.FEJDBM"MVNOJ /FXTMFUUFS "QSJM Contents P2 Introduction/Welcome %JBSZJO1JDUVSFT P3 Keep in Touch 6$$.FEJDBM"MVNOJ4DJFOUJmD$POGFSFODF P4 Cork Medical Students at Leiden P5 A Special Colleague - Dr. Edward Kiely P6 D0/5&/54Anatomy Forty Years On - A tribute to Prof MA MacConaill P7 The Agadir Earthquake 1960 %S)FMFO0.BIPOZ %S%FSNPU$SFBO%S"VESFZ#SBEMFZ %S.BSZ5XPNFZ%S$BUIFSJOF3ZBO P8 Haiti pre and post the January 2010 Earthquake P11 Letter from an Asian Tiger to a Celtic Pussycat P12 Pure Surgical Spirit .S4ÏBO.BOOJOH %S1BEEZ,JFMZ1SPG1BVM3FENPOE %S1BU)FOO %S%BO)JOET%S%BWJE(PVHI P14 Sleeping with the Enemy P16 Writing Skills and the Art of Medicine P17 UCC Affi nity Card P18 Frontiers P19 A Conversation with Dr Don Coleman %S$MJPOB.VSQIZ %S"JTMJOO+PZ.S1BVM0#SJFO %S%BWJE,JEOFZ%S&EXBSE(PSEPO P20 Patients and Peace at the Jennings 5IF*OBVHVSBM.S+PF0%POOFMM.FNPSJBM-FDUVSF Gallery P21 Pharmaceutical Medicine: Experiences of a UCC graduate P22 Appreciations .ST"WSJM0%POOFMM.S(FSBME.D(SFBM .S(BWBO0%POOFMM.ST"WSJM0%POOFMM 1 Dr Will Fennell Dr John Ryan Introduction Keep in Touch In the past six months I have gotten more Then upon arriving here I felt a tremendous Similarly, there is an unwritten rule here Welcome to the 9th Newslett er. requests for information regarding moving amount of pressure to perform. There that is commonly understood among to America than I did in my six years living were so many Irish that had come before Irish Physicians. Even though everyone We have again an eclectic selection of and followed by the Scientifi c Conference We would also invite all Alumni, including here. Clearly this is related in a large part me to Boston and had excelled, that I dreams of returning home, no one admits topics from around the world, all from on Thursday, September 15, and the Gala Dental graduates, to give us feedback to the deterioration of the Irish economy felt similar things were expected of me. it. Any suspicion that there is an interest Alumni or faculty. We are deeply indebted dinner that evening at 7.30pm in the on the newsletter (negative or positive) and considerable pessimism. The process In reality the Irish training system equipped in returning to the “old country” will be to all our contributors. We now have a Aula Max. as we would like to improve the newsletter, of applying for residencies and fellow- me so well, that my concerns were met with disappointment and disbelief. very diverse faculty who are bringing but we do need you to contribute to ships in the US is well described but what unsubstantiated and after a few It may sound silly but Americans cannot new vigour and energy into the We invite all Alumni and faculty to join us your newsletter! is less well known are the challenges and months I had settled in here relatively imagine that anyone would want to work remarkable development going on within in September, irrespective of when one hardships that one encounters in comfortably. Of course there were anywhere else. And immersing oneself in US carving out a career here. Although I have diff erences in practising medicine here, healthcare obviously means developing a the Medical School. graduated, to visit the Alma Mater. This newsletter includes appreciations for no regrets on making the move out, I especially in terms of the reliance on research expertise. Research is not seen as an Giving us advance notice always many outstanding Alumni and faculty would have rathered been aware of the technology and blood tests, but as extra here, but rather an integral part of an The new Dean, Professor George Shorten, allows us to prepare for your visit. who unfortunately died in the last year. diffi culties one experiences here as I feel it would long as one is malleable, the high academic career. Once papers are produced, has taken over the leadership of the Off ers to present at Grand Rounds We shall not allow their contributions have prepared me more for my American life. volume, physical exam-centric practise then one is expected to win awards (again School of Medicine from Professor or in smaller groups are always welcome. to be forgotten. of Irish healthcare complements well as long as they are awards that Americans David Kerins after 4 busy and very In this piece I will not be with specialised, academic nature of are familiar with) and grants. Although fruitful years. David we are all indebted We would appreciate it if you could discussing the challenges of living US hospitals. It just takes time. this is very demanding and stressful, it is to you. send us your e-mail address, as we without Jaff a cakes or Championship completely congruous with the experience would like to transfer our Newsletter Hurling, but rather the professional A much bigger challenge I have of Irish Physicians. When I started getting This year the Annual Scientifi c meeting to an e-Newsletter next year. realities of American Medical careers. experienced is keeping in touch involved in research (and admittedly my will start with a get together and buff et The application process is standardised with and informed about Ireland. skill-set is still growing) I was concerned and straightforward through a central Physicians by their nature are very that it would be too divergent with what on Wednesday, September 14 at 7.30 pm system. However, the awards and busy on either side of the pond, and was going on in Ireland, especially in this scholarships that are off ered through NUI it can be easy to lose touch with the time of economic downturn. I could not and our universities are completely foreign happenings and occurrences in Ireland. have been more wrong, on two accounts. to US recruiters. Also the Irish grading system However, just as they are busy, they are First of all, my mentors in Ireland all does not translate easily into Ivy League also very supportive and available when encouraged me to follow this endeavour. Professor George Shorten equivalents. contacted. In my mind the eff ort to stay in Secondly, and arguably more importantly, touch with the goings-on in Ireland need many of those who went to Medical Therefore, when applying for training to come from the emigrant living overseas. School with me and remain in Ireland are posts here, one has to make The benefi t of remaining in communication engaging in high-level research either absolutely clear the exceptional nature pays considerable dividends in terms at an MD or PhD level, to the extent Welcome of obtaining 70% in Obstetrics of being invited to give talks as well as that at times I feel left behind. and Gynaecology. This is best remaining aware of potential job openings. achieved by having a letter writer who has Also it is so tough at times getting paper- I love working here in Chicago and trained in the US and can put these work and accreditations ready for any new although I emphasised the challenges in “Th e years teach much wh ich the days never know.” --Ralph Waldo Emerson achievements in context for an job here in the US, so having the ability this piece, that was simply to better equip American audience. Similarly, we Irish (and to pick up the phone to one’s home institution anyone who is interested in coming out I still say we) are notorious for underselling and getting the Medical School records and here. There has not been a single day that As a nation we are, at best, broke. At worst, HRB- funded Clinical Research Facility The University, the College of Medicine ourselves. US applicants simply do not do letters easily compiled is invaluable. I have regretted doing my training in the the “we” refers to our grandchildren or (CRF) and Dr John MacAdoo to the and Health and the School of Medicine will that. Their personal statements emphasise US, but a lot of my success has been due great grandchildren. And Cork, which has Advanced Southern Simulation Education welcome your initiative and act on it their exceptional potential and lay out There is a fi ne line that one has to walk to the support that I have obtained from propped up this economically maligned and Training (ASSET) Centre. Professor – try us. strict career pathways that we are not here in terms of identifying oneself as “the those at home. So please, let’s keep in touch. country in more than a geographical sense, Jonathon Hourihane has launched the used to doing, with fi ve and ten year plans. Irish guy”. In fact, I feel that the best way has not escaped. One might imagine that Discovery Centre for paediatric clinical We look forward to welcoming you And no matter how artifi cial it may feel to of enjoying success here in the US, is by promote oneself in this way, without it an incorporating oneself completely like any the UCC School of Medicine must be research (a HRB-funded satellite unit of to the 2011 Annual Scientifi c Conference application simply gets overlooked. To use other trainee just with a diff erent accent struggling for survival in the rarefi ed the CRF). Despite the imposed austerity on September 15 and wish you an the local sports analogy, when playing on (it is important not to lose the accent, (a euphemism for ruthless cutbacks), enjoyable and fulfi lling meeting. atmosphere of public sector reform. their court, one has to play by their rules. by the way).