Key roles
Dean of Medicine and Head of School
Professor David Crossman
Professor Crossman is Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Head of the School of Medicine at the University of St Andrews.
He joined the university in 2014 after heading the medical school at UEA. Professor Crossman is active in clinical practice as an honorary consultant cardiologist at NHS Fife. He is Chair of the MRC/NIHR EME board (Translational medicine) and his research interest is in the pathological basis of myocardial infarction.
Full biography
- Email:
- medical.dean@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Phone:
- 01334 463597
Clinical Lead (BSc Honours Medicine)
Dr Rebecca Walmsley
Dr Rebecca Walmsley was appointed as the Clinical Lead for the BSc Honours Medicine programme in 2016 and the BSc Course Director in 2020. In the role of BSc Programme Director, she is responsible for overseeing the BSc Hons Medicine programme. Dr Walmsley graduated from the University of Nottingham with MBChB in 2002 and progressed to GP training on the Oxford VTS. In addition to her role at the university, Dr Walmsley is a GP in Fife.
Full biography
- Email:
- ram29@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Phone:
- 01334 463540
Deputy Head of School and Director of Admissions
Professor Lindsey Kent
Professor Kent is the Deputy Head of the Medical School and School Director of Admissions.
As Director of Admissions, she is responsible for overseeing the admissions process for the School of Medicine. Her research programme investigates the biological underpinnings of psychiatric disorders.
Full biography
- Email:
- lsk8@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Phone:
- 01334 463567
Director of Inclusion
Dr John Winpenny
Dr Winpenny is the School’s Director of Inclusion. He leads on School wide equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives and helps implement the University’s policies and initiatives as part of the Diverse strand of the University Strategic plan (2018-2023). He joined the School in 2020 as a Senior Lecturer (Education Focused). He is passionate about widening access to medicine - an important part of the Inclusion portfolio.
Full biography
- Email:
- jpw21@st.andrews.ac.uk
- Phone:
- 01334 463573
Director of Postgraduate Research Studies
Dr Morven Shearer
Dr Shearer is the School’s Director of Postgraduate Research Studies (DoPGR). She is responsible for managing the School’s PhD and research student cohort. Dr Shearer is a Senior Lecturer in the School, and her area of expertise is in medical ethics and healthcare policy. In addition to her role as DoPGR in the School, Dr Shearer is seconded (2020-2026) to the Office of the Principal as Director of the Graduate School for Interdisciplinary Studies.
Full biography
- Email:
- mcs6@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Phone:
Director of Postgraduate Teaching
Dr Veronica O'Carroll
Dr Veronica O’Carroll is the Director of Post Graduate Teaching and Programme Director for the Masters in Health Professions Education Programme. Her research interests include interprofessional education and collaborative practice and how these impact on health and social care. She is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Interprofessional Care.
Full biography
- Email:
- vo1@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Phone:
- 01334 463011
Director of Research
Professor Frank Sullivan
Professor Sullivan is the Director of Research
He was appointed as the Professor of Primary Care Medicine in the University of St. Andrews in 2017. His research interests lie mainly in health informatics and community-based trials, covering the spectrum from record-linkage of electronic health records to decision support to the evaluation of complex interventions. As Director of Research, he leads the REF process for the School of Medicine.
Full biography
- Email:
- fms20@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Phone:
- 01334 463512
Director of Teaching
Dr Rachel Davies
Dr Davies is the Director of Teaching for the School.
She is responsible for leading the development of strategy and policy for all learning, teaching and assessment of undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes in the School of Medicine.
Full biography
- Email:
- rcd21@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Phone:
- 01334 461883
Head of Division - Cellular Medicine
Dr Samantha Pitt
Dr Pitt is the Head of the Cellular Medicine Division. She joined for the School of Medicine in 2013 on a Royal Society of Edinburgh Fellowship where she co-founded the Metal Ions in Medicine Research Group. She was appointed as Senior Lecturer in September 2019. She is a board member of the International Society for Zinc Biology and is a committee member of the Scottish Cardiovascular Forum. Her research focuses on intracellular calcium dynamics in the heart with a view to uncover new drug targets in the treatment of the failing heart.
Full biography
- Email:
- sjp24@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Phone:
- 01334 463516
Head of Division - Education
Dr Alun Hughes
Dr Hughes is Head of the Education Division, where he coordinates the education-focused research undertaken in the School.
Full biography
- Email:
- ah200@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Phone:
- 01334 463533
Head of Division - Infection and Global Health
Professor Matthew Holden
Matthew Holden is the Head of the Infection and Global Health Division. He was appointed as Professor in Bacterial Genomics in 2016, and is an Honorary Consultant at Health Protection Scotland, advising on the implementation of whole genome sequencing (WGS) in national Microbiology Reference Laboratories. He has research interests in the use of WGS for clinical microbiology and is also studying the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistant pathogens.
Full biography
- Email:
- mtgh@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Phone:
- 01334 463504
Head of Division - Population and Behavioural Science
Professor Colin McCowan
Colin McCowan is the Head of the Population and Behavioural Science Division. He was appointed as Professor in Health Data Science in January 2019 at the University of St Andrews and is an Honorary Professor within the Institute of Health & Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow. He has research interests in the use of existing routine data within epidemiological studies and in the support of clinical trials and other research methods.
Full biography
- Email:
- cm434@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Phone:
- 01334 46 3481
Pro Dean (Student Support)
Dr Kerri Greene
Dr Greene is the Pro Dean (Student Support). In this role she leads the medical student support team, which oversees all academic and pastoral affairs of all undergraduate BSc and ScotGEM students in the School. Dr Greene graduated from St Andrews and completed her clinical training at The University of Edinburgh, where she obtained her MBChB. Dr Greene completed her postgraduate medical training in South East Scotland. In addition to her roles as Pro Dean and Clinical Lecturer at the university, she continues to work clinically as a GP.
Full biography
- Email:
- klg3@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Phone:
- 01334 461888
School Manager
Mr Clive Masson
Mr Masson is the School Manager and oversees all aspects of the School’s support functions; strategic planning, leadership of the Professional Services staff, governance of the School and the students, information management and fitness to practise matters. After graduating from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Mr Masson was an infantry officer for 22 years. Graduating with an MA in Defence Management from Cranfield University Business School, he also attended the Advanced Course at the Joint Services Command and Staff College.
Full biography
- Email:
- dcm10@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Phone:
- 01334 463550
Wellbeing Officer
Ms. Caroline Forbes
Ms Forbes is the School’s Wellbeing Officer. She is responsible for signposting staff and post graduate students to the School and University’s wellbeing resources. She is interested in developing strong relationships with our University Wellbeing Groups and School contacts to improve and maintain staff wellbeing. She joined the School as Assessment Administrator in 2015 after working previously in support roles at the University of Abertay, Fife College and University of Dundee.
Full biography
- Email:
- cf99@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Phone: