Hello, I am Kirsty Dundas the senior tutor for student wellbeing in the medical school. I have been in this role for over 12 years.
I am an Edinburgh medical school graduate and have trained in the south east of Scotland as well as parts of England and Canada. My clinical speciality is obstetrics but I originally did both obstetrics and gynaecology.
What I love about obstetrics
The thing I love most about obstetrics is the teamwork. It is a varied and often busy job in the largest maternity unit in Scotland and one of the largest in the UK. Whilst there is often joy it can at times be very exacting and distressing events occur. It is incredibly important to keep a good approach to life work balance, but at the same time anticipate hard work in this and many other acute hospital specialities. Doctors need to be prepared for both hard work and challenging patients but there are so many rewarding aspects to medicine too.
Family life and enjoying the great outdoors
I am lucky to have a supportive family and of course my lovely dog Otto. My husband Phil is an anaesthetist. My eldest son Paul is in his final year at university doing PPE and Jack and Peter are still at school aged 15 and 14. None of my children are considering medicine as a career. I am really glad they have passions of their own to follow.
My favourite relaxation is hillwalking and am really looking forward to getting back to the Munros when allowed. I also love skiing and have really missed my annual skiing trip this year. For more immediate calm I do yoga, run and have taken up wild swimming as a result of lockdown and no pool access. My current favourite spot is Wardie Bay which is between Granton and Newhaven and only 10 minutes from my house, but I also swim at Portobello beach and Thriepmuir reservoir in the Pentland Hills.
Student wellbeing and peer support
Apart from obstetrics I have always loved teaching and training and am the module organiser for O and G. There is immense satisfaction in inspiring a future obstetrician! This has led on to my current other role as the senior tutor for student wellbeing.
As a result of my own experiences I have also set up peer support in the women’s and children’s directorate. We will all have difficult times in our life and sometimes difficult cases at work. The support that can be offered by a caring colleague is second to none and I am really proud of the peer support system that is now in place. I also sit on the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) college council as a fellows representative for Scotland and various college committees including one for Supporting Doctors.
I am really privileged to have such a varied job of clinical, university and external roles and am really fortunate to do it the wonderful city of Edinburgh.
P.s Take a look at my video below to get an insight into my morning walk with Otto which really sets me up for the day ahead (and also features beautiful bird song and a guest appearance from Otto’s best cocker spaniel friend).
Visit the Student Wellbeing and Support pages
Hi Kirsty
I loved the video and bird song, so relaxing. I never thought of wild swimming, what a good idea. I’ve not done that for a lot of years. Elaine