iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 16/06/2025

Thank you, Sara. The programme wouldn't have been possible had it not been for people like you sharing your time & career insights. Indeed, I'm grateful to all @nhslothian.bsky.social staff - Doctors & AHPs alike - who joined us to inspire the next generation of healthcare professionals.

A female doctor in purple scrubs gives a talk to a lecture theatre full of young people who are aspiring to a career in medicine.

011

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

There are definitely worse places to be writing a thesis. Fresh air, the beautiful sound of the birds in the trees, and an ample supply of sunshine to keep spirits up! ☀️ #OneLastPush #Thesis #MedEd #MedSky #QualitativeResearch #WideningParticipation #ProfessionalIdentityFormation

A garden scene with trees and blue skies in the distance, a vegetal patch in the middle with onions and garlic growing, and a laptop in the foreground.

150

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

My new favourite way to start the day! ☕️ In the final fulong of thesis writing, relying heavily on the bible that is 'Thematic Analysis: A Practical Guide' by @ginnybraun.bsky.social & @vicclarke.bsky.social Hoping to finish by Friday so I can enjoy some annual leave...🤞🏻 #FinalPush #MedSky #MD

190

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

Maybe not as exciting as @drlindadykes.bsky.social's new foal, but here are our little bluetit hatchlings! Fresh out of their shells today 😊♥️

3684

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 05/05/2025

A day of annual leave well spent. Garlic & onions underway, now joined by leeks, potatoes, peas, various squash & courgettes, and a variety of salad leaves, radish & beetroot. Here's hoping we get a good harvest this year 🤞🏻🌱 Now, it's time to relax in the evening sunshine with book #12 of 2025 📚😌

A view of raised beds in a garden, with sprouts of onion and garlic in the foreground. In the background, there are three trees, and blue skies.

050

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

The best (and possibly the worst) thing about having a dog is that regardless of how you feel, they still need the same level of love & attention. So even on those days when you don't feel like you can get out of bed, you must. It's the least they deserve. #MentalHealth #LongCovid #Wellbeing

A Rhodesian ridgeback dog running through woodland

2191

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

I've gone from running 10km & training daily, cycling hundreds of kiloms & climbing mountains & rock for fun to stumbling through most days thankful if I can manage a dog walk. I'm genuinely unsure if the future holds anything better than this for me. And that's soul destroying. #LongCovid #LC2025

173

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

Six spectacular days away in the Scottish Highlands. What a privilege it is to live in such a beautiful country. The landscape never ceases to amaze me. We are very lucky indeed (and very grateful for our campervan). 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿♥️ #VanLife #VanLifeAdventures #VisitScotland #ScottishHighlands

A dark blue VW transporter campervan with silver wheels parked pointing towards a mountain. The sky is blue but with lots of fluffy clouds. There is a puddle on the ground, in which the reflection of the camper, the clouds, and the mountain can be seen.

080

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

I was gifted the latest @ianrankin1.bsky.social Rebus novel, Midnight and Blue, for Christmas. I loved it. So much so, in fact, that I've bought the entire collection! I've read many of them before, but not all, and not in order. So here's to 25 Rebus novels in 2025. #BookSky #BookWorm #Fiction

A white flaoting bookshelf with 25 novels, bookended by two yellow plantpots.

2101

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

I'm struggling with a flare of long covid symptoms at the moment. Autonomic dysfunction, neuropathic pain, non-restorative sleep & horrid fatigue. It's grim. I'm genuinely beginning to wonder how I'll cope when the next 6 months are up and I have to return to clinical practice. #LongCovid

0160

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

I have this amazing filter where I only see dog pics 🤣 Here's mine tonight, cuddling her hot water bottle like the pampered princess she is! 🥰

210

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

The ridgeback is mine; the collie might as well be! 😂 They're the best of friends, so he joins us on many of our walks. They bring me so much joy ♥️ Here's an extra photo of Phoenix for you. She is utterly adorable and so full of love.

020

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

Dog walking is fantastic. It definitely helps me to get my daily steps in. Any way that we can incorporate exercise - or should we call it movement to reduce the fear factor? - into our daily routine is much more likely to be sustainable, I feel, and less time-consuming than a trip to the gym.

Two dogs lying in a grassy area; a collie on the left, a ridgeback on the right, a line of trees in the background.

262

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

Love a baked potato and baked beans midweek dinner ! Tonight, however, it is Asian-style risotto... the pak choi was looking a bit sorry for itself, so I thought I should use it up. Hate food waste! Love recipe book cooking for taking away the cognitive load of creativity at mealtimes! 😆

110

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

When your bus commute is >1hr long & needs to be put to good use. I'm trying to wrap my head around 'Big Theory' in reflexive thematic analysis. Thank you @ginnybraun.bsky.social and @vicclarke.bsky.social for making this topic feel accessible. Oh, how I wish I'd read your book 18 months ago! 🤦🏻‍♀️

2131

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

I'm delivering a tutorial on acute kidney injury tomorrow and asked ChatGPT to create an image for me. When I wasn't that impressed with the first image, I asked for it to be "more injured". I'm quite impressed with the outcome! 😂 #MedEd #MedSky #Renal #Nephrology #Teaching #AdvancedPractice #AKI

5362

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 03/01/2025

Never one to miss out on a morning pilates session, Phoenix now insists on having her her own mat. I think this position must be the puppy pose! 😂 #DogsofBluesky #RhodesianRidgeback #Pilates #Yoga #Wellbeing

A view of a living room with a bay window at the far end. There is a log burner in the back right corner and a sofa to the left, with a coffee table at the far end with a pile of books. The floor is oak-coloured. On the floor, there are two black yoga mats running lengthways up the room. On the right mat, there is a large red-haired dog. She is lying with her paws stretched out in front of her.

1262

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 22/12/2024

I planted mine in October, so they've a bit of a head start! 🧅🧄

210

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 18/12/2024

We had a fun session yesterday teaching the microskills of central line insertion. In this session, the resident doctors practice 3 different skills required for central line insertion. This one requires a very steady hand! 😂 #Mastery #Bootcamp #Skills #CVC #MedEd #MedicalEducation #MedSky

3171

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

Chapter 4: Finding, losing, then finding your way again. (Story of my life! 😅) Where will this journey take me? #QualitativeResearch #ReflexiveThematicAnalysis #ThematicAnalysis #MedEdResearch #WideningParticipation

A textbook on Thematic Analysis by Braun and Clarke sits on a table, the hand of a white person is resting on the front cover. Next to the book there is a stainless steel and purple Bodum reusable coffee cup.

190

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

Nothing says winter warmer like 5L of minestrone soup! Guess what we'll be having for lunch and dinner for the next 3 days? 😆 #homecooking #vegan #winterwarmer

170

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

Browsing holiday snaps this morning, reminiscing over our European adventure this summer. We took our dog, Phoenix, with us. She absolutely LOVED riding ski lifts, gondolas & funiculars high into the mountains! #Ridgeback #RhodesianRidgeback #DogsofBluesky #Travel #Adventures #Mountains

A portrait shot of a Rhodesian Ridgeback dog with a broad purple collar. Her mouth is open and tongue hanging out. In the background is a mountain-scape, the sky is blue with white fluffy clouds. Photo taken in the Swiss Alps.

1282

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

Early morning train to Dundee to present at the Scottish Widening Access to Medicine research network meeting. Armed with strong coffee and a new book to get my brain in gear. I'm reading about belonging and wonder how we can do better to support our colleagues from underrepresented backgrounds...

0120

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 03/12/2024

Tiny Phoenix at 12 weeks old. She still hasn't grown into those ears! #DogsofBluesky #RhodesianRidgeback #PuppyLove

A photo of a puppy Rhodesian Ridgeback (ginger haired) sat on green grass. She is looking up at the camera with dark puppy dog eyes. She has a red collar and name tag on. She has very big ears and paws.

2322

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 25/11/2024

I find the development of #ultraprocessedfoods somewhat fascinating but utterly horrifying. I'd highly recommend this book (or the documentary at the very least). #snackification #ultraprocessedpeople

Ultra-processed people by Chris Van Tulleken

3165

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 23/11/2024

One of my best friends moved to Australia 2.5 years ago. In his spare time, he volunteers at a kangaroo sanctuary. I thought these photos of rescue 'roos might bring a little joy to our feeds on this chilly Scottish morning!

Baby kangaroo with a large fox teddy bear

Three baby kangaroos wrapped in colourful towels

Baby kangaroo in a pale blanket, pink fluffy bedding in the background.

2364

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

The smell of fresh basil is simply delicious! Perhaps even better than the smell of tomato vines? By far, my favourite herb to cook with (and eat!) #basil #freshbasil #Italiancooking #vegan #veganmealprep #vegancooking #veganrecipe

The hand of a white person holding a bunch of fresh basil. In the background, blurry, lies a recipe book.

260

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

Two years since most of my circulating blood cells disappeared & my bone marrow went on strike. It all seems like a bit of a blur now but being told I "could die at any moment" has stuck with me. And the precipitant of this choas? Covid. #covid #covidisntover #pancytopenia #autoimmunedisease

A medical specimen pot with a yellow lid being held up to camera. Within it, a small core of bone marrow, which is red in colour, in a clear liquid preservative.

1203

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

A tiring day, but with a little touch of pride to take the edge off. Today, I was awarded the degree of Master of Medical Education! 🎓 I've never worn a yellow hood before; Tuscan yellow, to be precise. Now, just the small matter of a doctorate to finish to complete my collection! 😂 #graduation

4281

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

Delighted to have been asked to contribute to the following @bmj.com article by @abirimmer.bsky.social. "I don't fit in at work, what should I do?" Read here: www.bmj.com/content/387/... #WideningParticipation #UnderrepresentedinMedicine #Diversity #Inclusivity #Mentorship #Belonging #MedSky

082

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

Red was Ridgeback x Rottweiler, so there are definitely similarities. Red was a rescue, 18 months in kennels, so had problem behaviours we had to train out of her. Phoenix was not (a moral conflict for me), but that brought a different set of challenges (& perhaps a greater sense of responsibility?)

161

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 17/11/2024

I couldn't choose, so here's two of Phoenix the #RhodesianRidgeback 🐾

361

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 16/11/2024

Hahaha! This reminds me of a photo I took of my dog last night 😆 (wrapped up in our camper, not as unhappy as she looks!!)

240

Ashley Simpson @avsimpson.bsky.social · 12/11/2024

I've started the migration & need to make connections! I'm Ashley, a #ResidentDoctor and #MedEd Fellow from #Edinburgh, with a passion for #WideningParticipation. I'm an exercise enthusiast with #LongCovid - a combination that I'm really struggling with. And I'm dog mum to this beautiful riot!

3151