Professor Anthony O’Regan is President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.

A consultant respiratory and general physician in Galway University Hospital and Honorary Professor of Medicine at University of Galway. Professor O’Regan graduated from UCD in 1990, trained in general internal medicine, pulmonary, critical care and clinical allergy and immunology in the USA, and was conferred with an MD by UCD in 2002.

Professor O’Regan has served as foundation Dean of the Institute of Medicine, Dean of Postgraduate Training in RCPI, Medical Director of National Doctors Training and planning, and Chief Academic Officer for Saolta (WNW Region).  He was appointed by the Minister of Health to Chair of the Taskforce on NCHD workforce and is a past president of the Irish Thoracic Society.  

Contact: president@rcpi.ie

Dr Jennifer Martin is a Senior Public Health Leader currently establishing and leading the new National Health Service Improvement Team within Public Health in Ireland. Her work focuses on reorienting the health and social care system to improve both population health and patient care, ensuring services are aligned with equity, evidence, and long-term impact.

Dr Martin has actively contributed to RCPI as a faculty trainer, interviewer, and by helping shape the reformed public health curriculum. She has also supported the development of post-CSCST fellowships to strengthen leadership pathways in public health. With a strong background in strategic and operational leadership grounded in the principles of Sláintecare, Dr Martin leads initiatives focused on quality improvement, regional capability, and evidence-based planning.

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. 

Professor Mary Higgins is Treasurer of RCPI. Originally from Kildare, Prof Higgins graduated from University College Dublin in 2000 and completed her training in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Ireland, with membership of the RCPI and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (UK) in 2005.

She has master's degrees in Evidence Based Healthcare (University of Oxford), Clinical Education (University of Galway), a MD by research in Diabetes in Pregnancy and is completing a Masters in Patient Safety and Human Factors from RCSI.

She trained in Maternal Fetal Medicine in Toronto, Canada and returned to Ireland to her current post, as Associate Professor in University College Dublin and a consultant Obstetrician/Gynaecologist in the National Maternity Hospital.

As a Principal Investigator in UCD Perinatal Research Centre, she has more than 100 publications and supervises PhD, MD, MSc and undergraduate students. 

Prof. Higgins is Chair of the MRCPI Obstetrics and Gynecology Exam Board and a Fellow of RCPI. 

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).

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.

Professor Declan Byrne is Executive Medical Director and Consultant Physician in Geriatric & General Internal Medicine at St James's Hospital, Dublin, where he has also served as Clinical Director for the MED Directorate. He is a Clinical Associate Professor of Medical Gerontology at Trinity College Dublin. 
 
Professor Byrne was recently appointed National Clinical Lead of the Medicines Management Programme. He was chair of  the National Nutrition Clinical Guideline Committee,  and is a member of the Board of the Institute of Medicine and the MRCPI Clinical Examination Committee. He is a former Regional Director of Basic Specialist Training. His research focuses on emergency medical admissions, hospital outcomes and case-mix methodology, using linked routinely collected health data.

He is committed to equity in healthcare and to ensuring that health system funding delivers real value for patients, and that the Irish Health Service remains an attractive place for doctors to work and train.

Dr Jennifer Martin is a Senior Public Health Leader currently establishing and leading the new National Health Service Improvement Team within Public Health in Ireland. Her work focuses on reorienting the health and social care system to improve both population health and patient care, ensuring services are aligned with equity, evidence, and long-term impact.

Dr Martin has actively contributed to RCPI as a faculty trainer, interviewer, and by helping shape the reformed public health curriculum. She has also supported the development of post-CSCST fellowships to strengthen leadership pathways in public health. With a strong background in strategic and operational leadership grounded in the principles of Sláintecare, Dr Martin leads initiatives focused on quality improvement, regional capability, and evidence-based planning.

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.  

Dr Michael Farrell is a Consultant Neuropathologist with over 40 years of experience in Ireland, having worked as a consultant since 1984. He graduated from RCSI in 1974 and became a Member of RCPI in 1977. After completing his pathology and neuropathology training in Ireland, London, and Canada, Dr Farrell became the first Professor of Clinical Neurological Sciences at RCSI in 1996 and later served as Dean of the Institute of Irish Clinical Neuroscience.

His primary research interests include epilepsy and neurodegeneration. Dr Farrell has received numerous honors, including the 2023 RCSI Alumni Inspiring Teacher Award, and is an active member of several international neuroscience societies. Committed to education, he is passionate about sharing his extensive knowledge with the next generation of medical professionals.

Prof. Keelin O'Donoghue is a Consultant Obstetrician and Senior Lecturer at Cork University Maternity Hospital and University College Cork (UCC), where she became a Professor in 2020. A UCD medical graduate with a PhD from Imperial College London, she is a trained Subspecialist in Maternal-Fetal Medicine and a Fellow of both the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.

Prof. O'Donoghue leads the Pregnancy Loss Research Group at UCC, the only research group in Ireland focused on pregnancy loss and perinatal death. She has played a key role in developing National Standards for Bereavement Care in collaboration with the HSE’s National Women and Infants' Health Programme.

As Clinical Lead for Guideline Development in Maternity & Gynaecology and national specialty-training director for RCPI’s Obstetrics and Gynaecology scheme, Prof. O'Donoghue is deeply committed to advancing training, guidelines, and research in her field.

Prof. Rónán Collins is a Consultant Physician in Geriatric and General Internal Medicine at Tallaght University Hospital, with a specialist interest in stroke and atrial fibrillation. He is also an Associate Professor of Gerontology at Trinity College Dublin. Prof. Collins has held leadership roles in both clinical practice and medical education, including serving as RCPI national clinical lead for stroke. He has been a member of the RCPI Council and Vice President, and is the lead author of the National Stroke Strategy (2022-2027).

He also contributes to national and international stroke research and clinical guidelines, serving as National PI on the TICH-3 stroke trial and Irish coordinator for the first Intercollegiate Clinical Stroke Guideline for the UK and Ireland.

Prof. Tim Lynch is a Consultant Neurologist at the Mater Hospital since 1998. In 2008, he founded the Dublin Neurological Institute (DNI), a center of excellence in clinical neurology, where he serves as Clinical Director/CEO. His research focuses on neurodegenerative diseases and neurogenetics, supported by grants from organizations such as the EU, HRB, NIH, and the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

In 2019, he became Chief Academic Officer IEHG and Vice Principal for Health Affairs UCD, driving collaboration between healthcare and academia. Prof. Lynch is a passionate advocate for the Academic Health Science Centres (AHSC) model, which integrates teaching, research, and innovation into clinical care to improve patient outcomes.

DR Tom O’Connell FRCPI FFOM MFPHMI MPH

Dr Tom O’Connell is a medical graduate of University College Dublin. He completed General Medicine training at St Vincents Hospital before subsequently completing specialist training in Public Health Medicine and Occupational Medicine. He trained in Occupational Medicine in Beaumont Hospital and IBM. 

Dr O’Connell is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in General Medicine and Occupational Medicine. He is a past Dean of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine and recent Director of Professional Competence, Faculty of Occupational Medicine. He works as Civil & Public Service Chief Medical Officer and is responsible for occupational health provision for 53,000 Civil Service employees. 

Past President

Dr O’Shea became a Member of RCPI in 1988 and a Fellow in 1998. 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 has held the positions of Masterclass Series Convenor and Vice-President of Education and Professional Development. 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. Dr O’Shea is the current RCPI Clinical Lead for the Mandatory Teaching Review. 

Dr O’Shea was also Chair of the Irish Committee of Higher Medical Training between 2017 and 2019, President of the Irish Gerontological Society from 2017 to 2020, and Clinical Lead for the National Clinical Programme for Older People in the HSE from 2010 to 2019.

Dr O’Shea held the office of President from 2023 - 2026.