We are delighted to announce that we will be hosting two fellows under the National Doctor’s Training & Planning Unit (NDTP) Aspire post CSCST (Certificate of Satisfactory Completion of Specialist Training) Fellowship Scheme. The fellows will be working in Beaumont and St. James’ Hospitals in the areas of Surgery and Neurology, on projects focusing on Complex Epilepsy Surgery and Experimental Epilepsy and Epilepsy, E-Health and Transformation of Chronic Care. Both fellows will spend a significant portion of their time conducting cutting edge research within FutureNeuro.

Under the guidance of neurosurgeon Mr. Donnacha O’Brien in Beaumont Hospital, the fellowship in epilepsy surgery will provide the successful candidate a unique opportunity to undertake specialist neurosurgical training and education in one of the largest epilepsy neurosurgery programmes in Europe. They will have the opportunity to engage with research teams in FutureNeuro, select projects and work together to study brain tissue and biofluids recovered during and after their operations.

“The epilepsy neurosurgery programme at Beaumont hospital is one of the largest in Europe and renowned throughout the world. We offer an unique and specialized surgical environment which delivers the highest possible standards in patient care, service delivery and research advances.At the end of this surgical experience, the Fellow will be highly prized for their training, education and research experience and able to work as an epilepsy neurosurgeon anywhere in the world.”

Mr. Donncha O’Brien

Consultant Neurosurgeon, Beaumont Hospital and Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer, RCSI

The fellowship in Epilepsy, E-Health and Transformation of Chronic Care will be overseen by FutureNeuro Principal Investigator Colin Doherty in St. James’ Hospital. It will equip the fellow with the traditional skills of a chronic disease like epilepsy, but also show them the new skills of digital health, prepare them for the new environment of the expert patient and demonstrate collaborative working with them and colleagues of other grades and professions. They will engage with FutureNeuro researchers to design a research project of interest to them and also spend a portion of their time in the National Epilepsy Surgery Programme with Mr. O’Brien and his colleagues to gain exposure to the most complex epilepsy.

“This Fellowship will be unique world wide in providing not only the full set of traditional skills and exposures to one who wishes to be an epilepsy specialist but also emphasises new skills in digital transformation, virtual care, self management, patient centred co-design and transparency in personalised care and precision medicine with exciting research opportunities available.”

Dr. Colin Doherty

FutureNeuro Principal Investigator and Consultant Neurologist, St. James’ Hospital

Under the conditions of this scheme, the successful Aspire Fellows receive:

• Specialist Registrar Salary (highest point of scale) and headcount for the duration of the fellowship
• Eligibility to access the Higher Specialist Training Fund during the fellowship
• Formal recognition of achievement following completion of the fellowship from the relevant Irish Post Graduate Medical Education Body/Bodies
• A high quality fellowship experience in Ireland that will improve competitiveness for positions within Ireland

Four other Aspire Post CSCST Fellowships were awarded within the Acute hospital sector for 2020 in the following areas:

• Radiology: Prostate Cancer Survivorship
• Paediatrics: Neonatal Transfusion and Haemovigilance
• Quality Improvement: Clinical Leadership and Quality Improvement
• Quality improvement: Public Health Medicine Fellowship in Quality Improvement

Two Aspire Post CSCST Fellowships were also awarded for 2020 in Mental Health:

• Integrated Coordinated Transitional Care for Individuals with 22q11.2DS and their Families
• Neuroimaging Fellowship in Mood Disorders

It is expected that these fellowships will start in July. Please direct all queries to doctors@hse.ie