Photo: (l-r) Ms. Susan Ronan ( PEI Ireland), Professor Dominic Hegarty (Consultant Pain Medicine, Professor Whelton (Head of College of Medicine & Health UCC), Dr. Gabrielle Ioham (Consultant Anaesthesiologists UCC)

We are pleased to highlight that the first European inaugural pain interventional workshop for young doctors co-ordinated and designed by Professor Dominic Hegarty (Clinical Director Pain Relief Ireland, Associate Professor in Pain Medicine, School of Medicine UCC) proved to be an outstanding success.

The course, which was conducted at the ASSERT Centre, College of Medicine & Health, UCC, a state-of-the-art simulation and surgical training centre with the support of the School of Medicine, the College of Anaesthesiology Ireland. Susan Ronan, the National Manager at PEI (pain division), a leader in the Irish Healthcare Industry agreed to be an educational partner in this innovate pilot course. Uniquely this was the first time in Europe that interns were invited to have a “hands-on” real life experience in the skills of interventional pain procedure.

“It aimed to introduce these young doctors to the basic interventional options available to help their patients but also to provide them with an insight into the world of interventional pain at an early stage in their career pathway” says Professor Hegarty.

“The success of this event was due to having an experienced team in place with Tracey Ahern (Senior Executive at ASSERT). Michael Cronin (Clinical Industry Liaison ASSERT, UCC), Dr. Gabrielle Ioham (Consultant Anaesthesiologist who is an Internationally recognised expert in regional anaesthesia, as well as support from the School of Medicine and Department of Anatomy, UCC.”

On the day Professor Helen Whelton. Head of College of Medicine and Health at University College Cork and Chief Academic Officer, HSE, SSW Hospital Group attended and was delighted with the success of the event.

"All the delegates reported that it exceeded their expectations and would highly recommend this to their colleagues..."

“All the delegates reported that it exceeded their expectations and would highly recommend this to their colleagues which really is the vote of confidence to ensure this can become a bi-annual event in order to ensure all intern who want to attend can”  according to Prof. Hegarty.

Another first for Professor Hegarty and we wish him the best in the next event!