tRAINING COURSE OFFICERS
The Training Course Officers are elected officials of the KCL Wilderness Medicine Society.
They are responsible for organising the Training Course, recruiting speakers and teaching delegates.
Priyanka Asodaria
Priyanka is a 4th year graduate medical student at King’s College London. Prior to her medical degree she graduated from Edinburgh University with honours in Biomedical Sciences. She has recently been awarded a merit for academic achievement during medical school. Priyanka has authored several publications within the field of ophthalmology and infectious diseases. She has also presented research on anaesthetic trends internationally. Priyanka has recently completed the FAWM accredited King’s College London Wilderness Medicine Training Course. Whilst at Edinburgh she was team captain of the University of Edinburgh netball club and continued playing whilst at King’s College London. Outside of academia, Priyanka is a keen skier and has worked as a ski instructor in New Zealand. She also enjoys hiking and has spent time in the Himalayas, New Zealand, and the Atlas Mountains. Priyanka has pursued her interest of working abroad through engagement with the Rural India Health Project, a non-for-profit hospital located in the remote region of Kodagu in southern India.
Amelia Johnston
Amelia is a third-year graduate entry medical student at King’s College London where she is heavily involved in the Graduate Entry Medical Society, acting as the treasurer for the committee. She has a previous first-class degree in Medical Sciences from the University of Edinburgh where she received the Mike Porter prize for most distinguished scholar. During her time at Edinburgh, she also received the Edinburgh award for her contributions to the Students as Change Agents project. Amelia’s research interests include delirium detection and management.
Amelia is also an outdoor enthusiast and keen traveller. In particular, she enjoys hiking and was a member of Edinburgh University’s Hill Walking Club. Her passion for hiking has led her to explore trails around the world ranging from the Scottish Highlands to Norwegian Fjords to Northern America. She is also a graduate of last year’s King’s College London Wilderness Medicine Society Training Course, which she enjoyed so much she took on the role of training course officer for this year’s iteration.
Anton Beka
Anton, an accomplished rock-climbing instructor and devoted mountaineer, has excelled not only in these pursuits but has also demonstrated remarkable proficiency in calisthenics and cycling. Notably, he completed a demanding 800km cycle tour through the Balkans, showcasing his endurance and teamwork skills, which are essential in mountaineering. In addition to these achievements, Anton successfully summited Mont Blanc and numerous other iconic peaks in the Alps, further solidifying his mountaineering experience.
As a medical student, Anton's dedication to the field is evident in his pursuit of a Pre-hospital medicine programme at Bart's. He is currently using this as an intercalated year to gain comprehensive knowledge in emergency response and treatment. His academic journey has been marked by outstanding achievements, ranking among the top 3% in his recent major exam as well as earning two merits. As the president of the Extended Medical Degree society, he displayed strong leadership and organisational skills, overseeing various events and managing the society's finances.
Anton's contribution extends to the field of neurosurgery, where he was part of a team that conducted a significant audit on EVD infection rates at King’s College Hospital. This experience ignited his passion for research, and he is currently engrossed in a study exploring the intersection of music, epilepsy, and EEG recordings.
Beyond his academic pursuits, Anton is the founder and director of "Move Mountains," a charity that combines his love for mountaineering and medicine. This charity channels funds raised from global climbing expeditions to support medical education projects in developing countries. A remarkable achievement was the funding of a Women's health project in Kosovo following his successful ascent of Kilimanjaro. Anton's ultimate ambition is to expand the charity's reach and lead similar impactful projects around the world.
Pablo Fuentes Medrano
Pablo Fuentes Medrano is a 2nd year medical student and one of your new TCOs this year. Before he was tackling textbooks and stethoscopes, he completed a BSc in Biomedical Sciences. When he’s not in London learning about anatomical anomalies, you can find him riding the wildest waves while windsurfing, venturing deep into the greatest hiking tracks, or shredding the slopes since he was knee-high to a snowman. Back in his undergrad days, he used to row competitively for Lancaster University Boat Club. So, I guess you could say he takes his yearly dose of adrenaline quite seriously.
His love for wilderness medicine began just last year during the training course. He realised that treating patients outdoors isn't so different from navigating a black diamond ski run, it's all about staying cool under pressure and knowing when to take the plunge. He’s thrilled to be on this wild journey once more, and can't wait to meet all of you.
Shanthavi Wijayakumar
Coming soon...
Xabier Estevez Cores
Coming soon