Dr Andy Stork

I am a medical and health professions educator, researcher and educational leader with a particular interest in how people participate, learn and develop their professional identities within professional communities.

My research focuses on workplace learning, professional identity formation and communities of practice. I am particularly interested in how people engage with professional communities, how learning occurs through participation, and how these experiences shape their development as professionals. My doctoral research examines these processes in medical education, exploring how medical students learn and form their professional identities through participation in clinical practice using community of practice theory.

Building on this work, I am developing a programme of research into workplace learning and professional identity formation across medical and health professions education, including the development and evaluation of research-informed educational interventions. A particular focus is research that advances our understanding of learning through participation while translating that knowledge into educational practice. I welcome enquiries from prospective PhD students and from colleagues interested in research collaboration in these and related areas.

I am Programme Director for the Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Education at the University of Sheffield, where I teach across the programme and lead its ongoing curriculum development. I also contribute to undergraduate medical education and the professional development of clinical educators. My experience spans undergraduate, postgraduate and professional education across medical and health professions education, higher education, teacher education and business education, building on a career across a range of educational sectors. My educational practice is research-led, with a particular focus on developing effective learning environments, curricula and approaches that support learners and educators.

Alongside my work in medical and health professions education, I have an established national and international profile in personal tutoring and academic advising in higher education. I have co-authored four books in this field and work with universities and educators in the UK and internationally to develop approaches to personal tutoring, academic advising, coaching and student support.

I also undertake consultancy across health professions education, higher education and other sectors, working with organisations to apply educational research and evidence to enhance practice and facilitate cultural change. I welcome enquiries about potential consultancy, collaborative projects and other opportunities for external engagement.