Ms Lauren V. O’Connell has been announced by RCSI as the recipient of the 2025 PROGRESS Women in Surgery Fellowship.

This prestigious bursary, established to promote female participation in surgical training at Fellowship level is awarded by RCSI.

Ms Lauren V. O’Connell will undertake a Fellowship in advanced colorectal cancer at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Australia allowing her to gain international exposure in colorectal cancer surgery and further develop her expertise for the benefit of patients.

Currently a Specialist Registrar in General and Colorectal Surgery at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Ms O’Connell graduated with honours from University College Dublin in 2014. She achieved Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (FRCSI) in 2024, receiving the Professor W.A.L. McGowan Medal as the top-performing candidate in Section 2 FRCS across all RCSI surgical subspecialties.

Committed to surgical education, she has also been awarded the Colm Galvey Educator Award (2019) for excellence in undergraduate teaching and has contributed to RCSI’s MRCS Preparation Course and surgical skills workshops for trainees.

Ms O’Connell has over 35 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals, has authored book chapters and has presented at major international conferences. Her research focuses on early-onset colorectal cancer, functional outcomes post-resection, surgical education and minimally invasive techniques.

On receipt of the award, Ms O’Connell commented: “I am delighted to be the 2025 PROGRESS Women in Surgery Fellowship recipient and would like to thank RCSI for their support. This initiative will allow me to engage fully with the considerable opportunities the fellowship has to offer, developing my skills in pelvic, robotic and cytoreductive surgery for advanced colorectal cancers.”

The PROGRESS Fellowship was introduced to help address the barriers to female progression in surgery and to inspire exceptional female surgical trainees, fostering a more inclusive future in the field.

Now in its sixth year, the fellowship nurtures and develops the expertise and skill base of Irish female surgeons, giving them access to international experience in their chosen fields, acquire additional surgical skills, access new technologies and contribute to the advancement of surgical science and practice on the island of Ireland.

The Fellowship was presented by RCSI President Professor Deborah McNamara as part of RCSI’s Charter Meeting.

RCSI President, Professor Deborah McNamara commented: “My warmest congratulations to Ms Lauren V. O’Connell. The PROGRESS Women in Surgery Fellowship is a cornerstone of our commitment to advancing equity in surgery. Each year, we have the privilege of recognising and supporting remarkable women who embody the values of innovation, excellence, and leadership. I am confident that Ms O’Connell will continue to inspire and lead in her career, contributing to the advancement of the surgical field.”

Previous PROGRESS Fellowships recipients are Ms Ailín Rogers (2020), Ms Helen Mohan (2021), Ms Christina Fleming (2022), Ms Evelyn Murphy (2023) and Ms Ola Ahmed (2024).

Find more information about the PROGRESS Women in Surgery Fellowship.