Jonathan Darling

Jonathan Darling serves as Clinical Associate Professor in Paediatrics and Child Health and Medical Education at the University of Leeds School of Medicine and Honorary Consultant Paediatrician at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. He concurrently holds the Vice-Presidency for Education and Professional Development at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and chairs the School of Medicine Health and Conduct Committee, with academic leadership spanning over 25 years since his 1998 appointment as Senior Lecturer.

His educational credentials include:

• MBChB from University of Manchester (1986)
• MD in International Child Health from University of Manchester (1997) with fieldwork in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
• Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (PCLTHE) from University of Leeds (1999)
• Developmental Teaching Fellowship from University of Leeds (2009)

Professor Darling's research centers on innovative medical education methodologies, particularly the integration of children's perspectives in clinical assessment, technology-enhanced learning solutions, and standard-setting frameworks for knowledge tests. His work bridges paediatric clinical practice with educational scholarship, emphasizing child-centered approaches in medical training while addressing safeguarding complexities and bladder/bowel disorder management.

His distinguished recognitions include:

• Fellowship of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (2000)
• Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (2007)
• University of Leeds Developmental Teaching Fellowship (2009)

Academic leadership defines his career trajectory through roles as Head of Year 4 MBChB programme (2008-2014), Director of Student Support (2017-2022), and External Examiner for multiple UK medical schools. His national influence extends through RCPCH governance as Convenor of Paediatric Educators SIG (2015-2022) and current Vice-Presidency driving education policy. As Head of Division of Women’s and Children’s Health, he oversees clinical-academic integration while co-authoring the authoritative 'Lecture Notes: Paediatrics' textbook.

He leads the CHORAL (Child Health Outcomes Research at Leeds) initiative and directs safeguarding services across Leeds clinical commissioning groups until 2024. Current projects include the 'Leading the Way' leadership podcast series exploring healthcare team dynamics, with clinical work focused on general paediatrics at Leeds General Infirmary including bladder/bowel disorders management.