In this interview, we speak with Chris Torry, the Nursing Divisional Lead for our pre-registration MSc Nursing programmes.
Academic interests and expertise
Can you tell us about your academic and research background?
City St Georges is my first academic role. My previous experience is largely clinical and mostly in the sector known as ‘inclusion health’ which for me has involved working with people who are homeless and in substance misuse services.
As a nurse I was involved in various research groups including on neurodivergence, health and ageing, and on autism and substance misuse.
What inspired you to specialise in your current field of study?
I have always liked teaching. I first experienced teaching while supporting students on placement, and later I did a range of interprofessional training events and work on policy. I liked the idea of developing into an academic role as a result of these experiences.
My particular area of clinical interest was chosen because justice is important to me, and supporting marginalised people is work that I understand to be meaningful. It’s also very varied work, and you meet lots of interesting people.
What do you enjoy most about teaching and mentoring students?
I find my students teach me plenty, and teaching can just be straight up fun. It’s also very satisfying when students who you have supported to overcome significant challenges, either within or outside of the course, qualify and you know that they are going to be a great nurse.
Why this course?
What makes the MSc (pre-registration) nursing programmes unique?
We have a dedicated biology team, which is fairly unusual for nursing courses, and who get great feedback from the students. We also have cutting edge simulation equipment which is evolving all the time. For example, currently we are rolling out some VR equipment. We also have a division staffed by a wide range of experts with a really impressive portfolio of experience and work between them.
What support is offered to help students transition from undergraduate to postgraduate study?
There is dedicated teaching on academic skills related to students level of study. As well as the expertise within the department there is also an academic skills team and a specialist subject librarian available to support students who need help to develop their understanding of, for example, finding and analysing research.
Are there opportunities for students to tailor their programme based on their specific academic or career interests?
Absolutely. We support students to request preferences for their final placement based on their interests, and throughout the MSc (pre-registration) nursing courses we provide a diverse range of placement experiences so that students can identify and are able to develop their personal interests. We also provide teaching and experience days on careers and the range of possibilities that are available to nurses, and how to make the most of them.
Career paths
How do the MSc (pre-registration) nursing programmes help students develop skills for their future careers, whether in academia or industry?
Half of the course is placement hours, which includes simulated practice and hands on training with our host trusts which include many of the major London NHS trusts as well as independent providers. Our curriculum is heavily skills based and is underpinned by the NMC requirements for registration as a nurse. There is also extensive teaching on research, management and advanced skills to support students to excel in their chosen careers.
What career paths have graduates typically followed?
Many of our students go on to practice as registered nurses, and once a nurse is in practice the potential career paths are too diverse to list and encompass clinical expertise, management, research, public health and academia.
Tips for offer holders
If you could highlight one thing that students should look forward to on the MSc (pre-registration) nursing programmes, what would it be?
Personally I think the curriculum is really fascinating, so I hope students will look forward to that! I also think that we have a great teaching team, and City St Georges is a diverse and progressive university in the heart of London which, as a born Londoner who came back, I can absolutely recommend as a city to learn in.
What advice would you share with offer holders as they prepare to join?
Think about which aspects of nursing you expect to love, and also think about which aspects of nursing you might need additional support to develop into. Nursing requires a broad skillset, and identifying areas where you will need to make the most of the support on offer early can really help with progressing through the course.