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About Us
 

Our People

 

President and Council

Council is the governing body of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. It sets our mission, vision and strategic direction, and approves general policies. Council also ensures the accountability of RCPI by monitoring and supporting the implementation of policies, directives and general functions.

 

College Officers

Headshot of Dr Diarmuid O'Shea in his presidential gown. Dr O'Shea is President of RCPI

Dr Diarmuid O'Shea

President

Dr O’Shea became a Member of RCPI in 1988 and a Fellow in 1998. A graduate of University College Dublin, Ireland, he did his core training in Ireland and worked in Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee and the Royal Victoria Infirmary and Freeman Hospitals in Newcastle, United Kingdom, before returning to the post of Consultant Geriatrician at St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.   

He served as National Specialty Director in Geriatric Medicine from 2000 to 2004 and was elected to RCPI Council in 2007.  He established the successful RCPI Masterclass Series in 2007 and held the positions of Masterclass Series Convenor and Vice-President of Education and Professional Development from 2007 to 2014.  He was Registrar of RCPI from 2014 to 2020, playing a leading role in promoting the College’s work to improve patient care, the quality of medical practice and the health of the population.  He served as Chair of the Irish Committee of Higher Medical Training between 2017 and 2019, President of the Irish Gerontological Society from 2017 to 2020, Clinical Lead for the National Clinical Programme for Older People in the HSE from 2010 to 2019, and was the RCPI Clinical Lead for the Mandatory Teaching Review from 2021 to 2023. 

He was elected as the 143rd President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in 2023 and took up his role at the RCPIs annual stated meeting on 18 October 2023.  

Contact: president@rcpi.ie

Headshot of Dr Pamela O’Connor, Vice President at RCPI

Dr Pamela O’Connor

Vice President

Dr Pamela O’Connor is a neonatologist at the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin. An NUIG graduate, she trained in paediatrics in Ireland, followed by fellowship training in perinatal and neonatal medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA, returning to a consultant post in 2003 at the Coombe and Crumlin hospitals. As director of neonatology in Crumlin hospital, she further developed services for the neonate with complex medical and surgical needs.

Dr O’Connor is FRCPI since 2004, and in 2019, she was elected as a Fellow representative on the board of the Faculty of Paediatrics. She is honoured to represent the specialty of paediatrics on the council of the RCPI. She is a director on the board of Helium Arts charity that supports children with chronic medical conditions. She is passionate about improving the health and wellbeing of the youngest and most vulnerable members of our society.

Headshot of Professor Michael Keane, Registrar at RCPI

Professor Michael Keane

Registrar

Professor Michael Keane is Registrar of the College, and an elected Fellow on RCPI Council. Prof Keane is Professor of Medicine and Therapeutics at UCD and Consultant Respiratory Physician at St Vincent’s University Hospital (SVUH). He graduated from UCD in 1989 and following initial clinical training in Dublin, moved to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor for a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine in 1995. He subsequently took up a faculty position at University of Michigan in 1998 and in 2000 moved to University of California, Los Angeles, where he was Professor of Medicine and Programme Director for the UCLA Interstitial Lung Disease Center.

Professor Keane returned to UCD and St Vincent's University Hospital in 2007 where he is an SFI Principal Investigator at the UCD Conway Institute and SVUH Lead Clinical Coordinator for Lung Cancer services. He is Lead Clinical Director, Chairman of the Medicine Division, Chair of the SVUH Medical Executive and a member of the hospital Board of Directors. He is Clinical Director of the UCD Clinical Research Centre and a member of the Molecular Medicine Ireland Board of Directors. His research interests centre on molecular investigation into, and treatment of, inflammatory lung diseases, particularly pulmonary fibrosis. 

Headshot of Dr Maeve Skelly, Treasurer at RCPI

Dr Maeve Skelly

Treasurer

Dr Maeve Skelly is Treasurer of RCPI. She graduated from UCD and trained in Gastroenterology, Hepatology and General Medicine in St Vincent's Hospital Dublin while completing a PhD through the Dept of Pharmacology in UCD. Dr Skelly completed her training in Queen's Medical Centre Nottingham and University of Nottingham. After a couple of years as a Consultant in Sheffield Teaching Hospitals she returned to Ireland to take up her current position as a Consultant Gastroenterologist in University Hospital Limerick. Dr Skelly has been Treasurer of Irish Society of Gastroenterology, Clinical Lead for Bowel Screen in the Mid West and BST Programme Director of UL Hospital. Dr Skelly has served three terms on Council of RCPI and one term as Censor

 

Elected Fellows on Council

Headshot of Dr Anna Clarke, Elected Fellow on RCPI Council

Dr Anna Clarke

Elected Fellow

Dr Anna Clarke MD, MPH, FFPHMI, FFPH, FRCPI, Diploma in Leadership and Quality in Healthcare, currently works as a Consultant in Public Health Medicine at the Department of Public Health HSE East in response to the Covid19 surge. Prior to this, she worked in the National Immunisation Office and undertook project work in NDTP until February 2020. She is the Clinical Lead for the International Clinical Fellowship Progarmme, RCPI. She is a member of the Education and Training Committee of the Institute of Medicine and National Immunisation Advisory Committee.

A former Dean and NSD of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine, she is a current examiner for the FFPHMI examination. In addition, she is a member of the Education, Training and Professional Development Committee and on the Education and Training General Assessors Panel, Medical Council of Ireland, having previously served as a Member and Vice President. Her main interests are education, training and immunisation.

Professor Gaye Cunnane

Elected Fellow

 Dr Martin Hogan

Dr Martin Hogan

Elected Fellow

Dr Hogan is a full-time specialist in Occupational Medicine. He was previously the Dean of the Faculty and also served on the College Council. He was the President of the 2018 ICOH Congress in Dublin, the largest Occupational Health event in Ireland, and currently holds the position of Vice President of ICOH. 

Professor Cathy McHugh

Professor Cathy McHugh

Elected Fellow

Professor McHugh is a Consultant Endocrinologist at Sligo University Hospital. She served on the Board of the Institute of Medicine on the RCPI Council from 2017-2022. She is also part of the MRCPI Part II Examinations Board, and Convenor of the Clinical Examination in Sligo. Prof McHugh is also an External Examiner for MRCPI examinations abroad, and a Trainer for Examiners. 

Headshot of Dr Pamela O'Connor, Elected Fellow on RCPI Council

Dr Pamela O’Connor

Elected Fellow

Dr Pamela O’Connor is a neonatologist at the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin. An NUIG graduate, she trained in paediatrics in Ireland, followed by fellowship training in perinatal and neonatal medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA, returning to a consultant post in 2003 at the Coombe and Crumlin hospitals. As director of neonatology in Crumlin hospital, she further developed services for the neonate with complex medical and surgical needs.

Dr O’Connor is FRCPI since 2004, and in 2019, she was elected as a Fellow representative on the board of the Faculty of Paediatrics. She is honoured to represent the specialty of paediatrics on the council of the RCPI. She is a director on the board of Helium Arts charity that supports children with chronic medical conditions. She is passionate about improving the health and wellbeing of the youngest and most vulnerable members of our society.

Headshot of Professor Liam Plant, Elected Fellow on RCPI Council and Censor

Professor Liam Plant

Elected Fellow and Censor

Professor Liam Plant is an elected Fellow and Censor on the RCPI Council. He graduated in Physiology (1982) and Medicine (1985) from UCC. Following General Professional Training in Cork, he entered Higher Specialist Training in Nephrology in Scotland and was appointed Consultant Renal Physician at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and Honorary Senior Lecturer in Medicine at Edinburgh University. Since 2001 he has had a busy clinical and teaching practice in Cork University Hospital as Consultant Renal Physician and as a Clinical Professor in Renal Medicine in UCC.

He holds, and has held, numerous leadership positions in many domains (Clinical Practice, Service Delivery, Administration, Education, Training & Professional Development) integral to the practice of Medicine. 

Professor Donal Reddan

Professor Donal Reddan

Elected Fellow

Professor Reddan served on Council for 10 years, from 2012 to 2022. He was Vice-President in 2014-2015 and Treasurer from 2017 to 2022. During his tenure, he served as the Education Committee's secretary and chaired the Finance Audit and Risk Committee.  

Headshot of Dr Joan Power

Dr Joan Power

Elected Fellow

Headshot of Professor Aine Carroll

Professor Aine Carroll

Elected Fellow

Professor Aine Carroll, Professor of Healthcare Integration and Improvement at University College Dublin and Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine at the NRH in Dublin, has dedicated her career to blending academic rigour with practical clinical expertise.

In her leadership roles, Professor Carroll has significantly influenced the field of integrated care. As Chair of the International Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC), she has led initiatives to promote integrated care models both nationally and globally. Her previous role as National Director of the Clinical Strategy and Programmes Division in the HSE saw her spearheading systemic change through the establishment of Integrated Care Programmes.

Professor Carroll’s longstanding association with the RCPI highlights her dedication to advancing medical education and healthcare standards. Her contributions include serving as a member of the MRCP Part 1 Board (2023-current), an elected RCPI Council member (2015-2020), and the ICHMT Professional Competence Schemes (PCS) Representative for RCPI (2019-2020). She also served as National Specialty Director for Rehabilitation. Professor Carroll has been involved in several key committees, such as the Governance Oversight Group, the GDPR Professional Policy Group, and the Finance Audit and Risk Committee (FinARC).

Headshot of Dr Laura Durcan

Dr Laura Durcan

Elected Fellow

Dr Laura Durcan is a Rheumatologist, Physician and Associate Clinical Director at Beaumont Hospital, and she previously served as Vice-President of the IHCA. 

Dr Durcan is deeply committed to addressing the challenges faced by non-scheme doctors, many of whom are overseas professionals who play a crucial role in the Irish healthcare system but often struggle to receive proper recognition for their training. Additionally, she is eager to normalise, encourage and facilitate the pursuit of a balanced life for Trainees, helping them to manage both their professional and personal lives. She believes that improving working conditions for doctors in training is essential to ensure they continue to thrive as physicians.  

Headshot of Dr Suzanne O’Sullivan

Dr Suzanne O’Sullivan

Elected Fellow

Dr Suzanne O’Sullivan is an accomplished Obstetrician, Gynaecologist, and subspecialist Urogynaecologist based at CUMH. A 1992 graduate of UCD, she has been deeply involved in postgraduate training with RCPI since 2013, serving as National Specialty Director for BST and HST, and currently holds the position of National Director of Training at the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Dr O’Sullivan led the expansion of our HST scheme and development of an advanced simulation programme as well as the conversion to an OBE curriculum. Her leadership in these areas was recognised with the first NDTP Excellence in Medical Education award in 2018 for the simulation project. 

Dr O’Sullivan has a strong interest in improving workforce planning and service provision in women’s health and has presented and published on issues in our specialty and the impact of litigation. From 2013 to 2017, she served as President of the Continence Foundation of Ireland and chaired the Urogynaecology National Clinical Guideline Development Group for the NWIHP in 2020. As the senior author of the National Guideline on the Management of Stress Urinary Incontinence published in 2023, she continues to contribute significantly to the field. 

She also serves on the National Clinical Advisory Group for Maternity and Gynaecology Services with NWIHP and has worked with the National Women’s Taskforce on pelvic health and training, as well as the Global Health Steering Group. Additionally, Dr O’Sullivan is co-director of the European Board-Certified subspecialty Urogynaecology training programme in Cork and is a member of the National Mesh Oversight Group. She currently represents the ROI Fellows on the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Council.

 

Trainees' Committee Representatives

Dr Alessandra Biagini

Chair, Trainees’ Committee

Dr Alessandra Biagini is the Vice Chair of the Trainees’ Committee. 

Dr Biagini graduated in 2012 in Italy, from the Marche Polytechnic University (UNIVPM) where she also achieved her PhD in Biomedical Science focused on perinatal wellbeing. She founded a multiaward winning start up company based on her research projects and was clinical manager and co-member of a Biomedical academic spin-off of her university. In 2018 she moved to Ireland and started her training in Paediatrics with RCPI.

Alessandra is currently on her second year of Higher Specialist Training in Paediatric and in the past she has been one of the RCSI tutors in Neonatology. Following her Diploma in Health Professions Education (RCSI) she is currently completing her Masters degree in Health Professions Education (RCSI) studying the effectiveness of gamification within educational environments as didactic tool for medical students.

Dr Patricia Harkin

Vice Chair, Trainees' Committe

Dr Patricia Harkins is a specialist registrar in Rheumatology and GIM, currently in her fourth year of higher specialist training in St. James Hospital Dublin. 


This is her fourth year on the RCPI Trainees' Committe, having previously held the positions of lead trainee representative, and vice chair. 


She graduated from Trinity College Dublin in 2017, and since then has received a Masters in Health Professions Education, in addition to a Masters in Musculoskeletal Science through the University of Oxford, where she graduated with distinction. 


She is currently in her third, and final year of her PhD, while also working as a Lecturer Registrar in Clinical Skills with the School of Medicine in Trinity College Dublin, and St. James Hospital.

 

Advisory Co-Optees

Mr Joe O’Shea

Mr Joe O’Shea

Lay Member on Council

Joe is a graduate of National University of Ireland, Galway and is a Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland. He was formerly a partner in PwC and was managing partner of the firm's Cork practice from 1995 until his retirement from the firm in 2012.

Joe is a part time lecturer on a post graduate business programme at University College, Cork and is a lecturer on the education programme for final year accountancy students at Chartered Accountants Ireland.

Joe is Chairman of the Board of Bon Secours Health System CLG. He is also a director of Bon Secours Mercy Health Inc (USA), and Mercy University Hospital Cork. He is a former Chairman of the Board of Marymount University Hospital and Hospice. He is a director/advisor with a number of other private companies and organisations.