Dr Paul Lord

Profile

I am an Associate Professor of Medical Education at the University of Leeds School of Medicine, where I combine my experience as a General Practitioner with my passion for medical education. Since joining the university in 2020, I have been actively involved in curriculum development, clinical placement management, and educational leadership, ensuring that medical students receive high-quality training and preparation for their future careers.

I completed my undergraduate training at the University of Manchester, including a Masters in Medical Sciences, before beginning my career as an Academic Foundation Doctor in central Manchester. My postgraduate training brought me to West Yorkshire, where I was appointed as NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow in Primary Care, the first post of its kind in the region.

From 2011 to 2015 I was a clinical advisor for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), developing and evaluating indicators for the Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF).

I have experience of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, both locally and in South Australia, where I was awarded fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and was an Honorary Clinical Lecturer at the University of Adelaide School of Medicine.

I previously held a role on the NHS England Trailblazer scheme, developing my experience working as a GP in areas of socioeconomic deprivation and inclusion health. This experience has allowed me to ensure the MBChB curriculum produces a healthcare workforce able to meet the needs and values of the NHS.

My Roles at the University of Leeds

Curriculum Development – As MBChB Deputy Programme Lead and Curriculum Review Lead, I play a key role in shaping the curriculum, ensuring that our medical programme remains dynamic, evidence-based, and aligned with modern healthcare needs.

Clinical Placements – Previously, I co-led primary care placements, overseeing partnerships with general practices and national funders, ensuring students gained meaningful clinical experience on high-quality placements. Working closely with GP educators, I continue to lead projects to develop innovative clinical placements to support and enhance students’ learning opportunities.

Programme Management – I have also led Year 3 of the MBChB programme, managing clinical placements and academic content to create a seamless and engaging educational experience. This role included supporting students through the challenging transition into placement-based learning, managing assessments

Digital Education – Additionally, I advise on Virtual Clinical Experiences, an innovative project that allows students to engage with real-world consultations remotely. This initiative, developed in collaboration with an international medical education technology company and funded by NHS England, focuses on using digital tools to enhance medical training.

Responsibilities

• MBChB Deputy Programme Lead
• Curriculum Review Lead
• General Practitioner

Research interests

My research explores quality of care measures within routinely collected patient data, helping to identify areas for improvement in healthcare delivery. I am also interested in innovative curriculum delivery and the role of digital technology in medical education, looking at how we can integrate technology to support clinical placements and enhance learning experiences for students.

Qualifications

• MBChB Medicine
• MRes Medical Sciences

Professional memberships

• FRACGP
• MRCGP

Student education

MBChB Medicine and Surgery
Intercalated BSc Medical Education
MSc Health Informatics with Data Science

Research groups and institutes

• Leeds Institute of Health Sciences
• Division of Primary Care, Palliative Care and Public Health