The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) is a medical professional and educational institution, which is also known as RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ireland's first private university. It was established in 1784 as the national body for the surgical branch of medicine in Ireland, with a role in supervision of training, and as of 2021 provides a broad range of medical education in multiple countries.
RCSI's main campus is situated on
St. Stephen's Green and York Street in central
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
and incorporates schools of
medicine
Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...
,
pharmacy
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medicines. It is a miscellaneous science as it links heal ...
,
physiotherapy
Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is one of the allied health professions. It is provided by physical therapists who promote, maintain, or restore health through physical examination, diagnosis, management, prognosis, patient ...
and
nursing
Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...
. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate education in a number of healthcare fields.
The RCSI achieved Ireland's highest position in the ''
Times Higher Education
''Times Higher Education'' (''THE''), formerly ''The Times Higher Education Supplement'' (''The Thes''), is a British magazine reporting specifically on news and issues related to higher education.
Ownership
TPG Capital acquired TSL Education ...
'' (''THE'') University Impact Rankings 2021, coming joint second in the world for ‘Good Health and Wellbeing’ from a total of 871 institutions.
THE University Impact Rankings recognise universities around the world for their social and economic impact based on the United Nations' 17
Sustainable Development Goals
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or Global Goals are a collection of 17 interlinked objectives designed to serve as a "shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future".United Nations (2017) R ...
(SDGs).
History
Background and foundation
Since medieval times, the practice of surgery in Dublin was licensed by one of the
Guilds of the City of Dublin
The Guilds of the City of Dublin were associations of trade and craft practitioners, with regulatory, mutual benefit and shared religious purposes. In their eventual number they were sometimes called the "25 ''minor corporations''", in contrast ...
, the
Barber-Surgeons
The barber surgeon, one of the most common European medical practitioners of the Middle Ages, was generally charged with caring for soldiers during and after battle. In this era, surgery was seldom conducted by physicians, but instead by barbers ...
'
Guild
A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradesmen belonging to a professional association. They sometimes ...
, also known at times as ''the Guild of St.
Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene (sometimes called Mary of Magdala, or simply the Magdalene or the Madeleine) was a woman who, according to the four canonical gospels, traveled with Jesus as one of his followers and was a witness to crucifixion of Jesus, his cru ...
''. The guild chapel was in
Christchurch
Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...
. Guild membership was obtained by a 3-year
apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system for training a new generation of practitioners of a Tradesman, trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study (classroom work and reading). Apprenticeships can also enable practitioners ...
, followed by 2 years as a journeyman. In fact the College of Surgeons maintained a mandatory period of apprenticeship to become a qualified surgeon until 1828.
In 1446, the Barber-Surgeons' guild was
incorporated by a royal decree of
Henry VI, becoming the first medical
corporation
A corporation is an organization—usually a group of people or a company—authorized by the state to act as a single entity (a legal entity recognized by private and public law "born out of statute"; a legal person in legal context) and r ...
in Britain or Ireland.
In 1765
Sylvester O'Halloran, a surgeon from
Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
, proposed a College of Surgeons along the lines of the College de St. Cosme in Paris, which had been regulating French surgeons since it had been created by Royal Charter by
Louis IX
Louis IX (25 April 1214 – 25 August 1270), commonly known as Saint Louis or Louis the Saint, was King of France from 1226 to 1270, and the most illustrious of the Direct Capetians. He was crowned in Reims at the age of 12, following the d ...
in 1255, to train and regulate surgeons.
[The ''Proposals for the Advancement of Surgery in Ireland''] The Dublin Society of Surgeons was founded in 1780 at the Elephant public house on Essex Street (now Parliament Street).
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...
did not teach surgery as a subject until 1851, so Ireland was entirely without a school focused on surgery. To have a separate organization focused on providing standardised surgical education became one of the goals of the society and they lobbied for a Royal Charter, in 1781 presenting the
Lord Lieutenant
A lord-lieutenant ( ) is the British monarch's personal representative in each lieutenancy area of the United Kingdom. Historically, each lieutenant was responsible for organising the county's militia. In 1871, the lieutenant's responsibility ...
a petition to be incorporated separately from the
barbers
A barber is a person whose occupation is mainly to cut, dress, groom, style and shave men's and boys' hair or beards. A barber's place of work is known as a "barbershop" or a "barber's". Barbershops are also places of social interaction and publi ...
. The awaited
charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the rec ...
was granted by
King George III
George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Br ...
on 11 February 1784. The governing body, including the first President, Samuel Croker-King, and William Dease, first professor of surgery, met in the boardroom of the
Rotunda Hospital
The Rotunda Hospital ( ga, Ospidéal an Rotunda; legally the Hospital for the Relief of Poor Lying-in Women, Dublin) is a maternity hospital on Parnell Street in Dublin, Ireland, now managed by RCSI Hospitals. The eponymous Rotunda in Parnell S ...
for the first time on 2 March.
Non-discrimination
Admission or employment was not subject to discrimination on sectarian grounds. Two of the RCSI's leading founders, Sylvester O'Halloran and William Dease, as well as 11 of its first 57 presidents, were Catholics. The college also recognized the medical qualifications given by the
Catholic University from 1856, which gave legitimacy to their diplomas.
18th and 19th centuries
The first candidate for examination was John Birch, in August 1784.
![R](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/R.C.S.I_Disease_Research_Centre.jpg)
The RCSI's first location, at the corner of York Street, was acquired in September 1805, with additional land at Glover's Alley bought in 1809. The site was previously an abandoned
Quaker
Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...
burial ground
A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a buri ...
. The Duke of Bedford laid the first stone of the new building on St. Patrick's Day, 1806 and building reached completion in March 1810. As of 2021, this remains the primary location of the institution.
A supplemental charter was granted by
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
in 1844, dividing medical graduates into
Licentiates
A licentiate (abbreviated Lic.) is an academic degree present in many countries, representing different educational levels.
It may be similar to a master's degree when issued by pontifical universities and other universities in Europe, Latin A ...
and Fellows. Initially, physicians were trained alongside surgeons. In 1886 these two disciplines were merged, and the medical school began operation. As a result of this historical legacy, graduates of medicine still receive Licentiate diplomas from the two Royal Colleges as well as now being awarded MB (
Bachelor of Medicine
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery ( la, Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae; abbreviated most commonly MBBS), is the primary medical degree awarded by medical schools in countries that follow the tradition of the United King ...
) BCh (
Bachelor of Surgery
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery ( la, Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae; abbreviated most commonly MBBS), is the primary medical degree awarded by medical schools in countries that follow the tradition of the United King ...
) and BAO (
Bachelor of the Art of Obstetrics) degrees by the
National University of Ireland
The National University of Ireland (NUI) ( ga, Ollscoil na hÉireann) is a federal university system of ''constituent universities'' (previously called ''university college, constituent colleges'') and ''recognised colleges'' set up under t ...
.
Now defunct subjects formerly taught include: Logic (1852–1862), Military Surgery (1851–1860) and
botany
Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek w ...
(1792–1889).
20th century
During the
1916 Rising, the main college building on
St Stephen's Green
St Stephen's Green () is a garden square and public park located in the city centre of Dublin, Ireland. The current landscape of the park was designed by William Sheppard. It was officially re-opened to the public on Tuesday, 27 July 1880 by L ...
was occupied by
Irish Citizen Army
The Irish Citizen Army (), or ICA, was a small paramilitary group of trained trade union volunteers from the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union (ITGWU) established in Dublin for the defence of workers' demonstrations from the Dublin M ...
forces, led by Commandant
Michael Mallin
Michael Thomas Christopher Mallin ( ga, Micheál Ó Mealláin; 1 December 1874 – 8 May 1916) was an Irish republican, Socialist and devout Catholic who took an active role in the Easter Rising of 1916. He was a silk weaver, the co-founder wi ...
and
Countess Markievicz
Constance Georgine Markievicz ( pl, Markiewicz ; ' Gore-Booth; 4 February 1868 – 15 July 1927), also known as Countess Markievicz and Madame Markievicz, was an Irish politician, revolutionary, nationalist, suffragist, socialist, and the firs ...
. After surrendering, both were tried and sentenced to death. Mallin was executed while Markievicz's sentence was commuted due to her gender.
The subject Hygiene or Political Medicine (1841–1921) was retired, and its Chair united with Medical Jurisprudence.
The RCSI became the first
medical institution of learning to offer a
4-year graduate entry programme for medicine in Ireland.
21st century
During the period 2014 – 2018, RCSI affiliated researchers collaborated with over 2,100 international academic and industry institutions producing over 2,900 co-authored publications. The university's field-weighted citation impact is twice the world average and scores in the top decile internationally in the ''
Times Higher Education World University Ranking
The ''Times Higher Education World University Rankings'' (often referred to as the THE Rankings) is an annual publication of university rankings by the ''Times Higher Education'' (THE) magazine. The publisher had collaborated with Quacquarelli ...
'' (2020).
In December 2019, the RCSI was authorised as a university, becoming the ninth in Ireland, following a change in legislation, and an application by the college. The long-sought change in status was complicated by the RCSI's status as a private body but eventually a standard process was created and the college met the conditions set out in it, and following ministerial approval, the change was endorsed by votes in both houses of the
Oireachtas
The Oireachtas (, ), sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the Bicameralism, bicameral parliament of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of:
*The President of Ireland
*The bicameralism, two houses of the Oireachtas ...
.
This also made it the eleventh university on the island of Ireland, including
The Queen's University of Belfast
, mottoeng = For so much, what shall we give back?
, top_free_label =
, top_free =
, top_free_label1 =
, top_free1 =
, top_free_label2 =
, top_free2 =
, established =
, closed =
, type = Public research university
, parent = ...
and
Ulster University
sco, Ulstèr Universitie
, image = Ulster University coat of arms.png
, caption =
, motto_lang =
, mottoeng =
, latin_name = Universitas Ulidiae
, established = 1865 – Magee College 1953 - Magee Un ...
.
Associated hospitals
Since the 1980s
Beaumont Hospital, Dublin
Beaumont Hospital ( ga, Ospidéal Beaumont) is a large teaching hospital located in Beaumont, Dublin, Ireland. It is managed by RCSI Hospitals - one of the hospital groups established by the Health Service Executive. Its academic partner is t ...
has been the principal centre for medical training. Other affiliated hospitals include teaching hospitals such as
Connolly Hospital
The Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown ( ga, Ospidéal Uí Chonghaile Baile Bhlainséir) is a teaching hospital in Blanchardstown, Dublin, Ireland. It is managed by RCSI Hospitals.
History
The hospital, which was initially established as a t ...
,
Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital
The Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital (also known as The Eye and Ear) ( ga, Ospidéal Ríoga Victoria Súl agus Cluas) is a public teaching hospital in Dublin, Ireland. The Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital in Dublin was founded in 1895 and ...
,
St. Joseph's Hospital, Dublin
St. Joseph's Hospital ( ga, Ospidéal Naomh Seosamh) is a hospital in Raheny, on the Northside of Dublin in Ireland. It is used as a rehabilitation hospital for patients of the Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.
History
The hospital was founded in Ed ...
and University Hospital Waterford.
Academic structure
The institution has a structure of ''Faculties'' and ''Schools'', some parts of which focus more on undergraduate studies, some more on post-graduate and continuing professional education.
The lead faculty is the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, with Schools as follows:
* School of Medicine (largest medical school in Ireland; 5- or 6-year undergraduate programme, 4-year Graduate Entry Programme (GEM))
* Schools of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences (undergraduate, including MPharm, and post-graduate, education)
* School of Physiotherapy (undergraduate and graduate-entry, and post-graduate, education)
* School of Nursing & Midwifery (largest post-graduate nursing education provider in Ireland)
* School of Postgraduate Studies (three Masters streams, MD and PhD studies)
and two other units:
*
Institute of Leadership
* Centre for Positive Psychology and Health
The other faculties are:
* Faculty of Radiologists (catering to radiologists and radiation oncologists)
*
Faculty of Dentistry
* Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery
* Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine, operated jointly with the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
Education is delivered using a structure of departments working across faculties and schools.
Research and innovation
RCSI is home to numerous healthcare research collaborations and centres. The university's research is focused on improving human health through "translational" research: clinical, laboratory-based and health service research informed by societal and global health challenges, and on improved diagnostics, therapeutics and devices; healthcare delivery issues; policy and clinical practice and enhancement of the quality of education of healthcare professionals.
Strategic research themes include:
* Biomaterials and regenerative medicine
* Cancer
* Neurological and psychiatric disorders
* Population health
* Health service issues
* Surgical science and practice
* Vascular biology
Admissions and values
RCSI is a culturally diverse, international organisation with alumni presence in almost every country in the world. More than 3,800 students representing 60 nations are typically enrolled in its Medicine (1,800), Pharmacy (200) and Physiotherapy (100) programmes. RCSI claims to have educated more than 26,000 alumni.
It states that it values innovation, excellence, independence, academic freedom, diversity, tolerance and community and that it champions a patient-centric approach to its activities and endeavours. RCSI is the largest Irish medical school.
Student life
The Students' Union (SU) is an annually elected body, consisting of 8 officers. The SU is the institution's bridge between faculty and the student body and is invited to most meetings, ensuring that student voices are heard on a variety of topics. The SU works closely with the Student Council, which consists of class representatives from all classes at RCSI.
Students at RCSI are encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities that promote service in the community and cultural awareness. 80% of the student population is from outside the
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
, with a significant portion coming from North America, the Middle East and Asia.
The Biological Society (BioSoc) is the official student society of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and claims to be the oldest student medical society in the world. The RCSI International Night and the Chocolate Ball (amongst many others) are their main annual events.
RCSI has a sports ground in Dardistown in Dublin's northern suburbs.
International aspects and operations
The RCSI is active in medically-related sectors of education in multiple locations. During the South African
Apartheid
Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...
, for example, the RCSI provided medical education to those that were discriminated against. More than 60 countries from each continent are represented in the RCSI student body.
In
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
the RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus, became the RCSI's "launching pad" in
South-East Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...
. Established in 1995, medical students may choose to complete their pre-clinical studies at either UCD or RCSI in Dublin, before continuing the clinical aspect of their degree in Penang. Also in
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
,
Perdana University Royal College of Surgeon in Ireland (PU-RCSI) was established in 2011, aiming to host up to 100 students per year on its 5-year undergraduate medical programme, the first cohort to graduate in 2016.
RCSI-Bahrain
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Bahrain (RCSI Bahrain) formerly known as the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI-MUB; Irish: ''Coláiste Ríoga na Máinleá in Éirinn'') is a constituent univers ...
is a fully-owned constituent university of the RCSI, the first cohort of its students commencing medical studies in October 2004. Graduates are entitled to a Degree of Bachelor of Medicine, NUI, Bachelor of Surgery, Bachelor of Obstetrics MB, BCh, BAO (NUI, RCSI) degrees. In 2006, the Medical University of Bahrain established a new School of
Nursing
Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...
which took its first cohort of students in September 2006. Since 2009, students can also obtain the degrees conferred upon RCSI graduates from the
National University of Ireland
The National University of Ireland (NUI) ( ga, Ollscoil na hÉireann) is a federal university system of ''constituent universities'' (previously called ''university college, constituent colleges'') and ''recognised colleges'' set up under t ...
.
In 2005, RCSI
Dubai
Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...
was founded and currently offers a
master's
A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. programme in Healthcare Management. In 2007, the RCSI, in conjunction with Valentia Technologies, the
Dublin Fire Brigade
The Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB; ga, Briogáid Dóiteáin Átha Cliath) is the local authority fire service, fire and rescue service and ambulance service for Dublin, Dublin City and the majority of the Greater Dublin Area. It is a branch of Dub ...
(DFB), and Ireland's Pre Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC), launched a unique training initiative with the Emergency Medical Services Dubai Training Institute. The aim is to better patient care and improve response times within Dubai's emergency ambulance services.
For students at the home institution of the RCSI, options may be taken abroad as a result of collaborative agreements with other medical schools around the world. In 2007, these medical schools included
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
,
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
, and
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university on the border of Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1852 as Tufts College by Christian universalists who sought to provide a nonsectarian institution of higher learning. ...
. There are also informal agreements with other institutions such as the
Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins is the oldest research university in the United States and in the western hem ...
and
Mayo Clinic
The Mayo Clinic () is a nonprofit American academic medical center focused on integrated health care, education, and research. It employs over 4,500 physicians and scientists, along with another 58,400 administrative and allied health staff, ...
.
Motto and colours
The RCSI
motto
A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. Mot ...
, "Consilio Manuque", was adopted from that of the ''College de St. Cosme'' in Paris, which had been afforded the motto by
Louis XIV
, house = Bourbon
, father = Louis XIII
, mother = Anne of Austria
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
, death_date =
, death_place = Palace of Vers ...
. It was originally "Consiloque Manuque", his personal motto.
Notable alumni
*
Professor Abraham Colles of Anatomy, the first person to characterise the injury that was later on known as
Colles' fracture
*
Felipe Contepomi
Felipe Contepomi (born 20 August 1977) is an Argentine rugby coach who is currently the backs coach at Leinster Rugby. He was a rugby union footballer who played fly-half or centre; his last club was Club Newman, in the first division of the U ...
, former
Argentina rugby union international.
*
Surgeon Captain Thomas Joseph Crean VC DSO (1873 to 1923), who later achieved the rank of
Major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
.
*
Baron Darzi of Denham, Professor of Surgery,
Imperial College London
Imperial College London (legally Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom. Its history began with Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, who developed his vision for a cu ...
, and formerly the British
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health
A parliamentary system, or parliamentarian democracy, is a system of democratic governance of a state (or subordinate entity) where the executive derives its democratic legitimacy from its ability to command the support ("confidence") of the ...
* Sir
Alexander Dempsey
Sir Alexander Dempsey, M.D. Royal Society of Medicine, FRSM, Justice of the Peace, JP (born 1852, Ballymoney, County Antrim — died 1920) was an Ireland, Irish physician, hospital administrator and magistrate.
Educated at St Malachy's College ...
, M.D. FRSM, JP, physician, hospital administrator and magistrate.
*
Emily Winifred Dickson (13 July 1866 – 1944), the first woman Fellow of any Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland or Great Britain
*
Patrick Dignan, major general, director of army surgery,
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
, between 1973 and 1978.
*
Sir Ian Fraser (1901-1999), president of the college and president of the
British Medical Association
The British Medical Association (BMA) is a registered trade union for doctors in the United Kingdom. The association does not regulate or certify doctors, a responsibility which lies with the General Medical Council. The association's headquar ...
, who introduced the widespread use of penicillin into military hospitals during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
*
Nada Haffadh,
Bahrain
Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...
's first female minister when she was appointed Minister of Health in 2004
*
Ravi Kant, professor of surgery,
Padma Shri
Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, ...
award winner(2016) and vice chancellor of
King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India.
*
Karl Mullen
Dr Karl Daniel Mullen (26 November 1926 – 27 April 2009) was an Irish rugby union player and consultant gynaecologist who captained the Irish rugby team and captained the British Lions on their 1950 tour to Australia and New Zealand.
Mulle ...
, Irish
Rugby Union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...
player and captain of the
Grand Slam
Grand Slam most often refers to:
* Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves
Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to:
Games and sports
* Grand slam, winning category te ...
-winning Irish team in 1948
*
Pat O'Callaghan
Patrick "Pat" O'Callaghan (28 January 1906 – 1 December 1991) was an Irish people, Irish Athletics (sport), athlete and Olympic Games, Olympic Olympic Gold Medal, gold medallist. He was the first athlete from Ireland to win an Olympic medal un ...
, Irish gold medallist at both the
1928
Events January
* January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly proving the existence of DNA.
* January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris Bazhanov, J ...
and
1932
Events January
* January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel.
* January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident (1932), Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort ...
Olympic Games
*
Ian Robertson, former star of the
Dublin gaelic football team
*
Sir William Stokes, knighted for his contribution in the field of surgery.
*
Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
Wan Azizah binti Wan Ismail (Jawi alphabet, Jawi: وان عزيزة بنت وان إسماعيل; born 3 December 1952) is a Malaysian people, Malaysian politician who is the spouse of Anwar Ibrahim, the current Prime Minister of Malaysia. Sh ...
, first Malaysian to be awarded the MacNaughton-Jones gold medal for Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1977; a MP, the first president of the Malaysian
People's Justice Party
The People's Justice Party ( ms, Parti Keadilan Rakyat , often known simply as KEADILAN or PKR) is a reformist political party in Malaysia, formed in 2003 by a merger of the National Justice Party and the older Malaysian People's Party. The ...
, the first female Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister and wife to current Malaysia’s 10th prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim.
*
Sir William Wilde, surgeon, author and father of
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...
*
T.G. Wilson
Thomas George Wilson FRCSI FRCSE FRCS FACS FRSM MRIA HRHA (1 July 1901 – 6 November 1969) was an eminent Anglo-Irish surgeon and medical administrator specialising in otorhinolaryngology, a field to which he made significant contribution ...
, President of the RCSI (1958–61), author, founder of the Journal of the College (1963)
Notable honorary fellows
*
Benjamin Bell
Benjamin Bell of Hunthill FRSE FRCSEd (6 September 1749 – 5 April 1806) is considered to be the first Scottish scientific surgeon. He is commonly described as the father of the Edinburgh school of surgery,Richardson BWS, Martin MSM. Discipl ...
(1784)
*
Percivall Pott
Percivall Pott (6 January 1714, in London – 22 December 1788) was an English surgeon, one of the founders of orthopaedics, and the first scientist to demonstrate that a cancer may be caused by an environmental carcinogen.
Career
He was the ...
(1788, posthumous)
*
John Hunter (1790)
*
John Abernethy John Abernethy may refer to:
* John Abernethy (bishop), Scottish bishop, died 1639
* John Abernethy (judge) (born 1947), Australian judge
*John Abernethy (minister) (1680–1740), Presbyterian minister in Ireland
*John Abernethy (surgeon) (1764–18 ...
,
Astley Cooper
Sir Astley Paston Cooper, 1st Baronet (23 August 176812 February 1841) was a British surgeon and anatomist, who made contributions to otology, vascular surgery, the anatomy and pathology of the mammary glands and testicles, and the patholog ...
,
Antonio Scarpa
Antonio Scarpa (9 May 1752 – 31 October 1832) was an Italian anatomist and professor.
Biography
Scarpa was born to an impoverished family in the frazione of Lorenzaga, Motta di Livenza, Veneto. An uncle, who was a member of the priesthood, gav ...
,
Samuel Thomas von Sömmerring
Samuel Thomas von Sömmerring (28 January 1755 – 2 March 1830) was a German physician, anatomist, anthropologist, paleontologist and inventor. Sömmerring discovered the macula in the retina of the human eye. His investigations on the brain ...
(1821)
*
Georges Cuvier
Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric, Baron Cuvier (; 23 August 1769 – 13 May 1832), known as Georges Cuvier, was a French natural history, naturalist and zoology, zoologist, sometimes referred to as the "founding father of paleontology". Cuvier ...
(1831)
*
Friedrich Tiedemann
Friedrich Tiedemann Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS HFRSE (23 August 178122 January 1861) was a German anatomist and physiologist. He was an expert on the anatomy of the brain.
Tiedemann spent most of his life as professor of anatomy and physi ...
(1836)
*
Benjamin Collins Brodie (1838)
*
Richard Owen
Sir Richard Owen (20 July 1804 – 18 December 1892) was an English biologist, comparative anatomist and paleontologist. Owen is generally considered to have been an outstanding naturalist with a remarkable gift for interpreting fossils.
Owe ...
(1849)
*
William Bowman (1867)
*
Samuel Haughton
Samuel Haughton (21 December 1821 – 31 October 1897) was an Irish clergyman, medical doctor, and scientific writer.
Biography
The scientist Samuel Haughton was born in Carlow, the son of another Samuel Haughton (1786-1874) and grandson (by h ...
(1873)
*
Hermann von Helmholtz
Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz (31 August 1821 – 8 September 1894) was a German physicist and physician who made significant contributions in several scientific fields, particularly hydrodynamic stability. The Helmholtz Association, ...
(1881)
*
Louis Pasteur
Louis Pasteur (, ; 27 December 1822 – 28 September 1895) was a French chemist and microbiologist renowned for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation and pasteurization, the latter of which was named afte ...
,
Joseph Lister
Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister, (5 April 182710 February 1912) was a British surgeon, medical scientist, experimental pathologist and a pioneer of antiseptic surgery and preventative medicine. Joseph Lister revolutionised the craft of s ...
,
Thomas Henry Huxley
Thomas Henry Huxley (4 May 1825 – 29 June 1895) was an English biologist and anthropologist specialising in comparative anatomy. He has become known as "Darwin's Bulldog" for his advocacy of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.
The storie ...
,
James Paget
Sir James Paget, 1st Baronet FRS HFRSE (11 January 1814 – 30 December 1899) (, rhymes with "gadget") was an English surgeon and pathologist who is best remembered for naming Paget's disease and who is considered, together with Rudolf Virch ...
,
Thomas Spencer Wells
Sir Thomas Spencer Wells, 1st Baronet (3 February 181831 January 1897) was surgeon to Queen Victoria, a medical professor and president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
Early life
He was born at St Albans, Hertfordshire and receive ...
(1886)
*
John Eric Erichsen
Sir John Eric Erichsen, 1st Baronet (19 July 1818 – 23 September 1896) was a Danish-born British surgeon.
Early life
Erichsen was born in Copenhagen, the son of Eric Erichsen, a member of a well-known Danish banking family. He attended Mans ...
,
Jonathan Hutchinson
Sir Jonathan Hutchinson (23 July 1828 – 23 June 1913), was an English surgeon, ophthalmologist, dermatologist, venereologist, and pathologist.
Life
He was born in Selby, Yorkshire, of Quaker parents and educated in the local school. Then he ...
(1887)
*
Thomas Heazle Parke
Thomas Heazle Parke (1857–1893) was an Irish physician, British Army officer and author who was known for his work as a doctor on the Emin Pasha Relief Expedition.
Early life
Parke was born on 27 November 1857 at Clogher House in Kilmor ...
(1889)
*
John Shaw Billings
John Shaw Billings (April 12, 1838 – March 11, 1913) was an American librarian, building designer, and surgeon. However, he is best known as the modernizer of the Library of the Surgeon General's Office of the Army. His work with Andrew Carn ...
,
Hermann Snellen
Herman Snellen (February 19, 1834 – January 18, 1908) was a Dutch ophthalmologist who introduced the Snellen chart to study visual acuity (1862). He took over directorship of the Netherlands Hospital for Eye Patients (Nederlandsch Gasthuis vo ...
(1892)
*
Thomas Joseph Crean (1902)
*
Anthony Traill (1905)
*
Henri Hartmann,
Alfred Henry Keogh,
Almoth Edward Wright (1906)
*
William Macewen
Sir William Macewen, (; 22 June 1848 – 22 March 1924) was a Scottish surgeon. He was a pioneer in modern brain surgery, considered the ''father of neurosurgery'' and contributed to the development of bone graft surgery, the surgical treat ...
(1912)
*
Berkley Moynihan (1913)
*
Harvey Cushing
Harvey Williams Cushing (April 8, 1869 – October 7, 1939) was an American neurosurgeon, pathologist, writer, and draftsman. A pioneer of brain surgery, he was the first exclusive neurosurgeon and the first person to describe Cushing's disease. ...
(1918)
*
Arthur William Patrick Albert (1919)
*
William Mayo and
Charles Mayo,
William Williams Keen
William Williams Keen Jr. (January 19, 1837June 7, 1932) was an American physician and the first brain surgeon in the United States. During his lifetime, Keen worked with six American presidents.
Early life and education
Keen was born in Phila ...
(1921)
*
Alfred Webb-Johnson (1948)
*
Cecil Pembrey Grey (1954)
*
Seán T. O'Kelly
Seán Thomas O'Kelly ( ga, Seán Tomás Ó Ceallaigh; 25 August 1882 – 23 November 1966), originally John T. O'Kelly, was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as the second president of Ireland from June 1945 to June 1959. He also serve ...
(1958)
*
Benjamin Guinness
Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness, 1st Baronet (1 November 1798 – 19 May 1868) was an Irish brewer and philanthropist.
Brewer
Born in Dublin, he was the third son of the second Arthur Guinness (1768–1855), and his wife Anne Lee, and a grandson of ...
(1961)
*
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera (, ; first registered as George de Valero; changed some time before 1901 to Edward de Valera; 14 October 1882 – 29 August 1975) was a prominent Irish statesman and political leader. He served several terms as head of governm ...
,
Arthur Porritt (1964)
*
Michael Ellis De Bakey (1967)
*
Bryan Guinness
Bryan Walter Guinness, 2nd Baron Moyne, (27 October 1905 – 6 July 1992) was an heir to part of the Guinness family brewing fortune, and a lawyer, poet and novelist. He was briefly married to Diana Mitford.
Early life
He was born to Wa ...
,
Walter Mackenzie (1968)
*
Denis Parsons Burkitt,
Francis Daniels Moore (1973)
*
Cearbhall O'Dalaigh (1975)
*
J. Hartwell Harrison, M.D.
John Hartwell Harrison (February 16, 1909January 20, 1984) was an American urologic surgeon, professor, and author. He performed the first human organ removal for transplant to another. This was a pivotal undertaking as a member of the medical ...
(1976)
*
Patrick Hillery
Patrick John Hillery ( ga, Pádraig J. Ó hIrghile; 2 May 1923 – 12 April 2008) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as the sixth president of Ireland from December 1976 to December 1990. He also served as vice-president of the Eur ...
(1977)
*
Robert B. Salter (1978)
*
John W. Kirklin
John Webster Kirklin (April 5, 1917 – April 21, 2004) was an American cardiothoracic surgeon, general surgeon, prolific author and medical educator who is best remembered for refining John Heysham Gibbon, John Gibbon's cardiopulmonary bypass, h ...
(1979)
*
Daoud Hanania (1980)
*
Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (1988)
*
Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak (1991)
*
Mahathir bin Mohamad
Mahathir bin Mohamad ( ms, محاضير بن محمد, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; ; born 10 July 1925) is a Malaysian politician, author, and physician who served as the 4th and 7th Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held the office ...
(1991), Prime Minister of Malaysia
*
Mary Robinson
Mary Therese Winifred Robinson ( ga, Máire Mhic Róibín; ; born 21 May 1944) is an Irish politician who was the 7th president of Ireland, serving from December 1990 to September 1997, the first woman to hold this office. Prior to her electi ...
(1994), former
President of Ireland
The president of Ireland ( ga, Uachtarán na hÉireann) is the head of state of Republic of Ireland, Ireland and the supreme commander of the Defence Forces (Ireland), Irish Defence Forces.
The president holds office for seven years, and can ...
*
Emir Shaikh Isa bin Sulman Al Khalifa (1995)
*
Mother Teresa of Calcutta
Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu, MC (; 26 August 1910 – 5 September 1997), better known as Mother Teresa ( sq, Nënë Tereza), was an Indian-Albanian Catholic nun who, in 1950, founded the Missionaries of Charity. Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu () was bo ...
(1995)
*
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...
(1996)
* Alfred Cuschieri (1996), professor
*
Seamus Heaney
Seamus Justin Heaney (; 13 April 1939 – 30 August 2013) was an Irish poet, playwright and translator. He received the 1995 Nobel Prize in Literature. (1998)
*
Mary McAleese
Mary Patricia McAleese ( ; ga, Máire Pádraigín Mhic Ghiolla Íosa; ; born 27 June 1951) is an Irish activist lawyer and former politician who served as the eighth president of Ireland from November 1997 to November 2011. She is an academic ...
(1998), former President of Ireland
*
Sultan Azlan Shah The Yang Di Pertuan Agong IX (2000)
*
Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum ( ar, مكتوم بن راشد آل مكتوم, Maktūm bin Rāshid Āl Maktūm; 15 August 1943 – 4 January 2006) was an Emirati politician who served as the vice president and prime minister of the Unite ...
(2004)
*
Bertie Ahern
Bartholomew Patrick "Bertie" Ahern (born 12 September 1951) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1997 to 2008, Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1994 to 2008, Leader of the Opposition from 1994 to 1997, Tánaiste a ...
(2006), former
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government, or prime minister, of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The office is appointed by the president of Ireland upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legisl ...
*
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon Geldof (; born 5 October 1951) is an Irish singer-songwriter, and political activist. He rose to prominence in the late 1970s as lead singer of the Rock music in Ireland, Irish rock band the Boomtown Rats, who achieved ...
(2007)
*
Jimmy Carter
James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...
(2007), former US President
Honorary degrees
The RCSI was granted independent degree-awarding status by the
Irish government
The Government of Ireland ( ga, Rialtas na hÉireann) is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland.
The Constitution of Ireland vests executive authority in a government which is headed by the , the head of government. The governm ...
in 2010, which also allowed the then college, now university, to award
honorary degree
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...
s. Among others, the following individuals have received honorary doctorates from the RCSI.
* 2011:
Mary McAleese
Mary Patricia McAleese ( ; ga, Máire Pádraigín Mhic Ghiolla Íosa; ; born 27 June 1951) is an Irish activist lawyer and former politician who served as the eighth president of Ireland from November 1997 to November 2011. She is an academic ...
,
President of Ireland
The president of Ireland ( ga, Uachtarán na hÉireann) is the head of state of Republic of Ireland, Ireland and the supreme commander of the Defence Forces (Ireland), Irish Defence Forces.
The president holds office for seven years, and can ...
(1997–2011)
* 2013:
The Baron Darzi of Denham, FRCSI, surgeon and former British health minister
* 2014:
Abraham Verghese
Abraham Verghese (born 1955) is an American physician, author, Professor for the Theory and Practice of Medicine at Stanford University Medical School and Senior Associate Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine. He is also the author of ...
- Doctor of Science, professor at
Stanford University School of Medicine
* 2016: Nezam H. Afdhal, Chief of Hepatology and Director of the Liver Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, Boston and Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; RCSI Class of 1981
* 2017: Bennet Omalu, forensic pathologist/neuropathologist, Chief Medical Examiner for
San Joaquin County
San Joaquin County (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''San Joaquín'', meaning "Joachim, St. Joachim"), officially the County of San Joaquin, is a county (United States), county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 20 ...
, California, and Clinical Professor of Medical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine,
University of California at Davis
The University of California, Davis (UC Davis, UCD, or Davis) is a public land-grant research university near Davis, California. Named a Public Ivy, it is the northernmost of the ten campuses of the University of California system. The institut ...
* 2018: Barbara Murphy, Murray M. Rosenberg Professor of Medicine, Dean for Clinical Integration and Population Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York; RCSI Class of 1989
* 2018: Siddhartha Mukherjee, Associate Professor of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Centre, New York
* 2019:
Sally Davies,
Chief Medical Officer for England
In the United Kingdom, a Chief Medical Officer (CMO) is the most senior government advisor on matter relating to health. There are four CMOs in the United Kingdom who are appointed to advise their respective governments:
* His Majesty's Governm ...
and Chief Medical Advisor to the UK Government Department of Health and Social Care; professor
* 2019:
Garret A. FitzGerald, physician and professor at the
Perelman School of Medicine
The Perelman School of Medicine, commonly known as Penn Med, is the medical school of the University of Pennsylvania, a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1765, the Perelman School of Medicine is the oldest medi ...
of the
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
RCSI celebrates graduates at summer conferring ceremonies
- website of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
* 2020: Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of ''The Lancet
''The Lancet'' is a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal and one of the oldest of its kind. It is also the world's highest-impact academic journal. It was founded in England in 1823.
The journal publishes original research articles, ...
''
* 2021: Martin Seligman, Zellerbach Family Professor of Psychology and Director of the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
; founder of Positive Psychology as a field of scientific study
See also
* Faculty of Dentistry of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
* Irish College of Ophthalmologists
The Irish College of Ophthalmologists or ICO is the recognised body for ophthalmology training in Ireland. Founded in 1991, it represents over 200 ophthalmologists in Ireland. Its current president is Dr Patricia Quinlan. Yvonne Delaney serves ...
* Perdana University Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
* Royal College of Surgeons of England
The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) is an independent professional body and registered charity that promotes and advances standards of surgical care for patients, and regulates surgery and dentistry in England and Wales. The ...
References
External links
*
RCSI Library collections
e-publications@RCSI, the RCSI institutional repository
RCSI Surgical Society
RCSI Students' Union
RCSI Student Medical Journal (RCSIsmj)
Beaumont Hospital
RCSI Dubai
RCSI Medical University of Bahrain
RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus
{{DEFAULTSORT:Royal College Of Surgeons In Ireland
*
1784 establishments in Ireland
Learned societies of Ireland
Surgeons in Ireland
Surgical organizations
Medical schools in the Republic of Ireland
National University of Ireland
Educational institutions established in 1784
St Stephen's Green
Seanad nominating bodies
Organisations based in Dublin (city)