The 2013/2014 RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) MiniMed Open Lecture Series continues tonight, Wednesday 27th November. Two lectures will be given on the subjects of the physical effects of mental illness and maintaining healthy gums. These lectures are free of charge to the public and will be held in RCSI, 123 St. Stephens Green, from 7-9pm.

Professor Jogin Thakore, a senior lecturer in RCSIs Department of Psychiatry will deliver the lecture called ‘The physical effects of mental illness. During this lecture, Prof Thakore will detail the multitude of physical effects and particular risk factors that impact mentally ill patients and contribute to a lower life expectancy as well as what exactly medical professionals can do to reduce death rates of this group.

Speaking ahead of the lecture, Prof Thakore said, ‘On average patients with schizophrenia live up to 25 years less than expected while those with manic depressive illness or bipolar disorder live on average 12-13 years less than expected rates. Leaving aside suicide, the most common causes of death in patients with mental illnesses are natural ones such as, cardiovascular disease. Such patients also have a large number of risk factors that lead to heart disease. For example, they smoke, can eat poorly, exercise little and have higher rates of developing type 2 diabetes. They also have additional risk factors namely the illness itself and the medications they take.

The opening topic of the evening will be a lecture entitled ‘Periodontal (gum) disease and general health. This talk will be given by a past Dean of RCSIs Faculty of Dentistry, Dr PJ Byrne. In the lecture, Dr Byrne will explain how periodontitis impacts on oral health as well as specifying the risk factors of the disease. He will also explain the crucial role dental professionals play in controlling such risk factors and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Dr Byrne said, ‘Periodontitis is a bacterially induced inflammatory disease which destroys connective tissue and bone that support the teeth. This condition, which gets more common with age, has been linked to coronary heart disease and shares a number of risk factors with cardiovascular disease. These include age, gender, socio-economic status and smoking. In this lecture I will stress the importance of how maintaining good oral health is an integral part of achieving a more holistic healthy lifestyle.

The RCSI MiniMed Open Lecture Series is free of charge; however registration is essential in order to guarantee a place. Previous lecture series have attracted widespread public interest with demand for places far outstripping availability. Register online at www.rcsi.ie/minimed and you can join the conversation online, on the night, on Twitter at #RCSIMiniMed. To view previous RCSI MiniMed lectures from the last series on the RCSI YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/TheRCSI123.

Joseph Sweeney, RCSI BSc in Pharmacy graduate, has been awarded the winning prize in the 2013 Undergraduate Awards Medical Sciences category. The Undergraduate Awards are an international academic awards programme that identifies top students across the globe through their innovative undergraduate research.


Pictured (l-r) is Prof Fergal OBrien, Professor of Bioengineering and Regenerative Medicine; Joseph Sweeney, Undergraduate Award Winner; and Dr Orlaith Brennan, Lecturer in Physics.

Joseph was outright winner in the Medical Sciences category for his essay entitled ‘Investigation of the influence of a mineral supplement on tissue level bone density and mechanical strength following estrogen deficiency in a rat ovariectomy model of early stage postmenopausal osteoporosis. Joseph was joined by Roya Hassanzadeh from the University of Glasgow, who was named as the international programme winner in the Medical Sciences category.
Joseph conducted his research as part of his fourth year undergraduate studies at the RCSI School of Pharmacy under the supervision of Professor Fergal J. O Brien, Professor of Bioengineering and Regenerative Medicine and Dr Orlaith Brennan, Department of Anatomy, RCSI.
Additionally, a further six RCSI BSc in Pharmacy graduates: Linda Connolly, Shane Cullen, Aoife Higgins, Martin Lanigan, Joanne ODwyer, and Owen Sullivan, were highly commended in the Undergraduate Awards 2013 Medical Sciences category.

Panels of international academics assessed almost 4000 coursework entries that were received from students attending 182 third-level institutions internationally, and selected two winners - an Irish winner and international winner - per academic category.

Professor Hannah McGee, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences RCSI said ‘I would like to congratulate, Joseph on his fantastic achievement on winning the much coveted Undergraduate Awards. These awards recognise critical thinking and innovation within coursework and it is a great testament to the School of Pharmacy that seven of its students were shortlisted for these awards. The importance of research cannot be underestimated in the quest to advance understanding and treatment of disease, which in turn leads to better clinical care and best practice patient care.

The winners were presented with their awards at Dublin City Hall as part of the Undergraduate Awards Global Summit which took place in Dublin from November 13-15th. There was also a ceremony for those who were Highly Commended, which took place in Trinity Colleges Long Room. The winners and highly commended attendees also had the opportunity to meet with An Taoiseach at Government Buildings as part of the Summit.

For further information on the UA Summit and the results of the 2013 Undergraduate Awards, please see www.undergraduateawards.com.

Founded in 1784, RCSIs mission is to develop healthcare leaders who make a difference worldwide. RCSI is a not-for-profit health sciences organisation which focuses on education and research to drive positive change in all areas of human health worldwide. RCSI is headquartered in Dublin and is a recognised College of the National University of Ireland.

The HRB Centre for Primary Care Research (www.hrbcentreprimarycare.ie) hosted an international collaborative Knowledge Exchange and Dissemination meeting on: "Potentially Inappropriate Prescribing: Epidemiology, Interventions and Policy Implications" on Tuesday 26th November in RCSI.


Pictured (l-r) is Professor Tony Avery, Head of School of Community Health Sciences, Division of General Practice, University of Nottingham. Professor Carmel Hughes, Professor of Primary Care Pharmacy, Queens University Belfast. Professor Bruce Guthrie, Professor of Primary Care Medicine, University of Dundee. Professor Susan Smith, Associate Professor of General Practice, RCSI. Professor Tom Fahey, Professor of General Practice RCSI and Principal Investigator for the HRB Centre for Primary Care Research

The meeting summarised recent activities in the area of potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) and consisted on a number of focussed presentations from researchers at the HRB Centre for Primary Care Research, Queens University Belfast and the Universities of Nottingham, Manchester and Dundee. These talks related to the development of prescribing indicators to enhance quality, safety and cost-effectiveness of prescribing, practice based interventions including academic detailing and decision support for clinicians, and health policy implementations to reduce PIP. The meeting was attended by national and international academics, clinicians and policy makers with an interest in effective medicines monitoring.


Pictured (l-r Front Row) is Professor Tony Avery, Head of School of Community Health Sciences, Division of General Practice, University of Nottingham. Dr. Ronan Mc Donnell, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, HRB Centre for Primary Care Research RCSI. Professor Rachel A Elliott, Lord Trent Professor of Medicines and Health, School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham. Dr. Rachel Spencer, Academic GP, PhD Candidate in the Primary Care at the University of Nottingham, Professor Carmel Hughes, Professor of Primary Care Pharmacy, Queens University Belfast. Professor Susan Smith, Associate Professor of General Practice, RCSI. Dr. Janine Cooper, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, School of Pharmacy, Queens University Belfast. Barbara Clyde, PhD Scholar in Health Services Research, HRB Centre for Primary Care Research RCSI. Dr. Dan Morales, CSO Clinical Academic Fellow, University of Dundee and (l-r Back Row) is Xinyu Zhang, PhD Student, University of Dundee, Ning Yu, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, University of Dundee. Professor Tom Fahey, Professor of General Practice RCSI and Principal Investigator for the HRB Centre for Primary Care Research. Dr. Tobias Dreischutle, Research Fellow(Pharmacy), University of Dundee. Professor Bruce Guthrie, Professor of Primary Care Medicine, University of Dundee. Dr. Sarah Rodgers, Senior Research Fellow, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham. Dr. Patrick Redmond, General Practicitioner, Lecturer & PhD Scholar in Health Services Research, HRB Centre for Primary Care, RCSI.


Speakers at Tuesdays meeting on potentially inappropriate prescribing, hosted by the HRB Centre for Primary Care Research.

Irish led Advanced Materials for Cardiac Regeneration (AMCARE) brings together ten European industry and academic partners to tackle the number one cause of death globally

Major new EU funding for research into heart disease was announced today by a group led by RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) and AMBER. The AMCARE (Advanced Materials for CArdiac REgeneration) consortium involves ten partners from five European countries and has received €8.7 million funding (€6.8 million EU contribution) as part of the European Unions Framework Programme 7, Nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials and new production technologies.

AMCARE is co-ordinated by Dr. Garry Duffy, Department of Anatomy and Tissue Engineering Research Group, RCSI and AMBER Investigator. AMBER (Advanced Materials for Bioengineering Research), the newly established Science Foundation Ireland funded research centre will lead specific tasks in the consortium, tackling surgical device design, nanotechnology safety and drug delivery.

The AMCARE programme, which will create ten new positions, will carry out research to develop natural materials and new surgical devices to enhance the delivery of the bodys own stem cells to the heart to promote healing after a heart attack (myocardial infarction) and prevent premature death. The therapies being developed will replace heart cells that die due to the reduced blood flow that occurs during a heart attack, with new healthy cells derived from stem cells that come from the patients own bone marrow.

The European Society of Cardiology estimates that one in every six men and one in every seven women in Europe will die from a myocardial infarction and according to the Irish Heart Foundation, approximately 10,000 people die in Ireland every year from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) including heart disease, stroke and other circulatory diseases. The most common cause of death in Ireland (33%), CVD is the number one cause of death globally, killing an estimated 17 million people each year according to World Health Organisation.

Dr. Garry Duffy commented on the research funding: ‘We are delighted to lead the AMCARE programme and to translate new collaborative research for the benefit of patients with heart disease. Regenerative medicine and stem cell therapies have the potential to revolutionise the treatment of patients who have suffered a heart attack, and through AMCARE we will develop new technologies to enhance stem cell therapies for these patients by increasing targeting and ease of delivery using advanced biomaterials.

The AMCARE Consortium represents a major interdisciplinary effort between stem cell biologists, experts in advanced drug delivery, research scientists, clinicians and research-active companies working together to develop novel therapeutics to address the challenges of treating acute heart disease. The researchers will optimise adult stem cell therapy using smart biomaterials and advanced drug delivery, and couple these therapeutics with minimally-invasive surgical devices.

RCSI researchers involved in the consortium include Dr Helena Kelly (Deputy Co-ordinator) and Professor Sally-Ann Cryan, RCSI School of Pharmacy and will work with Drs Garry Duffy, Bruce Murphy and Adriele Prina-Mello from AMBER.

Welcoming the announcement, Professor Ray Stallings, Director of Research at RCSI said: ‘RCSIs leadership of the AMCARE consortium builds on the Colleges expertise in regenerative medicine and industrial collaboration. This new programme will help accelerate the development of new treatments for the benefit of patients, in keeping with our strategy of bench to bedside translational research.

Dr Sergio F. Ceballos, National Contact Point for FP7 NMP in Enterprise Ireland commented: The AMCARE project represents one of Irelands biggest successes for the NMP FP7 programme. The EU funding intake for Ireland Inc. represents over €2.3M and the research plans to deliver medical solutions to cardiovascular diseases, identified as one of the main causes of death across the EU. It was the first time Dr Duffy applied to European Research & Development Programmes and this achievement underlines the quality of research carried out in Ireland. We hope more applicants will be encouraged to apply under the new Horizon 2020 Framework programme which will replace FP7.

The programme is an SME (Small Medium Enterprise) targeted collaborative project and the consortium members include a number of European SMEs; AdjuCor GmbH (Germany), Cardio3Biosciences (Belgium), Contipro (Czech Republic), Explora BioTech (Italy), INNOVA (Italy). In addition the consortium includes a number of other leading academic institutions; Trinity College Dublin, the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology and the Eberhard Karls Universitat Tübingen in Germany and the multinational company Boston Scientific based in Galway, Ireland.

The project is funded by the European Unions ‘Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/ http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/home_en.html) under Grant Agreement n° NMP3-SME-2013-604531 from November 2013 to October 2018.

Founded in 1784, RCSIs mission is to develop healthcare leaders who make a difference worldwide. RCSI is a not-for-profit health sciences organisation which focuses on education and research to drive positive change in all areas of human health worldwide. RCSI is headquartered in Dublin and is a recognised College of the National University of Ireland.

About AMBER
AMBER (Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research) is a Science Foundation Ireland funded centre which provides a partnership between leading researchers in material science and industry to develop new materials and devices for a range of sectors, particularly the ICT, medical devices and industrial technology sectors. The centre is jointly hosted in Trinity College Dublin by CRANN and the Trinity Centre for Bioengineering , working in collaboration with University College Cork and the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland. CRANN is the largest research institute within Trinity College Dublin. It has significant infrastructure, and brings together over 300 researchers from across the Schools of Physics, Chemistry, Engineering, Medicine and Pharmacology. CRANN is focused on delivering world leading research and innovation - through extensive proactive collaborations with industry, the commercialisation of intellectual property and the education of next generation researchers.

www.ambercentre.ie

Leading and managing ‘Generation Y’ was explored this evening at a lecture given by Dr Mary Collins, Head of Talent Development and Learning for Deloitte Ireland, as part of the RCSI Institute of Leadership Lessons in Leadership Lecture Series. This is the first lecture in the 2013-2014 Series which was delivered to more than 100 health professionals at RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland), 123 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin.

Dr. Collins shared her insights on leading and managing ‘Generation Y’ (i.e. those born after 1980) based on her doctoral research involving an in-depth study of over 500 professionals from this cohort. The lecture will provide an overview of the intergenerational challenges in the modern workplace and practical strategies will be shared to enhance engagement and performance levels of this cohort.

Dr Mary Collins, Head of Talent Development and Learning for Deloitte Ireland said: Generation Y are an ever-increasing part of our workforce and we need to look at how to ensure this generation engaged and performing at a really high level, while really enjoying their work. Also it is vital that time, energy and resources are invested in to listening and staying connected with Generation Y employees ensure that they feel connected and empowered.

Mr Dermot O’Flynn, Director of Professional Development the RCSI Institute of Leadership said The Lessons in Leadership’ lecture series is being held to open up the debate on why leadership is so important and to empower those working in the health sector to develop appropriate leadership competencies. We are delighted Dr Mary Collins could join us this evening to share her insights on leading and managing Generation Y.

Dr Mary Collins has been working in the organisation development and talent management field for more than 14 years and lectures part-time on these topics for MSc programmes at the RCSI Institute of Leadership DCU, and NUI Maynooth, in addition to her role in Deloitte. Mary completed her doctorate in 2010, with her research focus on enhancing the psychological contract of ‘Generation Y’ in the professional service sector to enhance performance and engagement levels. She is co-authoring a book due to be published in February 2014 with the Institute of Chartered Accountants titled ‘Managing Smart People and Other Professionals.’

The RCSI Institute of Leadership is Irelands only third level institution dedicated exclusively to developing the leadership and management capacity of health professionals. While the Institute is a fully academic institution, it maintains close connections with the world of healthcare delivery and its programmes are characterised by flexibility, speed of response, customer service and a blended learning approach that allows our students to learn while continuing to work. The Institute has campuses in Dublin, Bahrain & Dubai and it also deliver programmes in Abu Dhabi, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Lessons in Leadership Lecture Series is free of charge but registration is essential in order to guarantee a place. For further information and to register visit: http://www.rcsi.ie/leadershiplecture2013 or you can join the conversation online, on the night, on Twitter at #RCSILeadership .

2013/2014 Programme
4th December 2013
Dr Mary Collins, Talent Manager Deloitte & Touche
‘Leading & Managing Generation Y’

22nd January 2014
Ms Hilary Sanfey, Professor of Surgery and Vice Chair of Educational Affairs SIU University, Illinois, USA.
‘Leading in your Setting’

12th February 2014
Mr Brendan Noonan, Vice President Learning & Development, Emirates Airline, Dubai , UAE
‘Leadership Lessons from a Global Airline Company’

14th May 2014
Mr Jimmy Sheehan, Galway Clinic
‘The Leadership Challenge in the Private Healthcare Sector’

Founded in 1784, RCSI’s mission is to develop healthcare leaders who make a difference worldwide. RCSI is a not-for-profit health sciences organisation which focuses on education and research to drive positive change in all areas of human health worldwide. RCSI is headquartered in Dublin and is a recognised College of the National University of Ireland.

The Honorary Fellowship of RCSI is the highest distinction the College bestows, recognising outstanding achievement in both surgery as well as outstanding achievements in other areas. Padraig Harrington joins the ranks of other non-surgeon Honorary Fellows which include Bob Geldof, the late Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the late Nelson Mandela, Jimmy Carter and the late Seamus Heaney.

Speaking at the event, Professor Patrick Broe, President of RCSI said: ‘Padraig Harringtons sporting achievements have brought great credit to Ireland and we applaud him for those achievements and for the manner in which he has continued to work hard even at the height of his success.

‘We admire Padraig greatly for his dedication to his craft and his attention to physical and mental fitness as well as to the technical aspects of the game. He is a great sportsman who conducts himself with great dignity both at the time of outstanding victories but also at the time of adversity and disappointment. There are lessons in Padraigs career for us as surgeons who in the modern era must also be physically and mentally fit, maintain and develop and hone their surgical skills and who must, at all times, be in a position to cope with success and disappointment in equal measure, Professor Broe concluded.

The Honorary Fellowship citation was delivered at the ceremony by Mr. Frank McManus, RCSI Council Member, who recounted the highlights of Padraig Harringtons glittering career as the greatest golfer the nation has produced.

Ms Mary Aiken, Director of the RCSI CyberPsychology Research Centre based in the RCSI Institute of Leadership has been appointed to the government Internet Content Governance Advisory Forum.

Ms Mary Aiken, Director of the RCSI CyberPsychology Research Centre

The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte TD, announced the formation of an Internet Content Governance Advisory Group. This specialist working group, consisting of experts in the fields of child safety and online behaviour as well as technical and industry experts, will consider the emerging issues in the area of online content and its general impact on the lives of children and young people.

This Advisory Group will take submissions from the public and interested groups, and will produce a report for the Minister by the end of May 2014. The group will cover a number of issues arising for society. Specifically, it will deal with bullying and harassment online and issues around age inappropriate viewing of content. Minister Rabbitte stressed that "Fundamental to their work is the question of striking an appropriate balance in policy terms that ensures the protection of children and young people but does not limit their opportunities and rights online".

The Advisory Group, which will be chaired by Dr Brian ONeill of the Dublin Institute of Technology, will have regard to international best practice, including recent European Commission Reports and Council Conclusions in this area, and will also be asked to comment specifically on the recent report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee titled ‘Addressing the Growth of Social Media and tackling Cyberbullying. Other members of the group include Director of the UCD Centre for Cyber Security, CEO of the National Parents Council Aine Lynch, UPCs head of regulatory and public policy Kate OSullivan and telecoms law barrister Ronan Lupton.

The Group will be asked to produce specific recommendations on the appropriateness of existing regulatory and legislative frameworks around electronic communications, internet governance and the sharing of material online and as to the most appropriate relationship should be between ISPs, online service providers, the State and citizens in relation to access to legal material and bullying and harassment online.

Further details and terms of reference:
http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Press+Releases/2013/Minister+Rabbitte+announces+formation+of+Internet+Content+Governance+Advisory+Group.htm

New gastroenterology research carried out by the RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) in conjunction with Trinity College Dublin and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland has uncovered a new route for the development of anti-diarrhoeal drugs. The new route directly targets cells and molecular processes that control water movement into the intestine and may help with the development of a new class of anti-diarrhoeal medication.

The research found that drugs which act on a protein called Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) in the tissue of the intestine can stop water moving in to the gut. By switching off the water movement in to the gut, this can prevent diarrhoea occurring.

Dr Stephen Keely, Associate Director of Molecular Medicine, RCSI and lead researcher, said ‘Diarrhoeal diseases are common and debilitating but safe and effective drugs for their treatment are still lacking. Our research has found that FXR is an important regulator of intestinal function and has excellent potential for the development of a new class of anti-diarrhoeal drugs."

In Ireland, diarrhoea is the main reason for approximately 40,000 visits to gastroenterology clinics annually. Epidemics of acute infectious diarrhoea are common, and many illnesses such as inflammatory bowel disease, digestive disorders and irritable bowel syndrome cause disruptions to the normal functioning of the intestine and lead to diarrhoea. These conditions have a large financial burden to society both in terms of healthcare and lost hours of work.

The research found that drugs which target the FXR protein, target the cells lining the intestine, and because of this they may have broader efficacy and fewer side effects than many anti-diarrhoeals currently available on the market.

The research was published in Gut, a leading international journal in gastroenterology. These findings support an RCSI patent for treating diarrhoeal diseases recently granted by the European Patent Office. The research was a collaborative research project between the Department of Molecular Medicine, RCSI; the Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, USA and the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute.

RCSI conferred more than 170 healthcare professionals with postgraduate awards at a conferring ceremony in the College. In surgery, these awards included Fellowships of RCSI in General Surgery, Neurosurgery, Otolaryngology, Plastic Surgery, Trauma & Orthopaedic and Ophthalmology; Membership in ENT and Ophthalmology and a Diploma in Otolaryngology. Fellowship Ad Eundem was awarded to Hadi Shwaish Al-Khafaji, Michael Larvin, Jeremiah Thomas Martin and Dhananjaya Sharma.

In Dentistry, the awards included Intercollegiate Speciality Fellowship Examination in Dental Public Health & Orthodontics; Fellowship; Membership; Member in General Dental Surgery (MGDS) and Diploma of Primary Care Dentistry (DPCD). Fellowship Ad Eundem was awarded to Anthony F. Markus.

Fellowships of the Faculty of Radiologists, Faculty of Sports & Exercise Medicine and Membership of the Faculty of Sports & Exercise Medicine were awarded on the evening. Fellowships of the Faculty of Radiologists Ad Eundem were awarded to Gavin Briggs, Mazen El Bassiouni, Nina Marshall, Sale Ogbobi and Frederik Vernimmen. Fellowship Ad Eundem of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery were awarded to John Adams, Susan Moran and Catherine ONeill.

Mr Declan Magee, Vice-President of RCSI said "I would like to congratulate all of you here this evening on your achievements and on reaching this important and exciting stage in your careers and training. While those of you conferred today could be regarded as a somewhat disparate group, with rather different areas of expertise & practice, what you share is that you are all clinicians, with the patient always at the centre of your focus."

"Even in these troubled times, when the future seems uncertain and sometimes unattractive and when it would be easy to be despondent about your career prospects, I believe the answer is to continue to strive for clinical excellence and the rewards and professional fulfilment will follow," Mr Magee continued.

RCSI plays a prominent role in the provision of postgraduate education in the medical and healthcare sciences, both in Ireland and overseas. The College actively promotes continuing professional education and is increasingly successful in attracting a growing body of postgraduate students, who bring with them a substantial body of varied professional experience, gained both in Ireland and internationally. For almost 230 years this Institution has been about setting the highest standards in education and training to ensure its trainees are educated, mentored and tutored to the highest possible standard.

Founded in 1784, RCSIs mission is to develop healthcare leaders who make a difference worldwide. RCSI is a not-for-profit health sciences organisation which focuses on education and research to drive positive change in all areas of human health worldwide. RCSI is headquartered in Dublin and is a recognised College of the National University of Ireland.

Prof. Ronan OConnell (RCSI Council Member) & Dhananjaya Sharma (FRCSI - Ad Eundum)

(L-R) Mike OSullivan (MRCSI); Stephen Murphy (MRCSI) ; Kenneth Joyce (MRCSI) & David Dalton (MRCSI)

John Drumm; Eimer Drumm; Orla Drumm (MRCSI) & Prof Ronan OConnell (RCSI Council Member)

Michael E. OSullivan (FRCSI), Michael D. OSullivan (MRCSI) & Denis OSullivan (FRCSI)

Aaron Stirling (MRCSI); Jane Cunningham (FFR Radiodiagnosis) and Mr Declan Magee, RCSI Vice-President

Michael Boland, Michael Boland (MRCSI) & Susan Boland

‘The physical effects of mental illness
Professor Jogin Thakore, Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry, RCSI

A conference was held in RCSI today to showcase the joint research projects from the 3U N-STEP initiative. The 3U N-STEP is a national initiative established by the 3U Partnership between DCU, NUI Maynooth and RCSI to advance teaching and learning in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

The aim of the first strand of the 3U N-STEP initiative is to support research into teaching and learning practices of STEM subjects at university level. The collaborative research projects, which were supported by the 3U Partnership, were showcased in RCSI today.

Eight research projects were undertaken, involving 25 researchers from across the three partner institutions: Dublin City University, NUI Maynooth and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Each successful project involves researchers from at least two of the partner institutions.

Speaking at the conference Dr Ruth Davis, Director of the 3U Partnership, said "The 3U N-STEP initiative goes to the heart of what our three Partner Institutions are about - educating students. Through the 3U Partnership, we are seeking to be the very best at educating all of the students that come through the doors of each of our institutions."

The diverse range of research across the 3U N-STEP projects includes interdisciplinary communication, cultural intelligence, attendance, opportunities for creative reasoning, building mathematical knowledge for teaching, exploring student expectations, the use of smart devices, and the role of metacognition in mathematical problem solving.

Prof Teresa Pawlikowska, Professor of Health Professions Education RCSI, gave the keynote address at the conference, highlighting the potential benefits of multidisciplinary collaboration in research.

Approximately 100 senior citizens aged between 60 to 90 years of age attended the Christmas lunch which included a festive fun-filled afternoon with music, singing, dancing and a grand raffle, with prizes sponsored by RCSI, Dunnes Stores, Walls to Workstations Ltd and St. Stephens Green Shopping Centre.

Guests were greeted by Professor Cathal Kelly, Registrar / CEO, RCSI on arrival after which they will sit down to their Christmas lunch. Musician, Mick Doherty then took to the stage to provide entertainment and music for the remainder of the afternoon.

Speaking on the annual Christmas lunch, Prof Cathal Kelly said ‘Every year we look forward to welcoming our local senior citizens to the College. The annual event is much anticipated by the locals and their Christmas lunch always signifies the start of the festive season at RCSI.

This years event is organised by REACH (Recreation Education And Community Health) RCSI programme Manager, Maria Kelly and RCSI Head Porter Frank Donegan, together with REACH project worker Clíona Lyes and RCSI archivist Meadhbh Murphy. The REACH RCSI programme was established in 2007 to encourage and facilitate third level participation and enhance the life chances for those traditionally underrepresented at third level, particularly those from Dublins South Inner City

The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) - Dubai recently hosted its annual conferring ceremony at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Academic Medical Center (MBRM-AMC) in Dubai Healthcare City. Masters degrees were conferred on students graduating in Healthcare Management and Quality and Safety in Healthcare Management.

RCSI-Dubai has seen the number of students graduating increase from 29 in 2011 to 61 in 2013 and this figure is expected to be 71 in 2014, a 144% increase over a three-year period.

Pictured is RCSI President, Professor Patrick Broe with Mr. Belal Irshaid

These accredited, postgraduate degrees issued by the RCSI Institute of Leadership in Dubai, put the new graduates in a prime position to help shape the regions healthcare sector.

RCSI is a not-for-profit global healthcare education organisation founded in 1784. The RCSI Institute of Leadership began operations in Dubai in 2005 and it is continuing to grow, with an increasing number of students graduating every year. This years graduation brings the number of health professionals who have graduated from the Institute in Dubai to around 450.

Pictured (l-r) are Dr. Rana Omar Obaid Baabed, Dr. Maryam Abdollah Daresh and Ms. Douna Rahwan

Mr Seamus OBoyle Director of RCSI Dubai said, ‘Our aim is to enhance human health through education delivery and we do this through bringing out the leader from within our class participants. Our graduates report that they feel changed, that the change is noticed in their workplaces and that they are more likely to step forward to tackle workplace challenges.

Pictured (l-r) are Dr. Yasser Abdul Rahman Basha, Dr. Arvind Ramesh Kittur, Dr. Jestin Sam Baby and Dr. Muneer Safaa Fetyan

RSCI-Dubai Alumni include, Dr. Ahmad Bin Kalban (Director, Primary Healthcare, Dubai Healthcare Authority (DHA)), Dr Amer Sharif, (Director of Education, Dubai Health Care City), Dr. Mohammad Al Redha, (Director, Health Data & Information Analysis Department, DHA), Dr Ibtesam Bastaki (Director of Operations for Hospitals, Dubai Health Authority), Dr Hayder Mohammed Khalaf Al Zubaidy (CEO Canadian Speciality hospital), Diana Grobler (Director of Nursing, Welcare Hospital).

Graduates celebrate at the ceremony

Researchers at the HRB Centre for Primary Care Research based in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) in conjunction with the RCSI School of Pharmacy and the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics in Trinity College Dublin have examined the prescribing patterns of glucosamine from 2002 to 2011 in older Irish adults.

Glucosamine has traditionally been prescribed as a disease modulating agent in the management of osteoarthritis. However, the research evidence to date suggests that it has a limited impact on the clinical symptoms of the osteoarthritis including joint pain, radiological progression, function and quality of life.

Data from the national Health Service Executive Primary Care Reimbursement (HSE-PCRS) general medical services (GMS) Scheme was used to examine the prescribing patterns. The results of the study indicate that the national trend in prescribing of glucosamine increased significantly from 2002 to 2009 before decreasing in 2010 and 2011.

The rate of prescribing of glucosamine varied with sex, with women receiving significantly more prescriptions than men. The cost of glucosamine also increased from 2002 -2008, reaching a high of €4.6 million in 2008 before decreasing to €2.6 million in 2011. In September 2012, prescribing of glucosamine was suspended from the HSE-PCRS scheme, meaning that GPs can no longer prescribe glucosamine for patients at no cost.

Commenting on the study Rose Galvin, the lead researcher, said that ‘The findings are in keeping with current international guidelines and while the suspension of glucosamine from the GMS scheme is in keeping with the current evidence, glucosamine remains one of the most commonly prescribed complementary alternative medicines in the international context. Therefore, there is a need for awareness among healthcare professionals and patients alike of the best available evidence to inform decision making relating to the prescription and consumption of such supplements.

Arthritis affects approximately 714,000 people in Ireland, accounting for one in three visits to general practitioners (GPs) [1]. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and is the leading cause of disability in the elderly [2]. The prevalence of OA is expected to increase in the coming years as risk factors, such as an ageing population and obesity become more prevalent [3].

The full paper can be found at http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/13/316

The RCSI Graduate Entry Programme (GEP) Open Day took place at Connolly Hospital on Saturday, 14th December 2013. The format of the day was based around small group interactive sessions which provided the participants with the opportunity to experience "A day in the life of an RCSI GEP Student". The event was opened by Professor Hannah McGee, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, who welcomed the attendees and provided an overview of RCSI and GEP. This was followed by a series of short talks lead by Professor Seamus Sreenan, Director of GEP, regarding the programme, RCSI facilities, the structure and style of the curriculum and an introduction to the days participants.


Pictured (l-r Front row) is Ciara Gillespie, Louise Murphy, Caroline Smyth, Sean Flynn, Mary Burke, Catherine Duane, Sharon Kennedy(l-r Middle row), Dr Martin Rourke, Paul Curtayne, Shane Carr, Peadar OConchur, Michael Gilmartin, Marc Freemantle and (l-r Back row), David Lorrigan, Catherine OFlynn, Ultan Healy with Asiya Bel Sulieman.

Prospective students travelled to the RCSI GEP dedicated teaching facility in Connolly Hospital from all over Dublin and as far as Belfast, Drogheda, Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Wexford and Nottingham (by ferry on very wild seas the day before). These potential RCSI GEPs diverse academic backgrounds ranged from Arts and the Humanities, Law, Finance, Economics, Psychology, Biological Sciences, Veterinary Medicine and Nursing. In keeping with the theme for the day, which was diabetes, Dr John McDermott, Consultant Endocrinologist at Connolly Hospital introduced a patient with diabetes to the attendees in the style of the "case of the week", a weekly clinical case that is presented each Monday during the first two years of the programme and which informs the teaching for the week. The case was followed by a series of small group interactive sessions through which 5 groups of students rotated in turn.

Speaking on the GEP open day, Prof Sreenan said The open day was very successful with very positive feedback from the attendees which can be attributed to the contributions of all involved, including the patient who presented to discuss his case, the students on the programme who took time out of their busy school programme, the staff and the clinical tutors. There is clearly a continued interest in the graduate entry route into medicine and many of our students, as previous attendees at our open days, feel that they provide a very valuable opportunity to attendees to get a feel for the RCSI graduate entry programme. Therefore we look forward to the next open day on January 25th 2014.


Pictured is Dr Catherine OFlynn, GEP Clinical Tutor, Dr Asiya Bel Sulieman, GEP Clinical Tutor and Dr Ultan Healy, Endocrinology SpR.

Dr Ultan Healy, Endocrinology SpR and Dr Catherine OFlynn, Clinical Tutor introduced the participants to Diagnostic Investigations, which provided an introduction to basic clinical skills with an emphasis on diabetes including measuring insulin and blood pressure levels.

Other break-out sessions included an introduction to how the RCSI Virtual Learning Environment Moodle supports learning in the programme delivered by Mr. Eric Clarke, Lecturer in Health Informatics at RCSI. Additional sessions focused on the importance of good communication skills to clinical practice, given by Dr Asiya Bel Sulieman, GEP Clinical Tutor. Attendees were also given the opportunity to meet students already in the programme.

The GEP Open Day afternoon session was lead by Dr Martin Rourke, RCSI GEP Class of 2012. Dr Rourke provided a detailed account of his academic journey towards RCSI GEP, the Admissions experience, GAMSAT and life as an Intern and GP Trainee. The day concluded with the CAO and application process session which was given by Ms Céleste Golden, Admissions Officer, RCSI, closing with a Q & A and final evaluation, which was extremely positive, some of the feedback comments were:

I found the whole day to be very informative and honest about what my expectations should be for both the course and career would be. Meet the patient is excellent.

Very much enjoyed communication skills and diagnostic tools sections.

Very well organized, very enthusiastic staff.

The day ran very smoothly - very enjoyable and informative.

Very informative sessions. Great atmosphere, staff / team. Very comprehensive.

I loved the opportunity to see actual lecture slides.

Very well run day. A lot of effort clearly went into the day. Thank you.

Thank you for a very beneficial day. Job well done! Many thanks to Students & Martin.

Excellent Open Day, very satisfying, all talks were very interesting and useful and gave a good picture of the course. The ex GEM Doc was particularly good. Lastly the information at the end was very transparent and good to hear specific facts.

The RCSI "day in the life of an RCSI GEP Student" Open Days held twice a year, undoubtedly contribute to the success of the RCSI Graduate Entry programme.

The next GEP Open day will be held on Saturday 25th January 2014. www.rcsi.ie/gep
RCSI GEP Open Day http://youtu.be/QbNzfsHtA2A

The next stage will determine the National Public Champion which is based on the public vote. Staff can visit http://www.businessawardseurope.com/vote/category/ireland and view the RCSI entry video before using their email address to register their vote. There is only one winner of this route per country who progresses to the final round, where the overall European Public Champion is then named.

RCSI can also progress to this round if selected by a panel of judges (based on our submission and video), who will choose 100 organisations to progress to the final round with a Ruban dHonneur status (i.e. 31 National Public Champions move forward to the next round of the competition along with 100 Ruban dHonneur recipients). The European Public Champion will be announced at in May 2014. If RCSI comes through this round the public vote will again come into play, along with a judges vote. Voting for National Public Champion closes on Thursday 2nd January 2014.

Speaking on the accolade, Professor Cathal Kelly, CEO/Registrar, RCSI said ‘The foundations of our strategy are growth and excellence because we see our future as contingent on our ability to grow RCSIs international presence and reputation as a centre of excellence in healthcare professional education. It is an honour to receive such a prestigious award and I look forward to seeing if the College can advance further in this process.

Founded in 1784, RCSIs mission is to develop healthcare leaders who make a difference worldwide. RCSI is a not-for-profit health sciences organisation which focuses on education and research to drive positive change in all areas of human health worldwide. RCSI is headquartered in Dublin and is a recognised College of the National University of Ireland.

The European Business Awards was established in 2007 to support the development of a stronger and more successful business community throughout Europe. The Awards aims to draw attention to and recognise our best businesses and what they are doing; to enable companies of all sizes and industries to compare themselves to and learn from the very best in Europe; and to stimulate the debate about the future shape, form and substance of the business community in Europe.

It was a day crammed with tinsel, glitter and sparkles of all kinds as RCSI students brought a little piece of Christmas to Temple Street Childrens Hospital. On Friday last, decked in Christmas jumpers, elf suits and antlers of all sizes, a group of senior cycle students from the Paediatric Society brought fun and laughter to every corner of the hospital.



Led by Allan Jenkenson (Medicine, Senior Cycle ll) the team started the day in the hospital playroom where they packed bags full of activity items - from sparkling paper and pop star stickers to balloon creatures and face paints, all items were carefully prepared in advance of decending on the hospital wards. The plan was to entertain the children with everything from Christmas cards and decoration making to activity games and face painting.

The activity teams hit the wards where they were warmly welcomed by both children and parents alike. In addition, a travelling team of carol singers stopped by the wards, Out- patients and Clinics singing carols and distributing candy. Parents and children were encouraged to sing along and to help make the day a little brighter for all. The crew sang a special song for all the wonderful hospital staff who work tirelessly for all the children in their care.

The students also donated a large giftbox of toys for the playroom. It included an array of toys for all ages - from Barbie Dolls and Disney Princesses to Winnie the Pooh and Spiderman. With wooden lock puzzles and snap click caterpillars to cater for the very young.

Commenting on the event, Corriena Brien, Student Services Manger said ‘ I am so pleased to see this event re-appear. It was very popular a number of years ago but for various reasons, disappeared from the events calendar. When Allan approached Student Services with a plan to re-invent the visit, naturally we were delighted to support it.
She went on to add, ‘Of all the events this year, this was probably one of the most meaningful. I got to speak with many parents of sick children on the day. They were just so grateful to be remembered. I hope we lifted the spirits of everyone we met on the day.

She also thanked the students from the Paediatric Society namely Allan Jenkinson, Valerie Curran, Nasrin Samji, Chelsea Gatcliffe, Elizabeth Ahern Flynn, Ciara Nolan, Ciaran McLaughlin and Sarah Lewis in addition to Caroline Flynn from Temple Street who facilitated the visit and co-ordinated all the movements on the day.

The Irish Surgical Outcomes Study (ISOS) published this weekend in an international medical journal, the Lancet, has found Ireland has a surgical mortality rate of 2.5% for elective non-cardiac surgery; this figure is in line with European levels. The ISOS is an Irish rebuttal study to the European Surgical Outcomes Study (EuSOS) which studied 28 European countries and was published in the Lancet in September 2012. The EuSOS reported a rate of 6.4% mortality rate for Ireland. This finding was seriously concerning to the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), as the national body responsible for education, training and advocacy of surgery in Ireland.

When the EuSOS data was not made available by the UK based authors to enable a clearer understanding of the potential areas of concern (as would be expected in the international research community), RCSI commissioned a replication study (ISOS) to validate the data and the methods of data collection. The ISOS was a retrospective study examining patients charts for the same time period (4th April to 11th April 2011) as the original study in the same 17 hospitals with the same data collection tools from the EuSOS in order to validate the findings. If the findings were replicated, then there would clearly be a serious need to reappraise surgical practise in Ireland - if not, then the inaccurate representation of Irish surgical outcomes needed to be addressed.

Using the same methodology, time period and hospitals as the European Surgical Outcomes Study, the Irish Surgical Outcomes Study (ISOS) found 25% more eligible patients, a 39% lower critical care admission rate and 68% lower mortality rate than that reported by EuSOS.

In the ISOS, 1071 patients were identified compared to 856 in the EuSOS. 56 patients (5.3%) were admitted to critical care in the ISOS compared to 66 (7.7%) in the EuSOS. The ISOS identified 27 patients who died (2.5%) compared to 55 (6.4%) in the EuSOS.

Professor Patrick Broe, RCSI President said "As a College, RCSI needed to assess the challenging data reported in the European Surgical Outcomes Study - either to validate the data and take swift action if needed to ensure Irish patients have surgical outcomes equivalent to their European counterparts, or to refute the findings from a study where access to the data to independently verify it and how it was collected was not given."

"The findings from the Irish Surgical Outcomes Study are considerably lower than the figures reported in the European Surgical Outcomes Study. The Irish Surgical Outcomes Study found that the rate of patient deaths is comparable to international levels," Prof Broe continued.

"As the national training body for surgery in Ireland, RCSI has a responsibility to advocate for the highest standard of surgical care for the people of Ireland. Morbidity and mortality data is collated in every hospital in Ireland on a monthly basis and these outcomes are monitored against international norms. Whilst we can never be complacent about mortality rates and we must always remain vigilant, the ISOS results are in line with the data reported through the hospital systems and these results are reassuring to both patients and practitioners in Ireland" said Professor Broe.

The ISOS was conducted on behalf of the Council of RCSI. The steering committee comprised Professor Patrick Broe (President, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI)); Dr Ellen OSullivan (President, College of Anaesthetists of Ireland); Dr Philip Crowley, (National Director of Quality and Patient Safety, Health Services Executive (HSE); Professor Ronan OConnell, (School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, University College Dublin); Dr Gavin Lavery, (Clinical Director, Health and Social Care (HSC),Safety Forum); Professor Cathal Kelly, (CEO, RCSI, ISOS Chair); Professor Anne Hickey, (Head of Psychology Department RCSI); Ms Deirdre Hyland, (RCSI, Clinical Research Centre, Beaumont Hospital); Professor Hannah McGee, (Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, RCSI); Professor Ray Stallings (Director of Research, RCSI). Study authors were Dr Sally Doherty, Professor Ronan Conroy and Dr Hilary Dunne, on behalf of the RCSI).

RCSI Letter in the Lancet

RCSI Appendix in the Lancet

Table 1 - comparative results

More than 400 students from second-level schools throughout Ireland today got a taste for life as a medical, pharmacy and physiotherapy student today at the annual RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) Open Day.


Pictured is Amy Phelan from Stillorgan (of Loreto College Foxrock).

During the day-long event, Leaving Certificate and A Level students got the opportunity to meet with RCSI staff, students and graduates, to give them an idea of what it is like to study medicine, pharmacy and physiotherapy and take up careers in these areas. A series of talks was held on the range of courses available at RSCI and how to apply to RCSI through the CAO system. An exhibition was hosted by faculties and staff, who were on hand to answer any questions the students may have. This interactive exhibition also featured recent innovations in technology and research, currently being undertaken at the College.


A high-five for Sinead Kiernan from Malahide, Dublin

Information was also available on the wide choice of clubs and societies available in RCSI as well as information on student accommodation, library and sports facilities. Other highlights of the day include a student panel discussion, whereby current students gave their perspectives on studying at RCSI. Students also heard about the experiences of junior doctors, who have recently graduated from RCSI.


Pictured is Bukola Bolarinwa of Loretto College, Crumlin

Philip Curtis, Head of Admissions at RCSI said ‘The annual Open Day provides second level students with a great opportunity to get a sense of life, both academic and social at RCSI. With talks from staff, current students and graduates, students are able to get a real sense of what life as a medical, physiotherapy or pharmacy student is really like.


Sinead Ellison from Blackrock,Dublin certainly isnt hard of hearing!

Founded in 1784, RCSIs mission is to develop healthcare leaders who make a difference worldwide. RCSI is a not-for-profit health sciences organisation which focuses on education and research to drive positive change in all areas of human health worldwide. RCSI is headquartered in Dublin and is a recognised College of the National University of Ireland.


Conor Quinn from Malahide Community School gets to grips with x-rays

Professor Clive Lee, Head of the RCSI Department of Anatomy was elected as President of the Anatomical Society at the societys December AGM in Newcastle in the United Kingdom.

Professor Lee is the fourth Irish person to be elected President of the Society in its 127 year history. Professor Lee will serve a three year term.

Based in London, the Anatomical Society promotes, develops and advances research and education in anatomy.

Each year, the Society awards four PhD studentships and, this year, Dr Garry Duffy, RCSI Lecturer in Anatomy received one for his project ‘Decoding the extrinsic regulation of cardiac stem cell fate in cardiovascular disease.

Dr Garry Duffy (left) being congratulated on his award by Prof Clive Lee (right).