Rev Dr David Taylor

National Teaching Fellow 2009 "David Taylor's teaching approach combines the incisiveness of a basic scientist, the wit of a comedian, and the compassion of a priest (which he is)." (A colleague from Manchester, 2008) David Taylor was trained as a neurophysiologist in Leeds, London and the Max-Planck Institute in Bad Nauheim. He came to Liverpool in 1983 with the idea of staying for three or four years, but somehow got involved. David has an infectious enthusiasm for neurophysiology, and, according to a recent graduate "a celebrated and inimitable teaching style". He loves lecturing, and enjoys involving students, whether as subjects for demonstrations or simply in creating Mexican waves to demonstrate nerve conduction. For nearly 20 years David was Senior Tutor in the Faculty of Medicine, taking responsibility for the care and concern of students. In that role he became involved in the development of the new medical curriculum, and was one of the small team who devised, implemented and now run the medical programme at Liverpool. David enjoys being with students, and watching them as they develop into doctors. His enthusiasm for problem-based learning has taken him to many far flung places, made many friends, and widened his horizons and understanding of learning and teaching. David's research at present involves understanding how groups of students form into learning communities, and become assimilated into practising communities. For the individual student this means accepting the challenge and, with help and encouragement, becoming the people that they were meant to be. "I now realise that I am not studying a degree, but promoting my own self development to fulfil the needs of people who need me" (First year student 2008). David believes he has the best job in the world!