The MGA launched our first series of the MGA Clinical Influencers Podcast in early 2022 with six episodes led by Professor Muiris FitzGerald. The second and third series are led by Professor Patrick Murray who is delighted to be joined by a UCD School of Medicine Alumnus for each conversation.
Dr Tomas Neilan is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, the Director of the Cardio-Oncology Program and the Co-Director of the Cardiac Imaging Research Center. He graduated from UCD Medicine in 2006.
Dr Neilan has had a long-standing clinical and research interest in the cardiovascular care of patients with cancer.
Join Prof Murray and Dr Neilan as they discuss the importance his parents placed on education, wanting to be a doctor from about 11 years of age, how he has got better at saying no over the years and all the places he’d like to travel to with his wife and three children.
Professor Bobby Smyth is a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, who has acted as clinical lead across three adolescent addiction services in Dublin since 2003. He graduated from UCD Medicine in 1991.
Prof Smyth is a Clinical Professor with the Department of Public Health and Primary Care in Trinity College Dublin.
He is a member of the National Oversight Committee which monitors implementation of the National Drugs Strategy in Ireland and, he is vice-chair of Alcohol Action Ireland.
Join Prof Murray and Prof Smyth as they talk about the important of adolescent addiction services and infrastructure, his interest in child psychiatry and how sailing in Greece helps him to properly ‘stitch off’.
Dr Ruth O’Regan is the Chair of Medicine and Charles A. Dewey Professor at the University of Rochester. She additionally serves as Professor of Oncology, Physician-in-Chief of Strong Memorial Hospital, and Associate Director of Education and Mentoring at the Wilmot Cancer Institute at the University of Rochester.
Dr O’Regan graduated from UCD Medicine in 1988. Her specialty areas are breast cancer, resistant breast cancers, early drug development, and research development of new therapies with a specific focus on triple-negative breast cancer.
Join previous classmates, host Professor Pat Murray and Dr O’Regan as they reminisce about studying Medicine at UCD. Dr O’Regan shares what she’d like her legacy to be, the differences between health in the US and Ireland and how she ended up focusing on breast cancer, plus much more.
Dr Gary O’Toole graduated from Medicine at UCD in 1996 and completed his internship and basic surgical training in St Vincent’s University Hospital from 1996 – 1999. His orthopaedic training was on the Irish Specialist Training Programme in Orthopaedic Surgery (1999-2004). He then completed two specialist fellowship training programmes. He has an interest in adult arthritis (both hip and knee) and knee sports injuries. He also has a keen interest in musculoskeletal cancer (bone and soft tissue tumours).
Dr O’Toole is also a retired Irish Olympic swimmer – he represented Ireland in the Seoul and Barcelona Games.
Join Prof Murray and Dr O’Toole as they discuss studying at UCD and how the alphabet has a lot to do with meeting lifelong friends; the differences between working in Sydney and New York; spending half his salary to see U2 live at Madison Square and; the belief that ‘It doesn’t matter what you do, it’s how you shape your children’.
A world-renowned expert in infectious disease, Professor Mary Horgan recently completed her second term as President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland — the first female in this role since its establishment in 1654. She is Professor of Infectious Diseases at UCD and Mater Misericordiae Hospital.
Originally from Kerry, Professor Horgan graduated from UCD in 1986. She was awarded her MD in 1995, MRCPI in 1988 and FRCPI in 1997. During her career, Prof Horgan has become a national and international leader in medical education and training, in infectious disease and public health and has spearheaded medical education and scientific education in Ireland.
Previously Dean of the Medical School in UCC in 2013 for a four-year term, Prof Horgan also served as President of the Infectious Diseases Society of Ireland, on the boards of the Health Products Regulatory Authority, Irish Blood Transfusion Service and the Mercy University Hospital and the Governing Body of University College Cork. She is Director of Education in the European Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (ESMCID). Professor Horgan was awarded the UCD Alumni award for health in 2019.
In November 2023, the Department of Health released this Press Release, stating the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly’s appointment of Professor Mary Horgan to design a dedicated, emerging health threats agency. This new public health agency is to focus on infectious diseases, pandemic preparedness, and other emerging threats to public health. See the news story on the School of Medicine website here.
Join Prof Murray and Prof Horgan as they discuss the vital role she played during the pandemic, what caring for patients in America taught her, her passion for watching live sport and holidaying in Portugal, and much more.
Fr Chris Garrett was born and raised in San Francisco and completed his Medicine degree at UCD in 1988. He practiced academic medical oncology and clinical research for 28 years in the United States and worked in the Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology as an Associate Professor of Oncology at the University of South Florida (Tampa) and as Professor of Medicine, at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre.
Following seminary formation and study of Philosophy and Theology at St Patrick’s Pontifical seminary and university, Maynooth, he was ordained a priest for the diocese of Elphin in May 2023. Fr Garrett is currently a curate in Kilkeevan Parish, St Patrick’s, Castlerea.
Join Prof Murray and Fr Garrett as they discuss studying at UCD, Fr Garrett’s involvement with the church throughout the years, his love for the arts, sport and holidaying in Spain and his move from Doctor to Priest.
Dr Cathy Quinlan graduated from UCD Medicine in 2003. She is a Paediatric Nephrologist, Clinician Scientist, Principal Fellow and Academic Lead for Graduate Research at the Royal Children’s Hospital, the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and the University of Melbourne, Australia.
Dr Quinlan has a career focus on genetic kidney disease and a passion for the early detection of disease to prevent progression.
Join Prof Murray and Dr Quinlan as they discuss the life-long friendships made at UCD, the importance of women in the medical profession and how George Clooney inspired her to focus on paediatrics!
Graduating from UCD Medicine in 1988, Dr Ray Power completed his GP specialist training before working in Australia with the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the University of Western Australia.
A co-founder of Centric Health in Ireland, Dr Power believes that the doctor-patient relationship is at the core of effective healthcare promoting patient health and wellbeing. He believes the impact of deep and meaningful relationships between patients and their GPs is about prevention and not hyper-intervention, it is moving from a sickness to a wellness model, it is about having the time to hear patients’ concerns and strive to keep them healthy in their own communities.
Join Prof Murray and Dr Power as they reminisce about their days as UCD medical students and as Dr Power shares his insights into a general practice health system focused on patient wellbeing.