About Us

Olivier Picard - Managing Director
Communication, Business and Management consultant.

Olivier has over 30 years' experience in communication, management and business, including the past 18 years with an exclusive focus on medicine. As well as being involved in management training for senior managers, Olivier runs interviewing courses for interviewers both within and outside of the NHS. He also sits on consultant interview panels as a lay member. Through his involvement in coaching thousands of doctors for medical interviews personally over the years, his intensive network within NHS management and, being married to an NHS consultant for the past 22 years, Olivier has developed an extensive knowledge of past and current NHS issues, which is particularly appreciated by candidates who attend his consultant interview courses.

Olivier is a frequent and popular speaker at external events such as recruitment fairs, NHS trust meetings and training sessions, as well as medical schools and has written several books on medical interviews which have become reference books. Using a wide range of techniques, he has demonstrated an innovative and personal way of teaching which is designed to optimise the learning experience and boost the self-confidence of course participants. As a result he has guaranteed the success of the vast majority of the candidates he has trained, whatever their initial level of confidence and skills. He is renowned for his enthusiastic and dynamic style of teaching, with a strong ability to encourage personal participation. His friendly, though direct and no-nonsense approach is much appreciated by candidates.

Muhuntha ("Mo") Gnanalingham
Consultant in Paediatric Intensive Care

Mo’s clinical background is in Paediatric Intensive Care (PICU), having had extensive training in General Paediatrics, Neonates, Anaesthetics and PICU (both nationally and internationally at Royal Melbourne Children’s Hospital, Australia). He maintains his interest in clinical and laboratory research having completed his PhD in Developmental Physiology at the University of Nottingham in 2005. He has received numerous awards, honours and grants throughout his training. Mo has acted as the Royal College (RCPCH) Representative on Advisory Appointment Committees for substantive jobs in General Paediatrics and PICU.

Mo is an accredited Mentor (awarded the prestigious Mentor Exemplar in 2013), Mentor Champion, Executive Coach (having completed the Postgraduate Certificate in Business and Executive Coaching with Distinction), Career Champion and Mediator, and has close links with NHS North West Academies of Leadership, Mentoring and Coaching. Mo has used these complementary skills to enhance his extensive teaching experience to undergraduate and postgraduate trainees, as well as allied health care professionals, through the use of multimodal teaching methods, including simulation. He has received national and international recognition and accreditation for his interest in medical teaching and education, and was awarded the title of Honorary Senior Lecturer in 2009.

As a facilitator, Mo has an enthusiastic and dynamic style of tutoring which is tailored to meet the individual needs of his delegates, regardless of grade or specialty. He also places great emphasis on providing accurate and constructive feedback, with the aim of empowering delegates to make ‘their best even better’.

Ishtiaq (Ish) Ahmed
Consultant Cardiac Surgeon

Ish was appointed consultant in cardiac surgery in 2011. He has trained in Leeds and Cambridge and spent the majority of his specialist training in the Northern Deanery. He undertook a PhD at the Victor Chang Cardiac Institute in Sydney. In 2012 he was awarded a scholarship from the Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons, which enabled him to pursue his subspecialty interest in mitral valve surgery at centres of excellence in Britain and in France.

Ish has taken his medical skills to the track and has been a doctor at the world indoor track cycling championships where he initially developed an interest into the parallels between sporting success and performance in medicine.

He has been teaching with ISC since January 2012 and has proved to be able to impart his winning formula onto many candidates who then went on to experience the same success. Ish receives consistently good feedback, with delegates regularly commenting on his approachability and his ability to provide supportive and constructive feedback.

Ram Matsa
Consultant in Acute Medicine & Intensive Care

Ram Matsa is dually accredited in Acute Medicine and Intensive Care Medicine and is working as a Consultant Intensivist in University Hospitals North Staffordshire. He underwent post graduate training in medicine at Wessex and Intensive care at Oxford Deanery. He was an outstanding trainee and has made significant contribution towards postgraduate education. He completed an academic degree from Cardiff University and is now the Chief Investigator for NGAL Research, a study looking at acute kidney injury biomarker in critically ill patients.

He has vast experience and knowledge in teaching and training diverse needs from medical students to post graduate students. He was nominated for “Significant contributor towards post graduate teaching award”. He has a special interest in Human factors and simulation guided teaching. He currently serves as a course director for two popular courses in the region: Royal College approved tracheostomy workshop and acute care ultrasound course.

Ram has a natural adaptability to the student needs and simplifies complex issues and delivers them in a way of easy understanding. When it comes to coaching for interviews, his positive enthusiastic and formulated approach towards responding to questions is well commended. He provides constructive feedback that develops confidence amongst the delegates, notably, some of his feedback include “supportive, encouraging and insightful trainer”.

Chris Barnes
Former Health Authority Chair

Chris is a very experienced interviewer, facilitator, coach and trainer with public and private sector Board experience. He has worked with doctors since 1996 and brings well informed non-clinical experience of the NHS to his interview skills coaching.

He was the Corporate Affairs Director of a government department and then a non-executive Director and subsequently Chair of a Health Authority. During that time he led the overhaul of commissioning in the county and worked closely with the Boards of the NHS Trusts involved. Chris was also an Accredited Independent Appointments Assessor for Defra and a Civil Service Selection Board Chair, helping to recruit graduates for the “fast-stream”. In business, he led the establishment of the ‘Red Tractor’ food assurance scheme.

He has extensive experience of running ISC’s interview skills courses for Registrars and Consultants and of coaching them on a one-to-one basis. In the past he has also run many workshops on leadership, management, appraisal and revalidation and educational and clinical supervision. He has also worked individually with NHS senior managers, Senior Civil Servants and others, assisting them to come to terms with changing circumstances and mentoring them on the development of their careers.

Participants have consistently commented on Chris’ friendly and engaging style and his breadth of experience. They have also highlighted his ability to give penetrating and constructive feedback in a supportive, kindly and non-threatening way.

Fiona Cuthbertson
Consultant Ophthalmologist

Fiona has been a Consultant in Ophthalmology for over 10 years, and has held service lead roles in three different NHS trusts. Having worked across general Ophthalmology, her main clinical interests now include medical retinal diseases. She has actively sought opportunities for research, and was awarded her MD in 2016 by the University of Oxford.

Fiona has extensive experience of teaching at all levels and by a variety of methods, ranging from one to one teaching to large formal lectures. As a trained Coach and an Appraiser she is used to supporting individuals to get the best out of themselves, and her teaching style is encouraging and enthusiastic. She gives realistic but constructive feedback, and prides herself on making a difference to those she teaches.

In her work with ISC, Fiona is able to draw on her experience of the consultant interview process from both sides, having also fulfilled roles on a range of Advisory Appointment Committees.

Petros Lekkos
Consultant Psychiatrist

Petros is a Consultant Adult Psychiatrist working for Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust (Acute Assessment Ward and Early Intervention Service). He graduated in Greece and completed all his postgraduate training at the prestigious Royal Free/UCL training scheme for psychiatry over 7 years. He holds a MSc in Psychiatric Research from UCL and is an accredited Cognitive Analytic Therapy Practitioner with a PG Diploma.

He has over 7 years experience in medical education and has lectured at UCL, King's, Imperial and abroad at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. He has won the “Top Teacher for Neurosciences” award at UCL for the past two years. He has a keen interest in medical management and first-hand experience of change management as a leader of quality/efficiency improvement projects (on out-of-hours medical cover and IT).

Petros has been with ISC since 2012 and has been consistently described as an approachable, enthusiastic and knowledgeable trainer, who facilitates the group very well. He provides honest and constructive feedback and tailors the course to the delegates' needs giving clear rationale for the way to answer questions and land the job!

David van Dellen
Consultant Transplant Surgeon

David is a consultant renal and pancreas transplant surgeon at the Manchester Royal Infirmary. He is also one of the consultants providing the national Encapsulating Peritoneal Sclerosis (EPS) service from Manchester. He trained in Medicine in South Africa and did his specialist training in General and Transplantation Surgery between Manchester and Birmingham where he undertook an MD in Epithelial Biology. He has active research interests in risk stratification for solid organ transplantation as well as the pathogenesis of EPS.

David has broad experience in Medical Education and has lectured and taught extensively at both under- and post-graduate level. He has extensive interview experience and is currently enrolled for a Postgraduate Certificate in Surgical Education.

A successful graduate of the ISC consultant interview course, David has an enthusiastic approach to teaching. He provides engaging and constructive but focused feedback ultimately ensuring assurance and improved confidence for the candidates.

Ross Elledge
Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

Ross is a Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon with University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust with subspecialty interests in skin cancer, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) surgery and medical/dental education.

Following completion of higher surgical training in the West Midlands, he undertook national Training Interface Group (TIG) Fellowships in Reconstructive Aesthetic Surgery and the Management of Skin Cancer in Nottingham and Leeds respectively.

Ross has a strong interest in medical/dental education and graduated with distinction from the acclaimed Masters in Medical Education (MMEd) distance-learning programme with the University of Dundee. Since 2016 he has held the position of Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer with the College of Medical and Dental Sciences at the University of Birmingham. He has published pedagogical research concentrating on technology-enhanced learning (TEL), particularly the design of bespoke virtual learning environments (VLEs) and flipped classrooms.

Louise Wan
Consultant in Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Louise trained in London and the North West of England and was appointed in 2022 as a Consultant Gynaecologist at Liverpool Women's Hospital, specialising in gynaecological cancers. She undertook her PhD in Cancer Sciences in Manchester funded by a Wellcome Trust Fellowship. She is one of the very few people to have successfully interviewed for both an MRC and Wellcome Trust Fellowship in 2013. Since completing her PhD, she has maintained an interest in research and teaching and was appointed as an NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer at the University of Manchester in 2018.

Louise has an extensive track record of undergraduate and post-graduate teaching and mentorship. She has won numerous awards for her contributions to teaching including winning the BMA award for best medical textbook in Obstetrics & Gynaecology in 2017 and gaining fellowship of the Higher Education Academy in 2021. She has a strong interest in coaching and mentorship and is a professional development tutor and academic advisor at the University of Manchester.

As a trainer, she is renowned for her enthusiastic and supportive approach. She prides herself on providing delegates with a structured approach and focused feedback to ensure that they can realise their full potential and ultimately succeed at interview. As a successful graduate of the ISC medical interviews course, she knows what it takes to land that new job!

George Crowther
Consultant Psychiatrist

George is a consultant in old age liaison psychiatry working in Leeds. As well as his clinical work he also has both academic and educational roles being clinical lead for research and development, deputy associate medical director for doctors in training, a collage tutor at the Yorkshire and Humber deanery, a visiting senior lecturer at the University of Leeds and a NICE specialist committee member.

He has been awarded a PhD, was an NIHR clinical lecturer, and is the co-editor of the handbook of old age liaison psychiatry. He is a trainer in advanced communication skills, and has lectured nationally and internationally. This breadth of experience coupled with him being a regular consultant interview panel member, ideally places him to teach interview skills.

George is an enthusiastic and encouraging teacher, but will also highlight areas for development in a constructive manner. He is a successful graduate of the ISC consultant interview course, and knows what you need to do to get that dream job.

Anna Steel
Consultant Geriatrician

Anna is Consultant Geriatrician in Barnet Hospital. She qualified from University College London in 2008 and has gained the last 15 years of medical training in and around London. She was awarded the British Geriatrics Society Rising Star Award for clinical quality in 2019. Her core interests include frailty, end of life care and medical ethics with her quality improvement projects, teaching interests and publications focusing mainly around these topics.

Anna has been teaching communication skills for 5 years and is the founder of “The Elephant in the Room Advance Care Planning Simulation” course for the Royal Free Trust. She was a member of the London End of Life Care Clinical Leadership Group from 2014-2015 and held the position of British Geriatrics Society NE Thames Secretary and England Council Member from 2017-2021.

As a trainer, Anna is passionate about communication and has a very calm and approachable style of teaching. She shows great depth of knowledge and delegates appreciate her structured and clear style whilst making learning interactive and fun.

Heather Walker
Foundation Doctor

Heather brings a unique experience to the aspiring medical student. Having spent 7 years as a registered HCPC Biomedical Scientist across a number of NHS hospitals, before entering her medical training at Newcastle University. She is currently a Foundation Doctor at Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, looking to apply for speciality training in Emergency Medicine. Heather is looking to develop her teaching methods further by becoming an instructor for Immediate Life Support Courses as well as presenting patient case reports at national Medical Conferences.

As a trainer Heather aims to provide a supportive and encouraging environment for all participants and appreciates the challenges many students may face entering medicine straight from A-levels to those considering Medicine as a second career.

David Whittaker
Registrar in Emergency Medicine

David is an Emergency Medicine Registrar at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, who graduated from Peninsula Medical School. He has always been passionate about teaching and is heavily involved in teaching junior doctors and Imperial College Medical students, for whom he is also an examiner. He is an instructor on advanced trauma life support courses and is also engaged in providing medical care for champions league football, motor racing events and scientific and research expeditions around the world. David's feedback is consistently positive; he is supportive and approachable trainer, with a proven track record in motivating candidates and boosting their confidence in their own abilities.