A message from the President of RCSI

August 2026

Dear Fellows and Members,

This month, I am pleased to share news of recent celebrations as well as a visit to Áras an Uachtaráin. Looking ahead, I also want to bring your attention to several conferences on the horizon including the AIMS Summit, the annual Sir Peter Freyer Surgical Symposium, and the 2026 Millin Meeting, including the RCSI Millin Surgical Innovation Award.

July has been a month of new beginnings. From interns and surgical trainees rotating onto new teams as part of the annual changeover to the Mayo footballers breaking the curse and ending their 75-year losing streak to claim the All-Ireland Football Championship.

While the party atmosphere in Mayo may have dominated national headlines of late, there was also cause for RCSI to celebrate in early July as we welcomed 197 new Members and a further 45 Fellows into our surgical community

On Monday, 6 July – joined by RCSI Council as well as proud partners, families and friends – 110 graduands attended their Conferring ceremony in the Desmond Auditorium, 26 York Street. There was a fantastic atmosphere on the day and when speaking with individuals I was struck by their energy, enthusiasm and willingness to make a positive impact for patients and for our profession.

Prior to the formal ceremony, I had the pleasure of hosting a special reception for 35 of our newest Fellows. In the presence of their parents, partners, children, and colleagues, it provided an opportunity to acknowledge the sacrifice, commitment, and perseverance required to achieve a Fellowship of RCSI.

I spoke to our newest Fellows about the importance of remaining connected with the College, which provides a unique community of peers, mentors and advocates that can be relied upon for support as they take the next steps in their careers. You can view photos from the reception here.

Áras an Uachtaráin

In mid-July, I was delighted to pay a courtesy visit to President of Ireland, Catherine Connolly at her official residence in Áras an Uachtaráin. Along with Professor Cathal Kelly, RCSI Vice Chancellor and CEO, and Professor Tracy Robson, RCSI Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, I enjoyed the opportunity to speak to President Connolly about RCSI’s enduring contribution to healthcare provision, education and research.

I also spoke with her about how our Fellows and Members are at the forefront of improving surgical care for patients, driving evidence-based surgical innovations and delivering high-quality surgical training both in Ireland and around the world.

Staying sharp

We are all aware of the rapid pace of change within surgical practice, and so it is incumbent upon all of us to take steps to ensure we remain up-to-date and aware of the latest developments in surgical research, innovation, training and practice.

Attending meetings and conferences provides exposure to new approaches and ideas as well as the chance to connect and network with colleagues. Looking ahead to the start of the next academic year in Ireland, there are several meetings and conferences on the horizon that Fellows and Members should be aware of.

On Wednesday, 26 and Thursday, 27 August, the AIMS Summit will take place in Dublin. With a focus on innovation in healthcare, Thursday evening sees three Irish companies take on three American companies as they pitch their ideas to a panel of industry leaders, investors and innovators as part of the ‘Shark Tank’ element of the programme.

Meanwhile, on Friday, I look forward to delivering the welcoming address at Summit. The schedule promises an interesting and engaging day of talks and panel discussions, with world-class experts exploring topics including: how a partnership approach can create collective success; achieving balance in academic medicine; and the impact of current policy changes on healthcare in the USA. You can view the full programme and register here.

The 51st Sir Peter Freyer Surgical Symposium will take place in Galway on Friday, 4 and Saturday, 5 September. I am delighted to share that the 51st Sir Peter Freyer Memorial Lecture will be delivered by Professor Shafi Ahmed. A world-renowned, multi-award-winning surgeon, author, innovator and humanitarian, Professor Ahmed will deliver a talk entitled 'Intelligent: The Evolution of AI Transforming Healthcare'.

Professor Ahmed’s talk will provide insights based upon his experience of founding several startups as well as his teachings in exponential technologies, the future of healthcare and digital transformation. Meanwhile, the Sir Peter Freyer State of the Art Lecture will be delivered by one of our own – Professor Helen Heneghan FRCSI. Professor Heneghan’s talk will focus on 'The Changing Landscape of Obesity Treatment: Personalised Approaches to Optimise Surgery and Outcomes'.

As the surgical lead for the National Clinical Programme for Obesity, co-founder and President of the newly established Society for Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Ireland (SOMSI) and Council member of the British Obesity and Metabolic Specialists Society, Professor Heneghan is uniquely placed to speak to this topic.

A further exciting element aspect of this year’s Freyer is the first nationwide Remote Telesurgery Training Event for Surgical Trainees. Supported by Cornerstone Robotics UK, this interactive event will provide surgeons and trainees with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience of remotely operating robotic arms located in RCSI’s Robotic Surgery Training and Research Centre, Dublin, through dedicated telesurgery sessions using the Sentire Surgical System.

I also want to remind you that registration is now open for 2026 Millin Meeting, which takes place in RCSI on Friday, 13 November. The full programme will be finalised in the coming weeks, but I’m pleased to share that applications are now open for RCSI’s Millin Surgical Innovation Award. This is a highly prestigious award that aims to recognise and showcase innovative surgical research currently taking place across Ireland.

Whether a clinical trial or research in digital health, precision surgery or machine-learning is surgery, the committee is looking forward to receiving a range of exciting and impactful submissions. I encourage you to take the time to learn more about the Award in the Dates for the Diary feature, particularly as the successful applicant will be invited to present their research at this year’s Millin Meeting.

Final thoughts

As I wrap up this month’s letter, I am conscious that the summer months continue to be a busy time for our profession.

In Ireland we have seen rotations of interns and surgical trainees in recent weeks and on the home front many of you have been juggling childcare during the school holidays.

Despite this, I would encourage you to carve out time to take some leave – the chance to switch off and recharge is well-deserved.

Yours sincerely, 

Professor Michael Kerin
President, RCSI