A message from the President of RCSI

July 2026

Dear Fellows and Members,

Summer has finally arrived here in Ireland, however, College activity has continued unabated in recent weeks – from the Conferring held in Penang to the first meeting of the newly elected RCSI Council.

Fellows and Members Conferrings

Conferring ceremonies are a real highlight of the summer months for our surgical community. In early June, I travelled to Penang, Malaysia to celebrate and recognise the achievements of 22 newly conferred Members of RCSI. In the presence of family and friends, I was delighted to have the opportunity to acknowledge the dedication and determination they displayed in securing the postnominals – MRCSI. You can view the full list of names and some fantastic photos elsewhere in this edition of Bulletin.

The occasion also afforded a chance to recognise one of RCSI’s most committed advocates in South-East Asia: Professor Nagalingam Premnath FRCSI, known to all as “Prof. Prem”. As former Dean and Head of Surgery at RCSI + UCD Campus (RUMC) in Penang, Prof. Prem is a surgeon and educator whose leadership has profoundly shaped surgical training in Malaysia and beyond.

At the Conferring in Penang, we announced the establishment of the Professor Premnath Medal, which will be awarded to the candidate, who achieves the highest overall marks in the Malaysian-diet of the RCSI Membership, in any given year.

I am looking forward to the second summer conferring ceremony, which takes place next Monday, 6 July when 77 Members and 35 Fellows will be conferred in-person in the Desmond Auditorium, 26 York Street. Prior to the ceremony, I am hosting a reception for incoming Fellows and their families so that the College may mark this special day, which is the culmination of many years of training, hard work and commitment.

Supporting our younger surgeons

The summer conferring ceremonies serve to remind us not only of the incredible depth of talent in our community but also of the vibrancy, energy and enthusiasm that our younger colleagues bring to this profession.

As I outlined last month, one of my aims as President is to build on the supports that have been established to support surgical trainees and early-career consultants. As recently as last week, I was pleased to learn that more than 30 Fellows and Members joined an online webinar delivered by the Early Careers Surgical Network (ECSN). With a focus on financial planning for early-career surgeons, the webinar covered topics including pensions, AVCs and private practice income. A recording of the webinar is available within this edition of Bulletin and on the ESCN section of the Fellows and Members Portal.

Separately, I wish to remind our early-career Fellows that the Department of Surgical Affairs is currently inviting individuals who wish to contribute to the work of the ECSN to express an interest in joining the committee - to do so, please email Patricia Malone.

Surgical research: Millin Meeting 2026

The organising committee for Millin Meeting 2026 has been meeting on a fortnightly basis as we work to finalise the programme for Friday, 13 November. Symposium I will focus on existing systems and supports, specifically how these might be leveraged to empower surgical research and innovation. A mid-morning session will provide advice and insights from surgical researchers on navigating the Irish research ecosystem to successfully deliver on projects. Meanwhile, Symposium II will explore why academic surgery is one of the fundamental cornerstones of our profession. In addition to keynote lectures as well as presentations as part of RCSI’s National Surgical Research Competition, this year’s meeting will provide an opportunity for attendees to hear directly from funding agencies such as the HRB, HSE Spark and Enterprise Ireland. Having a good understanding and knowledge of the funding streams available to support surgical research is critical for existing or aspiring clinician scientists, therefore we hope to both spotlight and demystify these funding sources at the Millin Meeting.

Registration for the Millin Meeting is now open online here – a reminder that Fellows and Members In Good Standing may purchase tickets at a discounted price.

RCSI Council 2026-2028

In mid-June, the first meeting of the newly elected RCSI Council provided an opportunity to discuss key issues, ranging from policy development to clinical governance to enhancing connections across the surgical community. Over the summer, Council will develop a plan to address and make progress on several items, and in the coming weeks, I will be making appointments to key Committees and establishing Workgroups focused on thematic areas of importance and interest to Fellows and Members.

These workstreams will address aspects of surgical training, workforce planning, academic integration and functional surgical teams to future proof surgery.

Finally, I am conscious that July is a busy month particularly as surgical teams welcome new rotations of interns and surgical trainees. Despite this, I hope that you manage to take some annual leave in the coming weeks and spend time with family and friends and generally enjoy some well-deserved Summer downtime.

Yours sincerely, 

Professor Michael Kerin
President, RCSI