Why I work here - a day in the life of an academic
Professor Azeem Majeed
Professor of Primary Care, Azeem Majeed, arrived at Imperial in February 2004 and holds the position of Head of Department of Primary Care and Public Health. Professor Majeed is also a part-time general practitioner in the Clapham area and currently spends one day a week in this capacity. He said: "I get tremendous satisfaction from my work as a GP and it's great that I get to combine it with my time spent at the College."
Reporter's Alex Platt headed to the Charing Cross Hospital campus where Professor Majeed is based to find out about a typical day in his working life.
8.30 Professor Majeed arrives at his desk and works through email and phone messages. He said: "If I'm attending my GP surgery in Clapham, I have to drive and be there for 7.45 so it really makes me appreciate the fact that I can walk from my house in Fulham to the Charing Cross. However, I don't escape public transport all week, as I'm often over at the South Kensington and St Mary's Campuses."
9.30 Professor Majeed spends time briefing his PA and Departmental Administrator about any issues that may have arisen in the Department. He said: "This time is invaluable. I rely on my PA to keep me organised and my DA to ensure the smooth running of all the essential aspects of the Department, for example this morning we went through the budgets for the next few months. This is crucial, but something that I don't have enough time to complete myself"
10.00 Meeting with research staff. The support of PhD students, public health trainees and research is a large part of Professor Majeed's job. He said: "Today we met about a study into the treatment of diabetes within London. I really value the chance to interact practically with junior staff."
11.00 Professor Majeed gives a seminar on research methods in the area of health research. He also gives clinical lectures, usually on medical conditions that are common in general practice, for example, heart disease.
12.30 Lunch is a sandwich at his desk. Professor Majeed explained: "I usually have a chance to catch up on my correspondence over lunch."
13.00 Faculty of Medicine meeting at South Kensington. Professor Majeed said: "Today's meeting was to discuss our response to a government document about the future of health research strategy. This will have been sent to various organisations for comments. We also discussed the training of junior doctors who would like to become academic clinicians, and how the College can support this effectively. It feels good to be able to make a real difference in national initiatives that I feel strongly about."
15.00 Professor Majeed spends some time revising a research grant application to be submitted by one of his staff. He said: "I've done my time as first author of papers and grant applications and it's great to be able to be in the position to support others who are just starting out. I find that my own research is squeezed in around management these days, but I will always make space for it, as it's how I started and it's important."
16.30 Professor Majeed's last task of the day is to meet with a local Primary Care Trust, which has approached him to ask for advice on a new health centre it is building. He said: "I am working with health professionals to try and configure the best supply of health services for this particular area. Contributing to something like this is really rewarding. After all, we're all going to need these services eventually."
17.30 Professor Majeed spends the last hour of his day at work dealing with emails.
18.30 Professor Majeed leaves for his 25-minute walk home.
