Teaching
Teaching in physiology and pharmacology
Synchronous and asynchronous lecture delivery
Small group teaching / workshops / practical teaching
Dissertation supervision (critical reviews)
Personal tutor
Portfolio reviewer
Pastoral support / academic and regulatory guidance
Curriculum management / development
Recognition of Trainers (GMC)
Research areas
Since joining the School of Medicine, Alun has transitioned his research interests from benchside to education. His reasearch interests are around the use of technology to adapt teaching both reactively (e.g. in response to the COVID pandemic) and pro-actively (e.g. the use of technology-enhanced learning to augment student learning). He has also interested in the management of risk in educational environments associated with technology use (e.g. incidental findings during practical sessions using ultrasound).
Alun is one of the principal investigators on the Community Orientated Simulation (ComSIM) research programme, which focusses on the enhancement of community based education via the use of extended reality (XR) and artificial intelligence (AI).
As Head of the Education Division, Alun leads on the School's education-related research strategy and priorities.
Selected publications
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An AI-powered patient simulator (SimPatient) for communication skills education – safety-informed design and randomised controlled trial
O'Malley, A., Duggal, S., Murad, S., Wang, X. & Hughes, A., Aug 2026.Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract › peer-review
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Open access
Generative AI-integrated virtual agents and simulations in health professions education: a systematic review
Wang, X., O'Malley, A., Hughes, A. & Khalid, M. S., 18 Jun 2026, In: Education Sciences. 16, 6, 21 p., 973.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
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Using Virtual Reality to Support Community-Based Medical Education: A Mixed Methods Study
Wang, X., O'Carroll, V., Walmsley, R., Gordon, I., Barclay, G. & Hughes, A., Jan 2026, (Unpublished).Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract › peer-review
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Open access
Virtual reality as a complementary tool in community-based medical education
O'Carroll, V., Wang, X., Walmsley, R., Barclay, G., Gordon, I. & Hughes, A., 26 Jun 2026, p. 199-200. 2 p.Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract
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Enhancing undergraduate clinical communication teaching and learning through AI simulation
Duggal, S., Hughes, A., O'Malley, A. S., Wang, X., Murad , S., Zachariou, M. & Gordon, I., 14 Apr 2025, UK Council of Clinical Communications conference (UKCCC 2025).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution
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Open access
Evaluating the educational impact of an AI-powered totipotent interactive patient simulator (SimPatient)
O'Malley, A., Duggal, S., Gordon, I., Hughes, A., Murad , S. & Wang, X., 12 Oct 2025, p. 1-11. 11 p.Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract
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Improving clinical communication education for medical undergraduates using AI simulation: development and evaluation of Totipotent Interactive Patient Simulation (TIPS)
Duggal, S., O'Malley, A., Wang, X., Zachariou, M. & Hughes, A., 15 Dec 2025.Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster
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SimPatient - High-fidelity AI patient simulation platform using hyper realistic behavioral modeling for scalable medical education
Murad , S., Wang, X., Duggal, S., Gordon, I., Hughes, A. & O'Malley, A., 23 Oct 2025, p. 1-1. 1 p.Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster
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Using virtual reality to support community based medical education
Wang, X., O'Carroll, V., Walmsley, R., Gordon, I., Barclay, G. & Hughes, A., 23 Oct 2025, (Unpublished).Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract
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Virtual reality or virtual unreality? Medical educators’ perspectives of the feasibility and potential of virtual reality in community-based medical education.
O'Carroll, V., Walmsley, R., Wang, X., Barclay, G., Gordon, I., Strachan, S. J. A., Dhasmana, D. J., Nisbet, E., Illes, J., Duggal, S., Cezayirli, I. S., Hornal, J. & Hughes, A., 5 Mar 2025, (Unpublished).Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review