Sarah’s clinical background is in Physiotherapy with a specialist interest in working with people with acute and chronic respiratory disease. She first came to St George’s Hospital Foundation Trust as a full time Physiotherapist in 2007, has worked in split clinical-education posts, moving to a full time academic role in 2014. Sarah is passionate about healthcare education and lectures across many undergraduate and post-graduate programmes at St George’s. She feels strongly that being able to study to work in health professions is accessible to all.
Sarah is Senior Lecturer and Course Director for the BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy programme.
Sarah graduated from the University of Hertfordshire in 2002 with BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy. It was whilst working at Papworth Hospital in 2003 where she started to develop her passion for respiratory Physiotherapy. Following her move to London in 2004, Sarah worked at a number of teaching hospital trusts and in 2007 came to St George’s Hospital as a Highly Specialised Physiotherapist in Acute Medicine. Sarah was invited to undertake a secondment to the University as a Lecturer in 2009 and, after a Maternity leave and a brief spell back in the Hospital, she returned to a split lecturer-practitioner role in 2011 and committed to a full-time career in Physiotherapy education in 2014.
Sarah has held a number of roles within the University including Disability and Dyslexia Tutor, Year 3 and Careers Lead and Admissions Tutor for both BSc Physiotherapy and MBBS.
Sarah completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education in 2012 and in 2017 completed her MA in Research and Practice in Higher Education. She is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Sarah is currently working towards an EdD in Research and Practice in Higher Education (Proposed thesis title: “Selecting BSc Physiotherapy students; exploring experiences and current practices in English Universities”.
Sarah has undertaken research in the field of Physiotherapy student recruitment and presented her findings at conference. She supervises BSc and MSc student research projects as part of the Physiotherapy degree programmes.
Sarah is currently working towards an EdD in Research and Practice in Higher Education (Proposed thesis title: “Selecting BSc Physiotherapy students; exploring experiences and current practices in English Universities”.
Waygood, S (2019). Is there a relationship between Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) Score on admission and Physiotherapy students’ performance on practice placement in one HEI programme.
Sarah leads on learning and teaching activity with students on a number of the programmes at St. George’s as part of the foundation year inter-disciplinary modules. She works collaboratively with students on Medicine, Paramedic Science, Radiography, Occupational Therapy, Healthcare Science and Physiotherapy programmes. She also teaches on a number of modules in the BSc and MSc Physiotherapy programmes.
Sarah prides herself on her innovative and interactive teaching style. She believes that a safe learning environment in which students feel confident to try out their skills and question their own knowledge (and that of their peers AND their lecturers!) is invaluable for learning and for developing professional knowledge and skills.
Sarah has experience developing and delivering taught modules and their content through lectures, tutorials and practical sessions.