Sinthu Thakur

Coaching Professional apprentice, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust

Sinthu works as an HCPC registered clinical scientist in neurophysiology with 10 years of experience. She is nearing the completion of her Level 5 Coaching Professional apprenticeship with Paragon Skills and was recently a finalist in the Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards for ‘Health, Medical and Social Care Apprentice of the Year’ for her advocacy in neurophysiology and STEM roles. In her role, Sinthu performs neurophysiological investigations to diagnose and monitor neurological disorders, making clinical judgments that impact patient care while ensuring kindness, respect, and dignity.

Sinthu originally aspired to be a teacher, inspired by the mentors who encouraged her success and helped her realise her ability to support others. Proud of her achievements as a clinical scientist in neurophysiology, Sinthu has always been passionate about making a positive impact on people’s lives, which led her to the healthcare sector.

After returning from maternity leave, Sinthu felt her career as a clinical scientist had reset and would take time to regain her previous performance level. She worked hard to re-establish herself among colleagues but sensed assumptions were made about her commitment to her work as a new mother, which led to missed growth opportunities. In her role, Sinthu supported the learning of students and trainee physiologists in the neurophysiology department. She enjoyed teaching and development, naturally gravitating towards those seeking guidance and inspiring them to feel empowered. This passion sparked her interest in leadership development, motivating her to pursue the Professional Coaching apprenticeship.

As a female, global majority aspiring leader, Sinthu believes that empowering staff through coaching enhances inclusion and diversity, ensuring issues are addressed from a broad perspective. Through her coaching apprenticeship, she recognised the lack of awareness in neurophysiology and the limited training opportunities for students. The combination of coaching and neurophysiology has allowed her to support aspiring STEM professionals. By applying coaching theory to her neurophysiology practice, Sinthu achieved positive outcomes.