Surgeons`s Fleam 2009 - Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
...A Year
in Review
2009
Plans for the future...
Reflections
Spanning Three Decades
s Registrar of the College for the past five years, I have been privileged
to lead an academic Institution that is steeped in history and tradition
yet, at the same time, continues to be at the vanguard in identifying
new initiatives and opportunities that will build its future successes. Later
this year I will step down as Registrar after a career of more than 30 years with
RCSI and I am proud to have worked alongside truly outstanding people who
I now am privileged to call friends. I have proudly witnessed the College grow
from strength to strength to become the remarkable organisation it is today.
A
My career in the College began in 1976 where I started in an administrative
role, taking over from the superintendent of schools, moving to examinations
in 1978 and while there, also taking responsibility for IT and HR. The College
today is almost unrecognisable from the institution I first joined. The late
1970’s and 1980’s were difficult times in Ireland and we were fully aware
that fees alone would not sustain the College into the 21st century; therefore
we looked elsewhere to safeguard our financial security.
Upon reflection, there are many projects and initiatives that I feel privileged
to have been a part of, in the mid 1990’s, I proposed a scheme to provide
every student with a personal laptop upon entry into the Medical School,
which was unheard of at the time. This project, coupled with the development
of the first on-line surgical training programme, BeST (electronic based surgical
training) in 1999, which is now being used by Harvard University Residents,
contributed to building our reputation as the leading provider of medical
education in Ireland.
My job in the College has brought me to places far afield from where I was
raised in Cork. In the summer of 1996, I spent a few months in Penang,
Malaysia, laying the groundwork for the establishment of Penang Medical
College in collaboration with University College Dublin. The College operates
a twinning programme whereby students spend their pre-clinical years in
either RCSI or UCD before returning to Penang to complete their clinical
studies.
Our reputation as the leading provider of medical education in Ireland was
further strengthened this year, following a quality assurance evaluation which
benchmarked all aspects of the Medical School’s activities against the World
Federation of Medical Education Standards.
The College achieved superb results, with standards of excellence in two-thirds
of the categories. This significant achievement demonstrates the Faculty’s
commitment to striving for excellence and these results have lead to a greatly
improved learning experience for our students. All recognise that ‘Excellence’
is not a destination, but a never-ending journey of continuous improvement.
In 2006, together with Oscar Traynor, we pioneered the world’s first dedicated
mobile surgical skills training unit, which represented another milestone in
the College’s commitment to excellence in surgical training. Built to
accommodate ten surgical trainees the unit facilitates the delivery of surgical
training to world-class standards and allows live link ups with the campus in
Dublin and operating theatres around the world.
2 • Fleam
One project in particular that has always been close to my heart is the
development of the RCSI Bahrain Health Oasis, incorporating the Medical
University of Bahrain and the King Hamad General Hospital. In February this
year, the College was delighted that H.E. Mary McAleese travelled to Bahrain to
officially open the new RCSI Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI-MUB) campus.
Accompanied by Batt O’Keeffe, T.D., Minister for Education and Science, the
Opening marked an important milestone in the relationship that we have
developed with Bahrain over the past 30 years. Currently, RCSI Medical
University of Bahrain has over 700 students with a capacity for 2,000 students.
In May this year, the laying of the foundation stone for the RCSI Bahrain Health
Oasis was performed during a ceremony by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin
Salman Al-Khalifa Prime Minister, Kingdom of Bahrain together with Minister
Dara Calleary, Minister with responsibility for Labour Affairs at the Department
of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. This occasion marked a further milestone
in bringing this project to fruition. The Oasis will represent a truly unique
medical education and healthcare campus within a world class, mixed use
waterfront development – an international healthcare centre of excellence and
enterprise for the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Middle East. When completed,
it will integrate world-class healthcare, state-of-the-art medical education and
research and health sector enterprises.
The King Hamad General Hospital (KHGH), which is currently under construction
in Bahrain, is one of the biggest public sector health projects in Bahrain in recent
times. It is scheduled to open in 2010 and will provide world class healthcare
services to the people of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
One project of which I am especially proud is the Private Bill we brought through
the Oireachtas (Parliament) to amend the Charters of the College. This became
the RCSI Charters Amendment Act of 2003 and gave the College the authority
to award its own degrees – a long held ambition of all graduates of RCSI.
The achievements of the College, and there have been many, are due
exclusively to the dedication, energy and loyalty of the individuals who
comprise the President, Council and staff of RCSI. I am extremely grateful to
each and every one of them for their contribution.
The continued success of RCSI can be contributed to two things: the wise
governance of the Council of the College and the dedicated commitment of
staff in every area of the College. It is they who have made RCSI what it is
today and will continue to do so in the future. I am honoured to have followed
in the footsteps of inspirational leaders such as Harry O’Flanagan, Bill MacGowan
and Kevin O’Malley. It is now time for new thinking, new directions and new
leadership. An exciting new era will begin for RCSI, under the leadership of
Professor Cathal Kelly, and I am confident that the new leadership team will
have the commitment, energy, drive and passion to lead RCSI to many successes
into the future.
I am truly grateful for your support and help over the years and hope that you
are as proud of our achievements, as we are of yours.
Mr. Michael Horgan, Chief Execuve/Registrar. (2004 - 2009)
message from the
editor
here can be no denying that 2009 has been a challenging year because
of the national and global economic crisis. Notwithstanding this, RCSI
responded to these challenges positively and our annual review
highlights our success stories and some of our plans for the future.
T
With the passing of the first decade of the 21st Century also marks the end
of an era with the retirement of Michael Horgan as CEO/Registrar. Michael
has been with RCSI for some 30 years and was a catalyst for the
transformation of RCSI into the information and technology age. He has
accomplished much in improving the education of our students and the
reputation of RCSI at home and abroad.
A new year, and decade brings a new energy to RCSI especially with the
appointment of RCSI graduate and fellow, Professor Cathal Kelly as
CEO/Registrar. Professor Kelly took up his appointment on 4th December
2009 and we wish him well as he takes up this leadership position. Cathal
will be building on RCSI’s strengths and will be engaging with our alumni
community in new efforts to strengthen our position as national and
international leader in medical education.
As a graduate you need to be aware that you play an integral role as part
of the RCSI community. Your support and advocacy on our behalf is
instrumental in raising our profile and advancing the reputation of Irish
medical education.
Between the economic downturn and the ever –rising cost of postage,
Surgeons’ Fleam will in future be sent to you by email or available on our
website www.rcsi.ie in an effort to reduce our costs. If you haven’t already
sent us your email address, could you please do so by emailing me at
alumni@rcsi.ie Thanking you in advance!
I would like to thank all who have been in contact with the Alumni Office
during the year. I hope you enjoy our 2009 edition of the Fleam. As always,
if you know anyone who has lost touch with the College or who is not in
receipt of Surgeons’ Fleam, please ask them to email their contact details to
me at alumni@rcsi.ie
Finally, my best wishes for 2010. I look forward to your continued support
and interest in our work.
Kind regards
Graduate Appointed CEO OF RCSI
Cathal Kelly, Class of 1985 was
announced in July 09 as the
incoming CEO/Registrar of RCSI.
Cathal replaced Michael Horgan
who stepped down in December
2009. Professor Kelly was RCSI
Dean of the Medical Faculty before
he took up his new appointment.
Cathal says that “I look forward to
working with Council, faculty, staff
and students, building on the
outstanding legacy under the
leadership of Michael Horgan and
of previous Registrars. I am thrilled,
proud and delighted to be leading RCSI. My commitment as CEO is
to provide leadership that takes into consideration RCSI’s rich past,
yet at the same time, develop its potential to face the new
challenges presented today and into the future. I believe RCSI is well
positioned to provide leadership in many areas, making a significant
impact on healthcare globally.”
In making the announcement, Professor Keane, President RCSI
expressed the Council’s confidence in Professor Kelly’s suitability for
the specific needs of RCSI. “Cathal’s wide-ranging experience in
administration, his excellence in his own academic discipline and
his understanding and commitment to the mission of RCSI, make
him a superb fit for this College. The Council looks forward to this
new chapter in RCSI’s history under Professor Kelly’s leadership.”
RCSI Graduate elected as next President of
Mayo Clinic, USA
Professor Michael D. Brennan has been
named as President Elect of the world
renowned Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, USA.
Professor Brennan is the first Irish
graduate to hold such a position in almost
sixty years and he will take over the
Presidency in January 2010.
After graduating in 1969, Professor
Brennan completed his residency at the
Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Minnesota in Internal Medicine. He
received his Fellowship in Endocrinology from the Mayo Graduate School of
Medicine in 1977. He currently holds the position of Consultant in the
Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism, Nutrition Department of
Internal Medicine at the Mayo Clinic. A keen researcher and recipient of a
number of awards, Professor Brennan was recently awarded the
Distinguished Service Award from the Mayo Clinic Department of Medicine
in 2008.
Louise Sherwin
©Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland 2010.
For additional copies of Surgeons’ Fleam please contact the
Alumni Office at: 353 1 402 2235 / 402 2163
or email at: lsherwin@rcsi.ie or alumni@rcsi.ie
Editor: Louise Sherwin
Design / production: ICON Graphic Services 01 - 831 8103
Printing: Print Fusion 01 - 833 9892
The office of President at the Mayo Clinic is extremely prestigious and is
elected by popular vote of the voting staff of the Clinic including almost all
of the physicians and a large number of the administrative staff.
Professor Frank Keane, President of RCSI said “RCSI has a long tradition of
educating and training students to the highest standards and our graduates
are highly respected both here in Ireland and abroad. On behalf of RCSI, I
extend my congratulations to Professor Brennan on this enormous
achievement and wish him all the success in his new position.”
Fleam • 3
Remembering the College in your Will
Have you thought of leaving a legacy to RCSI?
If you are updating your Will or making one for the irst time –
you have the opportunity to express your support and affection for
RCSI by means of a bequest.
Making a Will is a highly personal way to help us to develop our
resources and facilities.
RCSI has a tradition of offering students the freedom to experiment,
to think differently, to be an individual based on our highest academic
standards of teaching and research. If you should choose to remember
RCSI in your Will, you would not only be making a generous gift,
you would also be helping to ensure that the RCSI tradition lives on.
For further information, please contact:
Louise Sherwin
Alumni Oficer, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
123, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
Tel: +353 1 402 2235
Fax: +353 1 402 2463
Email: lsherwin@rcsi.ie
4 • Fleam
college news...
RCSI Awards Honorary Fellowship to Dr.
Ronnie Delany and Dr. Carlos Pellegrini at
Charter Day Dinner
RCSI granted its highest award of Honorary Fellowship to Irish Olympic Gold
Medallist Dr. Ronnie Delany and Dr. Carlos Pellegrini from the University of
Washington at the annual Charter Day dinner last Saturday evening.
editorial boards, and publishes regularly in the field of minimally invasive
surgery for upper gastrointestinal diseases, esophageal cancer, and related
areas, as well as the field of training and new technologies for preparing
surgeons in this field. His bibliography lists well over 300 articles, chapters,
editorials, and books, as well as 12 surgical videos and films.
Reading his citation, RCSI council member Mr. Joe Duignan said “Our
candidate this evening is an outstanding scholar; he has 200 published
articles in peer reviewed journals, 110 book chapters, 40 invited
commentaries and 15 videos and films to his credit. His medical interests
span the spectrum of oesophageal disorders, hepatobilary surgery,
minimal invasive surgery and surgical simulation and he is a world leader
in each. Everywhere he has worked he has won prizes for his teaching.”
RCSI Launches New Medical Leaflet on
Obesity as Study Reveals Lack of Information
for General Public
RCSI launched a medical information leaflet on 9th March, which will give
people in Ireland information on the dangers of being overweight and
obese. Over 100,000 copies have been distributed and made available to
300 pharmacies and doctors clinics around the country for the public to
take away with them.
Dr. Ronnie Delany, Dr. Carlos Pellegrini and Professor Frank Keane, President of RCSI.
Dr. Ronnie Delany
Dr. Ronnie Delany is a former Irish athlete, who specialised in middle
distance running. In 1956, he became the seventh runner worldwide to
join the club of four-minute milers. In the same year went on to win the
gold medal in the 1500m final at the Melbourne Olympics, setting a new
Olympic record in the process.
In 1958 he won the bronze medal at the European Championships. He
remained the last Olympics champion of Ireland for 36 years, until Michael
Carruth won the gold medal in boxing at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.
Dr. Ronnie Delany’s athletic career also included an unprecedented and
unsurpassed 40 straight victories indoors in America from 1956 to 1959.
He broke the World Indoor Mile Record on three occasions from 1958 to
1962. In 1961, representing Ireland, he was World University Games
Champion at 800m, Ireland’s first ever Gold Medalist at this level. In 2006,
Dr. Delany was granted the Freedom of Dublin City.
Reading his citation, RCSI Council member Professor David Bouchier Hayes
said “The transforming power of Ronnie’s great victory and his career
record of 40 indoor victories including three indoor victories was also felt
by the Irish-American community who co-operated with the IDA in setting
up new businesses in Ireland at a time of great poverty and emigration.”
Dr. Carlos Pellegrini
Dr. Carlos Pellegrini was appointed as The Henry N. Harkins Professor and
Chairman of the Department of Surgery, University of Washington in
Seattle in 1996. He is a world leader in minimally invasive gastrointestinal
surgery and a pioneer in the development of videoendoscopy for the
surgical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease and esophageal
motility disorders, particularly achalasia.
In the area of medical education he has been a major contributor to the
fundamental reform of residency work hours. He is a past-president of the
American Surgical Association and was chair of the Digestive Disease Week
(DDW) Council from 2002-2008. Dr. Carlos Pellegrini serves on several
The joint initiative between the School of Pharmacy and Molecular &
Cellular Therapeutics (MCT) follows the results of a study that was carried
out by the two RCSI departments, which revealed that pharmacies, general
practice clinics and hospitals, did not have any literature available to the
general public on being overweight or obese.
As part of the study, thirty pharmacies, fifteen general practice clinics and
three weight loss clinics were visited in Dublin city centre and surrounding
counties including Co. Louth, Co. Meath, Co. Kildare and Co. Kilkenny. None
of those visited had any available leaflets on obesity.
Dr. Steve Kerrigan, project leader and lecturer in Pharmacology said
“Collectively we saw this as a problem where there was nowhere for the
general public to find out about the health implications for being
overweight or obese. While the pharmacies had several other information
leaflets on diseases ranging from diabetes to heart disease, we found no
such literature on obesity. When we visited a number of GP clinics they too
did not have any leaflets available on obesity.”
Dr. Kerrigan continued “Although there is information on the internet,
obesity has often been linked with poverty and educational disadvantage;
therefore obese people may have less access to a computer or the
internet.”
Professor John Kelly, Head of the School of Pharmacy said “Currently,
obesity presents one of the biggest public health problems in Ireland and it
is essential that information on such a common disease is readily available
to the general public prior to them seeking advice from their pharmacists
or doctors. Empowering people with this knowledge could prevent them
from suffering obesity related diseases in the future.”
Obesity in Ireland has increased by 67 per cent since 1990 and we are now
ranked the fourth highest country in Europe for obesity. It is estimated that
€4 billion per year is spent on obesity and related disease in Ireland. The
disease results in 2000 premature deaths in Ireland each year.
The leaflet on obesity is now available on the RCSI website at www.rcsi.ie
under the School of Pharmacy section. Please click on Leaflet on
Obesity.pdf to view a copy.
Fleam • 5
President’s Report
his year is the 225th in the College’s
existence. I have been privileged to take
over the Presidency of this very successful
organisation from my predecessor Gerry
O’Sullivan. But the climate within which we are
now living both in Ireland and internationally
has changed dramatically, plunged as we are
into a deep recession. This College has faced
many difficult times in its history including war,
famine and pestilence. But it has always risen
to meet the needs of its time or to harness
opportunities as they arose. Even in its earliest
years, between 1785 and 1815, it furnished
1000 surgeons to the armies and navy’s
engaged in the Napoleonic wars.
Patient Safety agenda (launching the Surgical
Checklist with HIQA, the Health Information
Quality Authority, and participating in the
implementation of the Madden report “Building a culture of patient safety”; we have
supported the principles of hospital
reconfiguration and the National Cancer Control
Programme while at the same time provided
critical and constructive appraisal and
amendments to each; we have formed a
consensus within the surgical community as to
how paediatric surgery should be provided
outside the planned tertiary centre in Dublin
and we continue to express our dissatisfaction
at the lack of preparedness to meet the
implementation of the European Working Time
Directive and the shortage of elective surgical
resources, while, at the same time, working
T
There is, as yet, no job description nor are
there Terms of Reference for the Presidency of
this burgeoning institution. The fact that I am the 167th in line and the
appointment is just for two years perhaps justifies this kind of flexible
approach particularly as we continue to achieve significant success. But
with the increasing number of obligations and complexities of the
College, its expanding portfolio together with an increasing exposure to
risk, both reputational and financial, then each of its parts, including the
Presidency, has to become more accountable. Governance, I hope has
been a watchword of mine and recent Presidencies, and our awareness
of its importance has been magnified as we view with dismay some of
the financial and institutional failures that have taken place in Ireland
and the world over the last year. I am confident that Council’s Governance
Committee is steadily putting the pieces into place and is making each of
us more accountable and our College more robust.
But ‘accountability’ is also letting people know what you do. To that end
I have tried to make the Presidency more accessible. I have moved into
a wonderful office, the old Colles Room, where our very personable
executive assistant, Kate Smith, provides a more identifiable focal point.
Working with Louise Loughran, communications throughout the College,
both to its own constituency and to the outside world, have made
significant strides. My own activities and views are well documented both
in my Ezine and Bulletin and I hope that people find the time to glance
at them from time to time.
Surgery, as well as being our heritage, is fundamental to the delivery of
healthcare in Ireland and our responsibilities have to reach further and
further into its many aspects of training, standards and practice delivery.
This is against a background of a changing society with changing
demands, increased expectation and spiralling costs but, at the same
time, with a health service that is struggling to manage itself
competently. Engaging constructively with the Department of Health and
Children and the Health Service Executive either directly or through the
Forum of Irish Postgraduate Training Bodies is a focussed strategy of RCSI
recognising that working together is the only solution to resolving many
of our healthcare problems. In this way we have been very active in the
6 • Fleam
toward solutions.
The problems for our surgical trainees include the lack of surgical
exposure during the early years, the adequacy of their training within
the working time regulations and the maintenance of funding for their
training. Reconfiguration and the National Cancer Control Programme
also make the future workforce requirements unclear and this adds to
the uncertainties of their futures. We, in the College, have and are
changing our training from an apprenticeship model to a more actively
taught, competence based model and I believe our programmes are of
a world standard and improving all the time, with many aspects linked
to our sister Royal Surgical Colleges. Training at the coal face is still,
however, essential and we are actively pursuing the huge potential of
elective surgical experience contained within the National Treatment
Purchase Fund. Surgical training is more resource demanding than other
medical disciplines and we will make a strong case to government for
appropriate funding. Meanwhile we have also commenced a study
looking at future workforce requirements for surgery in Ireland.
For surgeons in practice Continued Professional Development (CPD) is
looming inexorably on the horizon when it becomes part of the
enactment of the Medical Practitioners Professional Competence Scheme,
arising out of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007. This has provided a new
emphasis for the College and we are currently busily structuring its
component parts and recording systems so that it will be introduced
within the next year in a stepwise manner and starting with an emphasis
on CME (Continuing Medical Education) with Peer Review Activities and
Audit following closely behind. Our aim is to help and support
practitioners in a self -improvement exercise that provides useful
feedback for them and their patients but does not impose an
overweening bureaucratic chore.
During my first year of Presidency I have experienced some wonderful
highlights. In March 2009 I attended the RCSI Faculty Forum held at
Nuremore Hotel in Monaghan. There we received, amongst other reports,
Charter Day
news of the outcome of the highly successful QA/QI process. It was
extremely rewarding to see the Faculty “in action” on what was an
excellent and informative meeting punctuated by lively debates. It
emphasised to me both a remarkable esprit de corps and an impressive
clarity of purpose and ambition. This emphasis on a co-ordinated
approach to teaching delivered at the different hospitals attached to RCSI
was further emphasised when the Lord Mayor of Waterford, late last
year opened the smart, new €4.2 million HSE – RCSI Education Facility
which had been built in partnership with the HSE and Waterford Regional
Hospital. The occasion was also marked with the re-introduction of the
Abrahamson Lectures which will be delivered alternately at the different
Hospitals affiliated to RCSI.
Indeed it was a year of openings. In October 2008 I had the pleasure of
participating in the official opening of RCSI-Dubai by Tánaiste, Mary
Coughlan. Our Institute of Leadership and Healthcare Management has
been running courses in the Middle East for approximately 16 years, in
Bahrain, Jordan and more recently Dubai. RCSI-Dubai is the very first
body to become institutionally licensed and its programmes accredited
by the UAE Ministry of Health, Education & Scientific Research. This
quality and regulatory approval has created great opportunities for RCSI
to establish strategic alliances and developments within Dubai
Healthcare City, the UAE Health sector and the Gulf region as a whole.
Another auspicious occasion, in January 2009, was marked by the
opening of the new Medical University of Bahrain building by President
Mary McAleese and His Highness the Prime Minister of Bahrain. It is hard
to out-perform President McAleese who brings such enormous style and
presence to any event that she graces but on this occasion I think that
even she was outdone by the magnificence of the building itself. This is
very much a landmark event signifying our commitment to Bahrain and
anticipating our further involvement with the new, shortly to be
completed, King Hammad Hospital and the Health Oasis, the foundation
stone of which was laid in May.
Our medical schools in Penang and Bahrain are now operating to full
capacity and are important hubs for medical education in those regions.
Our international profile, however, was further emphasised by our
partnership with COSECSA, the College of Surgeons of East, Central and
Southern Africa when I went to Mozambique to participate in their
exams and their Annual General Meeting. With significant support from
Irish Aid we are helping them to model a self sustaining business plan
not only to train surgeons but also other health workers who will remain
to work within their own communities.
Our commitment to Africa was further emphasised when former
President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, had earlier launched the
Ireland/Africa Health Research Capacity Strategy Programme put
together by Ruairi Brugha, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health
Medicine. Indeed such are the diversity of RCSI’s overseas activities that
I am delighted that an Overseas Development Group, bringing together
all our resources, is being co-ordinated by Declan Magee.
Closer to home we greatly value the special relationship we have with
our Faculties of Radiology, Sports and Exercise Medicine, Dentistry and
Nursing. They each continue to grow and provide the full range of
postgraduate services extending from centre accreditation through
training, assessment, examinations and professional development and,
at the same time, liaising with other accrediting bodies. We also value
the continued collaboration with the Royal College of Physicians through
the Conjoint Board and the Forum of Postgraduate Training Bodies.
Innovation and entrepreneurship remain key to the Colleges
developmental strategy and growth. The Colles Institute with its Centres
of Surgical Skills, Innovation and Research have made great strides in
amassing projects and key collaborations with partners including
Enterprise Ireland and the Cleveland Clinic. Our Research Pillar, under
Brian Harvey, is continuing to grow organically and anticipates a major
proposal for PRTLI5. And the College remains very much alive to academic
alignments that may be required within the Irish third level milieu.
No year passes without some sadness and we particularly mourn the
tragic deaths of the three young doctors, Jane Deasy, Aisling Butler and
Eithne Walls who were lost in the Air France disaster were a focus of
enormous grief to us all.
The year 2010 also marks 200 years of our presence in our building in
St Stephen’s Green. ‘Number 123’ has seen a lot of life go by both inside
and outside of its portals. Indeed it is a great privilege for me to see it
across this next great milestone, during this very vibrant era of its
existence, and I hope you will all join with us in this great celebration.
Professor Frank Keane
President
Fleam • 7
college news...
RCSI Holds Medical Education
Information Programme for Members
from International Embassies
Members from RCSI’s Medical Faculty hosted a seminar on 3rd June
entitled ‘Medical Education at RCSI - an outline of the Medical
Curriculum and Student Journey’, for members of the embassies that
are represented in the student body at RCSI.
The seminar was held for the first time in order to inform the cultural
attachés from each of the embassies about the medical curriculum
and of recent improvements and initiatives within RCSI. Among the
countries represented were Kuwait, United Arab Emirates (UAE),
Malaysia and Qatar.
Professor Cathal Kelly, RCSI Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and
Health Sciences said “The aim of the event is to ensure that we can
provide representatives from the embassies with a good
understanding and appreciation of the medical education curriculum
at RCSI. The day will also build on the strong relationships that exist
between RCSI and the embassies, which will ultimately also benefit
the students at the College.”
NEW APPOINTMENTS IN RCSI
Department of Paediatrics
Professor Alf Nicholson, a UCD graduate took up the position of
Professor of Paediatrics in June 2008. Professor Nicholson completed
his post-graduate training in Dublin, and Manchester. His three-year
fellowship training was undertaken in the Royal Children’s Hospital,
Melbourne, Australia. His appointments included Regional Adviser for
paediatrics in Ireland from 2000 – 2003 and Director of Higher
Specialist Training Director in paediatrics from 2000 - 2006. His
present appointment is as Higher Specialist Training Director in
General Professional Training in paediatrics . He is also a member of
European Academy of Paediatrics and Chair of the Accident
Prevention Committee.
Professor Nicholson is married to Helen and they have four children
ranging in ages from 17 down to 11. He is a resident of Co. Louth
which he enjoys because of its location close to the sea and the golf
course.
other aspects of the surgical training programme and is now also
being piloted in Africa in partnership with COSECSA - the College of
Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa.
Professor Tierney graduated from University College Dublin (UCD) in
1987. After a BSc in Anatomy, he completed Basic Surgical Training in
Dublin and was awarded his Fellowship from RCSI in 1992. He spent
two years in Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, USA undertaking
research into biliary physiology. He
completed his clinical training initially
in London prior to completing the Irish
Senior Registrar Training Programme.
After a year as lecturer in RCSI /
Beaumont Hospital he was appointed
a Consultant in Vascular Surgery in
2000. Professor Tierney has over 80
publications, including more than 20
original peer reviewed papers, 50
abstracts and 7 chapters and reviews.
He is former Chairman of the Medical
Board in AMNCH Tallaght and the
Higher Surgical Training Group. He is
currently Vice President of the Irish Medical Organisation.
Commenting on the appointment, Professor Frank Keane, RCSI
President said “we are delighted to appoint Professor Sean Tierney to
Professor of Surgical Informatics. The growing complexity of surgical
training and practice, the need to quantify and quality assure surgical
care, and the need to ensure the competence of surgeons in practice
requires the development and deployment of data systems. Professor
Sean Tierney, in his role as Professor of Surgical Informatics will play a
leading role in developing, promoting and evaluating the use of
information technology in supporting learning, ensuring clinical
quality and assisting practitioners in the process of competence
assurance.”
Senior Appointments in Midland Regional Hospital
RCSI announced the appointment of Dr. Sean Murphy, Consultant
Physician in Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar to Associate
Professor of Medicine and Dr. Farhana Sharif to Senior Lecturer in
Paediatrics in May 2009.
His research interests are in injury prevention and care of the critically
ill child. He is the co-author of a book to be published in April 2009
called “When your child is sick – what can you do to help.”
Professor Nicholson says that he is “enthusiastically looking forward
to developing further undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in
paediatrics in RCSI.”
Professor of Surgical Informatics Appointed
Professor Sean Tierney was appointed Professor of Surgical
Informatics in June 2009. He is a Consultant Vascular Surgeon in the
Adelaide and Meath National Children's Hospital (AMNCH), in Tallaght,
County Dublin and was appointed Vice Dean of Distance Learning for
Postgraduate Surgery in RCSI in 2003. Professor Tierney also runs the
RCSI School for Surgeons, an online case based learning programme
for surgical trainees. This award winning programme complements
8 • Fleam
Pictured on the front row are: Dr. Sean Murphy, Dr. Orla Murphy, Professor Cathal
Kelly, Dr. Farhana Sharif and Mr Imran Sharif.
college news...
Dr. Murphy was appointed Consultant Physician in General Medicine
and Geriatric Medicine in Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar in
1995. He has been instrumental in developing the services in the
hospital. In 2004 Dr. Murphy established a DXA Scan service, in 2005
he set up a Medical Assessment Unit to facilitate rapid access for GP’s
to same day ambulatory assessment of patients with urgent problems
and in 2006 he set up a Stroke Service Unit in the hospital.
In his role as Associate Professor of Medicine, Dr. Murphy will be
responsible for the RCSI Academic Department of Medicine in Midland
Regional Hospital to ensure the delivery of teaching and assessment
in medicine to the highest standard at both undergraduate and post
graduate levels and to foster and promote research in Medicine.
A native of Carlow, Dr. Murphy is a graduate of the National University
of Ireland, Galway (NUIG) and interned in Galway University Hospitals.
He later pursued post-graduate training in the USA at the University of
Wisconsin Hospitals and at the Johns Hopkins University School of
Medicine followed by further training at Oxford and Cambridge in the
UK before returning to Ireland.
Dr. Sharif Farhana was appointed Consultant Paediatrician in Midland
Regional Hospital in 2003. She has a special interest in Community
Paediatrics and has set up Early Intervention Teams in Longford
Westmeath, which has streamlined care for children with disabilities
in this region. She has also been instrumental in introducing a
sensitive and specific tool for screening for developmental delay in
children which has facilitated and enhanced care for these children in
the community.
In her new role as Senior Lecturer in Paediatrics, Dr. Sharif will be
responsible for teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate
students in the Department of Paediatrics in Midlands Regional
Hospital, Mullingar.
A graduate of the Aga Khan University in Pakistan, Dr. Sharif
completed her Paediatric Residency Programme in Cardinal Glennon
Children’s Hospital in Missouri in the United States. She also holds a
Master degree in child health from University of Warwick in U.K.
Commenting on the appointments, Professor Cathal Kelly, Dean of the
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, RCSI said “we are delighted
to appoint Dr. Sean Murphy to Associate Professor of Medicine and Dr.
Farhana Sharif to Senior Lecturer in Paediatrics in Midland Regional
Hospital. Since 2000 Midland Regional Hospital has played an
important role in training the future generation of medical
professionals and we are delighted to further strengthen the
relationship between the College and Midland Regional Hospital
through these appointments.”
Professor Conor Murphy appointed Professor of
Ophthalmology
Professor Conor Murphy recently returned to Ireland from Liverpool to
take up his position as Professor of Ophthalmology at RCSI and
Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear
Hospital.
Conor qualified from UCD Medicine in 1996 and following his intern
year obtained a MMedSc degree in physiology at UCD. He undertook
his basic and higher specialist training in ophthalmology at the Mater
Hospital, Dublin and in Bristol and Liverpool. Under the mentorship of
Professor Andrew Dick at the University of Bristol and Bristol Eye
Hospital, he developed expertise in the area of inflammatory eye
disease and uveitis. In 2005 he was awarded a PhD degree for his
thesis “Optimising immunosuppression for posterior segment
intraocular inflammatory disease”, publishing widely on this subject
in the peer-reviewed literature. Conor later undertook advanced
training in cornea and external eye diseases in Liverpool and Perth,
Western Australia where he built on his expertise in infectious and
immune-mediated diseases of the anterior segment of the eye. His
principle surgical interest is corneal transplantation.
Professor Murphy’s principle research
interest is herpes simplex infection of
the cornea, in particular how the
virus evades the innate immune
response at the ocular surface in this
blinding condition. He is currently
developing a research programme in
this field with Dr. Caroline Jefferies,
Senior Lecturer in Molecular and
Cellular Therapeutics at RCSI. Other
active areas of research include
investigating the pharmacokinetics
and in-vitro efficacy of novel
antimicrobials in the cornea and the
outcome of corneal transplantation in
rheumatoid arthritis associated corneal ulceration.
Conor undertook a post-graduate certificate in medical education in
Edge Hill University in Liverpool in 2007 and feels this experience will
help him to make a number of improvements to the delivery of the
undergraduate ophthalmology programme at RCSI in line with the
modernisation of the undergraduate curricula in medicine and
surgery. One such improvement includes the introduction of a module
on ophthalmology in primary care for the medical students on their
general practice rotation which will begin at the end of September.
Changes to post-graduate training in ophthalmology in recent years
have led to the need for a more modern approach to the membership
and fellowship assessments. Professor Murphy is leading a number of
changes to the MRCSI and FRCSI examinations in ophthalmology,
including a restructuring of the examinations, the modernisation of
the syllabus and the introduction of on-line OSCE and MCQ
assessments. It is expected that once implemented, candidates will
be able to sit the new examinations at a number of overseas centres,
building on the international reputation of the College.
Minister Batt O’Keeffe launches New
Teaching Agreement between RCSI
and Independent Hospitals
Minister for Education and Science, Batt O’Keeffe TD launched a new
teaching agreement between RCSI and five independent hospitals in
May 2009 to facilitate the clinical teaching of RCSI medical students.
The hospitals involved in the agreement are Beacon Hospital, Bon
Secours Hospital, Galway Clinic, Hermitage Medical Clinic and Mount
Carmel Hospital.
Fleam • 9
college news...
educational, research and innovation activities in the medical device area
and will contribute to the growth of the industry in Ireland and the
United States.
The collaboration will enable growth of the research, development and
design end of the medical device sector in Ireland. The agreement will
enable the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Cleveland Clinic to
identify medical device market voids, encourage the development of
medical device solutions, as well as partnering on clinical trials for CE and
FDA approval.
Pictured from l-r Ba O'Keeffe T.D., Minister for Educaon and Science (Front le)
and Professor Cathal Kelly, Dean, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, RCSI (Front
Right), with (Back le to right): Dr. Mark Laher, from Mount Carmel, Mr. Eamonn
Fitzgerald, from Hermitage Medical Clinic, Mr. Michael Costelloe, Beacon Hospital,
Mr. James Sheehan, Galway Clinic and Gareth Jones, from Bon Secours Hospital,
pictured at the launch of the new RCSI Teaching Agreement.
Commenting on the agreement, Minister O’Keeffe said “I would like to
congratulate RCSI and the hospitals for developing and cultivating
innovative educational links. This new teaching agreement will make a
valuable contribution to the training of our future generation of medical
professionals. By providing medical students with exposure to a broader
range of medical conditions and treatments their experience will be
enhanced and the quality of their training improved, leading ultimately to
better patient care".
The private health care sector in Ireland has grown significantly over the
past ten years with over 50% of the Irish population now owning private
health insurance compared to only 10% in the United Kingdom.
Professor Frank Keane, RCSI President said “RCSI is at the forefront in
providing the highest standards of training for the future generation of
medical professionals. The new teaching agreement will enable us to
address the changes in our healthcare landscape so that our medical
students are exposed to both public and private practice which will lead
to a more varied clinical teaching programme. We look forward to
working alongside the hospitals here today to provide training and
professional development for our students.”
The use of private hospitals to facilitate the teaching of medical students
is normal in the United States and Australia. Research has shown that this
practice improves recruitment into specialties such as surgery as well as
providing patients with a positive hospital experience.
Representatives from each of the hospitals involved in the agreement
said “We welcome the opportunity to provide clinical teaching to students
from RCSI in the independent healthcare sector. The agreement marks a
significant development in medical education in Ireland as both
undergraduate and postgraduate students will be exposed to certain
techniques and technologies that are currently only available in the
private sector
Scope for medical device industry
grows as RCSI signs major research
and innovation agreement
RCSI signed a major scientific agreement in May 2009 with one of the
largest and most respected American medical centres, Cleveland Clinic in
Ohio. The agreement will enable the two institutions to collaborate on
10 • Fleam
Professor Oscar Traynor, RCSI’s Director of National Surgical Training Centre
said ‘The establishment of this scientific agreement helps to position
Ireland at the forefront in Europe as an innovation hub and an innovator
in clinical care. The agreement will enable the Centre for Innovation in
Surgical Technology (CIST) and the Centre for Clinical Research and
Development (CCR&D) to work in collaboration with Cleveland Clinic
Innovations in the areas of orthopaedics, cardiovascular disease and
general surgery and we look forward to working with Cleveland Clinic to
further develop and enhance patient care.”
Chris Coburn, Executive Director, Innovations, Cleveland Clinic’s corporate
venturing arm said ‘Cleveland Clinic was founded on a belief that an
exceptional capacity for innovation should be valued. Collaborating with
the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland is a valuable extension of those
core values, and we are thrilled to be working with such an esteemed
institution.’
Welcoming the agreement, Mr Frank Ryan, Chief Executive Officer,
Enterprise Ireland said ‘The establishment of this scientific agreement
between the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Cleveland Clinic is a
highly significant development. It provides a great opportunity for both
organizations to work together to address complex healthcare challenges
and develop innovative medical solutions that will ultimately improve
patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. It will deepen the
innovation capability in the sector in Ireland, contributing to our global
reputation in this field and helping to drive continued growth in the
sector. Enterprise Ireland looks forward to continuing to support the Royal
College of Surgeons in Ireland in its future international growth.’
Kenyan Ambassador pays
official visit to RCSI
H.E. Ms. Catherine Muigai Mwangi, the Kenyan Ambassador to Ireland
paid an official visit to RCSI on 22nd September 2009. The Ambassador
accompanied by Ms. Kasiva Mbithi, Second Secretary met with
Professor Frank Keane, President RCSI; Professor Arthur Tanner, Director
of Surgical Training;
Professor Sean Tierney,
Professor of Surgical Informatics;
Mr. Roger Duggan, Programme
Manager of COSECSA and Ms.
Fiona Walsh, Associate Director
of Surgical and Postgraduate
Affairs.
The visit will serve to strengthen
existing links between the two
institutions and countries,
particularly in the area of
Ms. Catherine Muigai Mwangi, the Kenyan
surgical education and training.
Ambassador to Ireland.
college news...
Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Ireland
Pays Official Visit to RCSI
Following his recent appointment as the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to
Ireland, H.E. Mr Abdulaziz Aldriss paid his first official visit to RCSI on 8th
October where he met with RCSI staff and students.
Biological Society Welcome Minister
Micheál Martin, Minister for Foreign
Affairs at 77th Annual Meeting
Minister Micheál Martin, Minister for Foreign Affairs delivered a speech
entitled ‘Education, Research and Diplomacy’ at the 77th Annual Biological
Society Meeting, held in RCSI on 12th November 2009. The President of
the Society, Professor Noel G McElvaney opened the proceedings and
presented medals to Jenah Ghany, who received The Leonard Abrahamson
Medal; Laura Gould who received the RCSI Council Medal; Adwait Mahta,
who received the RCPI Council Medal and Robert Ohle who received the
Denis Gill Medal.
Pictured from l to r with H.E. Mr Abdulaziz Aldriss, Saudi Arabian Ambassador to
Ireland are foundaon year Medicine students Ms. Amal Al Yousif, Ms. Bashaar
Shafai, Ms. Sarah Al Nafisee and Mr. Sami Backley.
The Ambassador was greeted by Mr. Michael Horgan, CEO; Professor
Arthur Tanner, Director of Surgical Affairs; Professor David Croke,
Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics; Mr. Fintan Foy, Associate Director of
Academic Affairs; Mr. Philip Curtis, Associate Director of Student Affairs;
Professor Ciaran O’Boyle, Head of the Institute of Leadership and
Healthcare Management; Ms Louise Loughran, Associate Director of
Communications and Events and Ms Tina Joyce, Institute of Leadership
and Healthcare Management. The visit will serve to strengthen the
relationship that exists between Saudi Arabia and RCSI.
Bahraini Minister Pays Official
Visit to RCSI
H.E. Fahmi Bin Ali Al Jowdar, Minister of Works and Minister of
Electricity and Water Authority in Bahrain paid an official visit to RCSI
on 13th October 2009.
The Minister was welcomed by senior officials including Ms. Eilis
McGovern, Vice-President, RCSI; Professor Cathal Kelly, Dean of the Faculty
of Medicine and Health Sciences; Mr. Joe Duignan, RCSI council member;
Mr. David Hanly, RCSI; Ms. Paula Wilson, Associate Director in the office of
the CEO and Ms. Louise Loughran, Associate Director of Communications
and Events. A gift was presented to the Minister in the College Board
room, where he was also greeted by other members from RCSI.
H.E. Fahmi Bin Ali Al
Jowdar, Minister of
Works and Minister of
Electricity and Water
Authority, Bahrain
with Professor Cathal
Kelly, Dean of the
Faculty of Medicine
and Health Sciences.
Members from the Biological Society, Minister Micheal Marn and senior members
from RCSI and RCPI.
Final year medical student Knut Moe spoke on ‘Operation Smile –
Reflections on Nairobi Mission 2009”. Knut Moe, was the first recipient of
the inaugural Operation Smile Ireland Medical Student Fellowship,
sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Medical.
The Biological Society is the longest running Society at RCSI, and is made
up of Medical students and faculty members. The Society promotes and
encourages lateral thinking and healthy competition through broad
based discussions at our guest speaker forums and case competitions.
During the college year, students present case studies to a Panel of
Professors and Doctors which are
judged. There are three main categories
Paediatric Case Competition (Inaugural,
Senior Case Competition and Junior Case
Competition).
Minister Micheál Marn, Minister for Foreign
Affairs and Professor Gerry McElvaney,
President of the Biological Society.
Annual Millin Meeting
RCSI held its Annual Millin Meeting on Friday, 6th November. This year's
Meeting was entitled 'Assuring Patient Safety' and was aimed at
bringing to the fore all those issues concerning safety, particularly those,
which are pertinent to surgical disciplines. Among the keynote speakers
were Dr. Deirdre Madden, Chair of the Commission into Patient Safety;
Professor Adian Halligan, Director of Education, University College
London Hospital and Chief of Safety Brighton and Sussex University
Hospitals; Dr. Victor Fazio from the Cleveland Clinic and Mr. Chris Russell,
Honorary Consultant Surgeon, University College London and former
Vice-President of the Royal College of Surgeons in England.
Fleam • 11
college news...
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
January
19th
February
18th – 21st
24th – 25th
Pictured from l-r are Professor Ronan O’Connell; Mr Christopher Russell; Professor
Frank Keane, President, RCSI; Dr. Victor Fazio and Mr. Kenneth Mealy.
March
11th
The day long event culminated in the Honorary Fellowship of Dr. Fazio
and Mr. Russell, while RCSI Council member Mr. Ronan Cahill delivered
the 32nd Millin Lecture, entitled ‘Tailoring Innovation for Surgical Care.’
April
TBC
RCSI hosts Photographic Exhibition to
Celebrate Christina Noble's first visit to
Vietnam 20 years ago
7th
Christina Noble made a rare trip home to Ireland and RCSI to launch a
photographic exhibition on 16th November to celebrate the 20th
anniversary of her first visit to Vietnam and to raise awareness and funds
for The Christina Noble Children’s Foundation (CNCF).
12th – 14th
The photographic exhibition consists of photographs and stories written by
volunteers, several of whom are students from RCSI, that have spent time
in Vietnam and Mongolia working with CNCF. Their stories outlined how
they are providing help and support to children in need of medical care,
nutritional rehabilitation, educational and vocational opportunities, as well
as children at risk of sexual and economic exploitation.
28th
Speaking at the launch, Christina Noble said “Every volunteer that has
spent time at the Foundation has experienced something different, from
children taking their first steps, to families being given their first home. All
our volunteers have different photographs to show these incredible times
and experiences and the exhibition is a great way to showcase the
immense talents, development and potential of the children and highlight
how the Foundation has touched and changed so many childrens’ lives.”
Every year, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, sponsors a group of
students from the schools of medicine, physiotherapy and pharmacy to
travel to Vietnam and volunteer in the Christina Noble Children’s
Foundation.
Speaking at the launch, Professor Cathal Kelly, Dean/CEO Designate, RCSI
said “We actively encourage our students to get involved and volunteer in
worthwhile charities such as the CNCF because volunteerism provides
students with an invaluable experience that will be carried with them
throughout their lifetime and encourages humanitarian commitment to
those less fortunate.”
Chrisna Noble pictured with RCSI
students Amber Waits and Ciara
Shouldice.
12 • fleam
Chrisna Noble pictured with RCSI
President Professor Frank Keane and
Dr. Harry Beauchamp (Class of 1985).
May
6th
June
3rd
July
TBC
7th
12th
August
26th – 28th
RCSI Celebration of 200 Years on St Stephen’s Green
Venue: RCSI
Charter Day Meetings incorporating 85th Abraham Colles Lecture delivered by
Dr. Michael Brennan, President, Mayo Clinic.
Venue: RCSI
Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery Annual Meeting.
Venue: RCSI
Widdes Lecture delivered by Professor Mark Jarzombek, Professor of History,
Theory & Criticism, MIT.
Venue: RCSI
Leadership Lectured delivered by Lord Patton.
Venue: RCSI
Research Day.
Venue: RCSI
Leadership Lecture.
Venue: RCSI
2nd International Conference on Surgical Training.
Venue: RCSI
Conferring Ceremony.
Venue: National Concert Hall
RCSI Bahrain Conferring Ceremony.
Venue: RCSI Bahrain
PMC Undergraduate Conferring Ceremony.
Venue: RCSI
RCSI Annual Golf Outing.
Venue: TBC
Postgraduate Conferring Ceremony.
Venue: RCSI
Class of 1985 Reunion.
Venue: RCSI
September
TBC
Academic Meeting & 21st Leonard Abrahamson Lecture.
Venue: TBC
35th Sir Peter Freyer Memorial Lecture & Surgical Symposium.
3rd – 4th
Venue: Arts Millennium Building, NUI, Galway
23rd – 25th
Faculty of Radiologists Annual Scientific Meeting.
Venue: RCSI
Orientation Day.
27th
Venue: RCSI
October
7th – 10th
Alumni Weekend for the Classes of 1950, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1990 and
2000.
Venue: RCSI - For details contact Louise Sherwin at lsherwin@rcsi.ie
28th – 29th
Faculty of Dentistry Annual Scientific Meeting.
Venue: RCSI
RCSI Raceday.
31st
Venue: Leopardstown Racecourse, Dublin
November
TBC
77th Biological Society Inaugural Meeting.
Venue: RCSI
Class of 1971 Reunion.
10th-13th
Venue: Melbourne, Australia. For further details please contact Jay Sadhai by
email at jsadhai@netspace.net.au
18th
Conferring Ceremony.
Venue: RCSI
December
13th
Postgraduate Conferring Ceremony.
Venue: RCSI
class of 2009
1
3
2
4
5
6
9
7
10
8
11
1. Kevin McGuigan, with his student Eunice Ubomba-Jaswa who was conferred with her PhD and her parents
Dr. Susie and Dr. Peter Ubomba-Jaswa
2. John Kelly, Head of School of Pharmacy, Ann-Marie Hamilton, Ahmed Alagha and Kevin Nolan, Dean,
Postgraduate School, RCSI
3. Roudha Al Dehneem, Cathal Kelly, CEO and former Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences,
Mohamad Al Dehneem and Mohamad Alkaabi, Cultural Aaché in the Embassy of Qatar.
4. John McCormick, Jessica Leschied, Frank Keane, President of RCSI, John Sullivan, Seonaid Nolan and Amre
Shahwan
5. Jana McHugh, Michael Coer, Laura O'Flynn, Jane Mitchell, Denis Vaughan, and Eimear Ki
6. Alicia O’Dwyer and Lydia Finnerty
7. Paul Dhillon, Dominic Wong and Wan Mohd Hafizullah Bin Wan Mansor
8. Graduates awaing the commencement of the conferring ceremony
9. Gillian Byrne with her husband Will Keang and baby son Liam
10. A graduate reading the conferring commemorave bookley
11. Laura O’Flynn, Eimear Ki, Jana McHugh and Jane Mitchell celebrang their Graduaon from RCSI
Fleam • 13
Department of
Clinical Microbiology
The Department of Clinical
Microbiology was established
in 1966 with the late Professor
Ellen Moorhouse as its
inaugural Head of Department.
Professor Moorhouse focused
the Department's interests on
education and learning and
her lectures and teaching
notes were highly regarded by
many generations of RCSI
medical students. She also
pursued research interests in
antibiotic resistance.
Staphylococcus aureus
Neisseria meningidis
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Staphylococcus saprophycus & Escherichia coli
In 2000, two years after Professor Hilary Humphreys, the current Head of
Department, was appointed, the Department moved to the Education and
Research Centre (ERC) in the Smurfit Building on the Beaumont Hospital
campus. This has greatly facilitated the interaction between the
Department and Beaumont Hospital, since Clinical Microbiology, as its name
implies, has a significant impact on the management of patients both in
hospitals and in the community.
Teaching, learning and research are the main activities of the Department,
in addition to contributions to public debate and scholarship. The
Department plays a major role in the Intermediate Cycle, both in the
Undergraduate and Graduate Entry Programme (GEP). Following on the
pioneering work of Professor Moorhouse, members of the Department
have enhanced the delivery of teaching, using problem-orientated and
case-based learning methods and e-learning. The emphasis is always on
the role that Clinical Microbiology plays in the management of patients
with infection, i.e. diagnosis, treatment and prevention and on wider issues
related to microbial diseases, with less emphasis on basic aspects of
microbiology as might be the case for a non-clinical course. While the
lecture format still remains useful, there is increasing emphasis on casebased tutorials, podcasts and computer-assisted learning. More recently,
the Department has entered into a collaborative arrangement with
“Intuition” to deliver e-learning programmes on healthcare-associated
infection (HCAI). The appointment of Dr. Eoghan O'Neill as Senior Lecturer
14 • Fleam
and Consultant Microbiologist in Connolly Hospital has greatly assisted the
development of teaching and learning on that campus, and in particular
delivery to the GEP. On the Children's University and Rotunda hospitals
campus, Professor Cafferkey, teaches during the medical student
attachments in paediatrics and obstetrics as part of the Senior Cycle, and
she also contributes to the Intermediate Cycle.
The Department makes a significant contribution to the Junior Cycle
Pharmacy programme and this is led by Dr. Deirdre Fitzgerald Hughes,
Lecturer in Molecular Microbiology. This introductory course consists of a
series of lectures, tutorials and practicals. Members of the Department also
contribute to courses in Physiotherapy, Infection Prevention and Control
Nursing Modules and to other postgraduate courses. The philosophy of the
Department is to deliver teaching and learning in an environment that
combines enthusiasm and motivation while emphasising the key role that
knowledge and understanding in this area can contribute to the safety and
quality of patient care in hospitals and in other healthcare facilities.
The research undertaken by the Department is based at the RCSI Education
and Research Centre and also in the Children's University/Rotunda Hospitals
campus. The epidemiology of HCAI including methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), biofilm development and medical devices,
and the pathogenesis of S. aureus bloodstream infections are the main
themes of research conducted on the Beaumont Hospital campus in the
ERC. In addition, the Department actively participates in audits and clinical
studies with colleagues, including Consultant Microbiologists Dr. Edmond
Smyth and Dr. Fidelma Fitzpatrick, both of whom are based in Beaumont
Hospital. Dr. Fitzpatrick is also based at the Health Service Executive’s Health
Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).
One of the first Health Research Board Translational Research Awards went
to the Department to study aspects of MRSA including determining the true
prevalence in an Irish hospital, the value of rapid detection, the role of the
environment and the efficacy of enhanced hand hygiene and
environmental decontamination in reducing MRSA rates. This research,
which also incorporates the molecular characterization of MRSA isolates
from patients and the environment, is carried out in collaboration with the
Dublin Dental School and Hospital (Dublin University), the HPSC and the
National MRSA Reference Laboratory, based at St. James’s Hospital.
The role of biofilms in medical devices, e.g. central vascular catheters and
neurosurgical ventricular drains has also been a research theme in recent
years. In a recent study carried out by Dr. Niall Stevens, variations were
seen in the production of biofilm amongst isolates of S. epidermidis
recovered from cerebrospinal fluid depending on local environmental
factors. Future work will focus on new approaches to the therapy of
vascular-device infections including the use of antibiotics and other agents
such as antibiotic lock therapy.
The prevention and control of HCAI is increasingly important as a
component of ensuring the safety and quality of patient care as these
infections are responsible for considerable mortality and morbidity, and
contribute greatly to avoidable healthcare costs. With the Department of
Surgery, Microbiology is developing audit and educational tools to enhance
surgical practice and reduce HCAI. This includes practice and procedures
on surgical wards, e.g. peripheral vascular line care and in the operating
theatre, e.g. the administration of antibiotic prophylaxis.
On the Children's University/Rotunda Hospital site, national reference
facilities are in place for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis and for the
molecular characterisation of Neisseria meningitides, Streptococcus
pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae. In addition, a number of studies
have been carried out in recent years on maternal and neonatal infections
including toxoplasmosis, listeriosis and Group B streptococcal infections postpartum. The work of the Irish Meningococcal and Meningitis Reference
Laboratory (IMMRL) has contributed to the decline in infections caused by
some strains of meningococci throughout Ireland. Large studies of
meningococcal carriage in third-level students have been undertaken at the
IMMRL and detailed molecular characterization of carriage and diseaseassociated meningococcal isolates is ongoing. These studies will yield
valuable information on the changes in circulating strains of N. meningitides
following the introduction of the meningococcal serogroup C vaccine. Also
Clinical Microbiology initiatives at the Rotunda have had a major influence
on national policies for pre-natal screening for blood-borne viral infection.
Members of the Department hold joint positions with hospitals and through
their work contribute directly to patient care. In addition, we are grateful
to many medical, scientific and nursing staff in those hospitals for their
assistance and their contributions to the teaching and research activities of
the Department.
Finally, members of the Department sit on national and international
committees that impact on public policy in the area of HCAI, healthcare
generally, and on neonatal, paediatric and obstetrical services. Examples
include input to national immunisation policies and national strategies to
control and prevent the emergence of antibiotic resistance.
Fleam • 15
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Recent Highlights 2009
from Ireland and overseas including Loretta Brennan Glucksman,
Gilbert Little, James Kenny, and Faisal Al Mousawi to mention just a
AUTUMN ’09 & SPRING ‘09 Raffle for Breast Cancer
few.
Ireland@RCSI raise in excess of €1.1 MILLION for
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Breast Cancer Research at RCSI
The redevelopment of York Street which will encompass our
new Colles Institute. The Colles Institute currently consists
of three centres. First, the National Surgical Training centre
(NSTC), a world leader in the development and delivery of
procedural based education, training and assessment.
Second, the Centre for Research and Development (CR&D)
which provides clinical research services and will facilitate
clinical research by surgeons or by industry in Ireland or
internationally. Finally the Centre for Innovation in Surgical
Technology (CIST) which provides services to assess,
develop and commercialise surgical technology ideas from
surgeons, researchers or industry. In addition to the Colles
Institute we will be developing our new Biomedical
Sciences Institute along with improved Student Sports
Facilities.
Breast Cancer Ireland (BCI) seeks to offer Ireland a truly translational
approach to the treatment of Breast Cancer, by speeding up discovery
and ultimate treatment of patients diagnosed, through endeavour and
collaboration amongst all relevant clinicians and scientists throughout
the country.
Our aim at Breast Cancer Ireland within RCSI is to lead a collaborative
initiative with all the breast cancer research units within the country by
recruiting nurse coordinators, whose role will be to gather and analyse
all breast cancer tissue and serum samples nationally and build Irelands
first ever National Register of Breast Cancer patients, thereby affecting
more speedy discoveries and ultimately more efficient and effective
treatments for all patients diagnosed.
•
Research Initiatives – we currently support a wide range of
research initiatives at RCSI . Our current focus is to continue
to build on our research capability to a standard recognised
globally. Our goal is to achieve a truly translational
approach within each initiative. At RCSI, breast cancer is just
one of the areas where our scientists and clinicians have a
particular strength and through passion and commitment,
our diverse team collaborate to transform laboratory
findings into smarter, integrated and coherent approaches
to diagnosing and treating breast cancer patients nationally.
On Thursday 2 July 2009, RCSI hosted its 21st Annual Golf Classic at
Luttrellstown Golf Club in Dublin. 28 teams participated in what can only
be described as “difficult weather conditions”!. But despite such
conditions, the day was a great success with many new teams on board
this year. The winning team presenting a score of 89 points was led by
Mr John Diviney of RCSI; Mr Robbie Hennebry, AIB; Mr Walter Coakley
and Mr Tom Mulcahy.
•
Faculty Endowment Programme: The development of any
curriculum is supported by its faculty and at RCSI we are
continuously seeking to expand internationally our
distinguished faculty programme offering through the RCSI
Endowment fund. This fund is being established to allow
RCSI to invest in the professors and academics of the future,
who in turn will inspire the next generation of RCSI
graduates. Investment in this fund not only helps to create
future leaders of the health science arena but it also
supports the economy and the future prosperity of Ireland.
•
16 • Fleam
RCSI hosts its 21st annual Golf Classic raising
over €37,000 for Surgical Research at RCSI
The winning team – le to right: John Diviney RCSI, Tom Mulcahy AIB,
Walter Coakley and Robbie Hennebery AIB
In second place, was Gannon Homes, followed by Intuition
Publishing (3rd), Moore Cleaning Services (4th) and Typetec Ireland
Limited (5th). In excess of €37,000 was raised on the day to help
support surgical research at RCSI.
Breast Cancer Ireland@RCSI announces recipient
of its National Breast Cancer Research Fellowship
Congratulations to Dr. Marion Hartmann of NUI Galway – winner of
Breast Cancer Ireland’s inaugural Breast Cancer Research Fellowship.
Within her application she concurred with strategies being adopted
by Breast Cancer Ireland in the identification and characterisation of
cancerous tumours at a cellular level and the correlation of this
information into groups that could benefit from treatment and those
for whom treatment would be unsuitable. This she advised would help
to individualise therapy and thereby reduce costs.
Dr. Hartmann welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with RCSI in
the use of a more extended biobank of tissue samples thereby
guaranteeing her more concise and more effective results.
RCSI /AIB Annual Race Against Breast Cancer
2009 raises over €290,000
Sunday 1st November 2009: Horse racing fanatics together with a host
of well known Irish personalities from the worlds of business, art,
fashion, music and entertainment came together for Breast Cancer
Ireland’s annual “RCSI/AIB Race Against Breast Cancer Day” at
Above: The deBurgh family.
Right: Louise Kennedy with
Paddy Bollard and Caroline
Kennedy
Leopardstown Pavilion on Sunday
1st November. The day, now in
its fourth year, attracted over 680
people to a “Sell Out” event and
raised in excess of €290,000
which will go towards funding
vital breast cancer research at
RCSI.
HIBERNIAN AVIVA
HEALTH delighted to
support Breast Cancer
Ireland@RCSI with
seed funding totalling €450,000
Frank KeanE, President RCSI; Michael Kerin; Cathal Kelly, Dean RCSI;
Michael Horgan, CEO’; and Arnie Hill, Professor of Surgery RCSI
SAVE THE DATE
Leadership Lecture 2010
Our 2010 Leadership Lecture will be hosted by the Right Honorable
the Lord Patten of Barnes on Thursday 6th May 2010 at RCSI
Christopher Francis Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes, CH, PC - born 12
May 1944 in Cleveleys, Lancashire, is a prominent British
Conservative politician and a Patron of the Tory Reform Group.
He was a Member of Parliament, eventually rising to a cabinet
Hibernian Aviva Health have agreed to support RCSI with seed funding
for the recruitment of Breast Cancer Research nurses within regional
breast cancer units throughout the country. Initially nurses will be
recruited within Galway, Cork and Limerick facilities and their role will
be to collaborate, collect, and collate all tissue and serum samples from
breast cancer patients thereby helping to speed up discovery and
ultimately translate their research into more effective and efficient
patient treatment and benefit. Their work will also assist in building the
countries first ever National Breast Cancer Patient Register.
minister and party chairman. In the latter capacity, he orchestrated
the Conservatives' unexpected fourth consecutive electoral victory in
1992, but lost his own seat in the House of Commons.
He then accepted the post of last Commander-in-Chief and British
Governor of Hong Kong, a post which came to an end after Britain
handed Hong Kong back to China in July 1997. From 2000 to 2004 he
served as one of Britain's two members of the European Commission.
After leaving that post, he returned to the UK and was elevated to the
peerage in 2005. He is the Chancellor of the University of Oxford.
Fleam • 17
RCSI Bahrain
International
Projects
2009 has been an exciting year for the international activities of the
College. The predominant focus has been on our activities in the Kingdom
of Bahrain.
Official Opening of RCSI Bahrain
RCSI Bahrain
In October 2008, RCSI Bahrain opened the doors of its new purpose built,
state-of-the-art university building in Busaiteen. The new facility has a
capacity for in excess of 2000 students. It has a fully integrated IT system
and wireless access in all areas to allow for the maximum use of technology
and e-learning in the delivery of the education and training programmes.
As a constituent university of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland,
RCSI Bahrain delivers education and training in medicine, nursing, surgery,
general practice, healthcare management and healthcare ethics and law to
the highest international standards with qualifications that are recognised
worldwide. The student body is an international one, with around 30
countries represented, including Ireland. Further information on RCSI
Bahrain, including the admissions process, can be found on our website
www.rcsi-mub.com
King Hamad General Hospital
18 • Fleam
Official Opening of RCSI Bahrain
An official opening ceremony was held in February 2009 and RCSI was
honoured to welcome Her Excellency, President Mary McAleese, President
of Ireland, and His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa, Prime
Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain to preside over the ceremony and join
RCSI in celebrating a prestigious moment in our history.
The King Hamad General Hospital is a 312 public hospital currently
under construction and expected to open in 2010. KHGH will be the main
teaching hospital of RCSI Bahrain. The university also has access to existing
Ministry of Health Hospitals and the Bahrain Defence Force Royal Medical
Services Hospital.
In August 2008, Professor Niall O’Higgins, former President of RCSI, was
appointed Professor and Chairman of the Department of Surgery and plans
are in progress to establish a secretariat at RCSI Bahrain to support the
enterprises, in a high amenity leisure waterfront environment.
The Oasis Private Hospital will perform a central role and deliver much
of the specialist medical care within the Oasis. In doing so, it will have the
support of the King Hamad General Hospital (KHGH) and RCSI Bahrain. The
activity and speciality mix will complement that of the King Hamad General
Hospital and will be consistent with the overall target market.
coordination and delivery of specialist postgraduate surgical education and
training in the region.
Professor Kevin O’Malley, Founding President of RCSI Bahrain, retired
from his position this year. RCSI owes a debt of gratitude to Professor
O’Malley for his tireless efforts in laying the groundwork for the
establishment of the university and in making it the huge source of pride
that it now is to its students and staff. Dr. Faisal Al-Mousawi was appointed
President of RCSI Bahrain in July 2009. Under his leadership the university
will continue to grow to meet the needs of the Kingdom and beyond. We
wish Dr. Faisal every success in his new role.
The success of RCSI Bahrain is a mark of RCSI’s collective ability to
establish medical colleges and provide internationally recognised medical,
allied health and surgical education and training on the international stage.
RCSI Bahrain is located on a site provided by the Government of the
Kingdom of Bahrain, adjacent to the King Hamad General Hospital and RCSI
Bahrain Health Oasis sites (see below). The entire concept extends over a
combined site of circa 60 hectares. This district will be named after His
Majesty, the King, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Together these interrelated components will form a truly unique medical education and
healthcare campus.
Healthcare Development
Recognising our strengths in healthcare education, research and service,
RCSI developed a strategy to invest in a range of opportunities in Bahrain.
A key element of this strategy has been to appoint a dedicated team of
people to support such initiatives. This diversification from our core
education and research activities is driven by our need to provide
sustainable additional revenue streams that will allow us to meet our longterm strategic objectives.
RCSI Health Oasis Preliminary Masterplan
The laying of a foundation stone for Health Oasis was performed during a
ceremony in May 2009 by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa
Prime Minister, Kingdom of Bahrain together with Minister Dara Calleary,
Minister with responsibility for Labour Affairs at the Department of
Enterprise, Trade and Employment. This occasion marked a further
milestone in bringing this project to fruition.
King Hamad General Hospital
King Hamad General Hospital (KHGH), currently under construction, is one
of the biggest public sector health projects in Bahrain in recent times. It is
scheduled to open in 2010 and will provide world class healthcare services
to the people of the Kingdom of Bahrain. It is a 312 bed public hospital
occupying a 227,000m2 site located to the north of Sheikh Isa Bin Salman
causeway on the coast of Muharraq. The hospital is constructed over four
floors and three main blocks and will be the main teaching hospital for
RCSI Bahrain.
King Hamad General Hospital
At the invitation of the Government of Bahrain, RCSI signed an agreement
with the Ministry of Health to provide commissioning services for the
hospital and a commissioning team has been on the ground in Bahrain
since April 2008. In parallel with the commissioning work, RCSI have
entered negotiations with the Ministry of Health for the operation and
management of the hospital.
RCSI continues to explore both philanthropic and entrepreneurial
opportunities in nations across the globe. We are a culturally diverse, truly
international organisation with a highly respected fellowship and alumni
representative of almost every country in the world.
RCSI Bahrain Health Oasis
The RCSI Bahrain Health Oasis project is progressing well. We have
identified a development/financial partner and hope that development
work can commence during 2010. The Health Oasis will represent a truly
unique medical education and healthcare campus within a world class,
mixed use waterfront development – an international healthcare centre of
excellence and enterprise for the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Middle East.
When completed, it will integrate world-class healthcare, state-of-the-art
medical education & research and health sector enterprises in an
unprecedented environment designed to foster novel approaches to
healthcare and healthcare delivery. It will be unlike any existing or
proposed health or wellness centre in the region as it will combine an
extensive and comprehensive provision of international standard, RCSI led
medical and healthcare excellence, with state-of-the-art medical
Laying of RCSI Health Oasis Foundaon Stone
Fleam • 19
The Institute of Leadership and
Healthcare Management
Professor Ciaran O’Boyle
The Institute of Leadership and Healthcare Management is a postgraduate
Institute of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Our mission is to improve
human health through the development of excellent leaders and managers in
the health professions. Healthcare is particularly challenging because it requires
the harmonious functioning of a multidisciplinary workforce to deliver integrated,
patient-centred services in an environment that is constantly changing. In order
to be effective, managers, clinical or otherwise, must be capable of
demonstrating leadership and ensuring that resources are managed effectively
and efficiently. A highly developed level of self-awareness and the capacity for
applying systems thinking to complex problems are also increasingly important.
We provide National University of Ireland Diploma, Postgraduate
Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma and Masters Degree programmes,
delivered part-time over two to five years, using a blend of classroom and
web-based teaching. Our programmes are offered in Ireland, Bahrain,
Dubai, Jordan and Egypt. In the United Arab Emirates our programmes are
accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
Who are our programmes aimed at?
Our programmes are aimed at all graduate health professionals (doctors,
nurses, allied health professionals, researchers or administrators) who
currently work in a hospitals, community based healthcare systems,
government agencies, academic, research institutions or pharmaceutical
organizations. He or she has some work experience but can be at an early,
middle or senior level in their organization. Our typical course participant
is be open to learning from others, exploring new ways of learning and
thinking, and is keen to develop themselves and their organizations in
order to improve the ultimate delivery of efficient, effective and safe
healthcare to patients.
Our approach to continuous professional
development and learning
The Master of Science in Nursing (Advanced Leadership) aims to provide
students with an advanced level of theoretical leadership knowledge
deemed relevant to enhancing practice by fostering a questioning
approach to knowledge development and professional practice issues. The
programme will facilitate the development of the nurse in the field of
leadership at advanced level, thus allowing critical evaluation and
synthesis using appropriate research findings. An increasing focus on
‘evidence-based’ practice in nursing has created an environment in which
research awareness is essential.
Master of Science in Nursing (Advanced
Practice) Incorporating Nurse Prescribing
We specialise in facilitating adult learning in the overall context of lifelong
learning and our programmes are participative and interactive.
Interprofessional learning is a core concept and we provide a supportive
20 • Fleam
environment to help course participants learn from experience, through
reflection, dialogue, advocacy and enquiry. Our programmes are applied;
we help individuals to develop themselves and their organizations through
ongoing research and development and through consultation with
stakeholders in the healthcare system.
Finally we are aware of the time constraints that busy professionals
face and so we provide a mix of classroom and electronic media to meet
their needs.
Internationally accredited Masters
Programmes
The Institute offers a number of internationally recognised Masters
Programmes in Healthcare Management, Quality and Patient Safety, and
Leadership. Our programmmes are flexible and designed in such a way
that students can take modules in Dubai, Bahrain or Ireland. This provides
opportunities to visit hospitals in those countries and build an international
network with other healthcare professionals. This initiative has proved a
popular and positive experience. The benefit of this approach is that it
gives students a wider perspective on the challenges of global healthcare
and encourages collaborative problem solving.
In addition to classroom teaching, students are supported by an online
learning portal which provides all learning materials, podcasts, vodcasts
and communications forums. The masters programme also includes
specialised modules for specific groups e.g. researchers or pharmacists.
Internationally accredited Diploma in
Leadership and Organisational Development:
The programme is aimed at people who want to develop their leadership
skills and have and a greater impact in their organisations. The programme
is accredited by the National University of Ireland (Level 6) and takes place
over a year. There are 12 contact days supported by online learning.
Participants on the programme undertake a number of assignments
including an organisation development project that provides them with
the opportunity to put their learning into practice in a very real way.
The first programme, with 20 participants, was successfully launched in
Bahrain in December and there are plans to introduce it in other locations.
Memorandum of Understanding with the Arab Administrave
Development Organisaon (ARADO)
President and Faculty of Yarmouk University, Jordan, visit the Instute
Continuing Professional Development:
The Institute a number of continuing professional development and
bespoke training programmes. These include ‘Coaching and Mentoring
skills for Consultants’, ‘Communications skills for Clinical staff’, ‘Train the
Trainer’, and ‘Introduction to Management’. In 2009, we trained 184 SHO’s
who completed the General Professional Development Course. Activity in
this area is likely to expand markedly both in Ireland, Bahrain and Egypt
in the coming year.
President and Faculty of Yarmouk University,
Jordan, visit the Institute
The President of Yarmouk University, Jordan, Professor Sultan Abu-Orabi,
visited the RCSI to meet with faculty from the RCSI Institute of Leadership
& Healthcare Management. In 2003 a partnership between Yarmouk
University and the RCSI was established to deliver a Masters in Health
Services Management. This programme has been successful and graduates
have benefited from their masters education in terms of their career
development. Among the highlights of the programme was the
attendance of Her Royal Highness, Princess Mona of Jordan, at this year’s
graduation
Memorandum of Understanding with the
Arab Administrative Development
Organisation (ARADO)
The Director General of the Arab Administrative Development Organisation
(ARADO), Professor Refat Al Faouri, visited RCSI to sign a Memorandum of
Understanding with the RCSI’s Institute of Leadership and Healthcare
Management. ARADO, established in 1961, is a specialized organization
affiliated with the League of Arab States. It is responsible for promoting
management, administrative and institutional development in various
sectors in the Arab region. On signing the Memorandum of Understanding,
Professor Ciaran O Boyle, Head of the Institute said; “we are delighted to
sign this agreement with ARADO and look forward to helping develop
leaders in healthcare across the Arab region”. Professor Refat, Director
General said “RCSI has a reputation for providing healthcare education and
training internationally to the highest standards. This agreement
demonstrates our mutual commitment to providing high quality
management development initiatives in the healthcare sector.”
2009 has been a very successful year with 250 students graduating the
Institute of Leadership and Management and with a further 360 students
enrolled on its programmes. Further information about the Institute and
our programmes can be found on our website: www.rcsileadership.org
Fleam • 21
RCSI Libraries 2009
Library Strategy
In April 2009 the Library Strategy was presented to, and approved by, the
RCSI Council under three broad headings:
1. Refurbishment of the physical library to create a fit for purpose
learner-centered environment in line with current best practice for
library/learning centre design
2. Investment in resources, electronic and print, to support RCSI
learning, teaching, clinical and research activities and to bring the
allocated library resources budget in line with benchmarked
standards of library expenditure as a percentage of the overall
College budget and of expenditure on per student.
3. Preservation, conservation and exploitation of unique RCSI heritage
and archival resources`- to provide, for the first time, a separate
budget line for these resources in order to undertake best practice
conservation and preservation measures.
The plan detailed eight strategic objectives and articulated the vision,
mission and values developed by the library staff as part of its strategic
planning process.
Vision:
Our vision is that in “three” years’ time the RCSI Library and Information
Service will:
• Provide excellent online biomedical resources in physical
environments that are people-centered learning spaces
• Serve the entire RCSI community through its co-ordinated network
of libraries
• Use the skills of information specialists to support education,
research and clinical practice in new ways
• Develop a “living” heritage collection focused on surgery in Ireland
and related themes
22 • Fleam
Proposed entrance
and courtyard
• Be a model health sciences library and information service that
implements international best practice
Mission:
We endeavour to empower the RCSI community in its mission to enhance
human health by providing easy access to best available biomedical
information resources, supported by quality services and an excellent
team.
Values
We are user centered, service oriented, highly collaborative and innovative.
Space Feasibility Study
A working group with representatives from the Students Union, Faculty
Executive, School of Post-graduate Studies, Information Technology
Department, Estates and Library was convened to work with architects,
ODOS, to undertake a space feasibility study for the refurbishment of the
Mercer Street library.
Early stage concept drawings are below and show how the building could
be transformed from a “one size” fits all space built to house print
collections, to a resource that caters for different learning styles, provides
flexible/resizable, multifunctional spaces that support individual and group
learning and teaching and which acknowledges the irreversible switch to
digital library resources in the last decade.
The results of the feasibility study were incorporated in the library strategic
plan. Copies of the plan are available from Kate Kelly, Chief Librarian email:
katekelly@rcsi.ie
“Recepon” area
Level One Reading Area
Information Services Highlights
Improvements to the physical space
As a prelude to major refurbishment, interim steps were taken during the
summer to make the libraries more customer friendly most notably at
Mercer Street. These included:
• Creating a more approachable service point by removing high
surrounds on the service desk on the ground floor
• Doubling the amount of group study space available by
reconfiguring individual study carrels on the ground floor into 8
group study tables
• Designating the ground floor as an area where conversation level
noise is permitted
• Relocating all books shelves and contents on the ground floor to
level one to completely “open up” the ground floor as
collaborative/group work space
Café area facing the courtyard
ELFs and 3G Cards
• A scheme to lend 3G cards to SC1 students to facilitate broadband
access for placements outside Dublin was introduced. Initially twelve
cards were provided but this was quickly increased to fifty due to
demand.
• Faculty employed students as ELFs (ELearning Facilitators) to assist
students with IT issues in the Mercer Library at evenings and
weekends.
Level 3
Customer Service Charter and Code of Conduct Introduced
• A library Customer Charter and a new Code of Conduct were
introduced and are available in the library and on the library web
site http://www.rcsi.ie/library
Information skills teaching
• The RCSI Medical Graduate Profile outcomes incorporated
information literacy skills under the “Professionalism” strand.
• During the academic year 08/09, library staff led by Grainne
McCabe and Paul Murphy taught 1835 students with a total number
of 160 contact hours within the Undergraduate and ;postgraduate
programmes, these include
Undergraduate
• Foundation Year
• Junior Cycle Medicine
• Junior Cycle Physiotherapy
• Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle Pharmacy
• Senior Cycle Medicine
• Graduate Entry Programme, Yr 2
• SPUR Summer Programme in Undergraduate Research
Postgraduate and other
• M Research / PhD Researcher Programme
• Higher Diploma Healthcare Management
• Higher Diploma in Quality in Healthcare
• MSc Nursing
• Master in Women’s Health
• Master Medical Ethics and Law
• MSc Neurology & Gerontology (Physiotherapy)
• MSc Industrial Pharmacy
• Higher Diploma in Bereavement Studies
• Higher Diplomas in Nursing/ BSc Nursing & Nursing Management
• Certificate Nurse Prescribing
• Emergency Medical Technician Programme
• General Practice Training Programme
• HRB PhD Scholars Programme
• Transition Year students (Outreach programme).
• Tutorials in the use of EndNote, software used to manage citations
and generate formatted bibliographies, were held each month
throughout the year.
Fleam • 23
Marketing
The newly formed library marketing
group held two events to promote
aspects of library services and resources
Easter
A DynaMed promotion to coincide with the
Easter break. Easter eggs were given as a
prize for using DynaMed to find the answer
to a question set about heart disease.
Research Day
The library delivered a roadshow at Research Day in April 2009, to
promote the institutional repository – see below.
Information Systems Highlights
e-publications@RCSI (http://epubs.rcsi.ie)
• The RCSI open access institutional repository, designed to capture
and make accessible the research and scholarly output of the RCSI,
is essentially an online archive for collecting, preserving and
disseminating RCSI published works and making the full text freely
available on the Internet. It:
◊ Increases citations for RCSI research and other publications
◊ Provides worldwide access to RCSI published output
◊ Preserves RCSI material – its all digital
◊ Makes RCSI research findable via search engines such as Google,
Google Scholar
◊ Raises the profile of RCSI researchers and authors
◊ Helps RCSI researchers fulfill their funding authority's open access
mandate
◊ Showcase RCSI research output
◊ Provides space for individuals, groups, departments etc to display
research work
• e-publications@RCSI is maintained and managed by RCSI Library
staff, led by Jenny Byrne.
• From April - Sept 2009 there were approximately 8000 page views
of the repository by over 1000 unique visitors from 71 countries.
Information Resources Highlights
Julia Christopher was appointed Assistant Librarian for Information
Resources Management in September 2008 and highlights included:
Access to Irish Research Electronic Library (IReL)
• Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) provided funding for a two year
period to enable RCSI to participate in the national university
consortium, the Irish Research Electronic Library (IReL).
• Access to IReL resulted in the number of electronic journals available
to RCSI students and staff doubling to over 6,000.
Books – Print and Electronic
• 493 new books were added to the working collection between Oct
2008 and September 2009
• a subscription to Thieme E-books takes the total number of
electronic books subscriptions to 89.
Stock Removal and Relocation
• In the Mercer Library, all books on the ground floor were removed
to create a more open and welcoming entrance area and additional
space for group work.
24 • fleam
•
All old and out of date materials were removed from the book
collection
• All “history of medicine” material was relocated to the Widdes
Room Archives and Special Collections area on the third floor.
• All open access print material is now located in one area on level
two and can be considered the “working” collections for student
purposes.
Resources Management
•A full series of electronic resource usage statistics for 2008 was
produced to help inform decisions for 2010. The data gathering
and analysis will be an ongoing process and the series will include
year on year comparisons of resource expenditure and use.
Learning Resource Centre RCSI Medical University of Bahrain
• Evelyn Anand, Assistant Librarian in the Learning Resource Centre in
RCSI MUB assumed responsibility in January 2009 on the retirement
of Warwick Price Librarian in RCSI-MUB.
RCSI Beaumont Library Highlights
Breffni Smith was appointed librarian at Beaumont Hospital Library in
January 2009 and together with library assistants Christina Doherty and
Rose Bisset set about reshaping the library. Actions included:
• Updating the hospital book collection by adding over 200 new titles
covering all clinical and teaching areas and undertaking a
comprehensive book stock inventory to assess the relevance and
quality of the existing collection.
• Undertaking marketing initiatives including:
◊ A new Library Information Pack for new hospital staff
◊ Library Week events in the library in April 2009
◊ Poster campaigns to promote a different electronic resource
each week
◊ Monthly New Books lists email notifications to staff
• Creating two new Library Department web pages on the Beaumont
hospital intranet and on the hospital public website to highlight
library services
• Assessing and re-organising the physical library to allow better use
of library facilities.
• Providing tutorials on database searching and literature review both
in the library and in the hospital staff training and development
department.
• Initiating staff refresher training with part-time staff to ensure a
consistent high standard of service at the Information Desk.
RCSI Archives and Special collections
Highlights
Building on the Inventory and Evaluation of the antiquarian Library
The 2008 Inventory and Evaluation Report on the antiquarian library at
RCSI undertaken by Mr Nick Nicholson of James Adam & Sons Ltd provided
new profiles of the antiquarian collection century by century and informed
the strategic direction of the care and exploitation of these collections. As
the potential for exploitation of these resources is badly compromised due
largely to neglect and substandard environmental conditions preservation
and conservation of valuable items is a priority. Activities inculded:
• Assessing the various elements of the antiquarian collection,
drawings, muniments, diaries and archives to ascertain costs for
conservation and preservation including digitization.
Fellows for the RCSI Graduate Entry Programme facility in Reservoir
House in Sandyford.
• Submitting an application to the Wellcome Trust in August 2009 to
scope the content of the RCSI archives and other unexplored
materials.
• Completing the weeding, cleaning and cataloguing programme in
the library store -the material now remaining is worthwhile and
accessible
• Serving on the 2010 Committee set up to organise the celebration
of this bicentenary, chaired by Mr. Frank McManus, Council member,
and on the committee chaired by Professor Tom Gorey to bring out
an up-dated history of RCSI from its bicentenary in 1984, for a
publication to commemorate the bicentenary of the 1810 College
building.
Visitors and Uses
Among those consulting the collections this year were:
• Susan Wilkinson guest editor of "Irish Migration Studies in Latin
America" to research a special issue Health, Physicians and Nurses
in Latin America (November 2008).
• UK author Gillian Tindall who drew on the life of her ancestor, Arthur
Jacob, president RCSI (1837 & 1864) in her book Footprints in Paris
A few streets, a few lives. (London, Chatto & Windus, 2009).
• Dr. Tom Feeney, biographer of Sean MacEntee, who consulted the
Deeny papers.
• Tyrone Productions who used the location to shoot scenes of
novelist John Connolly examining early works on morbid anatomy
in the Library store on 21 January 2009 for a forthcoming
documentary in the RTÉ Television Arts Lives series.
• Doctoral candidates researching for theses on topics such as the
history of midwifery and women in medicine.
• Members of the RCSI academic staff and Council to research the role
of the RCSI during the famine, connections between RCSI and
Northern Ireland, and connections between RCSI and Africa.
• In addition the historical collections provided material and images
for College lectures and photographs for a gallery of RCSI Honorary
Tom Fahey
Mary Harney
RCSI Heritage
• A miniature portrait of Sir Philip Crampton PRCSI 1811, 1820, 1844
& 1855 was bought by RCSI at auction by Adams February 2009.
• The words and music of the College anthem Robin Adair was
researched with a view to recording it.
• Mrs Catherine Gyll and Sr Paula IBVM, daughters of William Doolin,
PRCSI 1938 visited in connection with having their father’s portrait
commissioned by RCSI, as William Doolin is one of a few former
presidents without a portrait at RCSI.
• The portrait by Sean Keating of Surgeon-General Thomas O'Farrell
(1843-1917) was donated to RCSI by his descendants and RCSI
alumni the Gaffney Family in March 2009.
• Professor RSJ Clarke visited to arrange for the deposition in RCSI of
photographic portraits of John MacDonnell FRCSI the first in Ireland
to operate under anaesthesia in 1847 at the Richmond Hospital.
• Mr Marshall visited from the UK with his son to see the portrait of
their ancestor Henry Gray Croly, PRCSI 1890-91.
• Dr. GE Lentaigne visited the library in July 2009. Her ancestor Sir John
Lentaigne PRCSI (1908-9) presented in 1851 the College’s valuable
manuscript of the Practica of Surgeon John of Arderne (1307-1390).
Donations & Deposits
• Dr. Patrick Mullin gave a money donation.
• Dr. David Lyons presented a bound typescript of his father’s, the late
Professor JB Lyons, unpublished novel ‘O Boys! O Boys!.’
• Mr Brian Graham deposited a collection of reprints and pre & post
operative photographs of cases of M Spencer Harrison, ENT surgeon
in the UK in 1950s.
European Health Information Libraries
(EAHIL) Dublin 2010
EAHIL 2009 was a major event for all Irish health sciences librarians.
Deputy Librarian Paul Murphy was the International Programme Chair for
this gathering of over 300 health sciences librarians and information
specialists from all over Europe. The event was held in Dublin Castle and
opened by Minister for Health, Mary Harney. RCSI presenters included
Professor Tom Fahey, an invited speaker and .Kate Kelly and Beatrice Doran
who presented separate papers.
Paul Murphy
Fleam • 25
Medical
Education
e continue to celebrate our educational mission at RCSI and to
invest in faculty development, innovation and educational
research. The calendar year commenced with another successful
Curriculum Forum enjoyed by staff representing all departments and
teaching hospitals from across Ireland and Bahrain. The key note
speaker Prof. David J. Birnbach, Professor and Vice Provost, University of
Miami and Director Center for Patient Safety Miller School of Medicine,
addressed the ongoing need to embed safety and quality issues in the
training of our future health professionals.
W
Mr Michael Horgan, Professor Bimbach and Professor Cathal Kelly at
Annual Curriculum Forum in March 2009.
Dr. Skantha Kandiah (RCSI Bahrain) and Professor Fiona Lake (Faculty of
Medicine & Denstry at the University of Western Australia (UWA) at
Teaching on the Run workshops hosted by Office for Medical Educaon.
in preparation for the institutional self review in 2007/2008 have gone
from strength to strength. The Assessment Working Group has secured
full membership of the international Ideal Consortium which has seen
RCSI join medical schools across the globe in contributing to and sharing
in a bank of over 20,000 MCQs, all of which have been subject to a high
level of scrutiny. In support of excellence in student assessment RCSI
recently hosted the first of the Association for the Study of Medical
Education (ASME) OSCE Masterclass series to be held outside the UK.
Also earlier in the year a series of workshops on Item Writing and
Blueprinting were held as part of a faculty wide development program.
The Curriculum Outcomes Working Group has continued updating the
RCSI Medical Graduate Profile and mapping the entire program using a
purpose built curriculum database.
A particular focus of the Curriculum Outcomes Working Group (COWG)
recently has been embedding ‘leadership’ into the medical curriculum.
Professor Peter Spurgeon, Director of the Institute for Clinical Leadership,
One particularly successful faculty development initiative this year
has been the introduction of Teaching on the Run (TOTR), a training
package developed in Australia to help improve the quality of teaching
and supervision of senior clinical students and hospital trainees. Lead
faculty from the Education Centre (EdCent) at the Faculty of Medicine &
Dentistry at the University of Western Australia (UWA) were invited to
RCSI in July 2009. In partnership with the Office for Medical Education
the vision will be to establish self-sufficient clinical teacher training
programmes in all our teaching hospitals during 2009/2010.
The excellent attendance at these workshops and the new tutor
induction sessions held each year is testament to the excellent
commitment and support of our clinical tutors across all our teaching
sites.
Inaugural Teaching on the Run workshops
In the area of Medical Education Research the Evaluation and Medical
Education Research Group (EMERG) was very well represented at the
recent international conference on Medical Education (Association for
Medical Education in Europe) held in Malaga in Spain with close to a
dozen faculty showcasing educational innovation in the areas of student
assessment and curriculum design.
Apart from EMERG, the other curriculum working groups established
26 • Fleam
Professor Clark Hazle (IDEAL Consorum, Chinese University Hong Kong)
in discussion with Professor Ruairi Brugha and David Croke on Curriculum
Blueprinng
Front Row from Le: Professor Fred Jackson (Waterford Regional Hospital); Professor David Whiord (Medical University Bahrain); Professor Fiona Lake
(University of Western Australia), Dr. Gerard Ryan (University of Western Australia) Professor Geraldine MacCarrick (Office for Medical Educaon, RCSI);
Dr. Frances Meagher (RCSI) and Professor Conor Egleston (Drogheda) Middle and back rows (l-r): Drs Mary Lynch (RCSI Bahrain) ; Michelle McEvoy; Emily
Boyle; Orlaith Kelly; Marilyn Harris; Judith Strawbridge; Aileen Barre; Muirne Spooner; Maeve Royston; Wai Sun Chan; John McDermo; Trevor Duffy;
Nicholas Clarke, Skantha Kandiah (RCSI Bahrain) and Ms Niamh Carroll
Warwick University, UK was
invited by the COWG to
share insights on the new
NHS Medical Leadership
Competency Framework.
As
part
of
the
Professionalism Theme of
all our health curricula at
RCSI
Interprofessional
learning has been a
particular focus. In the past
year new modules delivered as early as
the first year have seen Pharmacy,
Physio and Medical Students learn
together in teams.
The Office for Medical Education Seminar Series has continued to
recruit speakers from around the globe and earlier this year the
Australian Council on Educational Research presented the research
evidence base supporting the new admission tests such as HPAT.
Finally, we look forward to hosting the Annual meeting of the
Association for Medical Schools in Europe in 2011.
From L to R: Lorraine Nolan (Pharmacy Student) and Connor McHugh
(Physiotherapy student) beside their winning Interprofessional Educaon
Poster at the RCSI Research Day 2009.
Ms Marita MacMahon Ball (General Manager Higher Educaon ACER) and
Mr Philip Brown (ACER, UK) with staff from RCSI
Pictured at recent Medical Educaon seminar on Medical Leadership (L-R)
Ms. Sibeal Carolan, Instute of Leadership and Health Care Management;
Professor Peter Spurgeon, and Ms. Pauline Joyce, Instute of Leadership
and Health Care Management.
Professor Geraldine MacCarrick (Medical Educaon, RCSI); Professor David
Gordon Associaon for Medical Schools in Europe (AMSE) President and
Professor Cathal Kelly meet to plan AMSE conference for 2011.
Fleam • 27
Nursing
& Midwifery
Seamus Cowman,
Head of School of Nursing
he Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery, since its inauguration in 1974, has
continued to lead the way in the development of pioneering
educational programmes for nurses and midwives who are engaged
in clinical, managerial, educational and research roles within the health
services. This year, the Faculty celebrates over 35 years of service in
nursing education and as such, is one of the longest serving providers of
nurse education in Ireland. The Faculty’s core philosophy, through its
programmes, seeks to develop caring, reflective practitioners, who have
the ability to seek out and use evidence to underpin clinical practice and
competency development.
A wide range of nursing/midwifery education programmes are
offered through the Faculty, which aim to support nurses and midwives in
meeting the challenges of providing nursing care within the rapidly
changing face of healthcare in Ireland. Primary degrees, masters degrees
and postgraduate diploma programmes, approved through the National
University of Ireland and An Bord Altranais, are offered on a full or part
time basis. Increased numbers of nurses continue to register for post
graduate research studies at Masters and PhD level. Dr. Zena Moore, under
the supervision of Head of Department, Professor Seamus Cowman, has
just completed a randomised control trial in repositioning for the
prevention of pressure ulcers in the older adult.
T
Post Graduate Nursing Education
Programmes
There are currently 26 nursing education programmes approved through
RCSI/NUI and An Bord Altranais that are delivered to over 450 registered
students. A range of stand-alone modules are also offered. This year a
number of new postgraduate nursing education programmes have been
developed within the Faculty. The following section provides a brief
outline of these programmes.
Certificate in Nursing (Clinical Research)
A new Certificate in Nursing Clinical Research (Level 9 Minor Award) in
association with the Clinical Research Centres at Beaumont Hospital (RCSI),
The Mater Hospital (UCD) and St Vincent’s’ Hospital (UCD). The provision
of the programme is supported by funding from the Health Research
Board of Ireland (HRB) and the Wellcome Trust, through the Dublin Centre
for Clinical Research (DCCR). The programme is unique in Ireland and
indeed the EU. It consists of three modules designed to provide students
with specialist knowledge, attitudes and competencies related to Clinical
28 • Fleam
Research Nursing. A clinical attachment to a research site or centre is
incorporated into the programme to assess students’ competence in areas
of clinical research under the guidance of a mentor.
Master of Science in Nursing
(Advanced Leadership)
The Master of Science in Nursing (Advanced Leadership) aims to provide
students with an advanced level of theoretical leadership knowledge
deemed relevant to enhancing practice by fostering a questioning
approach to knowledge development and professional practice issues. The
programme will facilitate the development of the nurse in the field of
leadership at advanced level, thus allowing critical evaluation and
synthesis using appropriate research findings. An increasing focus on
‘evidence-based’ practice in nursing has created an environment in which
research awareness is essential.
Master of Science in Nursing (Advanced
Practice) Incorporating Nurse Prescribing
The establishment of advanced practice roles and the subsequent
introduction of prescriptive authority for nurses and midwives have been
important practice developments for the nursing and midwifery
professions. In addition, these developments have contributed to a more
efficient health service capable of responding more effectively to patients’
needs. In a timely development, the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery has
prepared a new master’s level programme that incorporates preparation
for advanced practice and prescribing of medicinal products and ionising
radiation (X-Ray) and builds on the Certificate in Nursing (Nurse Midwife
prescribing) offered since 2007. Entitled the MSc in Nursing (Advanced
Practice), this programme was developed in consultation with clinical staff
in a number of major Dublin hospitals and is unique both in Ireland and
other European Union countries. It was approved by the National
University of Ireland and by An Bord Altranais in July 2009, and its flexible
format will make the programme attractive to prospective students and
their employers. The programme is expected to commence in 2010.
Certificate in Nursing
(Nurse Midwife Prescribing)
The education programme delivered by the School of Nursing in
Taken at the 28th Annual Internaonal Nursing & Midwifery Research Conference Dinner February 2009: (L- R) Ms. Maeve Dwyer, Dean of the
Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery, Mr. Fergus Finlay, CEO Barnardos, Professor Frank Keane, President, RCSI, and Professor Seamus Cowman, Head
of School, Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery. Mr. Fergus Finlay delivered the opening address for the 28th Annual Conference.
collaboration with both the School of Pharmacy and Medicine at RCSI
continues to run biannually. The Independent External Evaluation of the
Nurse and Midwife Prescribing Initiative, published in October 2009,
acknowledges the success of both the education programme and the
implementation of the initiative nationally. The School of Nursing has
amended the delivery of the programme to incorporate blended learning
techniques. Much of the programme content is accessed by students
online at a time and place convenient to them. This online material is
supported by face to face tutorials which are delivered at RCSI Dublin and
video-conferenced to regional sites. These innovations have created
greater accessibility to education for nurses from around the country and
this is in keeping with recommendations form the Health Service
Executive.
• The ITT KSA student commencement programme of English
language, cultural and nursing orientation
• The RCSI teaching programme for Bridging (Access) and BSc
programmes
This model of University education will provide initially a bachelor’s
degree programme for overseas students who are trained nurses and who
already hold a Diploma in Nursing from their own country. This is a
bridging programme for registered nurses to advance their qualification
from Diploma in Nursing to Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The
programme fulfils the academic requirements of the National University
of Ireland for a BSc degree award. The programme has three
interdependent strands that will enable students to gain optimal personal
and professional development.
New Undergraduate Nursing Programmes
BSc Nursing (Hons) (undergraduate) pre-registration Programme
A new four-year pre-registration Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Hons)
Programme has been developed by the School of Nursing, Royal College
of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and is expected to be offered through the
Central Applications Office in 2010. Taking a unique partnership approach
the RCSI and four private health service providers (Beacon, Bon Secours,
Hermitage and Mount Carmel Hospitals) will collaboratively provide
education for students of nursing in Ireland. Students will receive most of
their biological, physical and social sciences lectures with students
undertaking baccalaureate programmes in the RCSI, thus availing of
opportunities for multidisciplinary education, teaching, interactive
assessment methods and research. They will gain clinical experiences in
both private and public hospitals, and will undertake their internship in the
private partnership hospitals
BSc (Nursing) (Hons)
A new proposal for the establishment of a BSc (Nursing)(Hons.)
programme for non-national nurses at the School of Nursing and
Midwifery, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and three
Institutes of Technology, is being considered. All participating educational
institutions will adopt and deliver:
Nursing Research
The Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery enjoyed considerable success in
research during 2009. Dr. Zena Moore, a clinical nursing & midwifery
research fellow, conducted a randomised clinical trial funded by the Health
Research Board of Ireland, which aimed to compare the incidence of
pressure ulcers among older persons in long-term care hospitals, nursed
using two different repositioning regimes; and also to compare the cost
implications of repositioning individuals using two different repositioning
regimes. The experimental group (n=99) were repositioned 3-hourly at
night, using the 30 degree tilt; the control group (n=114) received routine
prevention. Routine prevention for the control group was identified as
turning during the night, on average, every six hours, using 90 degree
lateral rotation. Three patients (3%) developed a pressure ulcer in the
experimental group (3-hourly turning), whereas 13 patients (11%)
developed a pressure ulcer in the control group (6-hourly turning), this
difference was statistically significant (X2 5.347, p=.021). Total costs were
€19,962.27 (experimental) and €31,370.56 (control). The cost difference
between the two positioning regimens was -€11,408.29. Projected
annual costs of repositioning were estimated for use of the 30 degree tilt
as €258,402.48, these costs were estimated as €509,078.64 for standard
care. The annual cost difference is -€250,676.16. This study reports on a
Fleam • 29
‘low-technological’ intervention that has shown to have a direct effect on
pressure ulcer incidence. Repositioning older persons at risk of pressure
ulcers every three hours at night, using the 30 degree tilt, reduces the
incidence of pressure ulcers when compared to usual care. It is also less
time consuming, requires less personnel and is more cost effective when
compared with standard care.
Catherine O’Neill is in the final stages of her PhD studies. Catherine’s
work, an ethnographic study of treatment decision making in the care of
older patients in acute Irish hospitals has been submitted to School of
Sociology, UCD, Belfield, Dublin 4. This study involved extensive fieldwork
on two hospital sites over a period of four years. The data generating
methods, in addition to the field work included attendance at case
conferences, in depth interviews with 42 participants and tracked 13
specific patient cases. Catherine is also a member of a research
consortium developing An Ethical Framework for End-of-Life care in
Ireland. This is a collaborative interdisciplinary initiative between School
of Nursing, Schools of Philosophy & Law University College Cork, Faculty
of Nursing & Midwifery and the Dept. of General Practice, Royal College
of Surgeons in Ireland. This project is part of a five-year Hospice Friendly
Hospitals Programme, (HfHP), an initiative of the Irish Hospice Foundation
in partnership with the HSE and Atlantic Philanthropies. The study is
designed to identify the key ethical issues that arise in relation to death,
dying and bereavement, and to design and develop an ethical framework
to deepen public and professional understanding of experiences of death,
dying and bereavement and to enhance the experience of dying in diverse
health care settings in Ireland. The development of this framework is
ongoing.
Eight other research projects, under the directorship of Professor
Cowman and Dr. Georgina Gethin, have been completed or near
completion. These included the first International eDelphi to determine
the research and education priorities in wound management and tissue
repair; testing of antimicrobial activity of a Chilean honey; the role of the
CNS in cancer care; pilot study of prevalence of lymphoedema among
patient attending vascular and wound service in an acute hospital; quality
of life of patients with lower limb lymphoedema; and a study exploring
provision of day surgery across public and private hospitals in Ireland.
Research proposals are currently being developed to determine key
elements of quality day surgery in Ireland. The unit is also a co-applicant
in two FP7 research applications in 2009. The multi-disciplinary and multiagency nature of the many studies has been a key factor in gaining
research funding for the centre.
An MSc student, Niamh McCormack, was awarded an Irish Medical
Times Healthcare award for her study which evaluated the
implementation of an individualised respiratory patient passport for
persons with COPD. Niamh graduated in November 2009 and is currently
developing this work for a PhD.
A very successful 28th Annual International Nursing and Research
Conference was held in February 2009.The Faculty of Nursing and
Midwifery have led the way in research dissemination, as this conference
is the longest established across Europe. A wide range of papers relevant
to clinical nursing, nursing education and nursing management were
presented to over 250 Irish and overseas delegates. Professor Sioban
Nelson, a leading international nursing scholar, based at the University of
Toronto, Canada delivered the keynote address entitled “Two Steps
Forward One Step Back: Nursing and Midwifery in a Climate of Health Care
Reform”. The plenary paper, from Professor Anne Marie Rafferty, Dean
and Professor of Nursing Policy at The Florence Nightingale School of
Nursing and Midwifery at King's College, London, explored the nursing
contribution to the quality of care in health system reform. In recognition
30 • Fleam
Taken at the 28th Annual Internaonal Nursing & Midwifery Research
Conference Dinner February 2009: Top Row (L to R) Dr. Zena Moore,
Ms. Mary O’ Neill, Ms. Stephanie Lawrence, Dr. Georgina Gethin.
Middle Row (L- R) Ms. Kathleen Kinsella, Ms. Margie Craig,
Ms. Catherine Clune Mulvaney. Boom Row (L-R) Ms. Catherine
O’Neill, Professor Sioban Nelson (Keynote Speaker), Professor Seamus
Cowman, Head of School, Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery.
of her services to healthcare, Anne Marie was subsequently awarded with
a CBE in Buckingham Palace.
Challenges for the Future
The current economic climate poses considerable challenges for the
delivery of bachelor and post graduate education programmes for nurses
in Ireland. Restriction in funding combined with the recruitment embargo
limits the educational opportunities for nurses and midwives. The School
of Nursing and the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery having cognisance of
these challenges, have developed several new and innovative
programmes for prospective students. The education of nurses plays a key
role in the delivery of a cost effective, efficient health service. Thus, these
new programmes are aimed at enhancing relevant competencies of
nurses and midwives practicing within today’s Irish healthcare system.
Furthermore, in response to the changing climate, the Faculty of Nursing
and Midwifery, has adopted a blended learning approach for its education
delivery. This involves a combination of on-line material, discussion forums
and face to face lectures. With these new developments, the Faculty is
leading the way in changing the traditional approach to education. Thus,
we are ensuring accessibility, flexibility and value for money for the key
stakeholders utilising our sevices
Dr. Zena Moore, Ms. Chanel Watson, Ms. Catherine Clune Mulvaney
November 2009
School of
Pharmacy
The first class of the MSc Healthcare
Management programme with Dr. Paul
Gallagher (extreme le) and Professor
Ciaran O’Boyle (extreme right).
in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) and support from Enterprise Ireland
contributed to this and we are currently examining commercialization
opportunities for the technologies that have emerged.
Last year the first students graduated from our MSc Healthcare Management
programme. This is an inter-professional programme delivered jointly with
the Institute of Leadership and Healthcare Management in the College. The
programme is intended to provide management and leadership skills for
people having a supervisory role in a healthcare environment.
Pictured are from le Dr. Terry McWade, Deputy CEO, RCSI; Professor
John Kelly, Head of School of Pharmacy, RCSI; Minister for Health and
Children, Mary Harney TD; Dr. Ambrose McLoughlin, Registrar/CEO,
Pharmaceucal Society of Ireland; and Ms Noleen Harvey, President,
Pharmaceucal Society of Ireland at the inauguraon of the Naonal
Internship Training Year for Pharmacy Graduates
n this issue we’ve decided to focus on postgraduate activities at the School
of Pharmacy. We are a very new School, with our first pharmacy graduates
in 2006 so inevitably the early days concentrated on developing the
undergraduate and satisfying the accreditation requirements of regulatory
bodies. However a flourishing postgraduate environment is essential to build
a rounded School and to grow awareness of the School. Recognizing that, we
initiated PhD programmes and taught postgraduate activities as early as
possible.
I
A notable success was the School’s MSc programme in Industrial
Pharmaceutical Science. This commenced in 2003, producing its first
graduates in 2005, a year before the first graduates from the undergraduate
programme. Over the last five years this has provided the pharmaceutical
industry with over 100 graduates. These are an important resource since
graduates from the programme are eligible for Qualified Person status. Under
European Directive these are required by companies to oversee the
manufacturing process.
Recognition of Third Country Pharmacist Qualification as a Qualification
Appropriate for Practice in Ireland is a responsibility of the Pharmaceutical
Society of Ireland (PSI) and includes the requirement for an equivalence
examination. The role of designing and conducting the assessment process
for this important regulatory activity has been given to the School of
Pharmacy at RCSI. This reflects the expertise of RCSI in postgraduate training
and examining and the School’s innovations in teaching and examining,
including our introduction for example of OSCE-based examinations.
A highlight of the year was the launch of the National Pharmacy Internship
Programme. Successful completion of this programme, designed and
delivered by the School of Pharmacy at RCSI leads to the award of the degree
of MPharm. All graduating pharmacists in Ireland must successfully complete
this training programme as a prerequisite to entry to the professional register.
The programme makes much use of electronic teaching resources developed
in RCSI and adds to the College’s reputation in delivery of state of the art
training to healthcare professionals.
Finally it’s been a privilege for me to have played a role in establishing this
new School. Some of you older graduates may remember me as beginning
my academic career in the Department of Clinical Pharmacology in the late
1970s and I was somewhat but very pleasantly surprised to find myself back
at RCSI in the new century. I’m now stepping down from my post as Head of
the School, from the end of this academic year so I will use this opportunity
to sign off and say goodbye and to give my best wishes for another two
centuries or so to this great institution in which to to study and work.
Regulatory affairs professionals also play a key role in the pharmaceutical
industry in the development of new medicines, obtaining product
authorizations, in collecting data on quality and safety and liaising with
government regulatory agencies. Currently there is no training programme
for such people in Ireland, a significant unmet need given the fact that
Ireland is one of the world’s leading exporters of pharmaceutical products.
In the coming academic year we intend to introduce a joint programme with
the Institute of Technology Sligo, leading to a Postgraduate Diploma in
Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs.
PhD programmes were also an important focus, beginning in the first year
of the new School so our first two PhD degrees were awarded in 2005, again
a full year before the first graduates from the undergraduate programme.
Excellent research funding under the government’s Programme for Research
School of Pharmacy Medal Winners from the academic year 20082009. Ms Alice O’Dwyer, Ms Lydia Finnerty, Professor John G. Kelly,
Ms Gillian Byrne, Ms Aine O’Driscoll, Ms Anne Marie Hamilton.
Fleam • 31
School of
Physiotherapy
Marie Guidon, Head of Physiotherapy
Postgraduate Diploma/MSc in Neurology
and Gerontology
In recognition of the considerable demographic changes in Ireland
and the increasing number of older persons in society, an MSc in
Neurology and Gerontology programme was developed. This
programme, the first of its kind in Ireland, was developed to address
these increasing demands and to provide an opportunity for
physiotherapists to expand their knowledge and skills in the area of
neurological rehabilitation and rehabilitation of the older person. The
first intake of 19 students to this programme was in September 2008
and these students will graduate in summer 2010.
Currently these postgraduate students are undertaking research
studies in a variety of locations around the country. Applications for
the next intake to this programme will be invited in early 2010 and
already a considerable number of enquiries have been received.
Educational Activities
There have been several new educational initiatives implemented this
year. The Physiopedia project involved the development of a “wiki”,
pages of information on specific topics. This was a collaborative
project undertaken in partnership with other educational institutions
and included students from the RCSI School of Physiotherapy under
the direction of Practice Education Co-ordinator, Aileen Barrett.
Physiotherapy staff have also participated in the delivery of successful
interdisciplinary Teaching on the Run workshops in several clinical
sites and these have been received with enthusiasm by clinicians
involved in the clinical teaching of students.
Research Activity
Niamh Kenny (Second Physiotherapy) was awarded a HRB Research
Summer Studentship for a project investigating the effects of
pulmonary rehabilitation. She has been shortlisted for the Watts
Medal for Summer Scholars competition in December 2009,
presenting results of her research activity.
Other research activities include departmental success in the Health
Research Board Therapy Fellowship Awards for research projects
investigating gait impairment in cervical spondylotic myelopathy and
effectiveness of exercise for hip arthritis.
Marie Guidon, Head of Physiotherapy
32 • Fleam
REACH RCSI PROGRAMME:
Recreation Education And Community Health
REACH RCSI Programme partnered with the Football Association of Ireland
(FAI), Garda Síochana, Dublin City Council (DCC) and Youth Intervention
Service (YIS) on this initiative which saw 12 Dublin primary schools
compete in a mini World Cup combining sport with promoting
interculturalism.
Two RCSI Student Ambassadors worked with each primary school and
decided which country the school would represent in the World Cup Finals.
They visited their schools to present on the traditions, customs, native
dress etc of the country in question. The RCSI Student Ambassadors then
supported the children as they put together a collage/artwork depicting
what they had learned. Some of the countries represented were
Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, UAE and Kuwait and winners over the two day
competition were: Presentation Primary School, Warrenmount (Canada),
Francis St. (Bahrain) and Synge St. (USA).
Parcipants at Sports Day 2009.
The REACH RCSI Programme is the Community Outreach Programme at
RCSI. The Programme works to facilitate access to Further and Higher
education and enhance life chances for those experiencing social
exclusion, particularly those living in the environs of RCSI.
The REACH RCSI Programme works with primary and secondary
schools, youth, community and sports groups promoting education and
lifelong health and recreation in the community.
RCSI staff and students volunteer their valuable time and expertise
and are pivotal to the success of the programme. This year, the REACH
RCSI Programme was nominated for two awards, the Irish Times Living
Dublin Award and President’s Awards for Corporate Social Responsibility
and was highly commended at both ceremonies.
A particular highlight of this year was the involvement of more RCSI
students through the Student Ambassador Programme which they
participated in as part of a Foundation Year Elective.
Creating awareness and promoting
lifelong health & activity in the
community:
REACH Student Ambassador Programme: World Cup
24 Foundation Year students had the opportunity of mentoring both
primary & post primary school students from the local community by
participating in the REACH RCSI Student Ambassador Programme. The
Khalifah Alali & Abdulla Almesailim and their winning team from
St Audeon’s Naonal School, March 2009.
REACH Sports Day at RCSI Sports Grounds,
Dardistown: (April 2nd 2009)
Over one hundred local children from St. Enda’s National School, Whitefriar
Street and Warrenmount Primary School, Blackpits, Dublin 8 took part in
the second REACH RCSI Sports Day at the RCSI Sports grounds at
Dardistown, Co Dublin.
The children were divided into ten teams and approximately 50 RCSI
students volunteered for the day, manning stations and looking after the
teams throughout the day. The programme for the day included a circuit
of 10 traditional sports day games such as Egg & Spoon, Sack Races,
obstacle course and relay races etc which teams had to complete,
accumulating points around the circuit.
Fleam • 33
REACH Link Schools Soccer Coaching
Sessions
This academic year, over 300 children & young people have been coached
in soccer skills by the coaches from Celtic FC.
Pictured (L-R) are Alexis Bouvier
(3rd Year Medicine, RCSI) with Alan
Healy (age 10 from St. Enda’s,
Whitefriar Street, Dublin 8)
Pictured (L-R) Aima Giwa-Amu (1st
Year Medicine RCSI) with Charity
Waithire, age 9 from St. Enda’s,
Whitefriar Street, Dublin 8
Aungier Celtic FC Coaching Session with
Glasgow Celtic FC
This year REACH has been working with Glasgow Celtic Football Club on a
number of initiatives aimed at promoting participation in sport and
education. Aungier Celtic FC is the local community football team based
in Dublin’s South East Inner City and in April 2009, approximately 50
children from the Under 8 and Under 10 teams were invited by the REACH
RCSI Programme to spend the afternoon being professionally coached at
the RCSI Sports Grounds with soccer coaches from Glasgow Celtic FC.
4th class from St Enda’s PS, Whitefriar Street with Celc FC Coaches
winding down aer a coaching session.
Men’s Health Programme
Another joint REACH RCSI and Celtic FC initiative, the Men’s Health
Programme has been underway since October 1st 2009. The group, made
up of middle aged men from the local community meet at RCSI each
Thursday evening for 10 weeks. The evening begins with a workshop on
a different health related topic facilitated by RCSI staff e.g. weight
management, diet and nutrition; healthy heart, blood pressure and
cholesterol management, smoking cessation & alcohol reduction; cancer
awareness, promoting good mental health, diabetes, dental and oral
hygiene. Professional coaches from Glasgow Celtic FC work with the
Aungier Celc FC Coaching Session with Glasgow Celc FC at
Dardistown.
Men’s Health Programme Parcipants – Back Row: Chris Hendry,
Celc FC, John Donnelly, Eddie O’Callaghan, Liam Tracey, David
Wynne, John Donnelly, Ryan McGregor (Celc FC). Front Row: Paul
Kenny, David Fitzpatrick, Michael Murray, Philip Bisset, Alan Dunne.
participants on overall physical fitness during the second hour of the
programme. Each participant underwent a full medical at Mercer’s Medical
Centre prior to beginning the programme and will undergo a second in
the final week. It is hoped participation in the project will improve their
health and well-being of participants and illustrate that making small
lifestyle changes and increasing awareness of health issues, can make a
big difference to long-term health and well-being.
34 • Fleam
Free Medical Checks Local Community –
RCSI Mercer’s Medical Centre
On August 25th 2009 fifty free medical check ups were provided by Dr.
Kilian McGrogan and the team at Mercer’s Medical Clinic for members of
the local community. Those who availed were screened for diabetes,
cholesterol, kidney disease, and had their BMI and blood pressure checked.
Facilitating access to Further and Higher Education:
REACH coordinates several programmes, aimed at boosting the ambition
of those linked with the programme and creating awareness of
educational opportunities. Initiatives include Leaving Certificate Student
Support Programme and provision of a bursary to support students at third
level.
Several Transition Year and Leaving Certificate Applied students from
link schools have completed office work experience at RCSI. Five students
from local schools interested in studying Medicine participated in the week
long RCSI Mini Med School in January 2009.
College4U Programme
42 young people from three local schools completed this 6 week workshop
series which aims to show what college life is really like and that it is
something attainable for them. This programme culminated with a trip to
RCSI where the Foundation Year Student Ambassadors led the visiting
students in two separate scientific experiments under the supervision of
REACH Academic Directors, Dr. Maria Morgan and Dr. Marc DeVocelle.
Homework Club
RCSI Foundaon Year Students leading vising Junior Cerficate
students from CBS Westland Row.
Educational Guidance:
Members of the local community can avail of support and guidance from
the REACH RCSI programme on educational courses. Some individuals may
be returning to education having left school early, others are keen to
develop their skill set while some are still in school. Support is available
with making CAO applications, subject choice and information on financial
support/grants they would be eligible for.
Homework Club:
The Homework Club runs in RCSI Tutorial rooms, Monday to Thursday,
4.30pm – 7pm. RCSI staff and students volunteer their time to assist the
members with homework and study.
The club takes place on site in a college environment supported by
RCSI staff and students and consists of a mixture of academic work and
recreation. It is hoped that informal relationships forged here will foster
a more positive view of education in the minds of the club members and
create a natural forum for discussion and accessing information. This year,
some Leaving Certificate students have also had access to the RCSI library
for further study.
The Kiran Pathak Scholarship in Pharmacy
This annual Scholarship in Pharmacy offers a student a bursary and a place
in the RCSI School of Pharmacy. The Kiran Pathak Fund was established in
memory of Kiran Pathak, MPSI, and his family who lost their lives in a
tragic boating accident in Kenya in 2001. The fund supports a range of
Pharmacy initiatives and of key interest to the Pathak family is this access
scholarship for students with a desire to study Pharmacy who due to
experiences of social exclusion may otherwise have been unable to do so.
Fleam • 35
Research
2009 was an eventful and successful year for the research community
at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Faculty, staff, and students
at RCSI were very effective at competing for increasingly sparse funds
to support their research. Grants were awarded to support major
research programs in a year of deep recession and faculty and
students were recognized with national and international honours for
their many contributions.
In a major regional development, the College formed an alliance with
Dublin City University and the National University of Ireland at
Maynooth to form a Translational Research Hub together with
Beaumont and Connolly Hospitals. Professor Brian Harvey, Director of
Research, said that “ collaboration between RCSI and the largest nonmedical Universities and the College’s opens up new opportunities
for clinician-scientist research teams to advance translational research
and is the backbone of the RCSI research programme 2010 -2014
under the HEA Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions”.
The College maintained in 2009, its first ranking in the 5 year
cumulative number of citations in medical research publications
among all of the Irish Universities. Some example are given below of
the impact RCSI researchers are having at national and international
levels.
Research funding awards
2009 research funding awards include the very prestigious European
Research Council Starting Independent Research Grant to Professor
Fergal O’Brien and the Science Foundation of Ireland Principal
Investigator grants to Professor David Henshall, Professor Nikolaus
Plesnila and Dr. Caroline Jefferies.
In June 2009, in partnership with Dublin City University, other thirdlevel institutions and the pharmaceutical industry, RCSI was successful
in securing SFI funding (€5.6M) towards the establishment of a
Strategic Research Cluster in Molecular Therapeutics for Cancer. The
RCSI Principal Investigators involved in this Programme are Dr. Judith
Harmey and Dr. Annette Byrne who were awarded a total research
budget of €1M. The aim of the Cluster is to assemble and build a
fully-integrated national translational cancer drug discovery and
development programme for the benefit cancer patients. The award
was announced by Conor Lenihan T.D., Minister for Science,
Technology & Innovation. Making the announcement, Minister
36 • Fleam
Brian Harvey,
Director of
Research
Lenihan, said “This SRC has genuine potential to make Ireland a
leading centre for cancer drug discovery and development. Today
marks the latest declaration from Government that it believes in
science, and greatly values the top class collaborative research being
conducted in this country. There is real confidence that this SRC will
help to ultimately position Ireland as a key international player in the
oncology research arena.”
In April 2009 the Ireland Fund of France in conjunction with the French
pharmaceutical group, L’Institut Servier and the Royal College of
Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) have awarded the Servier Scholarship Prize
to Professor Dermot Kenny (Class of 1983). The event was presided
over by His Excellency Mr. Yvon d’Albert Roé, French Ambassador to
Ireland at the French Embassy today. Professor Kenny received his
award for his contribution and success in supporting research
collaborations with France in the area of platelet adhesion and for his
work into the rare congenital bleeding disorder Bernard-Soulier
syndrome.
Post-graduate research training
PhD registrations at RCSI have increased notably in the last five years
with the highest registrations to date in 2008 (from 17 in 2004 to 62
new registrations in 2008). RCSI currently has 136 PhD students, 34%
on structured PhD programmes (significantly above the 21% national
average reported by CIRCA (HEA 2008).
Report publications
In 2009 the Ministers for Older People and Health Promotion has
announced the publication of two reports entitled "Smoking Patterns
in Ireland: Implications for policy and services" and “Mental Health
and Social Well-being of the Irish Population”. These reports present
and analise the results of surveys carried out under the National
Survey of Lifestyle, Attitudes and Nutrition Programme (SLÁN 07).
The surveys were carried out, on behalf of the Department of Health
and Children, by RCSI Division of Population Health Sciences in
collaboration with the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI),
University College Cork (UCC), The National University of Ireland
Galway (NUIG)
Major events
In March 2009, RCSI hosted the first inaugural scientific conference of
the National Biophotonics and Imaging Platform Ireland (NBIP Ireland).
The NBIP Ireland is a €30M research Programme, co-ordinated by RCSI
and funded by the Higher Education Authority under the Programme
for Research for Third Level Institutions, Cycle 4. The mission of NBIPI is
to provide an integrated national access and training infrastructure in
research, education, technology development and industry collaboration
for Ireland’s investment in Biophotonics and Imaging.
The conference was opened by Dr. Jimmy Devins, Minister of State for
Science, Technology and Innovation, who officially launched the NBIPI
initiative and the associated FP7 Marie Curie Career Enhancement and
Mobility Programme (CEMP). Speaking at the launch, Dr. Jimmy Devins,
said “The NBIP Ireland research programme is an excellent example of
the Government’s commitment to provide support to colleges and
higher-level institutions to develop their research facilities and foster
links between academia and with industry to create an innovative,
knowledge-driven economy. In a more challenging global economic
environment, it is imperative that Ireland can compete internationally
on the basis of our world class research and NBIP Ireland will enable
Post-doctoral and Post-graduate researchers to develop their career
prospects and become independent investigators and senior scientists
in academia or industry. Coordinated by RCSI, NBIP Ireland comprises
nine Irish and two European third level institutions and there are
currently over 150 Irish researchers working in the programme.
In June 2009, RCSI signed a major scientific international agreement in
Naples with research bodies from Ireland, France, and Italy. The event
was attended by His Excellency Ambassador O'Huiginn, Ireland
Ambassador to Italy. The new EU consortium will promote academic and
industry research and development (R&D) partnerships in drug
discovery and medical diagnostic devices and will be run through the
Regional Centre of Competence in Diagnostic and Molecular
Pharmaceutics (DFM) in the Campania region of Naples. As part of the
agreement, the research bodies from Ireland, France and Italy will be
funded through national and EU programmes and from research
contracts from the pharmaceutical industry. They will jointly apply for EU
funded programmes as well as promote the exchange of training and
knowledge among scientists.
Professor Harvey, says that “2010 will be a challenging and difficult year
as agencies will have greatly diminished funds for new programmes
and will re-focus their business plans to maintain current funding
obligations. RCSI can rise to these challenges by targeting scarce
resources to prioritised clusters of researchers in experimental medicine
and surgery and by diversifying its funding base particularly in EU
Programmes and through philanthropic endowments .“
Research Appointments
In June 2009 Professor Hannah
McGee was appointed to the
new role of Deputy Director of
Research at the RCSI. She will
work closely with Professor Brian
Harvey, Director of Research to
promote
RCSI's
Research
Strategy – translational research
‘from bench to bedside to
population’. Professor Brian
Harvey, Director of Research, has
welcomed the new appointment
as an acknowledgement of
RCSI’s commitment to translational research.
Hannah joined RCSI in 1987 as a Health Psychology Research
Fellow. In 1997 she became Professor of Psychology and in 2006
she became the first head of Population Health Sciences (PHS)
at RCSI. Professor McGee is RCSI lead on the joint RCSI-TCD-UCC
HRB PhD Scholars Programme in Health Services Research since
its commencement in 2007. In terms of her disciplinary and
research interests, she has previously served as President of the
Psychological Society of Ireland, the European Health Psychology
Society and is currently Chair of the Cardiac Rehabilitation
Section of the European Association for Cardiovascular
Prevention and Rehabilitation. Within Ireland, Hannah has
served as RCSI/RCPI representative on the board of the Health
Research Board and was appointed by the Minister for Health
and Children, Mary Harney T.D. as chair of the Department’s
National Cardiovascular Health Policy Group – the Policy to be
launched Autumn 2009.
Fleam • 37
Surgical
Affairs
ostgraduate surgical education continues to make great strides within
surgical training, innovation, research and development for RCSI. In
2008 the RCSI established the Colles Institute which is named after
Abraham Colles (1773 -1843) of the eponymous fracture, and who was an
RCSI President and held three RCSI Professorships in Anatomy, Surgery and
Physiology.
P
This is the first Institute of its kind in Ireland, bringing together the expertise
of three existing RCSI centres across the areas of surgical practice, training,
clinical research and the development and commercialisation of new medical
technologies. The National Surgical Training Centre – NSTC, the Centre of
Clinical Research & Development (CR&D) & the Centre for Innovation in
Surgical Technology (CIST)
Currently located in RCSI House, developments are underway on a new state
of the art facility to house the Institute on York Street. This will be equipped
with leading edge training, conference and research facilities enabling the
Institute to continue to pursue its primary objective of enhancing patient care
through supporting the development of optimal therapeutic strategies and
technologies and by providing education and training to ensure the rapid
transfer of these standards into practice.
2009 has seen a number of significant developments within the Institute,
from the development of the Colles Portal, the appointment of a new
Professor, to the establishment of a new Masters in Surgery (MCh), and the
signing of an MOU.
One of the Institutes major initiatives during 2009 has been the development
of the Colles Portal. The last decade has seen significant growth in many of
the NSTC activities coupled with a 100% increase in training numbers. It
became critical that Surgical Training could support these activities in to the
future and in order to achieve this we are now in the final development
stages of the Colles Portal. The Portal will offer all of our stakeholders from
the consultant trainer and non trainer, surgeons, trainees, medical manpower
managers and the Medical Council a web based support system that will
enable them to access information from one central platform and complete
the steps necessary to support surgical training. It will record and archive all
the data during the lifecycle of the surgeon from trainee to consultant.
Furthermore, the probable commencement of Professional Competence in
early 2010 will mean that there will be a legal requirement for all medical
practitioners in Ireland to be registered with an accredited professional
competency scheme.
The Colles Portal will support this functionality and allow surgeons to record
and review all CPD activity. A communications campaign was launched at the
38 • Fleam
View of proposed
York Street Development.
Millen Meeting, with a Colles Portal stand, user demonstrations and
supported by a Colles Portal brochure, which was posted to all our key users.
We are continuing to engage with all our stakeholders in order that
accessibility and useability is a smooth and easy transition for all. This is both
a unique and significant accomplishment within the Irish Medical Sector and
it is expected that there will be over 1,200 users by the end of 2010.
There will be a Colles Portal stand and demonstrations at the Charter Day
Meeting in February 2010 and the official launch will take place in Spring
2010, when the portal will go live. This is both a unique and significant
accomplishment within the Irish medical ssector and it is expected that there
will be over 1200 users by the end of 2010.
May 2009, saw the appointment of Mr Sean Tierney to RCSI’s Professor of
Health Informatics. Sean is a vascular surgeon in the AMNCH and is currently
Vice-President of the IMO. In 2003 he was appointed as the College’s Vice
Dean of Distance Learning for Postgraduate Surgery, developing the School
for Surgeons, our online learning programme for surgical trainees. In his new
position, Professor Tierney will play a leading role in evaluating, developing,
and promoting the use of systems to support learning, ensure clinical quality
and assist surgeons in the process of competence assurance.
In September 2009, Professor John O’Byrne introduced a one year full time
Masters of Surgery (MCh) by module, the first in Ireland to incorporate a
taught component in addition to a research dissertation. The programme is
designed to equip trainees with a range of skills which will enable them to
better meet the demands of higher surgical training. It is progressing well
and all students are entering their research dissertation phase. The 15
students are expected to complete their course work by the end of May 2010
and submit their final research dissertation. Due to the huge success of the
programme and the demand for places exceeding expectations in 2009, it
is hoped that there will be an increase in the number of places on offer for
the 2010/2011 intake which will commence in March of this year.
The Centre for Research and Development (CR&D) continues its research
programme in surgical training with the appointment of two new research
fellows Dr. Emmeline Nugent and Dr. Hazem Hseino. These fellows continue
to research the development of proficiency based progression training and
the use of simulation in surgical training. We are also pleased to confirm
that our first two research fellows in surgical training Ms Emily Boyle and Ms
Anne Marie Kennedy have had their research theses accepted for award of
M.D. in 2010. In February 2010, CR&D will be translating our research in
proficiency based progression training using simulation into training courses
through the launch of a Proficiency Based Training using simulation for
Laparoscopic Colectomy. This course will be supported through an education
grant by Ethicon Endosurgery Ireland.
development and innovation into commercialised products. CIST has gained
huge market presence over the last year and has attracted the attention of
many of our leading surgeons, government bodies such as EI, IDA, SFI, HRB,
Forfas and other medical device companies. 2010 will see continued growth
and expansion for CIST with links been forged with other international /
national companies and Institutes such as Tyndall, Codiven and Renishaw
(UK). Continued and future development of these links will only enhance
both the RCSI and the Colles Institutes profile on the international stage as
a world leader in the delivery of innovation surgical & clinical solutions to the
market.
These notable achievements within the Colles Institute have laid the
foundations for continued growth into 2010 and beyond in line with the
Institute’s goal to increase the standards of clinical practice by addressing key
knowledge, training and technology barriers.
For more information on the activities and resources in the Colles Institute
please log on to www.rcsi.ie/colles or for user information on the Colles
Portal www.collesportal.com
The CR&D, on behalf of the Surgical R&D committee, continues to support
the Irish Surgical Research Network (ISURN) and this year we were successful
in developing 3 multicentre, inter-institutional research proposals for
submission to the HRB Health Research Awards grant call in November 2010.
In addition to this, CR&D is supporting RCSI in the development of a number
of important collaborative projects with the Health Service Executive. The
RCSI is taking a leadership role in the reconfiguration and restructuring of
surgical services and training. These projects are involved in the optimisation
of elective surgery and surgical manpower planning.
The Centre for Innovation and Surgical Technology (CIST) and the newest
addition to the Colles Institute continues to make regular headlines. CIST was
established to provide the suite of innovation services required to transform
an idea into a clinical product taping into and developing the huge amount
of local expertise and resources available. It will support both companies
and academia in the development and commercialisation of innovative
ideas. In May 2009 the RCSI and Cleveland Clinic signed an MOU enabling
the two institutions to collaborate and share ideas on projects and activities.
This joined up thinking and innovative collaboration fits into the current
government strategy on the Smart Economy by converting research,
Pictured at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Cleveland Clinic in Ohio are
(standing L-R) Derek Young, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland; Sean
McEllin, Enterprise Ireland; Joseph Hahn, Cleveland Clinic; Kieran Ryan, Royal
College of Surgeons in Ireland; David Strand, Cleveland Clinic; Chris Coburn,
Cleveland Clinic Innovations and Brian Griffin, Cleveland Clinic. Sitting (L-R)
are Oscar Traynor, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Delos Cosgrove
Cleveland Clinic.
The agreement will enable the two institutions to collaborate on educational,
research and innovation activities in the medical device industry and will
contribute to the growth of the industry in Ireland and the United States.
Fleam • 39
Student
Services
There is increasing evidence that higher educaon must also address the
basic personal needs of students by providing a comprehensive set of
out-of-classroom student services and programmes commonly referred to
as student affairs and services.
These efforts should be designed to enable and empower students to
focus more intensely on their studies and their personal growth and
maturaon, both cognively and emoonally. They should also result in
enhanced student learning outcomes. Another important raonale for
these efforts is economic, because investments in students and student
affairs and services provide a healthy return to naonal economies as the
investments help to assure students’ success in higher educaon and
their subsequent contribuons to the naonal welfare.
Source: The role of student affairs and services in higher educaon, UNESCO, 2002 & Student
affairs & services in Higher Educaon: Global Foundaons, Issues & Best Pracce, UNESCO, 2009
There is no denying the importance of support services in education and their
provision is closely linked to the success of academic programmes. In recent
years, support services have received increased recognition (and indeed
investment) in schools and colleges, thus resulting in greatly enhanced
opportunities for students.
RCSI is committed to providing a high level of ‘out of classroom’ supports to its
student body and to creating the best possible student experience. In fact, this
is one area which sets us apart from other competitor institutions. The Student
Services Office manage and deliver a host of services for students and is proud
to be part of a diverse student support system within RCSI.
From a strategic perspective……
In May 2009, the Student Support Services Project was initiated by Prof Cathal
Kelly (CEO) and Dr Terry McWade (Deputy CEO) with Colm Murray (Estate &
Support Services) acting as Project Manager. The project objective is to review
all supports and services at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.
Alongside many defined services, a range of other supports have evolved and
grown over time. The project aims to identify and evaluate all supports and
services, to examine regulatory/legal obligations alongside best practice and
to benchmark RCSI’s offering. The combined works will create a more strategic
approach in the planning, management and delivery of supports and services
– in essence, to create an effective roadmap. This is an exciting project and the
first of its kind for RCSI in terms of reviewing student support services.
The Student Services Office is part of a support services network at RCSI. Each
year, as part of its own efforts to raise standards and improve services to
students, the office reviews the structure and delivery of its remit. In 2009, a
degree student from outside the college with a wealth of experience and
learning both as a student in Ireland and also in the US proved instrumental in
this initiative. Working with the team in Student Services, the policies,
procedures and processes of the office were reviewed and assessed.
40 • Fleam
Student Services: Margaret Morgan (Sociees Co-ordinator), Corriena
Brien (Student Services Manager), Aidan Kavanagh (Sports Co-ordinator),
Sandra Boneo (Accommodaon, Access & Disability)
Supports and services in both domestic and international schools were used
as benchmarks, including educators in the UK, US and Australia. We were
heartened to find that supports and services delivered by the RCSI Student
Services Office faired well. In addition, many services were identified as
easily accessible, highly responsive and that high levels of flexibility were
evident. Areas identified under ‘room for improvement’ included
accommodation (both peripheral and term accommodation ) and the sports
function. In response to this, the office plans to devote more resources to
these key areas in 2010.
From an operational perspective…..
Sports Clubs & Societies
There is never a dull moment in the Student Services Office. The management
of activities, events and budgets for over 50 clubs and societies to a student
body of over 2,000, ensures the office is a constant hive of activity.
Membership /participation in both clubs and societies increased in 2009.
Some relatively new clubs and societies made significant inroads and
succeeded in adding to the vibrancy of student life (examples include Archery,
Polo and Fencing). All clubs and societies have helped to showcase the
wealth of talent that exists within the student body.
The men’s soccer team took home the Collingwood Plate, the Fencing team
won a prize at the Schull Cup intervarsities, and not to be outdone by the
boys, ladies GAA reached the semi finals of the national cup competition. The
Swimming Club proudly took home 2 gold medals at their Intervarsities while
the Running Club once again sent 10 runners to the Boston Marathon. The
Golf Society competed in Nottingham (UK) - and what is now becoming a
habit - the students beat their Nottingham peers.
The sports function has had new life injected in the form of a new Sports Coordinator – Mr Aidan Kavanagh. Aidan took on the role at the end of 2009
having held a similar post in a Scottish university. He has some exciting
initiatives in store for both the sports teams and the sports function in
general. So watch this space!
The societies once again hosted an array of glittering events throughout the
year – the most popular nights included Ballad Session, International Night,
Chocolate Ball, Food Fair and the college play (‘Flumes and Fumes’) - to name
but a few. The Islamic Society organised a very successful Islamic Awareness
Week which focused on creating a better understanding of Islam. Attendance
has grown at society events and the Friendship Lunches hosted by the
Friendship Society in conjunction with the Chaplaincy team continue as a
popular weekly event. The lunches provide an informal opportunity for
students to get to know each other, to chat and catch up over a bite to eat.
Students benefit in numerous ways from their involvement in clubs and
societies. From developing communication and interpersonal skills to
teamwork and co-ordination - ask any of the students involved in International
Night, the Chocolate Ball or Intervarsities and they are sure to bear witness to
this. Valuable life-long lessons are learned and new friendships forged. Many
events raise funds for local and international charities. The benefits and the
achievements of our clubs and societies are held in high esteem. While
recognising the importance of the academic programme, we greatly
encourage students to make time for recreation.
Financial Assistance to students
The economic crisis, needless to say, has touched students from all corners of
the globe – regardless of whether they are self funding or sponsored. 2009
saw the official formation of a Student Financial Assistance Committee. The
Committee oversee several funds including the Alumni Hardship Fund and the
Higher Education Student Assistance Fund. It aims to provide a fair, equitable
and accountable mechanism for the allocation of funds to students considered
most in need. With a shortage of student loans from banks or in some
instances, a complete withdrawal of loans, the Committee is also involved in
assisting students with supplementing their income through other sources –
such as part time jobs.
Nonetheless this also presents its own challenges (shortage of jobs and
academic study commitment). Several initiatives have been set up whereby
students can work part time within the college on a paid basis. The motto
being, that every little helps.
our students who find themselves living away from home and family for the
first time. Finding a ‘home from home’ is imperative. While the property boom
certainly created a plentiful supply of accommodation and eliminated the
accommodation queues prevalent in the eighties and nineties, it has paved
the way for other challenges. Landlords who are unwilling to reduce rents in
line with market changes or students breaking lease agreements to avail of
more favourable options are just two examples of new genre issues.
Accommodation – both peripheral and term accommodation - consumes
significant resources within the office. Accommodation is provided for students
on clinical rotations outside the Dublin area (peripherals). Matching student
needs such as location, cooking & study facilities, security, etc can prove
challenging – especially in smaller towns and cities. While an array of new
houses and apartments have sprung up all over the country, many are not
within easy walking distance of our peripheral hospital sites.
We also avail of B&B accommodation (Bed & Breakfast options) in many areas
– finding their locations more favourable to hospital sites. However, these
providers cannot supply cooking facilities and study space may also prove
problematic. While self catering tends to be the preferable option, key
rotation, cleaning, repairs, utilities and maintenance require tight controls and
constant monitoring/management to ensure success. At the outset,
accommodation may appear an easily managed function due to the Irish
property boom. However on scratching the surface, one can clearly see more
complex challenges at play.
Pastoral Care/Chaplaincy Team
The Alumni Hardship Fund has been instrumental in supporting students with
severe financial problems. We would like to take this opportunity to sincerely
thank all those Alumni who have so generously contributed to this fund. Your
contributions are making a real difference.
Access/Disability/Mobility
Our Access & Disability services have once again proved successful in 2009 in
attracting students previously under represented in third level education.
Individual needs assessments are carried out on students entering via this
route and support services are tailored to the individual. Different students
have different needs and this is a keystone in delivering support services and
assisting students in reaching their true potential. A ‘one style fits all’ approach
simply doesn’t work.
Student Services are also part of a student mobility programme with our sister
college, RCSI Bahrain (MUB). This exchange programme facilitates students to
transfer for one semester to Bahrain. As more students avail of this wonderful
opportunity for east to experience west and vice versa, we expect this
programme to grow in popularity.
Accommodation
When students are unhappy in their domestic environment, it stands to reason
this can negatively impact on their studies. And even more so for many of
Noreen Shankey, David Weakliam, Maura Muldowney.
In addition to religious services open to all denominations, the Chaplaincy
team addresses the wider needs of students and offers assistance, advice and
a listening ear to students in times of need. A plan to integrate the team in
other support services is currently under way and 2010 will see the chaplains
involved in the college’s communication and language skills programme. They
play an active role in the weekly friendship lunches and arrange a host of
courses/activities to support students including meditation, bereavement and
counselling support. They also deliver initiatives around exam time to help
reduce/alleviate exam stress.
In the next edition of FLEAM we look forward to providing updates and
developments on all the above.
Fleam • 41
alumni weekend
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1. Sharon Sco, Graham Sco (‘79), Anna Bofin (‘79) and
Colm Quinn (’79)
6. Class of 1989 enjoying the welcome recepon
14. Rick Nuall (’74) and Arvind Joshi (’74)
7. Members of the Class of 1984 at the Welcome Recepon
15. Denis Kanhai (’69) and Maeve Peyton (’69)
2. Nina and Khemlall Khooblall (’62)
8. Jacqueline Furlong-MacCarthy (’74), Rick Nuall (’74),
Tony Benedict-Smith (’74) and Himmet Dajee (’74)
16. George Fennell (’49) being presented with his scroll by
Sarah Rogers
4. Eileen Fennell, Patricia McKendrick, Alasdair McKendrick (’69),
Fergus Gleeson (’69) and Sean Fennell (’69)
9. Jagdish & Kusum Tolia (’79) and Espen Wold (’79)
17. Brian O’Dolan (’59) and Moira O’Brien (’56)
10. Anne & Ernan Gallagher (’79) and Larry Allen (‘79)
5. Jennifer Matharu, Elizabeth Ogden (’59), Manmohan Matharu
(’59), Donald (’59) and Sheila Johnson (’60), Osman (’59) and
Sheila Dervish (’60), Peter Tan (’59) and Deirdre Dalton (’59)
11. Alan Johnson, James Bonner (’79), Nanee Mjellem (’79)
and Espen Wold (’79)
18. David Andrews, Catherine Hurley (’79), Tadgh (’79) and
Rosemary O’Carroll
3. Meta and Fergus Gleeson (’74)
12. Kaushik Karia, Koogan Moodley and Barend Grobbelaar,
all members of the Class of ‘79
13. Members of the Class of 1989 at the Scienfic Meeng, David
Crooks, Ruban Nathan, David Chrise, Dr. Else Christoffersen
19. Desmond (’45) & Bernadee McGrath, Helen & Jack
Molony (’44), and Fred Kenny (’54)
20. Don Johnson (’59), Sarah Rogers, President Associaon
of Graduates, RCSI, Dermot Fitzgerald (’59) and Osman
Dervish (‘59)
Thank you to our sponsors: • Quintiles • A Menarini • Abbott • AstraZeneca • Aveeno • Association of Gradu
42 • Fleam
2009
Sponsored by Quintiles
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21. Solly (’69) & Brie Gardee, Anthony (’69) & Eve Milling,
Bey & Dharmamitra Jugessur (’69)
22. Sheila (’60) & Osman (’59) Dervish with Don (’59) and
Sheila Johnson (’60)
23. Lauri & Michael (’59) Huxley, Rosemary Hynes, Richard
Conroy (’56), Sarah Rogers and Terry Hynes (’59)
24. Michael Ryan, Gareth Jones (’68), James Harty (’69), Sarah
Rogers (’68), Felicia Soni-Vaughan (’69) and Sina Alakija
25. Terry Slaery, Johanna & Neill Webb (’54 and Joe Galvin (’55)
26. Moira O’Brien (’56), Krisne and Nanee Mjellen (’79)
27. Barbara Murphy (’89), Peter Fogarty,John Keaney (’89),
Blaithin & Paul McCormick (’89) and Fiona Keaney
38
28. Peter Tan (’59) with Sarah Rogers
29. Antonia Lehane (’82), Hy Brown (’56), Maria Gaard (’84), David
Birnbach (’84) and Nancy Manahan (’84)
30. Bill Rainer (’84), Dave Sullivan (’84), Joan Gilvarrry (’84)
and Bill Twomey (’85)
31. Class of 1959 celebrang their Golden Jubilee during
Alumni Weekend
32. Sue O’Connell (’74), Rick Nuall (’74), Grainne McSorley,
Jacinta O’Hanlon (’74), Arvind Joshi (’74), Sara Gallagher (’87),
Himmet Dajee (’74) and Anna Maria Gallagher (’76)
33. Kevin Molloy, Parnell ’74 & Jo Keeling and Helen Molloy (’74)
34. Sammy Nasr (’89), Ellen and Rick Sawyer (’89)
39
35. Ara Darzi (’84), Noreen Keane, David Bouchier-Hayes and
Frank Keane, President, RCSI
36. Frank Keane, President RCSI, Ara Darzi (’84) recipient of
Disnguished Graduates Award and Sarah Rogers, President,
Associaon of Graduates, RCSI
37. Dorothy & James Reilly (’79) and Hy Browne (’86)
38. Arvind Madaan, Jerome Devi, Niamh Banville (’99) and
Priya Kohli (’99)
39. Klaus Schmierer, Rachel Farrell (’99),
Pradeep Govinder (’99),
Grainne McCauley (’99) and
Holly Porter (’99)
uates RCSI • Boehringer Ingelheim • Hermitage Medical Clinic • Novartis • Recordati Ireland • Sanofi Aventis
Fleam • 43
QUINTILES IRELAND LIMITED
Quintiles Ireland Limited
East Point Business Park, Fairview, Dublin 3.
A private company limited by shares.
Tel : + 353 1 819 5100
Registered in Ireland
Ronan Donelan (Director of Regulatory Affairs)
Registration No. 162942
Email : ronan.donelan@quintiles.com
VAT Registration No. IE 6562942T
Dir : + 353 1 819 5403
Registered Office: Fitzwilton House, Wilton Place, Dublin 2. Ireland
www.quintiles.com
Directors: John G Kiernan (Managing) Alasdair MacDonald UK: Michael Wilson
Mary Davin Power, Pamela Mangal, Sarah
Rogers, President, Associate of Graduates,
Dr. Nicole Farrell.
Association
of Dental
and Medical Graduates RCSI
By the start of this 2009, I was well into my first year as President of
the Association of Graduates.
In April, the Annual General Meeting was held in the College’s Albert
Theatre. I was happy to report a successful year, including my own
40th year class reunion held the previous September. Our finances were
in a good state, thanks to the hard work done by Dr. Pamela Mangal,
Hon Treasurer. Dr. Mangal stepped down from that office which is now
held by Dr. Mary Davin–Power. Due to pressure of work, our Hon
Secretary, Dr. Nicole Farrell announced that she would be vacating her
position. Nicole has performed a superb task over the previous five
years. Since then, Dr. Lucy-Ann Behan has taken on the role. After the
AGM, our fellow committee member, Dr. Antonia Lehane, delivered a
fascinating lecture on “Medicine and the Law” This was followed by
supper.
Sarah Rogers, President, Associate of Graduates, Antonia Lehane.
During the course of the year I attended the Convocation Committee of
the National University of Ireland. This brings together all the colleges
which together make up the NUI, with the other colleges - including
RCSI – which award its degrees. Things have changed since I graduated
and all medical graduates are conferred with both a licence to practise
from the Royal Colleges and a Bachelor of Medicine degree from NUI.
The Graduation Ceremony in June is such a big affair (180 graduands)
that the College Hall (old Exam Hall) is no longer big enough to
accommodate proceedings. These are held in the National Concert Hall
which, in its previous life, was the Aula Maxima of UCD. You will be
pleased to know that the Association is well represented with the
President leading in the Graduands for their conferral and forming part
of the Platform Party.
The Alumni Reunion weekend was held in September with over 215
graduates taking part. Reunions were held for those qualified from ten
to fifty years. The few days were enjoyed immensely by all taking part.
The highlight of the reunion was the Gala Dinner at which the
Distinguished Graduates Medal was awarded to Professor Lord Ara Darzi.
Lord Darzi graduated from RCSI in 1984 and after intern year and early
surgical training in Dublin went to London where he had a stellar career,
both in his surgical specialty of minimal invasive surgery and allied
technologies in which he and his team are internationally recognized
and in his career in medical politics. On 29 June 2007, Lord Darzi was
appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Lords) at the
Department of Health by the UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. His role
was to carry out a wide-ranging review of the NHS to ensure that it is
properly resourced, clinically led, patient-centered and locally
accountable. On 14 July 2009 Lord Darzi announced his intention to
resign his role as a Health Minister, saying that he wished to devote
more time to his academic and clinical work.
With best wishes for 2010
Professor Sarah Rogers
SPORTING MEMORABILIA
Interest has been reawakened in the College with regard to
sporting memorabilia. The recent interest being fuelled by the
fact that the Irish Rugby Team won the Triple Crown and Grand
Slam in 2009. The last time this feat was accomplished by an
Irish Team was in 1948, the Irish Team then captained by the late
Karl Mullen (’49). There are some RCSI graduates who have
obtained international honours and we would welcome any
international jerseys worn by anyone who represented their
country. Lest it be thought that rugby is the only sport and that
an international standard is any sport is all that the College is
interested in.
It is hoped that an area will be available to display any sporting
memorabilia whereby RCSI sporting history may be displayed.
So all sporting memorabilia is early sought and if any graduate
has something of interest which they would like to share, such
as a physicial item, tales of past sporting stories, could they
please contact Hyacinth Browne at hybrowne@eiercom.net
Fleam • 45
School of
POSTGRADUATE STUDIES
www.rcsi.ie/postgraduateschool
Kevin Nolan Head of School of
Postgraduate Studies
Developing 4th Level Education
Developing and supporting postgraduates to
become competent and inspiring leaders capable of
making significant contributions to Human Health
roviding excellence in graduate education, is the core vision of the
School of Postgraduate Studies which advocates quality in graduate
education at RCSI. It ensures that the challenges of improved quality
of graduate researchers in biomedical, biopharmaceutical and biomedical
device industries, areas which are integral to Ireland’s economy, are
continuously addressed. This is done through interdisciplinary research
programmes with core partner institutions nationally and internationally.
Our graduates are trained to become leaders and innovators with the
requisite skills that underpin continued growth and economic sustainability.
P
Innovations in PhD Training
The College has been very successful in competing for funding for structured
PhD programmes, which are built around specific themes and are linked to
the RCSI translational (‘bench to bedside’) research strategy. Many of the
innovative elements of these programmes are available to all our research
postgraduate researchers. Crucially, a transferrable and business skills
curriculum is built into these PhD training programmes enabling our
postgraduates to compete for a wide range of career choices.
One of our key training programmes, the HRB PhD Scholars Programme
in Diagnostics and Therapeutics for Human Disease was successfully
reviewed by an international panel of experts. This panel complemented
the excellence in supervision, mentoring and support structures for the
scholars and the opportunities for overseas or industry placements that
each scholar will avail of in their third year. The programme is overseen by
An External Advisory Committee, a core Steering Committee of eight
professors (three of whom are clinicians) with Professor Gerry McElvaney as
46 • Fleam
Programme Director. In addition to the Steering Committee, a pool of 40 PIs
train scholars in the programme, providing taught modules, specialist
technology training, supervision during laboratory rotations and PhD
supervision. This, we hope, will be the model for PhD training in RCSI for the
foreseeable future.
During the past year at the Irish Embassy in Paris RCSI and the National
University of Ireland signed a co-tutelle agreement with the Centre National
de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), the Universities of Montpellier I and II
and the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm).
This event was hosted by Her Excellency, Anne Anderson, Irish Ambassador
to France. This collaboration will facilitate joint research and training, and
will be recognized by the award of co-tutelle degrees. The agreement is
the first of its kind between Ireland and France.
Increasing Numbers of Postgraduates
The numbers of postgraduate students at RCSI have been increasing year by
year. In 2007-2008 there were:
• 34 higher degree (by research) graduates which included 18 PhD, 10
MD, and 6 MSc degrees
• 144 MSc graduates in various taught courses
• 217 students registered for higher degrees by research which included
136 PhD, 57 MD, 11 MCh, 13 MSc
• 105 were new registrations 58 PhD, 24 MD, 14 MCh and 9 MSc degrees
Leadership and Management Development
We warmly congratulate the eight members of RCSI staff who recently
graduated with an MSc in Leadership and Healthcare Management (LMD) for
Researchers. This programme provides formal training for researchers facing
the myriad challenges of teaching, administration, clinical responsibilities
as well as running successful research programmes. This LMD MSc is a
collaborative programme between the Institute of Leadership and Healthcare
Management and the School of Postgraduate Studies. In addition to specific
leadership and management modules, participants complete a work-related
project which brings the benefits of their training back to their research team
or department within RCSI. Examples of completed projects include
implementing quality in the application of electronic patient records; quality
improvements in an examination record procedure; a coaching programme
for new lecturers; managing change in mentoring for undergraduates; the
development of an organisation-wide, online reagent ordering system.
Postgraduate Careers Seminar
The School of Postgraduate Studies works closely with the Postgraduate
Students’ Union (PGSU) to foster good relations between postgraduate
students and RCSI management and staff and to encourage peer-to-peer
activities among postgraduates. The current PGSU team comprises Claire
Wynne (President); Robert Wells (Treasurer); Sarah Theissen, (IT Officer);
Catherine Coughlan, (Events Officer) Claire O'Leary, (Welfare Officer) and
Eamon Hughes, (Sports Officer).
In May 2009, the PGSU hosted the annual careers seminar including
external speakers from a diverse array of professions including:
• Dr. Joanne McDonald, Science Recruitment Ireland
• Professor Fergal O’Brien, Academia, RCSI
• Dr. Andrew Lynne, Orthomimetics
• Dr. Siobhan Roche, Science Foundation Ireland
• Dr. Aoife Gallagher, Tech Transfer, RCSI
• Dr. Stephen Moore, Almac Group
This was a Dublin-based event and was attended by 200 participants from
RCSI, TCD, UCD, DIT and DCU. The sessions were chaired by PGSU members.
The reception which followed provided a forum for informal interaction
between speakers and students.
The PGSU organises a variety of other activities including a Writing Skills
seminar; a PGSU Forum; Welcome Reception for new postgraduates as well
as social events such as table quizzes, ice skating and a karaoke evening.
You can follow their progress on their facebook page, username “RCSI
PGSU”.
Transition Year Mini Med School
The School of Postgraduate Studies coordinates the annual Transition Year
Mini Med School programme which hosts 150 transition year students in a
week-long Mini Medicine training programme. Through this programme
students have the opportunity to experience what it is like to train and work
as a doctor as well as gain an insight into the different stages of a career
in medicine. During the programme they witness a live operation, attend
interactive lectures, gain hands-on training in clinical skills as well as
practical experience in medicine and scientific tutorials. The quality of the
programme is enhanced by the leading medical professionals from RCSI
and Beaumont Hospital, including Professor Marie Cassidy, State Pathologist
who teach the students combined with the use of innovative technologies.
Ross McKiernan, a HRB Scholar in Diagnostics
and Therapeutics for Human Disease under
the supervision of Professor David Henshall
and Dr. Norman Delanty, received a
Centennial Medal and a Travelling
Studentship from the National University of
Ireland (NUI) for his research project on “Cell
and Molecular Pathogenesis of Experimental
Epilepsy”. This investigates the gene-based
regulation of neuronal cell death, and
seizures in experimental epilepsy with a
view to identifying novel therapeutics for the
treatment of this common neurological disorder. The funding will enable
Ross to carry out research contributing towards his PhD at the Robert S
Dow Neurobiology Laboratories, Legacy Research, Portland, Oregon.
Fleam • 47
The Royal College of
Surgeons in Ireland and the
College of Surgeons in East,
Central and Southern Africa
Collaboration Programme
The Programme’s objectives are to:
1. Improve and expand COSECSA’s education, training and assessment
programmes for trainee surgeons.
2. Work with ECSA-HC countries to improve essential surgical and
emergency programmes for medical doctors providing surgical care.
3. Support the surgical training of other healthcare workers in ECSA-HC
countries where such training is undertaken.
4. To strengthen COSECSA’s healthcare mandate and recognition
nationally, regionally and internationally.
In July 2007, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) & College
of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) signed a
Memorandum of Understanding to improve the standards of surgical
care, education, training and examinations in COSECSA countries and
initiated a collaboration programme (the Programme).
It was within the context of two key factors that the Programme
structure was developed:
• The lack of health workers is partly responsible for low social
indicators in sub Saharan Africa and results in a significant
proportion of the population not obtaining medical care from
trained personnel. Tackling the deficit of healthcare workers is a
priority of governments in the region.
• Surgery’s contribution to the global disease burden is significant,
with much of the global burden being caused by conditions that
can be treated with surgery. Until recently the role of surgery as a
health strategy in developing countries had been underappreciated because surgery has been considered to be
unaffordable in low-income countries. This has now changed and
surgical care is now considered critical in the tacking of the health
care deficit in the region.
The Programme’s goal is to increase the provision of quality, essential
surgical and emergency care in the COSECSA mandate region,
particularly at district level. The goal will help to achieve the UN MDGs
in child and maternal health and contribute to relevant national health
priorities.
48 • Fleam
In January 2008, Irish Aid granted start up funding and RCSI provided staff
time and resources (curricula, education tools, skills training, examinations,
accreditation and quality assurance processes) to initiate and pilot the
Programme. Having completed a successful development phase in year 1,
the Programme has now entered its second year of activities.
The Programme is COSESCA led, RCSI facilitated and it is about genuine
partnership not imitation or dependency.
RCSI / COSECSA Collaboration Programme
Mr Roger Duggan
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland,
121 St Stephens Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
Tel:
Mobile:
Email:
+353 1 402 2262
+353 86 234 2389
rogerduggan@rcsi.ie
class notes...
Class of 2009
Paul Dhillon, Surgical Intern Beaumont Hospital;
Grainne Baignall, President Rotary Club of Dublin
Central; Walter Felman, Chair SACH Great Britain and
Ireland; Ruth Zakh, Deputy Head of Mission, Israeli
Embassy in Ireland; Farasat Kazmi, President Students’
Union RCSI.
Paul Dhillon brought the “Save a Child’s Heart
Photography Exhibition” to RCSI in October 2009.
It followed his medical elective in Israel. The
exhibition was opened by Ruth Zakh, Deputy Head
of Mission, Israeli Embassy in Ireland.
Save a Child’s Heart (SACH) is an Israeli-based
international humanitarian project, whose mission is
to improve the quality of paediatric cardiac care for
children from developing countries who suffer from
heart disease and to create centres of competence in
these countries. SACH is totally dedicated to the idea
that every child deserves the best medical treatment
available, regardless of the child's nationality,
religion, colour, gender or financial situation.
The Rotary Club of Dublin Central, who sponsored
the exhibition in part, is a local part of the world’s
first service club organization. Rotary International
has more that 1.2 million members in 33,000 clubs
worldwide. Rotary Club members volunteer to work
locally, regionally, and internationally to combat
hunger, improve health and sanitation, provide
education and job training, promote peace, and
eradicate polio under the motto Service Above Self.
The Rotary Club President, Grainne Baignall, was one
of the special guest speakers. The exhibition is a
series of 42 photos taken at various stages of a
child’s journey through the different stages of life
saving cardiac surgery. A short film was also shown,
Betty’s Story, which tells the story of one child’s
voyage through the program. Mr. Walter Felman,
Chair of Save a Child’s Heart in the UK and Ireland,
also attended and gave a brief talk to the audience
about his experiences fundraising and seeing the
organization in action.
Class of
2007
Anil Ratnam with his
wife Elena at their
wedding in Kuala
Lumpur. Anil is currently
working at Ipswich
General Hospital in
Queensland, Australia.
Class of 2006
Class of 2001
After graduation, Shivani
Gupta moved to Boston, MA
where she completed her
surgical internship at Beth
Israel Deaconess Medical
Center, a teaching-hospital
for Harvard University.
Subsequently, she moved to New York City and started
her residency in diagnostic radiology at St Vincent's
Catholic Medical Center, a teaching-hospital for New
York Medical College. She is currently a PGY4 resident
and was recently appointed Chief Resident for the
upcoming 2010 academic year. During her residency,
she has presented various posters at national meetings
including the RSNA, ARRS and ASNR and has several
research projects in progress. After completion of her
residency in June of 2011, Shivani intends to pursue a
fellowship. Together with colleagues at Massachusetts
General Hospital and UMDNJ, Shivani has published a
casebook titled ‘Musculoskeletal Trauma Simplified: A
Casebook to Aid Diagnosis and Management’. This
book features approximately 60 musculoskeletal
trauma cases in a question-and-answer format. It
emphasizes important fractures that medical students
and junior interns and SHO's across all specialities
should be well familiar with. It provides a simple
approach to the clinical and radiological work-up for
various fractures, followed by a standard management
plan. This book can be purchased directly from the
publisher by visiting www.tfmpublishing.com, or
directly off websites such as Amazon
(www.amazon.co.uk). Alternatively, you can also
phone Nikki Bramhill on +44 1952 510061 or email her
at nikki@tfmpublishing.com to purchase copies.
Adnan Sadiq has completed his fellowships and now
is Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical
Care at Washington University in St. Louis, US
Class of 2000
It is with regret that we inform you of the tragic
passing of Khalil Atchia who died in July 2009 in a car
crash in Mauritius. Khalil’s brothers are also graduates
of RCSI – Ibrahim in 2000 and Mohamed in 1997. Our
thoughts and prayers are with Ibrahim, Mohamed,
Jane (Khalil’s financee) and their family. Jane has
been in contact and would like Khalil’s classmates to
send her photographs of his time in College as she is
compiling an album. Jane can be contacted at Jane
Scanlon janescanlon01@hotmail.com
Kevin Enright has moved to Sydney where he is a
fellow in emergency medicine at The Children's
Hospital at Westmead.
Zayuah Mat Sulaiman is working as an
anaesthesiologist in Kuala Lipis, Malaysia.
Class of 1997
Helena O'Dwyer and Paul Harper married in Howth,
Co.Dublin on October 3rd, 2009. Helena is an
oncological radiologist based at BC Cancer Agency,
Vancouver, British Columbia since 2006, following two
years fellowship training at Vancouver General
Hospital. Paul and Helena met in Whistler and are
avid skiers and cold water divers.
Class of 2005
Congratulations to Tonje Bohlin and her husband Stian
Moldvaer Larsen on the birth of their baby daughter
Sofie, who was born March 7, 2009.
Class of 2004
Bernadette (04) and Avind Rampersad (03)have both
started a Pediatric ICU Fellowships at Rainow Babies
and Children’s in Cleveland, Ohio. They have a one year
old daughter.
Ciaran Goojha and Niamh Tallon have much to
celebrate during 2009 as they welcomed their
daughter, Amelia Ann Goojha, on September 19, 2009.
Ciaran also completed his post graduate training and
became certified in Obstetrics and Gynaecology with
the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of
Canada. He is now completing a fellowship in
Minimally Invasive Gynaecology. Niamh is on maternity
leave, but will be completing her postgraduate training
in Obstetrics and Gynaecology next year.
Pictured with Helena’s parents Dr. Tony and Frances
(Photograph courtesy of www.rogerkenny.ie)
O’Dwyer.
Alan Moss was appointed
Assistant Professor of
Medicine at Harvard Medical
School. His wife Aoife (TCD
'00) was appointed Associate
Medical Director of Tolerx, a
biotechnology company in
Cambridge, MA, and they
have two sons, Cian (4) and
Cillian (2).
Class of 1995
Class of 2003
Neal Morgan is practising psychiatry in Nova Scotia,
Canada, where he has just purchased a house so his
plans are to stay there for some time!
Fleam • 49
class notes...
Hamzaini Abdul Hamid is completing a fellowship in
paediatric radiology at Hospital for Sick Children,
Toronto, Canada.
Vida Hamilton was appointed consultant anaesthetist
at Waterford Regional Hospital.
Kholod Qasem spent from 1997 – 2002 obtaining her
FRCP(C)in dermatology. She then spent two years at
McGill University, Montreal completing a clinical
fellowship in photobiology, cutaneous laser surgery &
cosmetic dermatology. In 2003, she was at the
University of Ottawa, Canada, where she obtained her
American Boards in dermatology, specialising in laser
surgery. Kholod current position is Head of Pigment
Laser Unit in the Department of Dermatology, Sabah
hospital, Kuwait.
Tengku Intan Norleen Tengku Sharif, has been
appointed as a Hospital Director in Kuala Lipis,
Malaysia. Previously she has been working in several
general and district government hospital in the
country mainly in the field of Anaesthesia and
Intensive Care. She is involved in administrative duties
now but also does training and clinical research at her
hospital and state level. Tengku sends her regards to
friends and colleagues from
the College.
Class of 1994
Nicole Farrell was conferred
with her MCh/Master in
Surgery (UCD) on 7th
December 2009.
Class of 1990 and 1988
Jacintha Sayed (90) and
her husband Ronan MoreO’Farrell (88) pictured
with their son Caolan
Kamal (after his
grandfather Mr Kamal
Sayed) at his christening.
Caolan is their first child
born on 14th March 2009.
Class of 1989
Nadeem Moghal currently manages and leads the
regional paediatric nephrology service in Newcastle,
UK. He also leads his speciality nationally on service
issues e.g. quality indicators and performance. Nadeem
received his MBA in June 2009 and is a visiting lecturer
at Newcastle University Business School. In September
2009, he commenced a Fellowship at the NHS Institute
of Innovation and Improvement at the University of
Warwick, stepping out of clinical work for a year. He
says that “none of this of course would have been
possible without my personal chief executive, Gertrud
Buerstedde, also an alumni (‘89) and who is a general
practitioner with expertise in substance misuse and
mother to three children”.
Barbara Murphy trained as a transplant nephrologist
and Immunologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital,
Harvard Medical School, Boston. She then joined the
faculty of Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, as
Mdical Director of the Renal Transplant Program in
1997. She was made Chief of the Division of
Nephrology in 2003, and in 2004 she was named the
Irene and Dr. Arthur Fishberg Professor of Medicine.
Barbara was elected President of the American Society
of Transplantation 2008-2009. She is an NIH funded
investigator and is part of the NIH Consortium for
Genomics in Transplantation.
Nurul Khasri Mohd Nor was appointed consultant
histopathologist at Midland Regional Hospital,
Tullamore, Co Offaly in April 2009.
Class of 1988
Donal Buggy was appointed Professor of Clinical
Anaesthesia at the School of Medicine & Medical
Science, University College Dublin. This is a Personal
Chair, an acknowledgement of past and ongoing
research and teaching achievement and activity, rather
than a formal contract with the University. He continues
as Consultant in Anaesthesia & Intensive Care Medicine
at The Mater University Hospital Dublin, where he was
appointed since returning from the UK in 2001. Among
his current research interests is the potential role of
anaesthesia during primary cancer surgery on
recurrence and metastases. Donal regularly rejoins
many colleagues at the RCSI as Final Med and Irish
College of Anaesthetists examiner. Married to Nora
with four children now ranging from 15 to 8 years,
they live in Glasnevin on Dublin’s Northside.
Class of 1987
Class of 1993
After graduating Sam Coulter-Smith commenced his
initial training in obstetrics and gynaecology at the
Rotunda Hospital. He then moved to the UK where he
completed his MRCOG and obtained further experience
and training in the Hammersmith Hospital, Kings
College Hospital, London, and the Royal Free Hospital in
Hampstead.
Darach Crimmins was appointed consultant paediatric
neurosurgeon at Temple Street Children’s Hospital,
Dublin.
While in the UK he did his clinical research in the area
of Familial Ovarian Cancer Screening and Trans-Vaginal
Ultrasound. He returned to the Rotunda Hospital as
50 • Fleam
Assistant Master in 1996 and rotated between the
Rotunda and the National Maternity Hospital as a
Senior Registrar until 2002. He was appointed as a
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist to the
Rotunda Hospital in late 2002 and during his time as a
consultant at the Rotunda he has further developed
the Diabetic Clinic, the DOVE Clinic for Infectious
Diseases in Pregnancy and the Ovarian Screening Unit.
He was elected as Master of the Rotunda during 2008
and took up the position in January 2009. He has a
wide range of interests in general obstetrics and in
gynaecology retains a special interest in familial
ovarian cancer screening and also pelvic floor surgery.
He also has a teaching commitment at undergraduate
and postgraduate level. He has been appointed as
Clinical Professor in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at
Trinity College Dublin and Associate Professor in
Obstetrics and Gynaecology at RCSI. He is a member
of the Executive Council of the Institute of Obstetrics
and Gynaecologists and sits on a number of national
committees. He is also a member of the Women’s
Health Council.
Daniel Briscoe was appointed Chairman of the
Department of Ophthalmology at the Emek Medical
Center, Afula, Israel. The
hospital is affiliated to the
Medical School of the
Technion University in Haifa.
Daniel qualified as a
general ophthalmologist at
Soroka Hospital in Beer
Sheba, and in addition was
trained in ophthalmic
ultrasound at Johns Hopkins, USA. Daniel sub
specialised in oculoplastic and orbital surgery at the
Royal Manchester Eye Hospital between 1996 and
1997 and on his return to Israel was appointed head
of Oculoplastic and Orbital surgery at Meir Medical
Center Kfar Saba, until 2009.
Daniel runs one of the largest oculoplastic and orbital
surgery services in Israel and has performed
thousands of operations. He is active both
academically and internationally, and is presently
Chairman of the Israeli Society of Oculoplastic and
Reconstructive Surgery (twice elected), Vice President
of the European Ophthalmic Oncology Group, Chair of
Oculoplastics and International Council Member of the
International Ocular Inflammation Society, among
others. In 2008 Danielwas made Visiting Professor at
the University of Sao Paulo, working and performing
surgery in the hospital of the Ribeiro on Preto Medical
School. He has trained doctors in Oculoplastic and
Orbital Surgery both from Israel, the Palestinian
Authority, and overseas including Greece, Turkey,
South America, and China.
David Goldstein is married to Elizabeth VanDenKerkof.
They met on Christmas eve in the recovery room
when his headache required a pain tablet! They have
two children, Martin 15 and Rachel 12 as well as two
standard poodles, Jake and Anna. David and Elizabeth
live on The Thousand Islands Waterway half way
class notes...
between Montreal and Toronto in Kingston, Ontario.
They are both on the academic staff at Queens
Medical/Nursing Schools. David is an Anesthesiologist
and Liz is a nurse with a Doctorate in Public Health.
Last year they took a year off and went on sabbatical
in Aberdeen, Scotland, where Liz worked with the
pain research unit at Aberdeen, and David travelled to
Sweden to study patient safety and Martin and Rachel
were home schooled. David is currently completing a
Masters Degree in Human Factors and System Safety
from Lund University, Lund, Sweden. The focus of his
research is the role hospital board members, CEOs and
management play in corporate support for a safe
culture. Liz is studying patients who develop post
surgical chronic pain.
Class of 1986
Marilyn Anazonwu has been married Chuks Osanife
('85) for 22 years and they have three children Chloe,
Genevieve and Chidi who are all studying in England.
The girls are in university, whilst their son Chidi the
last born, is currently in his final year of secondary
school and applying for entry into medical school next
academic year. A few years ago, Chuks and Marilyn
relocated to Lagos, Nigeria having worked in England
since they graduated from RCSI. Marilyn is a consultant
family physician with special interest in cardiology and
care of the elderly, at Reddington Multispecialist
Hospital in Lagos. Chuks is an orthopaedic surgeon
with a private practice where he carries out prosthetic
limbs fittings for those in need of such appliances.
Ramesh Mootoo left London after 15 years to take up
a post in November 2009 at Gloucester Royal Hospital.
For the past 10 years, Ramesh has worked at
Homerton University Hospital as consultant in
rheumatology and general medicine. There he set up
a Connective Tissue Disease Clinic which was his area
of special interest and he has been an undergraduate
tutor to students from The Royal London and St
Bartholomew’s Hospitals. In his new post Ramesh will
be concentrating on rheumatology only and he says
he is “looking forward to a country life!”
Class of 1985
Ayo Shohibare, carried out the first ever paediatric
kidney transplant on a child at St Nicholas Hospital,
Lagos, Nigeria. The operation involved collaboration
with the UK Charity Transplant Links. Ayo says that
“paediatric
kidney
patients get
the least
attention
amongst
those with
kidney failure
which gives rise to inadequate and sub optimal
treatment. Transplant Links are helping us to build a
local team that will work at our hospital and with
other teaching hospitals in Nigeria to offer paediatric
kidney transplant services that will say many precious
lives.”
Class of 1984
patients and as a great
mentor to trainees, who
found inspiration in his
wisdom. Above all Rory
was a great family man,
who dwelt in the joys of
his friends, cricket and a
good port and was one
of life’s true gentlemen.
Our thoughts and
prayers are with them
at this sad time.
Class of 1978
Tony McMullen with Veronica, Vincent and Grace...
the lights of his life!
Dave Turineck passed his FACEP re-certification as a
Board Certified Emergency Medicine Specialist in the
United States. Dave is Assistant Professor of Medicine
McMaster University Canada and Chief of Staff, and
Chair of Emergency Medicine at the Greater Niagara
General Hospital, Niagara Falls, Canada. He is
physician lead with Canadas' First Emergency
Physician lead TPa Stroke Center, at Greater Niagara
General Hospital and has presented his findings at
the 2nd Canadian Stroke Consortium Conference in
Ottawa (2006), Canada and was accepted as a
Canadian Model of TPa stroke care. He has also
published reference re-evaluation on
Decontamination of Mass Casualties – Revaluating
Existing Dogma.
Ray Travers was appointed medical director of
Lighthouse Healthcare, an independent UK
healthcare group specialising in forensic mental
health (learning disabilities)in early 2009.
Deirdre Golden was appointed Adjunct Faculty at
Wayne State University Law School and The University
of Michigan, School of Public Health in the JD/MPH
Program. Two of her courses, Advanced Mediation in
Health Care, and Negotiation in Health Care are
designed for a combined class of medical students,
law students and public health masters in
administration students. Deirdre was accepted into
Loyola University Law School, Chicago for a Doctorate
in Laws at their Beazley Institute of Health Law and
Policy, and was elected Vice Chair of Physician Issues
for the American Bar Association’s Health Law Section.
She travels from Michigan to Chicago once a month
and back and forth from Washington, Philadelphia,
Boston and San Francisco, teaching, mediating, and
meeting and finds it very exciting!
Class of 1977
Class of 1982
Karthikesan Vaithilingam lives in Croydon, London
with his wife Carmel. He works as a GP in the NHS
with special interests in Urgent Care and
Dermatology. He has recently received his MSc in
Dermatology from University of London and
Fellowship of the College of Family Practitioners
(South Africa ). His son Niall Vaithilingam
commenced his 5 year Medicine programme at RCSI
on 28th September 2009.
Class of 1981
David Knight tells us that his daughter Jessica born in
The Rotunda during his final Med year was married
in July 2009 at dawn on the beach in Kittery, Maine.
She is a 4th grade teacher; she and her husband,
Jared Beers, live in Waterville, Maine.
It is with sadness that we inform you of the passing
of Rory O’Connor on 11th December 2009. Rory is
survived by his wife Siobhan and his children Anna
and David. Rory was consultant obstetrician and
gynecologist at Galway University Hospital and had
served as Chairperson of the Institute of Obstetrics
and Gynaecology. Rory will be remembered for his
passion and commitment to practice, his kindness to
Malaysian doctor, Harry Ratnam has lived in the city of
Ipswich, Queensland, Australia and served its
community there for more than 35 years. In
recognition of his outstanding work with the
community, he has had a 18 hectare park in Redbank
Plains dedicated to his name, to celebrate his
professionalism, dedication, loyalty and compassion to
the Ipswich community.
Class of 1976
Charles Bonner tells us that his son, Charles graduated
from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in
June 2009 and is currently completing his Navy
freeserve training. He will then be employed as a
Third Mate on a liquefied natural gas tanker ship. His
daughter, Kristina, is a senior at Virginia Tech and is
interested in pursuing a career in the medical field,
either a physician or a nurse practitioner. Charles and
his wife Tina continue living and practicing physical
medicine in Richmond, Virginia.
Fleam • 51
class notes...
Class of 1974
Gulam Karim tells us that he is working as a Health
Economics and Management Consultant in South
Africa. He would like to hear from his colleagues from
the Class of 1974 and can be contacted by email at
gulam.karim@mac.com
mismanagement. Recently Noble had a rewarding
time in Trinidad where a solo exhibition of his
paintings were well received. Now he spends his
time looking after his allotment (vegetables etc) and
caring for his wife who has recovered from a fairly
severe brain haemorrhage. Noble is looking forward
very much to the 40 year reunion in 2010.
It is with deep sadness that we learn of the tragic
passing of Rick Nuttall’s son Andrew. Andrew was
aged 30 and was serving in the Canadian Military. He
was posted to Afghanistan as a Lieutenant and was
tragically killed on Christmas Eve in the line of duty.
For Rick and his wife Jane it is a tragedy we cannot
imagine. Our prayers and thoughts are with them,
may he rest in peace.
Class of 1973
Imiya Iriyagole is semi retired and has decided to
establish a new business venture of a specialised
guest house promoting a healthy lifestyle in Wirral,
England. Anyone interested in becoming involved
should contact Imiya on her mobile +44 7595020266
or email: sinha28@btinternet.com
Class of 1971 and 1974
Pamela Mangal and George Morris were delighted to
announce their off-springs David and Jennifer were
joined together in matrimony on Saturday 12th
September 2009 in Stephen’s Green, Dublin. Though
George and Pamela never met in college, it was
delightful to see that their off-spring met in the 1990’s.
Tore Gutteberg pictured in Malawi where he says that
there “is a tremendous demand for knowledge about
infectious diseases.” Tore is interested is creating an
RCSI for infectious diseases and medical microbiology
network. Anyone interested should contact Tore by
email tore.gutteberg@unn.no or lsherwin@rcsi.ie
Hajra Meer graduated in November 2009 as a lawyer.
She says “I must have been mad to have done it, but
it’s a great feeling now that I have finished. This year
I am doing the Masters in Law (LLM) and then I will
take a break -famous last words!”
Class of 1966
Noel Daly father of Adrian
Daly (Class of 96) passed
away on 13th September. To
Adrian and his family we
offer our deepest sympathy
on their great loss.
Catherine, Suzanne (George’s daughter), George,
Patricia, Jennifer, David, Pamela, Howard, Damien (son
of Keith Mangal (’73) and Evan (Pamela’s eldest son)
Sharp eyed readers of the Irish Times Travel section a
few months ago may have noticed that James Moore
and his wife Dympna (UCD ’73) run a Bed & Breakfast
establishment (aisling-bostonbb.com) which they said is
one of the best places to stay in Boston Massachusetts.
Yes it is the same James Moore who graduated n 1971,
and no he does not do any of the cooking. He continues
to practice as a Gastroenterologist in Boston, and
Dympna still practices Law, but the Bed & Breakfast
occupies their free time. They are always delighted to
see old friends from Dublin and needless to say there is
a very special rate for RCSI graduates! Email James
Moore at jimboduxbury@hotmail.com
Class of 1970
Noble Beharry has definitely retired from the Health
Service. His last posting was a consultant in psychiatry
in Coventry. He says he is still finding it difficult to
come to terms with the untimely death of his eldest
son Damian which unfortunately was due to
52 • Fleam
Rafik Gardee has over thirty
years experience of working as a general practitioner,
a Consultant in Public Health Medicine, Medical
Director of Primary Health Care Unit and as the
Founding Director for the National Resource Centre
for Ethnic Minority Health in Scotland. He is a former
senior public health sector specialist who has
interfaced with both developing and developed
communities in Africa, United Kingdom (Scotland)
and Canada. He is now the honorary visiting
Professor in International Health at Queen Margaret
University, Edinburgh, and, an honorary senior
lecturer at the University of Glasgow.
He is also a non-executive director of Glasgow Anti
Racist Alliance that is focussed on helping to
eliminate racial discrimination and promoting the
human rights of visible minorities.
Before joining as a non-executive director on the
Boards of INVTS Solutions and Welltime Ltd, Rafik had
just launched his consultancy work with a special
interest in international health, community research,
cross sectoral and interorganisational relationships
and infra structure support for integrated health and
social care services at primary care level.
Rafik has specialised in public health through the
Diploma in Public Health Medicine (awarded the
Oppenheimer Trust Fellowship) and as a Fellow of the
Faculty of Public Health Medicine of UK and a Member
of a similar faculty in Ireland. He was awarded an MBE
for his work in equality and diversity within health care
services in Scotland.
Over the past 33 years,
Kelvin Hun Yu Loh has
developed one of the
fastest growing hospitals in
the northern region of
Penang – Loh Guan Lye
Specialist Centre. He says
he is fortunate to have a
team of dynamic and seasoned staff who continually
focus on improving efficiency, service and quality and
to ensure that healthcare is accessible to every
resident in his region. He adds that “our strength and
determination is to provide the best healthcare to our
community”.
Kelvin tells us that he
is moving forward into
the next chapter, as
they have just
completed Phase III of
their hospital
expansion project
adding 60,000 sq feet
to the hospital, with
an addition of 10 new floors. The improved facility will
make it possible to adopt new technology and
treatment protocols, as well as provide an
environment to attract highly qualified healthcare
professions.
The new facility includes a new Cancer Treatment
Centre with the latest technology, the PET-CT Scanner
and Radiotherapy (Varian Clinac iX Accelerator System)
for early cancer detection, staging and management of
cancer care.
Dr. Loh says that “all these achievements do not
happen by themselves. They take time, hardwork and
good leadership. The fruition of those could not with
our patients, friends and ourdedicated employees who
helped us realise this dream.”
Class of 1965
David Barnes says “Hi to all his friends from the Class
of ‘65. Some of us are in our 70’s and refusing to
retire.” David believes that locum tenens is a great
way to help others, to work and to semi-retire. He likes
two or three weeks of assignment and the surprise
will be that he could
be based in Montana,
California or the Virgin
Islands. He has recently
returned from Maine
and he continues to
recommend marathon
running and as you
seem some sailing!
class notes...
Class of 1964
It is with regret that we learn of the passing of Aidan
Redmond in 2008. Our thoughts are with his wife Kay
and family.
Class of 1963
Professor Thomas J. McDonald retired from his
Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery practice on
January 1, 2007, after a 39 year career at Mayo Clinic.
Retirement is wonderful, and he and his wife, Mary
(they are in their 44th year of marriage) are enjoying
their 5 grandchildren, and another grandson is due to
arrive in November, 2009.
looking forward to the medical students from RCSI
coming to the Boston Marathon in April 2010.” Dr.
Coyle sits on the Board of Governors for the Boston
Athletic Association and Boston Marathon.
Class of 1959
Noel Hershfield is still in practice and a Chair has been
endowed in his honour which is called “Noel
Hershfield Chair in Therapeutic Endoscopy”, at the
University of Calgary.
It is with regret that we learn of the passing of
Pandora Moorhead in November 2008. Our thoughts
are with her family.
Class of 1956
It is with regret that we learn of the passing of Wanda
Bincer in June 2008 Our thoughts are with her
husband Adam and family.
His book “Open Wounds” is coming along nicely and
he anticipates this will be published in 2010. It covers
his life story and dwells significantly on life in Ireland
in the late 1950’s and 1960’s, his wonderful years in
medical school at the Royal College, his experience in
Viet Nam, and training and the subsequent great
career at Mayo Clinic.
The “rock” in his life, Mary McDonald, his wife, and he
are both very well, enjoying life and retirement and
always manage to attend the Charter Day Dinner in
February of each year.
Class of 1962
John V Coyle has been
honoured by the
Massachusetts Medical Society
with its Committee Chair
Service Award, an honour
recognising exceptional
leadership and service to the
Society. John was honoured for
his service as Chair of the Committee on Accreditation
Review, a position he held since 2006. He was
formerly an assistant clinical professor of medicine at
Tufts University School of Medicine and a clinical
instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr.
Coyle served as chief of medicine at Quigley
memorial Hospital in Chelsea for nearly 20 years, and
he was responsible for the development and
implementation of the teaching programme for
medical students and residents from Tufts Medical
School and St Elizabeth’s Hospital in Brighton, where
he was a consultant from 1972until 2004. Dr. Coyle
was instrumental in the Massachusetts Medical
Society attaining a six-year accreditation term for its
recognised accreditation program, the highest level
awarded by the Accreditation Council for Continuing
Medical Education. Dr. Coyle tell us that he is still
involved with Massachusetts Medical Society and “is
Jerzy Szeps was born on May 1, 1926 in Lodz, Poland,
to parents Dr. Joseph and Mary Szeps. He attended
public school in Poland, and high school in England.
He enlisted in the Polish Army in the Middle East, and
graduated from the cadet-officer school and in 1944.
He was then transferred to the Royal Air Force where
he was trained as a pilot and served until 1947.
Jerzy attended University
College, Nottingham, England
before he joined RCSI in
1950. He completed a
Surgery and Pathology
residency at The Sisters of
Charity and The Mayer
Memorial hospitals, Buffalo,
in 1958. From 1962 to 1965,
he received further post-graduate training in
Ophthalmology at Queen's University, Canada, working
out of Kingston General and Hotel Dieu hospitals. He
then moved to Chatham-Kent in 1958 and began his
family practice in Bothwell. In 1965, he established an
ophthalmology practice in Chatham, which he
maintained until his retirement in 1999.
During his medical career, Jerzy held the position of
Chairman of Medical Staff at the Public General
Hospital and St. Joseph's Hospital. He served as the
Chief of Ophthalmology at both Chatham hospitals. He
was also President of the Kent County Medical Society
in 1972. In 1997, to recognize his service and
dedication to the local community and medical
profession, Jerzy was honoured with the Glen Sawyer
Service award.
His hobbies include chess, tennis, and bridge. In
addition, he is a member of the Royal Canadian
Legion, the Rotary Club, and the Free Masonry. He has
two children: Paul Szeps of Chatham, and Angela
Szeps of Toronto. Jerzy currently resides in Baden,
Ontario.
Henry leaves to mourn his
wife Sharon, children
Timothy, Sally, Katherine,
Elizabeth Raleigh, Martha,
Paul and step son Richard
and grandchildren Chrystine,
Emma, Harry, Peggy, Anna,
Nicolas, Ian, Alex, Madison
and Macaulay.
Henry was the second child of the family born near
Barnsley, North Yorkshire England. His early childhood
years were spent growing up at Kirkburton, Yorkshire,
attending Anglican Church School and elementary
school at Milnesbridge. At age 11 he attended
Huddersfield College Boys Grammar School until
graduation, where he excelled at academia, was
captain of swimming for three years as well as enjoyed
soccer, cricket, rugby and bridge. In all his years of
growing up he always knew he wanted to be a doctor.
He did one year at University of Sheffield, before
joining the army shortly before the end of the war and
was posted in Egypt. On his return he enrolled in RCSI.
He held a rotating internship at St. Charles Hospital,
Toledo Ohio. He returned to the UK, as a general
practitioner in Romford where he became disillusioned
with the National Health Service and moved to
Conception Bay, Newfoundland where he stayed for
two years before moving the Family to Lac du Bonnet.
Manitoba, Canada in 1960. Henry remained there and
was the first doctor at the new Pinawa Hospital in
1965. He then built a home in Pinawa and raised his
brood there. Henry’s greatest times were held at his
offices in Lac du Bonnet and Pinawa where he always
said he was privileged to have so many wonderful
patients and friends. He was the consummate country
doctor and looked after two and three generations of
families. He did it all, he made the house calls, worked
the long hours, and was on call many long hours at the
Pinawa Hospital. Henry had a great sense of humour,
loved to tell a good joke and loved to hear one. Henry
also liked to swap his gardening stories but somehow
the garden always had too many weeds. His last years
of practice were done at Lac du Bonnet Regional Health
Center where the staff became some of Henry and
Sharon’s best friends.
Henry retired from medicine in 1995 and went to his
medical reunion in Dublin that year and when he
returned he still did a few locums, in Fisher Branch,
Leaf Rapids, McGregor and Selkirk, until he finally
finished his last locum in 2000.
Henry loved to travel and he and Sharon made many
trips to Mexico, England, Hawaii, Madeira, Australia, all
parts of Canada and the U.S.
Class of 1955
Henry was a great father and even took his children
with him when he took a job in Saudi Arabia. They all
remember it as a high time in their life. As a result
they all like to travel as well. Henry helped all his
children through University and they all have many
memories of what a great Dad he was.
Henry Wadsworth Beaumont passed away on April 23,
2009 at the age of 80 years.
The last few years of Henry’s life have been riddled
with the complications from Diabetes and it had not
Fleam • 53
class notes...
been an easy time for him. It was a very difficult time
for his family to watch the one they loved so much
slowly loose a battle with a chronic disease. May he
rest in peace.
Class of 1954
We are very sorry to learn that Nicholaas De Wet
passed away in South Africa.
Class of 1953
Francis”Foss” Daly died peacefully at his daughter’s
home on June 4th, 2009, just three days after his 80th
birthday. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife
Geraldine (“Geri”) Leonore Daly. He is survived by his
siblings Dr. Brendan Daly (UCD, living in San Diego), Dr.
Margaret Daly-Murphy (UCD, living in Los Angeles and
his brother Noel, (RCSI, ’66) sadly passed away in
September 2009. Foss was a devoted father to Dr.
Francis Thomas Daly jr (Harrisbug, PA), Brian Patrick
Daly (Olney, MD) and Dr. Linda Marie Daly-O’Neill
(Marshfield, WI – Class of 1991) and father-in-law to
Darken Daly and Dr. Diarmuid “Dermot” O’Neill (RCSI,
’87). He adored his four grandchildren Jared Eamonn
Daly, Brianna Kathryn Daly, Finn Morgan O’Neill and
Niav Keeva O’Neill.
Foss was born near Ferbane, Co Offaly. His sister, Gret,
did not want him cutting turf and farming for the rest
of his life, so she insisted he study hard. With her help
he was accepted at RCSI and after graduating he briefly
worked in England, before heading to the States. Most
of his medical career was spent working at Hopkins’
affiliated hospitals in Baltimore, Marlyland. There he
was board certified in the specialities of internal
medicine, cardiology and geriatric medicine. Foss
instilled the importance of education in his children and
grandchildren. Despite living most of his life abroad, he
remained proud of his Irish heritage. Foss had hoped to
see an united Ireland in his lifetime. He will be sorely
missed.
Class of 1951
Tom (Barry) Breen died on the 25th August 2008, aged
79years. He was born in Cork, his father was a doctor in
the Army Medical Service, reaching the rank of Lt. Col.
before retirement. The family moved to Dublin in the
early thirties, and Tom was sent to school at Colaiste
Mhuire at first and then moved to Belvedere College.
Tom juggled between Medicine and Engineering as a
career. Medicine won and he entered RCSI.
He interned at the Richmond Hospital, and then
decided to train in the new specialty of anaesthesia. He
trained in Dublin and Manchester for three years and
the returned to take up a consultant anesthetist post
54 • Fleam
firstly at St.Ann’s Hospital Dublin and then at Our
Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin, and St.
Laurence’s (Richmond) Hospital. He diligently served
in these hospital and also the Bon Secours, Mount
Carmel and the Blackrock Clinic over his career
extending over 38 years.
Brake and his cherished 1959 Bristol 406. He
participated in seven Gordon Bennett Rallies! He was
member of Miltown Golf Club, and last but not least a
formidable chess player.
He took the Diploma in anaesthetics at RCSI in 1954
and he subsequently became a Fellow of the Faculty
of Anaesthetists. When the new College of
Anaesthetists was founded in 1998 he became a
Fellow. In the opinion of his peers in the profession
Tom was an excellent anaesthetist, calm, competent
and likeable. He was also greatly favoured and
appreciated by the many patients who came under
his care.
Everything went well until 2004 when he developed
his final illness which caused a paralysis of his lower
limbs. He and Rosemary battled bravely with this
near total disablement for four long years. Then in
the midst of his problems fate dealt a further blow his beloved and beautiful daughter Katherine fell
fatally ill and predeceased him in February 2008.
There was however another side to Tom, who was
ably partnered by his loving wife Rosemary for some
46 years. They had five children: Nicholas (GP),
Katherine (RIP, Journalist) Jonathan (Craftsman)
Stephen (Entrepreneur) and Richard (Solicitor) and
five grandchildren.
Tom’s outside interests were many and varied. He
indulged in sailing, and was a lifelong member of
the Royal Irish Yacht Club. His passion however was
for vintage motor cars. He was an expert at restoring
those cars he acquired such as a 1929 Armstrong
Siddely Tourer, a 1926 Armstrong Siddely Shooting
He retired from Public Work in 1994 to devote
himself to his family and hobbies.
Tom died on 25th August 2008 and judging by the
overflow congregation at his funeral in St. Patrick’s
Church Monkstown, he was mourned and sadly
missed by a host of friends, colleagues and former
patients who all wanted to pay their respects to him.
Dublin has lost an anaesthetist of high standing in
the community. Rosemary and the family have lost a
devoted and loving father figure.
Class of 1946
It is with regret that we learn of the passing of
Charles Heffernan who died in his sleep on
January 6th 2009. Our thoughts are with his wife
Joy and family.
Tom Garry 1884-1963 Tutor and Prosector in Anatomy RCSI
Peter McLean in the foreword to A
Dublin Anatomist, Tom Garry 18841963 refers to Garry as an
eccentric but genial genius. This
biography (1984) by nephew Dr.
John D Garry offers much insight
into the life of one of Dublin’s
greatest medical characters.
It also includes a reprint of a 1918
article by Garry Some Anatomy
Room Reflections, his Anatomical
Descriptions and Mnemonics and A
hayfield where the River Fergus
flows.
Both Garry and his mnemonics are memorable. He
was born the year RCSI celebrated its first centenary
and taught anatomy there for half of its second
century. As Peter McLean writes ‘many surgeons in
Ireland and in far distant lands owe their Fellowship
and career to the “Primary Grind” held at 33 York
Street – an unpleasant tenement where Tom lived,
studied, taught and died.’
The Garrys are a third generation medical family, with
Dr. John D Garry and six others graduating from
RCSI. Dr. Garry donated books that once belonged to
Tom Garry in 1968 and deposited further volumes in
spring 2008. Among these were publications by
Gerald T Garry, EJR Evatt and jointly by Tom Garry
and AK Henry. An introduction to the study of
embryology for medicals by Evatt & Erskine, owned
by Tom Garry is heavily annotated in his hand.
Memorabilia of Tom Garry donated to RCSI by Dr.
John D Garry have been framed and placed on display
in the Anatomy Department. A
biographical piece, a photograph
of Garry as a young man and the
Carmichael medal awarded him
by RCSI in 1927 all keep alive his
abiding memory within RCSI.
According to Clive Lee,
Professor of Anatomy, RCSI,
“Tom Garry is a legend in RCSI.
This morning we were teaching
the abdomen and his description
of the spleen as measuring 1 by
3 by 5 inches, weighing 7
ounces, lying parallel to 9, 10
and 11 ribs and having Gastric,
Renal, Intestinal and Pancreatic (GRIP) surfaces
was being widely quoted in the Anatomy Room.
The presence of some North American students
helped us translate from imperial to metric units.
Over coffee with the Surgeon Prosectors, his four
Rs for suicide – rope, razor, roof and ravine – were
also discussed as well as his pithy comments on
Smith and Smythe!
The great tradition of anatomy teaching in the
College began with Abraham Colles and Tom Garry
was the keeper of the flame for more than half a
century. We are lucky that some of Tom’s pupils are
still teaching with us so that his wisdom is being
passed on to the current generation. It is highly
appropriate that he be commemorated by a
Research Studentship in Anatomy.” Any graduate
who is interested in supporting the Tom Garry
Research Fund in Anatomy should contact
lsherwin@rcsi.ie
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