Dr Brian Briscoe

The late Dr Brian Briscoe (Class of 1956) celebrated his 65th graduation anniversary from RCSI in 2021. He was a Diagnostic Radiology Specialist and practiced for over 60 years, living in Maryland, where he settled with his wife and family. Dr Briscoe spoke to us about his decision to leave a legacy to RCSI in his will and shared the very moving story that inspired him to do so.

My memories of RCSI are very special. I had the most wonderful experience as a young student enjoying all the excitement of Dublin in the 1950s. The faculty and staff acted in locus parentis and I made enduring friendships that have lasted a lifetime. However, there is one friend missing from that circle and he is the reason I have decided to leave a gift in my will to RCSI.

I met my friend in our first year of studies. He was top of the class with a passion for medicine and had great ambition to become a doctor. In addition, he was the first of his family to go to university and they were so proud. Then times got tough financially. His father was a barber and could not meet the expense of sending his son to medical school, which meant my friend sadly had to leave RCSI.

That day has stayed with me through the years, and I often think of how difficult it must have been for him to give up on his dreams and how it must have hurt his family to see it happen. At that time, there was no programme in place to help students facing financial uncertainty but thankfully, this has changed.

For this reason, I have decided to leave a bequest that will support a student who may find themselves in the same situation my friend did all of those years ago. If I can help at least one young person achieve their ambition in the future, I know I will be leaving a valuable legacy.