Biography
Dr Modi completed his medical degree with distinction at the University of Cambridge and University College London (UCL), before undertaking his junior doctor years, a GP Academic Clinical Fellowship at UCL and obtaining a Masters in Public Health with distinction from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He obtained prize winning memberships and diplomas in general practice, medical specialties, obstetrics and gynaecology and paediatrics. During these years he secured grants and researched, published and presented largely on inequalities and global health. He led international research projects for the Royal College of GPs, was a trustee and chair of a charity working in Zimbabwe, and formed research collaborations with Japan, Uganda and Ghana. He created a national lecture series, course organised and lectured on public health (mainly screening), primary care and pathogenesis. After his PhD in Public Health and Primary Care at the University of Cambridge on the SAFER trial (the largest ever trial of screening for a heart condition that leads to strokes), he is now a Clinical Senior Research Associate and a GP partner delivering research within his own practice. He is a co-investigator and leads the process evaluation of the SAFER trial, leads the process evaluation on TACTICAL 1 (a study adding an abdominal scan to the lung cancer screening programme), is a co-investigator on research into inequalities in rheumatological studies, and collaborates on Primarybreathe (a trial of chronic breathlessness interventions) among other internal and external collaborations. He founded and chairs the Inequalities Research Network helping researchers in the East of England co-design inclusive research into inequalities, is on the Digital Health Health Priority Setting Partnership steering committee, is a RCGP Clinical Adviser on national policy, having been the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough ICB lead for research. He lectures, supervises and mentors researchers (clinical and non-clinical) of various levels on public health, primary care and careers. He has been awarded multiple national and international prizes including the RCGP/CRN clinical researcher award.
Research
His research interests are on addressing inequalities in screening programmes, currently working on lung cancer screening. His methodologies include process evaluations (with mixed-methods), implementation science , inclusive research designs, and using non-clinicians to deliver interventions.
Publications
Most recent and key publications:
Modi R, Massou E, Charlton P et al. Screening for atrial fibrillation with or without general practice involvement: a controlled study (under review). BMC Primary Care. 2025.
Mant J, Modi R (corresponding author), Dymond A et al. Randomised controlled trial of population screening for atrial fibrillation in people aged 70 years and over to reduce stroke: protocol for the SAFER trial. BMJ Open. 2024;14(4):e082047.
Mant J, Modi RN (corresponding author), Charlton P et al. The feasibility of population screening for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation using hand-held electrocardiogram devices. EP Europace. 2024;26(3).
Williams K, Modi RN (corresponding author), Dymond A et al. The SAFER Authorship Group. Cluster randomised controlled trial of screening for atrial fibrillation in people aged 70 years and over to reduce stroke: protocol for the pilot study for the SAFER trial. BMJ Open. 2022;12(9):e065066.
Powell A, Hoare S, Modi RN et al. How to embed qualitative research in trials: insights from the feasibility study of the SAFER trial programme. Trials. 2022;23(1):394.
Hoare S, Powell A, Modi RN et al. Why do people take part in atrial fibrillation screening? Qualitative interview study in English primary care. BMJ Open. 2022;12(3):e051703.
Sloan M, Harwood R, Gordon C… Modi R et al. Will ‘the feeling of abandonment’ remain? Persisting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on rheumatology patients and clinicians. Rheumatology. 2022;61(9):3723-36.
Modi RN, Kelly S, Hoare S, Powell A, Kuhn I, Usher-Smith J, Mant J, Burt J. Delivering screening programmes in primary care: protocol for a scoping and systematic mixed studies review. BMJ Open. 2021;11(4):e046331.
Teaching and Supervisions
Dr Modi has created and delivered national lecture series, organised a teaching course on screening, and lectures on implementation science, screening and inequalities for audiences ranging from University of Cambridge medical students to Mphil students and GP trainees. At his practice he tutors medical students and is a GP trainer.
He supervises in public health, process evaluations, statistics and Student Selected Components (SSCs) for medical students at various colleges, and supervises/mentors a range of researchers and clinicians ranging from students and GP ACFs to senior academic GPs.
Other Professional Activities
As a GP partner in a local practice, he provides healthcare to the growing population of Cambourne, leads a staff of 50, delivers a range of research studies to his population, and is currently delivering a local pathway to diagnose palpitations based on his PhD research.
