RCSI conferred 347 healthcare professionals with postgraduate awards at a conferring ceremony on Monday, 9 December.

In addition to those conferred, Honorary Fellowships were awarded to Frank McDonald and Dr Valerie Rusch.

Dr Valerie Rusch is Vice Chair of Clinical Research for the Department of Surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, where she also holds the Miner Family Chair in Intrathoracic Cancers. Dr Rusch’s career has been devoted to thoracic surgical oncology and clinical and translational research.

Dr Rusch is currently President-Elect of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), where she served on the Board of Regents from 2008 to 2017 and was its Chair in 2015-2016. She also currently serves on its Committee on Global Engagement.

The former environment editor of The Irish Times, Frank McDonald, has authored several books, including The Destruction of Dublin (1985), Saving the City (1989) and The Construction of Dublin (2000). He has joint authored Ireland’s Earthen Houses (1997) with Peigín Doyle; Chaos at the Crossroads (2005) with James Nix, which documented the environmental destruction of the "Celtic Tiger" era; and The Builders (2008) with Kathy Sheridan, profiling the developers and others involved in the boom and bust.

His autobiography, Truly Frank: A Dublin Memoir, was recently published by Penguin Ireland.

Mr Kenneth Mealy, President of RCSI, said, “For our candidates being conferred today, this important milestone recognises their dedication and commitment to professional development. It is a pleasure to celebrate, along with their friends and family, the candidates’ achievement as they take their training, dedication and commitment to their patients and their professions.”

“I would like to congratulate Dr Valerie Rusch and Frank McDonald on their Honorary Fellowship of RCSI. It is an honour to recognise Dr Rusch as an outstanding leader in the American College of Surgeons as well as her work in thoracic surgical oncology. Frank McDonald’s writing on environmental issues has helped shine a light on the darkest parts of society, which in turn affects all of our health,” Mr Mealy concluded.

In surgery, awards include Fellowships of RCSI in General Surgery; Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery; Plastic Surgery; Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery; and Paediatric Surgery. Memberships in Otolaryngology and Ophthalmology were also awarded.

Fellowships of the Faculty of Radiologists were awarded in Radiology and Radiation Oncology and Fellowships Ad Eundem. In Dentistry, Fellowships were awarded in Operative and Restorative Dentistry; Oral Surgery with Oral Medicine; Oral Surgery; and Orthodontics. Memberships of the Faculty of Dentistry; Memberships in General Dental Surgery; and Diplomas of Primary Care Dentistry were also awarded.

The Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery awarded Fellowships by Examination; Fellowships by Election; and Fellowships Ad Eundem. The Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine awarded Fellowships; Fellowships by Election; and Fellowships Ad Eundem. Memberships of the Faculty of Sports & Exercise Medicine were also conferred.