Trainee Awards 2026: Winners Announced
The winners of this year’s Trainee Awards were announced at National Education Day on 22 May 2026.
The awards recognise trainee achievements in communication, improvements in patient care and specialist education and training, and research.
Award applicants present their research at the annual National Education Day, organised by RCPI Trainees Committee, with abstracts selected for both oral presentation and poster presentation. Winners are selected by a judging panel of clinicians.
CORRIGAN AWARD
Named after past RCPI President Sir Dominic Corrigan (1859-1863), the Corrigan Award recognises the best Basic Specialist Training (BST) case study in competition. It recognises excellence in communication - the ability to identify complicated and challenging aspects of patient histories and communicate what we can learn from them. The winner receives an educational grant worth €1,000
Oral presentation:
Dr Andleeb Badar (BST General Paediatrics, Coombe Hospital),
When Twitchy Muscles Lead to a Twitchy Diagnosis: A Rare Presentation of Pseudohypoparathyroidism Type 1B Triggered by Flucloxacillin in a 14-Year-Old Boy
Poster presentation:
Dr Philip Mulvey (BST General Internal Medicine, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital)
Hidden in Plain Sight: Multimodality Imaging Reveals the Underlying Aetiology of an Acute Low-output Heart Failure in a Younger Patient
WILLIAM STOKES AWARD
Awarded by RCPI Trainees Committee, the William Stokes Award recognises research of the highest standards carried out by trainees in Higher Specialist Training (HST) or International Clinical Fellowship Programme (ICFP). The winning trainee receives an educational grant worth €4,000
Oral presentation:
Dr Joanne Byrne (HST Infectious Diseases, St Vincent’s University Hospital)
Development and Validation of an Orthopoxvirus Immunoassay for Evaluation of Mpox Antibody Responses
Poster presentation:
Dr Ciara Ottewill (HST Respiratory Medicine)
Development of a Multi Modal Model to Predict Asthma Outcomes
DOROTHY STOPFORD PRICE MEDAL
Honouring Dorothy Stopford Price (1890-1954), a pioneer in infectious disease control in Ireland, this medal was introduced in 2018. The medal recognises excellence in research or audit on vaccination, immunisation or control of infectious diseases and its potential impact on public health. The winner receives an educational grant worth €1,000, funded by RCPI Faculty of Public Health Medicine.
Oral presentation:
Dr Paul Reidy (HST Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Galway)
Mapping Socioeconomic Determinants of Antimicrobial Resistance: A Five-year Cohort Study in a Tertiary Irish Hospital
Poster presentation:
Dr Annemarie Lanigan (HST Clinical Microbiology, Cork University Hospital)
Uncovering Hidden Threats: A Point Prevalence Survey of Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacterales, Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus, Extended-Spectrum -Lactamase and Clostridioides Difficile Carriage from Rectal Screening of Hospitalised Patients
ARTHUR EAKINS AWARD
Named after Occupational Medicine physician Arthur Eakins (1932-2022), this award was introduced in 2024 by RCPI Trainees Health & Wellbeing Committee. It is awarded for a research project or quality improvement initiative which improves and promotes trainee health and wellbeing. The winner receives an education grant worth €1,000, funded by RCPI Faculty of Occupational Medicine.
Oral presentation:
Dr Kate McCarthy (HST Geriatric Medicine, Mercy University Hospital Cork)
Navigating Parenthood during Medical Training
KATE MCGARRY PRIZE
Named after much-beloved physician Dr Kate McGarry, who developed cardiology services in Our Lady’s Hospital Navan, this prize was introduced by RCPI Trainees Committee in 2019. The prize winner is selected from a shortlist of winning submissions into RCPI Trainees E-journal Club, reviewing practice-changing articles.
Winner:
Dr David Synott (HST Nephrology, Midlands Regional Hospital Tullamore
TRAINER OF THE YEAR AWARD
An initiative of RCPI Trainees Committee since 2021, this award encourages trainees to nominate their RCPI trainers, in recognition of high standards of training, support and leadership.
Winner:
Dr Emer Kelly
Respiratory Medicine, St Vincent’s University Hospital
Find out how to apply for RCPI Trainee Awards