The programme aims to facilitate surgical trainees to explore areas of professional development in an effort to develop their interpersonal skills in order to enhance the performance of the surgeon and contribute to the reduction of error and risk during surgical procedures.

It is estimated that 75% of important events during a surgical procedure relate to human factors such as decision making, communication, team work and leadership and only 25% of events are related to manual or technical skills (1). Other human factors which are important in surgical practice include self awareness, conflict resolution and error management.

Professor Oscar Traynor, Consultant Surgeon and Director of the National Surgical Training Centre, RCSI said "Whilst some individuals are born with personal skills such as decision making, communication and team work, for many others, these skills can be developed and improved by formal education and training. This course was developed in order to enhance the performance of surgeons and contribute to the reduction of error and risk so as to improve patient safety."

The Postgraduate Diploma consists of one taught module each BST year for three years with one practical work experience module during BST. The MSc. Degree has two additional modules - one taught and one research with a submission of a 15,000 word dissertation to be completed over one year during HST.

The programme is aimed at surgeons in training interested in exploring the challenges and opportunities specific to the surgical profession in the wider context of healthcare and the medical community.

The first programme will commence in September 2011. It will be delivered by Professor Oscar Traynor, Director of the National Surgical Training Centre, Dr Eva Doherty, Director of Human Factors and Patient Safety and Dara OKeeffe, Special Lecturer in Surgical Education.

In recognition of the long standing relationship between the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and Malaysia, RCSI welcomed the Malaysian Minister of Rural and Regional Development YB. Dato’ Seri Haji Mohd Shafie Bin Haji Afdal to the College on Thursday, 28th July 2011. YBhg. Datuk Ibrahim Bin Ahmad, the Director General of MARA, a Malaysian Government agency that provides educational scholarships to Malaysians for study overseas, accompanied the Minister.

Pictured signing the guestbook as on his arrival in RCSI in Dublin is the Malaysian Minister of Rural and Regional Development YB. Dato’ Seri Haji Mohd Shafie Bin Haji Afdal.

The Malaysian delegation met with RCSI Senior Management to discuss the ongoing developments in RCSI Dublin, Bahrain and Malaysia. The Minister then had an opportunity to meet with some current and past MARA sponsored students who have attended RCSI, at a private lunch in the College.

The Ambassador (Designate) of the Embassy of Malaysia in Ireland, Dato’ Ramli b Naam, also joined the delegation for today’s visit.

Pictured with the visiting Malaysian delegation are RCSI Senior Mangement.

RCSI has strong linkages to Malaysia with almost 800 Malaysian students coming to the College in the last ten years. Malaysians are one of the largest student populations at the Dublin campus with one in every five students coming from Malaysia.

A twinning programme with Penang Medical College in collaboration with UCD has been in place since 1996 and a five year undergraduate medical programme for the new Perdana University -RCSI School of Medicine will commence in September 2011

The BioInnovate Ireland Fellowship Programme has been jointly developed and delivered by a consortium of five Higher Education Institutions. These include NUI Galway, University of Limerick, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Centre of Innovation in Surgical Technology (RCSI-CIST), DCU and UCC.

The new programme aims to hot-house, in the space of 10 months, talented individuals with experience in the biomedical sector. The overall aim of the programme is to train graduates to support the creation of new, cost-effective medical devices that improve patient care. This will be brought about through a collaborative approach that focuses on the needs of patients, physicians and the health care industry as a whole.

Programme participants will experience an intensive clinical immersion in teaching hospitals to help identify potential medical device development opportunities. Throughout the 10-month period, they will avail of the expert advice, direction and guidance from dedicated industrial mentors and serial entrepreneurs.

This initiative has received funding from Enterprise Ireland and several corporate sponsors including: Medtronic, Creganna-Tactx Medical, Lake Region Medical Ltd and Steripack, Ltd. It is envisaged that the BioInnovate Ireland Fellowship Programme will act as a catalyst for the generation of further product development research and spin-out companies in collaboration with partnering companies.

Speaking about the programme, the newly appointed Fellowship Director, NUI Galways Dr Mark Bruzzi, said: "Our mission is to educate the next generation of leaders in innovation and to support the future of the medical device technologies sector in Ireland. The academic partners driving the development of the BioInnovate Fellowship Programme are committed to support innovation and entrepreneurship and to evolve the academic component of the Irish Medical Technologies ecosystem to ensure that the needs of the industry are met."

After an arduous application process, the eight successful applicants in the programmes inaugural year, have now been split across two teams in Galway and Dublin. Commencing immediately, both teams will work within the clinical are of Cardiology, focussing on interventional and surgical procedures. The group of eight candidates come with a wealth of experience across the disciplines of medicine, engineering, business, legal and science. The impetus for the development of this specialist training programme emerged from the 2010 Innovation Taskforce Report.

The Fellows will be awarded with a Masters in BioInnovation upon completion. The search for the group of candidates to participate in the next cycle of the BioInnovate Ireland Fellowship Programme will commence in the Autumn.

RCSI Ladies GAA football team played their first match of the season against UCD on Thursday 20th October.

In what has always been a fiercely competitive match over the years between RCSI and UCD, the results in the past have mainly gone the way of UCD. This year the RCSI girls were determined to give UCD a challenge. With the match under lights on a cold October evening both teams looked determined to make it a match and neither team let their institution down.

In a match with such intensity it was RCSI who took first blood kicking 4-2 points to UCDs 1-1 HT points. With few mistakes being made by either team, it was fairly evident that it was going to be about who was more clinical in front of the posts.

All of the hard preseason training paid off for the RCSI ladies who were able to take their chances in front of goal. Leading 6-14 to 2-2 with 5 minutes to go Liam Flannery (RCSI Ladies Coach) made 7 changes to the team. This gave hope to UCD as they scored 3 goals in the last 5 minutes. Fortunately enough the team were able to hold on for a victory over a very competitive UCD team.

The final score was 6-14 to 5-2 in favour of RCSI. Congratulations to the girls with a great result and a great start to the season. Best of luck to the girls in their next match against Trinity on Monday night, throw in is at 5.45pm at Clanna Na Gaels in Ringsend.

RCSI Ladies GAA team

Today at the ‘Back To Our Past show at the RDS, the Genealogical Society of Ireland and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland launched an important All-Ireland project to create a collection of DNA samples from individuals of Irish origin, which will be used to explore human genetic variation in the Irish population.

Over the past decade or so genealogists from around the world have become increasingly intrigued by the possibilities afforded through the advances in genetic genealogy to augment or confirm our traditional record based research.

This new project is aimed at promoting an awareness, appreciation and knowledge of genetic genealogy.

Operationally the project has two strands, genealogy and genetics.

1. to further our knowledge of the population history of Ireland and its connections with other populations in Europe and
2. to help us understand how genes influence health in Ireland through the creation of a resource for use as ‘healthy controls in researching how genes influence common diseases in Ireland, including (though, not confined to) diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

The collection and scientific analysis of this type of data, may make it possible to identify genetic risk factors for disease and with this information, improve the nature of future treatments, including drug design or indeed lifestyle decisions on how to prevent the development of disease in the first place.

As the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland is one of Irelands foremost health research institutions, this project will have both a national and an international dimension involving researchers in a number of different fields.

This joint project will compile an ‘Irish DNA Atlas through the collection of genealogical information and DNA samples to investigate the diversity of the Irish genome, which is a valuable, yet largely unexplored, resource of the Irish nation.

As an island population on the edge of Europe, Ireland has a rich cultural heritage that is the product of a number of ancient migrations from the neighbouring island and from mainland Europe.

Understanding and preserving this history enriches our culture. Although historical records and archaeological studies have uncovered many wonderful aspects of Irish history, there are many questions left unanswered.

(L-R) Rory Stanley, Society President; Dr. Gianpiero Cavalleri, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland; Pádraig Ingoldsby, Society Cathaoirleach and Séamus OReilly, Director of Archival Services, Genealogical Society of Ireland.

The ‘Irish DNA Atlas will provide valuable information on the migration and settlement patterns across the island of Ireland - from our first farmers to the plantations of sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

This research will assist historians and archaeologists in their analysis of existing records or studies.

The project is not only concerned with the movements and interrelationships of population groups, it also has an immensely valuable contribution to make to the study of the health of the people of Ireland.

The project is headed by Dr. Gianpiero Cavalleri, a genetic scientist at RCSI. The genealogical aspects of the project will be directed by the Genealogical Society of Ireland through its Archive & Research Centre - An Daonchartlann - based at the Carlisle Pier, Dún Laoghaire Harbour, Co. Dublin.

Participants are sought from all parts of the island of Ireland who can trace their eight great grandparents to a general area - for example, south Co. Wicklow / north Co. Wexford - areas within say 30kms radius of the main homestead.

Each participant will be given a Birth Brief (Ancestry Chart) by the Genealogical Society of Ireland which should be completed back to, at least, the eight great grandparents.

Participants are free to choose whether to partake in both the ‘historical and ‘health studies or indeed, just the ‘historical if they so wish.

The data collection is by a simple mouth swab which is forwarded directly to RCSI for analysis.

The Genealogical Society of Ireland published a newsletter detailing the various aspects of the new project which is available on-line at www.familyhistory.ie

If you are interested in taking part in the project email Irish.DNA@familyhistory.ie

Ms. Emily O‘Reilly, Ombudsman and Information Commissioner, presented to the MSc Leadership and Management Development Class 2010/2012 at the Institute of Leadership, RCSI, on Thursday, 27th October 2011.

Ms. O Reillys presentation to the class focussed on two main areas: the Freedom of Information Act and the role of the Information Commissioner, followed by a question and answer forum .

Pictured (l-r) are Dr Tulupole Alugo, MSc LMD participant; Dr. Ruaidhri McVey, MSc LMD participant; Ms. Emily OReilly, Ombudsman and Information Commissioner; Dr. Terry McWade, Deputy CEO, RCSI; and Dr Declan Lyons, MSc LMD participant.

As Ombudsman, Ms OReilly is also an ex-officio member of the Standards in Public Office Commission, the Referendum Commission, the Constituency Commission and the Commission for Public Service Appointments. In May 2007, following the introduction of the Access to Information on the Environment Regulations which transposed Directive 2003/4/EC into Irish law, Ms OReilly was assigned the additional role of Commissioner for Environmental Information. In December 2008, Ms. OReilly was awarded a Doctor of Laws by the National University of Ireland in recognition of her contribution to public service and to human rights.

‘Please Talk supporters at the Candle lit event

Now in its fourth year of Campaigning ‘Please Talk continues its message that talking is a sign of strength especially when experiencing challenges. RCSI students and Chaplaincy Team gathered on Wednesday 2^nd November once again to highlight and reinforce this message and to show that through our collective and collaborative effort in RCSI with chaplains, student support officers, students unions, disability support services, buddy students and staff we can safeguard our mental health and wellbeing together.

The loss- experience through suicide can be intense and complex and in solidarity with all other Colleges and Universities engaging with the ‘Please Talk Campaign, RCSI students and staff shared reflections and presence to remember all those impacted by this loss. The shared reflections focused on remembering that we all are vulnerable and fragile and we need to remember to cherish those things that keep us connected and nurtured.

Corriena Brien, Student Services Manager commended the students who took time out of their busy schedules to attend the service. She went on to add that she personally felt moved by the ceremony this year and that the newly renovated Serenity Room certainly added to the atmosphere of this special event.

‘Please Talk supporters at the Candle lit event

RCSI is part of the ‘Please Talk initiative, which is one of many activities reaching out to lend encouragement and support. If you would like to know more about the campaign and supports log on to http://www.pleasetalk.ie/. where you will be signposted to services in the college. Alternatively contact the Chaplains office at chaplaincy@rcsi.ie (01-402 2383) or the Student Services Office at studentservices@rcsi.ie (01-402 2294).

The conference has been organised by RCSI undergraduate medical and healthcare students for students worldwide: ‘A conference for students by students. It seeks to provide opportunities for students to develop their biomedical research skills. The presentation of their research findings to each other and the extended research community of RCSI will cultivate the exchange of research knowledge. It will educate these undergraduate students on the importance of research in the broader medical fields and give them the chance to expand their networks in an international setting.

Professor Hannah McGee, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences said ‘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. By providing healthcare students with the opportunity to develop their research skills and interests at an early stage in their career, it gives students an insight into the world of scientific research and a better understanding of how research can be translated from the bench to the patients bedside.

According to the Forfás Ireland 2011 report, Ireland is failing to attract the same levels of international students as other English speaking countries (New Zealand (24.4%), United Kingdom (19.9%) Ireland (7.2%)) (1). With more than 150 students attending the conference, ICHAMS will help to attract foreign students to strengthen Irelands reputation as a centre of excellence in research.

Professor Nikolaus Plesnila, of the University of Munichs Medical Center and Dr Kate Coleman, eye surgeon and founder of the Right to Sight charity, will give keynote addresses at the conference. 100 poster and oral student presentations will be presented. Interesting student research being presented includes: ‘Long term consequences of a career in professional horse racing: the prevalence of pain amongst retired race jockeys; ‘Willingness and attitudes of the general public towards the involvement of medical students in their healthcare and ‘Fever, fear and hunger: The response of the Irish population to infectious disease during the Great Irish Famine 1845-1848.

References
(1) http://www.forfas.ie/media/Forfas060911_Irelands_Competitiveness_Scorecard_Report.pdf (pg 115)

An Irish research team lead by Dr Norman Delanty and colleagues at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) will be one of many research teams all around the world who will come together to collaborate on a large new worldwide study looking at the genetic basis of epilepsy.

The project is made possible thanks to a $25 million grant from the US National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke to Duke University Medical Centre in North Carolina in the United States.

Researchers at Duke were awarded the grant as part of the "Centre Without Walls" initiative aimed at bringing leaders in epilepsy and human genetics together to improve understanding of the biology of the condition and to develop new directions for its treatment.

Much of the work done in this area to date has been isolated but in recent years, efforts have been made to co-ordinate work and collaborate more.

It is well accepted that there is a strong genetic basis for epilepsy. However, few genes have been found to date. The project is known as "Epi4K" and will look at new gene discovery in the complete DNA sequence of 4,000 people with epilepsy from around the world, including it is hoped, some from Ireland.

"This grant allows us to study the genomes of epilepsy patients on a sufficiently large scale that we should be able to identify many new genes involved in the risk of epilepsy. Our hope is that these discoveries will provide validated targets for the development of new drugs" said Professor David Goldstein, Director of the Duke Centre for Human Genome Variation.

"Our DNA is so complex that you need to study many patients to begin to unravel the genetic secrets of the condition", explains Dr Gianpiero Cavalleri, Biomedical Research Lecturer at RCSI, whose main research interest in is epilepsy genetics.

"Because sequencing the human genome has become much faster and cheaper in recent years, more information can now be generated at relatively low cost to look at important research questions like these. It is a very exciting study that will hopefully not only find more genes involved in epilepsy but also increase our ability to interpret these genes, particularly in people with a family history of the condition", Dr Cavalleri continued.

Research teams from centres in the US, Australia, the UK and Canada as well as Ireland will be involved in the work over the next five years.

Pictured (l-r) is Dr. Tom Farrell and Mr. Ruairi Quinn, T.D., Minister for Education and Skills.

Dr. Tom Farrell is Senior Lecturer in Anatomy at RCSI, Deputy Director of the RCSI Graduate Entry Programme in Medicine, medical officer and clinical tutor in Mount Carmel Hospital and a coordinator of student research at RCSI. His research interests include development of techniques of regional anaesthesia and the use of ultrasound guidance for nerve blocks. His undergraduate teaching includes medical, pharmacy and physiotherapy students. As a teacher he is interested in the development of new approaches to the teaching of medicine without losing sight of the merits of traditional medical training.

At a time when Higher Education Institutions are being challenged to achieve ever higher standards, the National Awards for Excellence in Teaching symbolise the outstanding quality of teaching which many Irish students already experience. In particular, these Awards value and celebrate successful efforts at integrating research, teaching and learning. The five winners represent disciplines as diverse as anatomy, Education, English and Law and were nominated by senior staff in their institution to go forward for the highly competitive award.

Pictured (l-r) is Dr. Tom Farrell and Professor Clive Lee, Professor of Anatomy, RCSI.

Mr. Ruairi Quinn, T.D., Minister for Education and Skills, presented the awards at this prestigious ceremony and noted that the awardees are "teachers who never cease in their own learning, cultivating the potential in their students, making each and every student feel recognised and valued".

John Hennessy, Chairman of the Higher Education Authority (HEA), stressed the benefit of a national awards scheme stating that "the award recipients bear testimony to the quality of imagination and commitment that characterises the Higher Education community".

Professor David Croke, Director, Quality Enhancement Office, RCSI introduced Dr. Tom Farrell and explained why he was nominated.

The National Academy for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (NAIRTL) was established in 2007, and its vision is one where research and teaching go hand in hand. This is the fourth year of the Awards for Excellence in Teaching and the award winners were chosen from 36 detailed submissions from 17 different HEIs across Ireland. They will each receive a €5,000 award which can be used to support their teaching and research activities.

With increasing awareness of the ecological challenges facing our planet, RCSI and the ASGBI held a conference to discuss means by which surgeons could reduce their carbon foot print. Delegates were welcomed by Mr Eamon Ryan, past minister and leader of the Green Party in the Republic of Ireland.

The conference agreed that there are many economies that can be made without diminishing quality of care. An invited audience of surgical experts heard presentations on recycling and disposal of clinical waste, the cost-effectiveness of reusable versus single use equipment and discussed at length a variety of modifications in practice that would reduce the use of sustainable resources. For example, volumes of water used during scrubbing up, the use of surgical dressings, the implications of travel incurred by both patient and surgeon, and the potential for negotiating with industry for reducing the cost of consumables were all considered important subjects.

Presentations were given by a range of experts from different surgical specialties as well as European colleagues on a variety of subjects which highlighted means by which surgeons and surgery could reduce its carbon footprint without detriment to patient care.

Professor Eilis McGovern, President of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland said "We were delighted to host this event which discussed one of the most important issues currently affecting the planet and our professional practice. We must ensure that we maximise finite global resources and minimise unnecessary waste."

Professor John MacFie, President of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland said "All surgeons have a responsibility to ensure that inappropriate waste is kept to a minimum and restricted resources are maximised for the benefit of the public."

It is the intention of the RCSI and ASGBI to publish a Consensus Statement reflecting all contributions to this meeting together with a range of recommendations. All were agreed that this important topic should be the subject of future meetings and be placed high on the political agenda. Both RCSI and ASGBI are keen to emphasise their commitment to preserving renewable resources and the impact of surgery on cost effectiveness and the sustainability of resources.

RCSI is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving human health through education, research and service. Founded in 1784, originally to train surgeons, today it also provides extensive education and training in the healthcare professions at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.

ASGBI is the professional body representing general surgery and it sub specialties across Great Britain and Ireland.

Rationalisation of the hospital service and rationalisation of surgical training are two topics being explored at the annual RCSI Millin Meeting which is being held today in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. More than 120 surgeons and surgical trainees will attend the day long conference and presentations will be given by leading consultants, the Department of Health and the Irish Medical Council.

(L-R) Mr Joseph Duignan Council Member RCSI and Citator, Prof Eilis McGovern President RCSI, Dr Richard Reznick Honorary Fellow, Prof Cathal Kelly Registrar/CEO RCSI

(L-R) Mr. Emmanuel Equare, Mr. Karl Sweeney, Mr. Barry Lane

Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer will give the first lecture of the day, providing a strategic overview of the changes taking place within hospitals. This will be followed by reports of personal experiences from surgeons involved in the change process within their local hospitals as well as looking at the surgical specialities in light of rationalisation of hospital services.

(L-R) Dr Eva Doherty, Prof. Sean Tierney

Enda Mulvany, Covidien; David Murray, Covidien, Mr. Peter Murchan, Consultant Surgeon

(L-R) Paul Ridgway, Christine Buckley, Brian Barry

Professor John MacFie, President of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland will open the second part of the conference, focusing on the rationalisation of surgical training and exploring the definition of the end-point of training. Professor Richard Reznick, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Queens University will give a lecture entitled ‘Better, Faster, Cheaper...Pick Two. This lecture explores the concept that nowadays, you cant have all three; therefore a doctor must pick the two that work best for their organization. Professor Reznick was also awarded an Honorary Fellowship of RCSI.

(L-R) Prof Eilis McGovern, RCSI President, Mr. Fraser Smith, Prof Cathal Kelly, RCSI CEO

Professor Eilis McGovern, President, RCSI said ‘The rationalisation of the hospital services and rationalisation of surgical training are both countrywide topics which are currently being reviewed by the Department of Health & Children. Addressing these two issues at the Millin meeting, provides surgeons with the opportunity to hear first hand from their colleagues the implications of the changes taking place. Additionally, the Fellowship Feedback Session gives surgeons with opportunity to provide feedback on topics such as the Elective Surgery Programme.

To view the full Millin Meeting programme visit: http://www.rcsi.ie/millin2011

Professor Ciaran OBoyle, Director of the Institute of Leadership, today delivered the closing keynote address to the 10th Annual Human Resources Conference of the Irish Universities Association held at University College Cork.

The theme of the conference was "Surviving and Thriving Through the Recession". Professor OBoyles lecture, entitled "Coping With Pressure and Fostering Resilience in Challenging Times" explored personal and organisational strategies for dealing with stress in the higher education sector and examined the importance of distributed leadership in addressing the challenges of working in a modern university. The conference was addressed by a range of national and international experts and explored the challenges for the higher education sector in maximising employee wellbeing and engagement in the context of rapid change and diminishing resources.

The RCSI Graduate Entry Programme (GEP) Open Day took place at Connolly Hospital on Saturday, 12th November 2011. 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 and Health Sciences, whose address introduced the attendees to RCSIs programmes with particular emphasis on the GEP. This was followed by a series of short talks regarding the GEP programme in RCSI including the facilities, the structure and style of the curriculum as well as details of the application process which were given by Professor Seamus Sreenan, Director of the GEP Programme and Mr. Philip Curtis, Director of Admissions, RCSI.

GEP 2 student Kerac Falk (centre) assisting open day participants at Diagnostic Investigation session.

A total of 64 potential students, from a diverse range of academic backgrounds, attended the Open Day. In keeping with the theme for the day, which was cardiology, Dr Jim ONeill, Consultant Cardiologist at Connolly Hospital introduced a patient with heart failure 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.

Dr Ibrahim Yearoo, Cardiology Tutor and Dr Daragh Moran, Cardiolgy Specialist Registrar, introduced the participants to Diagnostic Investigations, which provided an introduction to basic clinical skills with an emphasis on cardiology including measuring blood pressure levels and a demonstration of echocardiography.

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.

GEP 2 student Erica Coughlan with open day participant

Additional sessions focused on the importance of good communication skills to clinical practice, given by Dr Mahmood Al Saeed, GEP Clinical Tutor. Attendees were also given the opportunity to meet students already in the programme.

The GEP Open Day concluded with a question and answer session where the attendees had the opportunity to address their questions regarding the process of application for the programme and about medicine as a career.

The RCSI GEP programme is the number one such programme in Ireland, consistently admitting students with the highest Graduate Medical Schools Admission Test score and this year, as last, all students admitted had indicated that RCSI was their first preference. The annual Open Days have undoubtedly contributed to the success of the programme which was recognised in 2010 by unconditional accreditation by the Irish Medical Council to 2013.

Dr Ibrahim Yearoo, Cardiology Tutor (left) instructing open day participants at Diagnostic Investigation session.

The evaluation of the event was extremely positive and some of the feedback comments were:

"The event was excellent. I cant think of any other ways to improve the Open Day. The student experience activities were excellent and really provided an insight into the daily life here. Many thanks!"

"An excellent overview of the GEP programme. The "day case" made the day very worthwhile providing a more realistic medicinal experience"

"Excellent day, it was very informative to both how life would be like in medicine and what we need to know before making this decision to change careers."

"The day was fantastic. I am genuinely surprised at how well organised and participative it was. Top marks all around"

Professor Seamus Sreenan, Consultant in Diabetes and Endocrinology at Connolly Hospital and Director of the Graduate Entry Programme in Medicine at RCSI, met with the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, to mark World Diabetes Day, which takes place today, Monday 14th November.

Pictured (l-r) Mr. Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland and Professor Seamus Sreenan, RCSI.

Professor Sreenan was part of a delegation from Diabetes Ireland who met the newly inaugurated President at the event which took place in Áras an Uachtaráin. Professor Sreenan is also a Medical Advisor for Diabetes Ireland.

Pictured (l-r) Mr. Kieran OLeary, Chief Executive of the Diabetes Federation of Ireland; Mr. Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland; Professor Seamus Sreenan, RCSI.

Professor Sreenan’s research interests include the pathophysiology of beta cell dysfunction in diabetes, cardiovascular complications and the impact of sleep quality on cardiovascular risk in diabetes.

The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland will confer 717 students with undergraduate degrees and postgraduate awards at three conferring ceremonies today in the College. This is the largest number of students to graduate from the College in one day.

Pictured from(L-R) Ross McKiernan and Robert Wells who received their PhDs at the RCSI conferring ceremony

The day will commence at 10.00am with the conferring of Degrees of Masters of Surgery, Masters in Pharmacy and Higher Degrees by Research to 182 students. At 12.30pm, 228 students will be conferred with undergraduate degrees in Medicine, Pharmacy and Physiotherapy and Degrees of Masters of Science (MSc). At 2.30pm, 307 students will be conferred with postgraduate degrees in Nursing and Midwifery.

Catherine Sweeney, Paul Hennelly, Sandra Sullivan, Jenny Reynolds (Masters in Pharmacy Graduates)

Professor Eilis McGovern, RCSI President said "The variety and number of awards being presented here today reinforces RCSIs key role as a leading provider in healthcare education in Ireland. Today marks a celebration and recognition of the graduates accomplishments which they have achieved through outstanding ability, diligent application, sacrifice, excellent teaching and, in particular the support of family and friends. I would like to congratulate everyone here today on their achievements and wish them success in their careers."

Pictured (l-r) are Moataz El Khaldy (Master of Surgery Graduate), Alaa Mustafa and Muyiwa Arema (Master of Surgery Graduate)

Pictured (l-r) are Muyiwa Arema (Master of Surgery Graduate) and Mr. Paddy Broe, Vice-President, RCSI

The first PhD graduates in the structured PhD programme in Diagnostics and Therapeutics for Human Disease funded by the HRB. (L to R): Dr Ciara Kelly, Dr Ross McKiernan, Professor Kevin B Nolan (Head of School of Postgraduate Studies), Dr Helen McVeigh (Postgraduate Programmes Manager), Dr Isabel Vega-Carascal, Dr Robert Wells.

Pictured (l-r) are Emmet Campion, Dr. Helen McVeigh, Safia Aljallaf and Professor Kevin Nolan.

Pictured (l-r) are Mary Ledwith, Vincent McDonagh, Dermot OFlynn, Dr. Tanya Levingston (Institute of Leadership MSc Graduates)

Pictured (l-r) are Paul Manley and Naomi Richardson (MSc Healthcare Management Graduates)

Pictured (l-r) are Suhanniya Logeswaran, Rachael Stewart, Gillian Doyle (BSc Pharmacy Graduates)

Pictured (l-r) are Aileen Cullen and Rachel Brady (BSc Pharmacy Graduates)

Pictured (l-r) are Fiona Liston and Clare Costello (MSc Nursing Graduates)

Pictured (l-r) are Dr. Zena Moore and Emma Cullen-Gill, winner of the Mary Frances Crowley Award

Pictured (l-r) are Professor Seamus Cowman and Lorraine Heery, winner of the National Florence Nightingale Committee of Ireland Award.

On Friday 18 November the RCSI Red Cross Society organised "Lights, Camera, Auction!" to raise much needed funds for the Irish Red Cross.

RCSI students participating in the auction

The theme was Hollywood glamour and the students did not disappoint, walking the red carpet in style.

As well as the serious matter of fundraising, it was a fun filled evening of entertainment, provided by our own students. They are really a very talented bunch!!!

The Red Cross Society team, led by students Chelsea Garcia and Yashoda Singh, worked tirelessly to obtain items that money usually cant buy - such as a private Anatomy lesson with Dr Alice McGarvey, a walk on part in the popular soap Fair City and many other items - including a date at Nandos with a bellydancer!!

Speaking at the event Margie Morgan from Student Services said "It is fabulous to see the hard work that the Society have put into this event. They set out with the intention of raising €1,500 for the Irish Red Cross and more than trebled that. They should be very proud".

The Irish Red Cross works both at home in Ireland and in countries overseas which have been damaged by wars or natural disasters.

The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) is one of a number of partners in Ireland and across Europe who are working with the HSE to deliver a concerted effort to tackle inappropriate antibiotic use. Other partners who are contributing to the campaign include the Irish College of General Practitioners, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and the Irish Pharmacy Union.

The key message of the new campaign is - Antibiotics are wasted on colds and flu. Taking antibiotics when they arent needed means that they wont work when you really need them for a serious infection. Taking antibiotics for a viral illness, such as a cold or flu, is of no benefit to the patient and is a waste.

Dr. Fidelma Fitzpatrick, Consultant Microbiologist and HSE Clinical Lead for the Prevention of Healthcare-associated Infection, says "Antibiotics have revolutionised the way we treat patients with bacterial infections and have saved many lives since their introduction in the middle of the last century. However antibiotics are sometimes taken unnecessarily for infections such as colds and flu where they have absolutely no benefit for the individual. Using antibiotics when we dont really need them leads to the person building up a resistance to antibiotics: when they really need an antibiotic for a serious illness, an antibiotic may not work.

"If we dont take action now, we risk wasting one of the most important medical advances of the past 100 years," she concluded.

For further information visit: www.hse.ie/go/antibiotics

The Health Research Board today launched its annual ‘Picture of Health’ publication, which highlights recent and exciting developments arising from Irish health research it has funded. Picture of Health 2011 outlines the findings and achievements of more than 40 out of 105 HRB-grants ended in 2010, including nine researchers from RCSI.

The RCSI Researchers featured in the report are:

Speaking about the publication, Minister for Health James Reilly, TD said, ‘I strongly believe in the value of health research. Health research can contribute to delivering a better healthcare system and improved standards of well-being. This publication shows the relevance, value and potential impact of health research on people’s health, the delivery of our health services and the formulation of health policy.’

Speaking at the launch event this morning, Mr Enda Connolly, Chief Executive of the Health Research Board said ‘The Picture of Health 2011 captures just some of the immediate achievements that flow from the Health Research Board’s investment in health research. Health research affects our daily lives. It develops our understanding of health and human diseases. It provides the evidence to help us to tackle health challenges, to improve our health care system, while at the same time it creates opportunities for economic benefits.’

RCSI Researchers Dr Sally-Ann Cryan, Prof Fergal O’Brien and Prof David Henshall spoke about their research at the launch event held this morning.

A total of 105 HRB grants were completed in 2010, resulting in:

• · 105 new international collaborations.
• · 669 patients enrolled on cancer clinical trials across 14 hospitals.
• · 18 new products and interventions in development.
• · 38 PhD students trained across many health disciplines.
• · 59 influences on policy and practice.
• · Leverage of over €11m in additional research funding.

Every year World Aids Day is celebrated on 1st December. One of the main aims of the Caribbean-African Society (CAS) is to raise money for Aid Africa, a charity which utilizes all resources available to alleviate suffering in Africa and give hope for a positive future. Each year, as part of its fundraising activities, CAS organise and produce the Chocolate Ball and funds raised are donated to this worthwhile cause.

RCSI students on Chocolate Ball

RCSI students on Chocolate Ball

In keeping with previous years, the evening was all about chocolate and some giant chocolate fountains certainly helped to focus attention. Mountains of chocolate were elegantly displayed in all shapes and sizes at the beautifully decorated tables. An impressive stage show included acts from Dance Society and Choral Society - to name but two, with other groups and individuals making dance and music contributions on the night. The Art Society provided the impressive décor.

RCSI students on Chocolate Ball

Asha Moosai of CAS commented "I am so proud that we have achieved this, and I am extremely grateful to have had such an amazing committee to work with. However none of this could have been accomplished without the support, assistance and guidance of several RCSI staff from Student Services to the Porters to Billy Cahill and everyone in between." She also praised all the performers for giving up their time in the many rehearsals and practice sessions.

RCSI students on Chocolate Ball

Asha went on to thank the staff members who were not put off by the wet and windy weather on the night and who came out to support the event including Vice Dean - Dr Orna Tighe, Noreen Shankey & Corriena Brien from Student Services, and a strong turnout from the Anatomy Department with Drs Alice McGarvey, Jane Holland, Valerie Morris, Maha Al Marashi and Emmet Thompson.

To date, the event has raised over €5,000 - a big thank you to all involved.

RCSI students on Chocolate Ball