Profile
Craig Johnson
My CV
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Education:
I went to a Welsh speaking school where we only ever spoke English during our English lessons. This was in a poor neighbourhood and few of my classmates went on to university. I did GCSEs and A levels here.
I then went to Cardiff University and graduated in 2012 with a degree in human anatomy. I was the first person in my family to go to university.
Next, I moved to Edinburgh to complete a PhD looking at how we study osteoarthritis and whether there were better ways that we could do this.
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Qualifications:
GCSE – 10A* and 2A
A Level – Biology (A), Chemistry (B), Maths (C) and Art (A)
Bachelor of Science (Honours) – Biomedical Science (Anatomy) 2:1
PhD – Osteoarthritis -
Work History:
My first job was at a bar when I was in my last few years of school. I then didn’t have a job while I was at uni, but when I finished in Edinburgh, I started working for a company called ZigZag education, where we wrote revision guides, practice papers and learning materials for students your age. I wrote the biology things.
After ZigZag, I started work at Bristol University, first as a demonstrator where I helped out in practical classes, and now as a lecturer, where I run classes of my own. -
Current Job:
Lecturer in Comparative Anatomy, University of Bristol.
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About Me:
I’m a university lecturer working at the University of Bristol, where I teach anatomy to medical students, veterinary students and scientists, so that they are able to understand what makes people sick and how to make them better.
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I live in Bristol with my wife, my one year old baby daughter and our cat. I love spending time in my garden, where I’m trying to grow lots of fruits and vegetables, and I love to cook. I enjoy watching comedy shows on TV and visiting the cinema when I’m able – one year old babies and cinemas don’t mix!
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As a comparative anatomy lecturer, I am responsible for teaching a huge number of students about the way the body is built. What’s particularly exciting about the comparative aspect is that I don’t only teach about the human body, but animals too. It’s important that my students have a good understanding of what’s where in the human body. Many of them will go on to be doctors, vets, dentists and scientists, so they really need to have a good understanding of what’s going on inside you.
As well as lecturing, where I stand in front of my students and explain things to them (similar to a classroom) I also teach in a dissecting room. This is a type of lab, where future doctors or vets open the bodies of people or animals that have passed away to understand how the organs fit together and what they look like. Lots of people find this a really strange thing, but its an amazing way of understanding how the body works and we’re always very respectful and grateful to the people that donate their bodies to us.
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My Typical Day:
I get up, have a long bus ride to the university, then normally head to the class to teach a room full of excited students. If I’m not there, I’m normally in my office writing exam questions or marking essays.
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Monday:
9am – arrive in the office
9-10 – check emails and look over material for first session
10-1 – dissecting room session with ~80 medical students. Our sessions focus on particular aspects, for example, this session might look at the heart and cardiovascular system. In this session, students rotate around a number of “stations” looking at the heart, blood vessels and the blood supply to various organs.
1-2 – LUNCH!
2-5 – dissecting room session with 150 vet students. Our vets perform dissection, so they might be dissecting the limbs, the abdomen, the chest – anywhere really! I supervise to make sure nobody injures themselves and make sure that everyone is learning and understanding what they’re seeing.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Passionate, enthusiastic, curious
What did you want to be after you left school?
A dentist
Were you ever in trouble at school?
I remember being asked to leave my French class a few times because of the giggles.
Who is your favourite singer or band?
I like a band called Blur, or one called Arctic Monkeys
What's your favourite food?
A nice juicy burger!
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