Ms Thuy Mason

I am committed to delivering excellent and inclusive teaching, demonstrated by attainment of Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) status. All my teaching materials are developed and tailored to suit student characteristics. My teaching strongly focuses on simulation, helping students accomplish the 5 Cs: Communication, Calculation, Consulting, Clinical, and Critical thinking, thereby supporting Kingston University's Future Skills strategies.

My inclusive teaching ethos within pharmacy has earned me recognition as finalist for the national Chemist and Druggist (C+D) Award in the Training and Development category. Our team won the EDI Award, highlighting dedication to equity and inclusion.

My teaching encapsulates spiralling, horizontally and vertically, linking science to practice and promoting application of knowledge. I have led several modules at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. I often lead both teaching and assessments, designing learning and teaching materials in the School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry. I have been involved in these modules since their inception, including: PY4020 (Role of the Pharmacist), PY4120 (Introduction to Pharmacy Practice), PY5110 (Medicines, Health, and Wellbeing), PY5040 (Cardiorespiratory I), PY6150 (Gut, Liver, Skin, and Central Nervous System), PY6020 (Endocrine, Reproduction, Inflammatory), PY6030 (Cardiorespiratory II), PY7020 (Effective Decision Making for Pharmacy Practice), PY7950 (Research Methods and Project), CH7060 (Manufacture and Clinical Trials), CH6400 (Regulatory Affairs).

I am also Assessment Lead for level 7. I ensure this high-stakes assessment is robust and fair for students.

Between 2018 and 2021, I served as Overseas Pharmacist Assessment Programme course director, providing academic support to a team of teaching staff and students. During my leadership, the course achieved the highest student satisfaction scores in the faculty. Between 2019 and 2022, I supported the MPharm course. I was appointed as MPharm Course Director in September 2022.

Passionate about student experience, I initiated a monthly clinic to catch up with students, and a personal commitment to respond to students quickly, resolving issues they might have. My goals have always been to significantly improve students' experience and outcomes. This is evidenced by a significant increase in student satisfaction in the latest National Student Satisfaction survey; four key themes showed over 10% improvement and three themes materially above the benchmark.

I am a reflective and agile practitioner. During the pandemic, I quickly converted teaching materials to an engaging format so students' learning was not compromised. For instance, I produced mock-up packaging of medicines to teach product selection online. This replicated being in a pharmacy environment during placements and supplemented learning during lockdown.

Beyond academia, I am recognised as a pharmacovigilance expert, working with pharmaceutical companies and health regulators. I author dossiers to maintain and secure licences, with strong focus on drug safety. I use this knowledge to teach CH7060 and CH6400. I share my experience with students and help them with mock interviews towards their first step into the industry.

Undergraduate courses taught

• Pharmaceutical Science with Regulatory Affairs BSc (Hons)
• Pharmacy MPharm (Hons)

Postgraduate courses taught

• Advanced Therapeutics and Public Health MSc
• Pharmaceutical Science MSc

Apart from my research interests in public health, such as antibiotic resistance, pharmacovigilance, and genomics, I also conduct pedagogical research, focussing on simulation-based education and exploring factors affecting Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) performance. Simulation-based education allows students to apply learned skills in realistic scenarios, enhancing their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, which my 5Cs framework supports. I investigate factors influencing OSCE performance, such as learning styles and in-training examination scores.

University responsibilities

• As the University Chair representing the BAME staff network (2023-present), I am working towards creating a more inclusive culture at Kingston University. Events such as ‘Springboarding your careers' highlight my commitment to inclusivity and support staff to achieve their goals and empowering them to support students in fostering an inclusive environment. Advocating for showcasing BAME staff achievements within the university to provide role models for both staff and student. Creating opportunities for students to enhance their employability while building an inclusive community, such as involving them in running celebratory events like Black History Month, working with Kingston Council for extra-curricular activities.
• Having completed the Stellar HE leadership programme, I impart this knowledge to students through my teaching. I also support colleagues by organising events to gather alumni and assist with the application process.
• EDI committee member
• KAPS reviewer (FHEA, SFHEA applications reviewer)
• As the Open Day/Applicants Day Lead, I introduced engaging public health-themed games, both face-to-face and virtual. These activities provide a glimpse into our dynamic and interactive approach to education, highlighting how we make learning both effective and enjoyable.

Public and CIVIC roles

• Programme lead for Continuing Professional Development for healthcare professionals in Africa.
• I belong to a research group of Higher Education professionals from around the world who share an interest in teaching, learning, assessment, and pedagogical research in the Higher Education sector. As the lead for a research group on student voice, I initiated collaborative research between institutions to explore how we can reduce the attainment gap.