Dr Pamela Leventis

About

Dr Pamela Leventis is the Clinician Lead for Clinical and Professional Skills vertical theme at KMMS. She provides clinical leadership in the development and implementation of the campus-based Skills for Clinical Practice Modules in years 1 and 2 and the further acquisition and consolidation of clinical skills throughout years 3 to 5.

Pamela is Fellow of the Academy of Medical Educators and has broad experience in both undergraduate and postgraduate education. During her training, she completed the London Deanery Fellowship in Medical Education and attained the MA in Clinical Education. Dr Leventis was a Senior Clinical Lecturer at St George’s University of London, where she was also module convenor and musculoskeletal clinical skills lead. She worked collaboratively with a multidisciplinary faculty to deliver the innovative MBBS4 for St George’s, University of Nicosia, Cyprus. Her previous role as Foundation Year 1 Training Programme Director provided invaluable insights into the demands placed upon junior doctors and the importance of preparedness for practice at graduation.

Pamela is the undergraduate curriculum lead for Long-Term Conditions teaching at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Hospitals (MTW). She leads the annual MTW ‘Careers in Medicine’ event to promote widening participation in medical careers across all West Kent secondary schools.

Research interests

Pamela’s undergraduate education was at Kings College London. She became a consultant Rheumatologist in 2011. She has experience in general Rheumatology and a special interest in Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Disease. She leads the Metabolic Bone Disease service at MTW and chairs the in-patient Bone Multidisciplinary Team meetings. She has worked with West Kent CCG to develop a plan for a trust Fracture Liaison Service to facilitate the early identification and treatment of patients with osteoporosis. This is an opportunity for disease prevention and to safeguard patients from preventable fractures and complications of morbidity, mortality and loss of independence.

Her Rheumatology MSc project reviewed ‘The Role of Vitamin D in Fractures and Falls in the Elderly’. She has carried out research in the clinical effects of vitamin D.

Teaching

Pamela has a particular interest in the impact of medical school culture and clinical placements on undergraduate motivation to learn. Her MA project researched the factors influencing undergraduate motivation to learn musculoskeletal medicine. This was a qualitative and quantitative study exploring the perspectives of both students and faculty. She has an interest in promoting Self Determination theory of motivation and remains committed to continually enhancing undergraduate education through innovation and recruitment of learning theory.

In 2018, Pamela was awarded the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Teaching’ for the Lewisham cluster at Kings College London. This was largely in response to her work in developing the Long-Term Conditions attachment for year 4 medical undergraduates at MTW.

Professional

1. Malaiya R., Patel S., Snowden J., and Leventis P. 'Varicella Vaccination in the Immunocompromised.' Rheumatology Advance Access (2014), Apr 23, Epub

2. P. Leventis and P. Kiely 'The tolerability and biochemical effects of high dose vitamin D2 and D3 supplementation in patients with vitamin D insufficiency.' Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology (2009) 38(2):149-153.

3. P. Leventis and S. Patel 'Clinical aspects of vitamin D in the management of rheumatoid arthritis.' Rheumatology (2008) 47: 1617-1621