Siobhan McCarthy was recently presented with the Barnes medal for Young Investigator Research for her study on ‘Managing complaints about doctors: stakeholder perspectives of the role of the Medical Council in Ireland.’ The awards presentation was part of RCSI’s Research Day which took place on Wednesday, 11 April.

Officially launched in December 2006, it is the first-ever report of its kind in Ireland.

The study was commissioned by the Medical Council and the Health Services Research Centre at RCSI conducted the research with Siobhan McCarthy, Professor Hannah McGee and Professor Ciaran O’Boyle leading the study.

The report presents key findings on medical regulatory issues and identifies their implications for the new Medical Practitioners Bill and the broader complaints system. The study surveyed 476 stakeholders, including 35 hospital managers, 250 members of the public, 74 complainants to the Medical Council and 117 doctors complained against to the Medical Council.

Other recipients of various awards included:

• Best Undergraduate Poster: Kristl Dorschner
• Best Oral Communications by an Undergraduate Student: Gerard O’Sullivan
• Best First Year Postgraduate Poster: Aoife Quinn
• Best Postgraduate Poster: P. Nally
• Best Postgraduate Oral: Orlaith Brennan
• Best Young Investigator Poster: Aine Behan

RCSI’s annual Research Day is an important date in the RCSI calendar providing its scientists with the opportunity to showcase their most recent research findings. As one of Ireland’s premier research institutions RCSI is internationally recognised for both education and research and is dedicated to improving human health through endeavour, innovation and collaboration in education, research and service.