Jonathan is an alumnus of the University of Birmingham having graduated in Drama and Theatre Arts in 1991. Following postgraduate training at Mountview Theatre School he spent 8 years as a professional actor on the stage and in TV.
In 2001, after the birth of his first child, Jonathan changed career and took a full time role as the UK Fieldwork Manager with a market research company in London. He progressed to become Head of Research and Company Secretary before starting his own company in 2006 providing research services to qualitative and quantitative research companies in the UK. He worked on a wide range of projects for companies including the Royal College of Nursing, Diabetes UK, University College Falmouth and the University of Surrey.
Running his own company allowed Jonathan the opportunity to engage in role play and forum theatre for corporate training organisations facilitating skills training including conflict management, information gathering, negotiation skills and performance management.
As a simulated patient in medical education he has extensive experience in the use of interactive methodologies for teaching having been involved in both teaching and assessment for over 20 years with teams at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and St. George’s Hospital in London, Addenbrooke’s in Cambridge as well as the Interactive Studies Unit team at the University of Birmingham. He has also taken part in workshops for cancer networks across the East and West Midlands and the GP VTS and Dental Foundation recruitment schemes.
In his first year as a member of the ISU teaching staff in 2012-2013 Jonathan was lead for the Year 2 Integrated Problems clinical communication teaching, the Drama and Medicine Student Selected Component and the simulated patient team training and quality assurance for the West Midlands GP VTS recruitment assessment centres.
As well as teaching on a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, he facilitates on the HEWM referred doctors’ programme and is a supervisor for student elective projects. He is also Clinical Communication lead for the MBChB Phase 2 programme and for the new MPharm course where he has responsibility for devising, implementing and evaluating the clinical communication element of the programme.