Dr Spencer Johnson, Medicine Class of 1968 and bestselling author of ‘The One Minute Manager' and ‘Who Moved My Cheese?', took the stage with Irish broadcasting veteran, Pat Kenny on Thursday, 29 October in RCSI.

The event marked the launch of the new ‘In conversation with...' series which will showcase RCSI alumni and other inspiring role models who are front-runners in their field, celebrating those who have been successful as healthcare innovators and global thought-leaders.

Ms Aíne Gibbons, Director of Development and Alumni Relations, RCSI said: "We are honoured to welcome an RCSI alumnus who is one of the world's most respected authors, Dr Spencer Johnson, to launch our inaugural event and look forward to announcing an exciting line-up of more thought-provoking speakers as the series continues into 2016 and beyond."

Sharing his books' fundamental theme of "simple and obvious ways to reduce stress", Dr Johnson and Pat Kenny engaged in a lively dialogue including audience interaction, as they discussed strategies for successfully dealing with change and why Dr Johnson turned from a fascination with illness to a focus on life. More than 100 alumni are expected to attend the event.

Whilst he did not pursue a traditional medical career path Dr Johnson attributes much of his original thinking to his education in RCSI where he was exposed to a variety of people from many different countries and varying points of view; diversity that RCSI celebrates to this day.

Originally from the USA, and currently living in Hawaii, Dr Johnson graduated with a medical degree from RCSI in 1968. While in Dublin, he wrote for student journals and edited a book with radiologist, Dr Max Ryan for publication in a series he himself created: Moments with Medicine. He interned in Canada and was accepted for an ear, nose and throat surgical residency at the Mayo Clinic. However, Dr Johnson decided to focus on a career as a writer and in 1969, he was appointed director of special projects for the Journal of Modern Medicine.

Dr Johnson found his true calling as an author and has sold more than 50 million books, translated into 47 languages worldwide. His 13 New York Times bestsellers include the #1 titles Who Moved My Cheese?: An A-Mazing Way to Deal with Change, and The New One Minute Manager: The World's Most Popular Way to Manage Your Work and Life. In 1981, Dr Johnson co-authored The One Minute Manager, which remained on the New York Times best-seller list for more than three years.