Katy Chisenga-Phillipps
Making room for unheard voices
Katy at her Cambridge graduation in 2018 (left) and holding the RCGP Inspiring GP Registrar of the Year award in 2026 (right).
Katy Chisenga-Phillipps Making room for unheard voices
Katy at her Cambridge graduation in 2018 (above) and holding the RCGP Inspiring GP Registrar of the Year award in 2026 (below).
Katy Chisenga-Phillipps knew she wanted to be a doctor long before she arrived at Cambridge. As a child, she even wrote to Premier League football club doctors asking how she could follow in their footsteps.
That early interest deepened during a GCSE history module on the development of modern medicine.
"Constantly hearing about the innovations, progress and changes in care made me really want to be a part of that and continue that legacy."
After attending a state grammar school in North London, Katy surprised many around her by postponing medicine to pursue another passion first: languages. She studied French and Hispanic Studies at King's College London, graduating with first-class honours and spending a year abroad in Paris and Madrid before returning to her original plan of studying medicine.
That unconventional route would become a theme throughout her career.
The four-year graduate medicine course at Cambridge was demanding.
"I worked harder at Cambridge than I had ever worked before."
But alongside academic achievement came a deeper understanding of herself. It was during her time at Cambridge that Katy discovered she was neurodivergent. With the support of those around her, she learned not only how she learns best, but also that thinking differently could be a strength rather than something to overcome.
"I know what it's like to feel excluded. I want to build environments where everyone is respected, heard and doesn't have to do anything alone."
Two Directors of Studies, Lesley MacVinish and Jeremy Webb, played a particularly important role in her journey. Katy describes their support as having an "academic caretaker" throughout her years at Cambridge, offering the kind of mentorship that helped her thrive.
Outside her studies, Katy immersed herself in Cambridge's creative community. Regular visits to the ADC Theatre and Wolfson College's Howler comedy nights introduced her to new ways of thinking about health and wellbeing.
Today, she has built a portfolio career focused on the areas she cares about most, including perinatal mental health and supporting healthcare professionals through major life transitions.
Much of that work grew from her own experience of returning to work after maternity leave.
Recognising that many women were facing similar challenges, Katy developed a support programme for mothers returning to NHS roles through the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme. What began as a response to a personal challenge has grown into a thriving community, with participants continuing to support each other long after completing the programme.
For Katy, those moments of connection matter as much as formal recognition.
"I don't want any mother to feel like they're going through it alone."
The programme contributed to her receiving both the RCGP South East Thames Rising Star Award and the national RCGP Inspiring GP Registrar of the Year Award in 2026.
Most recently, she was elected RCGP GP Registrar Chair, a role in which she will represent 17,000 GP registrars across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Despite her growing national responsibilities, Katy remains closely connected to Cambridge through the Cambridge Medical Graduates' Society, alumni events and Wolfson medic dinners.
Looking ahead, she hopes the School of Clinical Medicine will continue to produce not only exceptional clinicians, but also people who leave with the confidence and determination to improve the world around them.