About C-START
C‑START is a specialist education programme created to support doctors in respiratory training with preparation for the Respiratory SCE.
Developed and delivered by experienced respiratory clinicians, C‑START brings together live webinars and in-person events, on-demand webinars, and revision resources designed to complement formal training and support learning throughout specialist training.
The programme is intended for respiratory SPR-level clinicians at different stages, offering flexible education that fits around clinical practice and individual learning needs.
What you’ll gain from C‑START
- A structured programme of respiratory education aligned to key SCE topic areas
- Access to consultant‑led webinars covering core and specialist respiratory subjects
- Opportunities to engage with live learning events as you approach completion of training
- Revision resources designed to support focused exam preparation
- Flexible, on‑demand learning to fit around clinical commitments
Our education
C-START Webinars
Consultant-led educational webinars covering topics across the respiratory SCE, designed to support SPR-level clinicians throughout their specialist training.
C-START LIVE
Residential educational courses with networking for specialist trainees covering leadership & management, communication, decision-making, influence, and other soft skills to prepare for the non-clinical realities of becoming a consultant.
Revision Resources
Downloadable revision notes prepared by the faculty and designed to support focused learning and self‑assessment in preparation for the Respiratory SCE.
Meet the faculty
Dr Dinesh Shrikrishna
Consultant Respiratory Physician & Clinical Lead Respiratory Medicine, Musgrove Park Hospital Taunton, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust.
“C‑START has been created to support respiratory trainees with high‑quality, accessible education that complements training and helps build confidence as they prepare for the SCE.”
Dr Neil Greening
Associate Professor & Honorary Consultant Physician, Glenfield Hospital Leicester.
“The C-START programme is a fantastic initiative to be involved in. It provides the latest, clinically-relevant teaching across the entire respiratory training curriculum by great speakers. I’ve been so pleased to be a part of it. Even as chair, I often continue to learn about various aspects of respiratory medicine and the latest guidelines and developments.”
Dr Tanjila Khan
ST7 Respiratory medicine, London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust & West Hertfordshire NHS Trust
“More than just a training programme, C-START empowers registrars to learn from the best in the field, expand their professional network, and engage with peers from across the UK.”
Dr Tanjila Khan is a Respiratory Medicine Specialist Registrar, approaching CCT and due to take up a Consultant Respiratory Physician post at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (Watford General Hospital) in November 2026. She trained across leading tertiary and secondary care centres in London, including the Royal Brompton Hospital and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, developing specialist expertise in bronchiectasis, host defence disorders, and complex respiratory disease.
Alongside her clinical training, she completed a Medical Leadership Fellowship with HCA Healthcare UK and has been awarded an Executive master’s in Medical Leadership and Management from Bayes Business School and a CMI-accredited Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Leadership and Management, both with distinction. Dr Khan has led service improvement and sustainability initiatives and has presented research at national and international conferences, including the British Thoracic Society (BTS) and European Respiratory Society (ERS). Her professional interests include bronchiectasis, integrated respiratory pathways, acute respiratory care, virtual wards, and promoting compassionate clinical leadership
Dr Aaron Braddy-Green
Specialist Registrar (ST7) in Respiratory Medicine & Clinical Research Fellow, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London.
“So much of our training focuses on clinical knowledge, but almost nothing prepares you for the non-clinical realities of consultant life, managing relationships, leading change, and handling conflict. C-START fills that gap, and I’d recommend it to any respiratory trainee approaching CCT.”
Dr Aaron Braddy-Green is a Specialist Registrar in Respiratory Medicine and a Clinical Research Fellow at the National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London. Following medical school, he completed NIHR Academic Foundation Training at the University of Sheffield, before undertaking an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowship in Respiratory Medicine at Imperial College London.
His research focuses on the early pathophysiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with particular interest in chronic bronchitis as an early disease phenotype. His PhD work has explored the relationship between respiratory symptoms, sputum biology, and quantitative CT imaging, particularly mucus plugging in young adult smokers, and how these factors relate to longitudinal lung function decline.
Dr Braddy-Green has contributed to national respiratory training and education, having served on the Education & Training Committee of the British Thoracic Society and the Respiratory Medicine Specialty Training Advisory Group for the Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board.
Dr Nicola Smallcombe
Clinical Research Fellow and ST6 Respiratory Registrar, North Central and East London Deanery.
“Preparing for the Respiratory SCE alongside busy clinical jobs can be challenging. I hope the Chiesi C-START programme provides trainees with practical, accessible support and helps make the journey to the exam a little less daunting.”
Dr Nicola (Nikki) Smallcombe is a Respiratory Registrar in the North Central and East London Deanery and a Clinical Research Fellow undertaking a PhD at King’s College London and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. Her research focuses on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with particular interests in exacerbations, patient-centred outcomes, clinical trials and real-world evidence.
Alongside her research, Nikki is passionate about respiratory education. She has co-led the Respiratory SCE Course for several years and is also co-lead for the Respiratory Optimise Interviews course. She currently serves as a trainee representative on the BTS Science and Research Committee. Through the Chiesi C-Start programme, Nikki hopes to support trainees by providing practical learning resources to complement their revision alongside busy clinical practice.
