About

Early years and undergraduate studies

Born at Ayrshire Central Hospital in Irvine in June 1992, Callum is the eldest of three siblings and grew up in South Ayrshire, with family holidays exploring Argyll & the west coast, nurturing an early interest in this unique region. He left home at 18 years old to work toward a Bachelor of Science degree in the biomedical sciences, specialising in pharmacology, at the University of Aberdeen and graduated with first class honours. During these early years, Callum had a range of varied & unusual jobs, including carrying cash from armoured vans, looking after animals at a farm-themed family fun park, and as caretaker for a city centre cathedral in Aberdeen. He served a term as the President of the Biomedical Sciences Society, a student society representing his cohort that was affiliated with the Aberdeen University Students Association, as well as being involved with the university theatrical society technical team.

Postgraduate studies and early career

Callum continued his academic journey with a Masters in integrative biomedical scientific research at the University of Glasgow, graduating with merit, with a view to an onward career in research in the medical sciences. After subsequently failing to find a PhD programme that aligned fully with his particular interests, he opted instead to take up an operations and transport management position at the Glasgow hub of a major multinational security & logistics firm. This involved looking after a large fleet of specialised commercial vehicles and managing a large and diverse workforce drawn from all walks of life.

It was whilst engaged in this role that he encountered the opportunity to return to academia for a third time, to join Scotland’s first ever graduate-entry, accelerated medical degree programme, run by the University of St Andrews and the University of Dundee, in conjunction with the University of the Highlands and Islands, NHS Fife, NHS Dumfries & Galloway, NHS Tayside and NHS Highland. During this time, Callum was involved with the Rector’s Committee of the University of St Andrews and established an alumni network for his fellow graduate medics. This training also involved taking up medical student rotations across Scotland, including an extended period in Campbeltown, which brought a renewed desire to make plans to live and work in this corner of the country. After graduating and working his first two years as a junior doctor in Dumfries, an opportunity then came to relocate to Argyll to take up a position as a GP registrar, where he continues to work today, largely between Oban, the rural communities of north Argyll, and Lochgilphead.

Other interests

Callum has always had a keen interest in technology and music, and found a good place to combine the two when he started volunteering at Argyll FM, one of Scotland’s very few independent regional radio stations and the only one in the south-west of the country, run by a non-profit and staffed entirely by other unpaid enthusiasts. Before long, he became a director of the station and later a trustee as it converted into a charity. As well as sitting on the board, he helps manage the technical side of the broadcast and presents his own eclectic mix show on Saturday and Wednesday evenings.

Callum was active during his medical student years as an elected representative in various roles within the British Medical Association, including chairing national committees, serving on the ruling council for Scotland, and organising and chairing the UK national medical student conference. More recently, he served as co-chair of the national committee representing GP registrars and early career GPs across Scotland at the Royal College of General Practitioners.

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