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Dr Indira Vinjamuri
2026 candidate for Dean
Dr Indira Vinjamuri, Consultant Psychiatrist, Mersey Care NHS FT
Summary statement
I am standing for Dean to strengthen psychiatric education with integrity, compassion and delivery. With over 20 years’ experience as a consultant psychiatrist and national educational leader, I will support residents, educators and members through high‑quality, equitable training, thoughtful innovation and a resilient future for our profession.
Election address
I am standing for Dean because I am committed to strengthening the future of psychiatric education, training and patient care. I bring over 20 years’ experience as a consultant psychiatrist and national medical educational leader, working across local, regional and national systems. Throughout my career, I have focused on quality, compassion and delivery within pressured environments.
In my current roles as Associate Dean for Curricula and Assessment at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Director of Medical Education and consultant psychiatrist, I work across education, service delivery and professional leadership. I have led key national initiatives including delivery of the new postgraduate psychiatry curriculum (implemented in 2023), reform of formative assessment and portfolio systems (implementation in 2026), trainer recognition and support (2025), and national approvals for dual training pathways (2023–26). I am currently leading Phase 2 of the Medical Education Training Review, with a focus on supporting safe, high-quality care now while future-proofing psychiatric training.
As Dean, my work would be guided by four core pillars.
Residents – thriving, confident and supported
Residents are the future of psychiatry. I will support them to develop confidence, leadership capability through structured Bridge programmes, and a strong professional identity as they move through training and into consultancy. I will champion equitable, high-quality training across all regions of the UK, including rural, remote and coastal areas, so that geography does not determine opportunity. I am committed to strengthening support for MRCPsych preparation through clear and consistent national guidance aligned with the curriculum and examinations.
Supervisors and consultants – sustaining clinical leadership
High-quality training depends on supported and valued educators. Drawing on over a decade of experience as a Director of Medical Education, I understand the realities of clinical workload, job planning and service pressure. As Dean, I will advocate for sustainable clinical leadership, realistic job planning and appropriate recognition of educational roles, ensuring supervision and training remain embedded within safe services.
Academia, research and innovation
I am committed to delivering the College’s Academic Strategy, ensuring academic psychiatry is inclusive, visible and embedded across training, research and clinical practice. I will support access to clear, well-supported pathways into academic roles and champion the thoughtful, ethical use of digital tools and artificial intelligence in education and assessment, guided by evidence, clinical values and patient safety.
The future – resilience, flexibility and collaboration
Psychiatry is evolving within a challenging landscape. I support flexibility where it benefits patients and the workforce, while maintaining standards, fairness and compassion. I will strengthen international collaboration and advocate for a resilient training system supporting recruitment, retention and long-term sustainability.
Vision