Professor Nuala Healy has been appointed Chair of Radiology at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences. In her role, Professor Healy will lead RCSI’s academic Department of Radiology while providing patient care as a consultant radiologist at Beaumont Hospital.

Professor Healy completed her undergraduate medical training at University of Galway. Following basic surgical training, she undertook a lab-based MD and was awarded a Molecular Medicine Ireland Clinician Scientist Fellowship, and she also completed a master's in clinical education at the University of Galway.  

Her radiology training was undertaken at St James’ Hospital, Dublin, followed by a breast imaging fellowship at the Mater Hospital, Dublin. She moved to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK as a clinical fellow and was subsequently appointed as a breast and oncology radiologist. 

Throughout her career, Prof. Healy has had multiple educational roles – from an early foundation as clinical lecturer and anatomy demonstrator for University of Galway, to more recently as Deputy Training Programme Director for Cambridge University Hospital radiology trainees. 

She is the research lead for the British Society of Breast Radiology, a trustee of Symposium Mammographicum and chair of the organising committee for the Cambridge Conference on Breast Cancer imaging. She is member of the editorial board for Cancer Imaging, where she is editor of the breast section, and a member of the scientific editorial board of Insights into Imaging.

She is involved in multiple breast imaging studies, and her research interests include AI in radiology, novel techniques in breast imaging, MRI (including abbreviated breast MRI), surveillance and postoperative breast imaging, and novel ways of measuring bone health in women with a history of breast cancer.   

Prof. Healy is chair of the organising committee for the Cambridge Conference on Breast Cancer Imaging. She also has a clear focus on issues around well-being and the contribution of role models and mentors in medicine. 

World-class clinicians

Prof. Cathal Kelly, Vice-Chancellor, RCSI said: “We are delighted to welcome Prof. Nuala Healy to her new role as RCSI Chair and Professor of Radiology. As a world-leading health sciences university, our pioneering approach to education equips our students to succeed in complex clinical settings in Ireland and across the world. Our students have the opportunity to be taught by world-class clinicians like Prof. Healy, connecting their learning to patient care. I look forward to seeing Prof. Healy’s impact in her new role and I wish her every success.” 

The RCSI Academic Department of Radiology is based at the Radiology Department in Beaumont Hospital, an 820-bed tertiary referral centre with 20 consultant radiologists and 14 specialist registrars in radiology. The department also has patient referral centres at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown; Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda; and Cavan General Hospital.  

The Department of Radiology provides the undergraduate radiology teaching programme to RCSI students, including a dedicated lecture series on both diagnostic and interventional radiology in senior cycle and the opportunity to take part in clinical electives in the department. The department’s staff are also research-active.