On Wednesday, 10 June, Professor Michael Brennan, Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Medical School, part of the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, USA, delivered a talk at RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) entitled 'Mayo Medical School Innovations: Preparing Better Rounded Doctors'. The lecture was given to staff and students of RCSI at the St Stephen's Green Campus.

In his talk Professor Brennan, an Alumnus of RCSI and a member of the College Board, spoke on the major curricular changes that are underway in American undergraduate medical education. These changes reflect calls from both within and outside the profession to better prepare doctors to meet and overcome the challenges imposed by the current healthcare delivery model. Mayo Medical School is among 11 academic centre recipients of a competitive American Medical Association (AMA) grant aimed at accelerating changes in medical education.

This talk highlights Mayo Medical Schools curricular changes around blended learning, teamwork, professionalism, enhancing student resilience and the ‘Science of Healthcare Delivery'.

Professor Michael Brennan is from Dublin and retains close links with his heritage and with RCSI, his Alma Mater, graduating from the medical Class of 1969. He interned at Jervis Street Hospital before moving to the United States and began working at Henry Ford Hospital. He later began a Residency Program at the Mayo Graduate School in Internal Medicine. Michael Brennan received the 2001 Mayo Clinic Distinguished Clinician Award and was elected President of Staff by his peers, becoming the first Irish-born person to hold the position. Professor Brennan is also an Honorary Fellow of RCSI.