New football pitch announced as part of a $700,000 investment in the SRC

Over the next few weeks, work is set to begin on the construction of a FIFA-approved, all-weather soccer and Gaelic football pitch. The new pitch, which will be located next to the University’s Sports & Recreation Centre (SRC) is part of a $700,000 investment in the SRC.

The investment was announced by the RCSI Bahrain Sports Management Committee, which comprises staff and students. Following regular meetings and taking student feedback into consideration, the committee decided to proceed with construction of a pitch and, in addition, renovation of the existing SRC. The renovation work will include the laying of a new floor in the basketball court.

It is hoped all the work will be completed by the start of the next academic year.

The Sports Management Committee said they want the SRC to become more appealing to staff and students, where more activities can take place.

Professor Joe McMenamin appointed Vice President for Academic Affairs

Professor Joe McMenamin has been appointed Vice President for Academic Affairs at RCSI Bahrain. In March 2010, he joined RCSI Bahrain as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Paediatrics and was promoted in 2012 to Head of School of Medicine.

Professor McMenamin’s long association with RSCI stretches back to 1996 when he was first appointed as Associate Professor of Paediatrics at RCSI, Dublin.

In 2004, he was subsequently elected Dean of the Faculty of Paediatrics, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and two years later, was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (FRCPCH).

With an evolving interest in medical education, as well as teaching, learning and research in healthcare education, Professor McMenamin is committed in his new role to drive RCSI Bahrain’s Strategic Plan 2012-2017.

Nursing lecturer produces video on nursing as a career in Bahrain

As part of her PhD, nursing lecturer Eman Tawash has produced a video about nursing as a career in Bahrain. The video content is based on data collected from nursing students and high-school students in Bahrain, reflecting their current perceptions of nursing as a career choice. The PhD study aims to identify factors that influence high-school students and their parents in choosing nursing as a career. It also explores strategies to promote nursing. The video documents the different nursing roles in healthcare and reflects the broad scope of nursing practice and the attractiveness of nursing as a career. Those who participated in the video include former RCSI nursing students-turned-staff nurses at Bahrain Defence Hospital (BDF) along with a nursing lecturer and student nurse from RCSI Bahrain. With the agreement of BDF, filming took place at the BDF Hospital premises as well as at RCSI Bahrain. In promoting nursing as a career, the video will inform high-school students in both government schools and private schools, as well as their parents and career advisors.

The video will be used for research purposes and utilised as a marketing tool for nursing recruitment in Bahrain.

Rufaida Honor Nursing Society launches educational website

The University’s Rufaida Honor Nursing Society has launched a website which will provide valuable information to professional nurses working in the different healthcare facilities in Bahrain.

In addition to providing useful information, the website will provide a forum for professional nursing groups to share knowledge and expertise.

The President of the Rufaida Honor Society, Dr Catherine O’Neill said, “we hope that our members will find it a useful professional resource in connecting with other scholars and researchers globally so that we can grow a virtual professional community.”

The website can be accessed at http://rufaidahonorysociety.com/

Work to begin on setting up an RCSI Bahrain alumni chapter

RCSI Bahrain is to help its alumni establish an RCSI alumni chapter in Bahrain. The chapter will include RCSI Dublin and RCSI Bahrain alumni.

Mr Fadi Ghosen and Mr Adrian Lydon recently met officials from the RCSI alumni chapter in Dubai and discussed with them their experience of setting up a chapter in Dubai.

The Dubai Chapter hosted a two-day conference (April 30-May 1) for RCSI alumni in the

Mohammed Bin Rashid Academic Medical Centre in Dubai Healthcare City.The aim of the conference, called ‘Investing in Human Capital’ was to build on the College alumni’s engagement with the community. The alumni, who are connected to each other, contribute their time, expertise and support to benefit staff, students and graduates of RCSI and its institution. The event was attended by RCSI staff members from Bahrain and Dublin and included a presentation from Professor David Whitford on ‘Research and Postgraduate Opportunities in Healthcare’. Those in attendance were also briefed on an alumni strategy, which is being prepared by the alumni office in Dublin and will be launched shortly.

RCSI Bahrain celebrates International Nurses Day Nursing staff and students at RCSI Bahrain celebrated International Nurses Day under the theme of Nurses: A Force for change, a vital resource for health. A number of invited guest speakers and nursing students gave presentations on their contributions to the nursing profession and nursing practice and discussed the positive impacts of their research to individuals and families in the community. The celebrations included the cutting of a huge cake and a number of other social activities. Representatives from various healthcare and educational sectors in Bahrain also attended. Florence Nightingale (1820 – 1910) is considered the founder of modern nursing. The 12th of May, the anniversary of her birth, is a date when nurses worldwide formally celebrate developments in nursing education, research and practice.

Health Awareness Awards competition announced for secondary school students

In conjunction with the Community Engagement Office in RCSI Bahrain, the Ministry of Education has announced a competition to raise health awareness issues among secondary school students.

Under the patronage of HE Dr Majid bin Ali Al Nuaimi, Minister of Education in Bahrain, the Health Awareness Awards competition is open to students in years 11 and 12 from government schools.

Participants are being asked to design a poster and include a short description about a significant health issue using local, regional and international websites and brochures for ideas.

The posters will be judged by a panel from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and staff and students from RCSI Bahrain.

The top three winners will be announced during an awards ceremony at the end of May.

Dr Faisal Radhi Al Mousawi retires from RCSI Bahrain

The story of Dr Faisal Radhi Al Mousawi’s career as a surgeon began in 1966. He graduated in Medicine from Cairo and then undertook training in the UK and Ireland, gaining fellowships of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. He was one of the first Bahraini doctors who went to Ireland for postgraduate training.

In 1976, Dr Al Mousawi returned to Bahrain as a consultant orthopaedic surgeon. He chaired the departments of surgery and orthopaedic surgery and was also chief of medical staff.

In 1995, he was appointed Minister of Health and after serving seven years as minister, was appointed chairman of the Shura Council. In May 1998, he was elected president of the 51st session of the World Health Assembly.

In September 2009, Dr Al Mousawi took up the position of President, RCSI Bahrain. For more than a quarter of a century, he has played a

crucial role in developing the close relationship between RCSI and the Kingdom of Bahrain, particularly in the areas of medical education and training. This culminated in the establishment of RCSI Bahrain in 2004.

During a recent retirement dinner for Dr Al Mousawi, RCSI President, Professor Patrick Broe presented him with a painting of the University by artist Abbas Al Mousawi. We wish well in his retirement.

RCSI Bahrain to begin 10th anniversary celebrations from September

From September 2014, RCSI Bahrain will host a number of events to celebrate 10 years in Bahrain. The University opened its doors on October 9, 2004 in the Seef district, with 28 students. Today, the University has more than 1,200 students in medicine, nursing and postgraduate studies.

A 10th anniversary committee has been formed comprising Stephen Harrison-Mirfield, Adrian Lydon, Dr Seamus Cassidy, May Maher and Omar Al-Sumarrae. The committee has had several meetings already and is currently drawing up a list of events to celebrate this important milestone.

At the beginning of September during orientation week, a special RCSI Bahrain 10th anniversary pull-out supplement will appear in the Gulf Daily News and plans for the anniversary celebrations will be officially announced.

The main celebration event will take place at a gala ball in the Ritz Carlton Hotel on Thursday November 27. Other big events during the academic year will include the official opening of the soccer pitch and an upgraded Sports & Recreation Centre (SRC) facility planned for October.

Other events will be announced in September and existing staff and student events will take on an added significance during the anniversary period, which will come to a close at the June conferring in 2015.

New collaboration between RCSI Bahrain and Taiwanese medical university

RCSI Bahrain is to enter into collaboration with the National Taiwan University College of Medicine.

A delegation from RCSI Bahrain met recently with senior officials from the University in Taiwan, who agreed on student and exchanges, internship opportunities and research projects between the two institutions.

RCSI Bahrain President, Professor Sameer Otoom said, “the National University of Taiwan has a long history of health education, and the agreement between our institutions will provide RCSI Bahrain with great opportunities, particularly in respect of clinical electives, internship and research.”

The National Taiwan University consists of six schools, five departments, 13 graduate institutes and laboratories as well as a 2,500-bed university hospital and a cancer research centre.

Student designs T-shirt to raise autism awareness

In celebration of Autism Awareness month, medical student, Nada Al-Mulla created a T-shirt design to raise awareness of the disorder’s neurodiversity.

The T-shirt, which says “Nonspeaking does not mean having nothing to say. Question what you think you know about autism” was intended to change one of the many misconceptions regarding autism. Many adults with autism are now able to communicate non-verbally through typing, and have created blogs on the internet. There are also several apps that help children with autism to communicate in a variety of ways.

According to Nada, just because a person does not use verbal language to communicate, their right to speak up should not be taken away. She also believes there should be more facilities to integrate people with autism into society.

Medics in Leadership the Big Winner at Student Awards

The Medics in Leadership Society has scooped two of the top awards at this year’s Student Awards Ceremony. The Society won the Best New Society and the Student’s Choice Event of the Year award as voted by students. For a second year in a row, the Medical Society won Best Club 2013/2014.

Student Council President, Mahwesh Niaz received a new award which is in her name. The Mahwesh Niaz Award will be awarded annually to a student council member who excels throughout the academic year. More than 200 students and staff attended the ceremony in the Grand Ballroom of the Ritz Carlton Hotel on May 13. The Student’s Choice Awards were voted on by students, while the Best Club and Best New Club awards were chosen by a panel of judges which included Dr Patrick Walsh, Tom Hanratty, May Maher, Mahwesh Niaz, Aven Amrose and Catherine Abou-Zaid.

Student’s Choice Club of the Year: Nursing SocietyStudent’s Choice Event of the Year: Skin Symposium (Medics in Leadership Society)Best New Club: Medics in Leadership Society Best Club of 2013-20141st Place: Medical Society2nd Place: Philanthropy Club3rd Place: Nursing Society Sports Awards:Male Student Athlete of the Year: Anthony HabibFemale Student Athlete of the Year: Tala MarwanTeam of the Year: Men’s Football TeamAlex Rodrigues Award: Sayf Ashour

Student News

Medics in Leadership Society hold successful symposium on skin diseases

Skin diseases have increased in frequency within the past decade. The Medics in Leadership Society organised a Skin Disease Symposium on April 19, which addressed the most common conditions affecting the skin, focusing on dermatology and plastic surgery. The symposium began with welcoming addresses from the academic organiser Dr Ghufran Jassim, and from the Head of School of Medicine, Professor Joe McMenamin.

The symposium received more than 150 participants from Bahrain and the Gulf region and some of Bahrain’s best dermatologists and plastic surgeons were among the event speakers.

Sessions included talks on the language of dermatology, acne, psoriasis, infections and cosmetics. Workshops included suturing, wound management and dermatologic emergencies. Many participants also engaged in the dermatology museum competition, which entailed a museum display of more than 60 skin lesions -- the participant who correctly diagnosed the most was the winner.

American Medical Students Association organises Psychiatry and Art Exhibit

Last month, the American Medical Students Association (AMSA) held a one-of-a-kind Psychiatry and Art Exhibit at RCSI Bahrain. The exhibit, which spanned the length of the campus lobby, fused the science of psychiatry with art and comprised paintings, self portraits and abstract works of art created by psychiatric patients from the Salmaniya Psychiatric Hospital.

The artists had suffered from a range of conditions such as alcohol dependence, depression, drug addiction and psychosis, which in turn inspired an interesting and varied selection of artworks. The many male and female artists of various ages were all at different stages of recovery. Most of the paintings for the exhibition were provided by the hospital and by private collectors. The exhibit attracted more than 100 students as well as doctors, interns and the American Women’s Association of Bahrain. Professor Joe McMenamin and Dr Charlotte Kamel were among many RCSI staff who enjoyed the event.

One of AMSA’s missions is to enrich medicine through diversity, and this event was a reflection of that goal.

Bahrain students participate in RCSI Bahrain Science Fair

More than 60 school students have taken part in a two-day Science Fair at RCSI Bahrain. Dressed in miniature RCSI Bahrain lab coats, the students from Riffa Views International School and Al Mahd Day Boarding School carried out science experiments using lava lamps, invisible ink, colour-changing milk, disappearing water and magic balloons.

The Community Engagement initiative was organised by lecturers Dr Aneta Hayes and Dr Edwina Brennan with the assistance of RCSI Bahrain students.

Three RCSI Bahrain students secure residency training programmes in Canada

Congratulations to final year medical students Anthony Habib and Julia Fox who have been accepted into residency training programmes in Canada.

In March 2014, Anthony made it to the first round in McMaster University, in the field of orthopedic surgery. These Canadian programmes accept only six international graduates annually for orthopedic surgery to only five out of 13 medical universities. He said the experience leading up to the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CARMS) was very challenging and he feels honoured to represent RCSI Bahrain in a well-known orthopedic residency training programme in Canada.

Julia Fox has been accepted into a programme in the University of Manitoba called the Northern/Remote Residency Stream, in Family Medicine training.

Congratulations also to 2013 graduate, Dr Ankit Kapur who will start a residency on July 1 in Rural and Remote Family Medicine with the University of Saskatchewan.

Student News

Professional Development Unit hosts first training session for clinical lecturers

The newly formed Professional Development Unit hosted its first training session for clinical lecturers on May 6 at RCSI Bahrain.Dr Ahmed Ansari delivered the session, which was attended by 16 clinical lecturers from RCSI Bahrain-affiliated hospitals in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Further professional development sessions and workshops are planned for the clinical lecturers, with the aim of enhancing the quality of medical education at RCSI Bahrain.

University delegation visits Sultan Qaboos University in Oman

On April 21, a delegation from RCSI Bahrain visited Sultan Qaboos University in Oman. Following a tour of the university and the hospital, the group took part in numerous meetings and discussions. Both parties agreed that there are many areas of possible cooperation between the two institutions, particularly in the areas of student and faculty exchange, internships and the possibility of establishing a joint PhD Nursing programme.

80 Canadian students interviewed for medical places in RCSI Bahrain

On May 1, a delegation from RCSI Bahrain travelled to Toronto to interview 80 prospective students for the 2014/15 intake.

Professor Joe McMenamin, Dr Seamus Cassidy, Kim Dewhurst and Stephen Harrison-Mirfield met with RCSI partners in the medical programme Atlantic Bridge, in North America for three days of interviews.

The feedback from the applicants was extremely positive and it is hoped many of them will join RCSI’s medicine programme next academic year.

The team agreed that having the chance to meet the applicants and answer their questions provided

a distinct advantage over previous years. It is hoped this will have a positive impact on acceptance rates. The team were delighted to be joined by two people who provided applicants with invaluable insight into life at RCSI Bahrain: Hari Khullar, an IC3 student who was doing an elective in Toronto and Dr Sabrina Berdouk, last year’s Valor Dictorian, who is currently doing her residency at the University of Toronto.

During this Canadian trip, the team had a chance to take in the sights including Niagra Falls and the surrounding area.

Preparations for the fifth conferring ceremony at RCSI Bahrain are well underway

On June 16th, more than 260 students from the School of Medicine, School of Nursing & Midwifery, and the School of Postgraduate Studies will be conferred in the presence of their families and friends. Two ceremonies are being organised by the Communica-tions & Events Department, led by Events Manager, May Maher. At the first ceremony at 10am, graduands from the School of Medicine and the MSc in Healthcare Ethics and Law will be conferred. At 2pm graduands from the BSc in Nursing, Bridging Programme and the MSc in Nursing will be conferred.

Eight new awards will be given this year to the outstanding clinical staff who work with RCSI students. The Clinical Teaching Awards will be given to those who display excellence in supporting teaching and learning of RCSI Bahrain medical and nursing students. There will be four awards for those who work with medical students and four for those who work with our nursing students.

The four student prizes which were introduced last year will be given out again to four outstanding students in medicine and nursing. The conferring ceremonies will also be broadcast live on the University’s website.

Five minutes with…Andrea Hunt, Admissions Manager

Can you describe in one sentence what your job entails?I help medical students achieve their ultimate goal and pursue their chosen profession in medicine.

Where are you originally from? Moreton, Wirral, UK

What career might you have chosen if you weren’t in your current one?Having studied Display & Exhibition design, I have always continued to have a passion for design. I have had the opportunity to work in places such as the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool, creating 10-foot sculptures and to help create visual displays across the UK. Because this has always been my passion, I now maintain it as a hobby here in Bahrain.

What is your favourite film? A good night in watching Mama Mia, coupled with a good sing song!

What is your favourite way to relax? When I have the chance to visit the salon, a little bit of pampering goes a long way.

What kind of music do you like? Various kinds of easy listening but I have to say the 80’s was a great decade for hits… don’t you just love Prince?!

Who or what makes you laugh? Good friends, good food and lots of laughs -- the same but different every time!

Where is your favourite holiday destination? I have had the opportunity to visit many places. However I’d have to say Turkey, where we had the best-ever family holiday!

What world figure do you most admire? Richard Branson, who started with nothing academically, just oozed charm and now he has a multitude of different interests. A great inspiration to us all.

Are you a sports fan? If so, what sports do you like? I’m not entirely an active sports fan, so I’m more of a sports widow! My husband and son play cricket and are avid football fans. If you can’t beat them, join ’em!

Staff receives funding for research in Sudan

Congratulations to Dr Khalifa Elmusharaf and Dr Michael B Keogh who have received seed funding for their community-intervention project, ‘Adopt a Pregnant Mother’. The project will focus on empowering marginalised women in a village in east Sudan. Female participants in the region will ‘adopt’ a pregnant woman within the community, where she will help chaperone the pregnant woman through the pregnancy. She will advise the mother on pre- and post-natal child health interventions; monitor the progress of the pregnancy and work closely with families and healthcare personnel. This work is intended to facilitate and improve quality of life during pregnancy for mother and child while empowering local

women within the community. The research is a collaboration between three bodies: the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), the University of Medical Sciences & Technology (UMST), Sudan and the Global Health through Education, Training and Service (GHETS) – a non-governmental organisation dedicated to improving health in underserved communities around the world.

Professor Naseem Ansari was an international speaker at the second Pediatric Dermatology Update Symposium at Qatif Central Hospital, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which took place on April 30. He delivered a lecture called “Skin Tumours in Children.”

Nursing lecturer, Orla Merrigan recently presented at the World Congress of Cardiology in Melbourne. She presented the research findings of the study, ‘Engaging the community in a mass cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training session of the new hands-only guidelines’. This was a follow-on from the community-engagement initiative of the first mass CPR training session for the public in the Middle East Region.

Dr Fryad Henari has been appointed to the editorial board of The International Journal of Experimental Physics.To maintain the high quality of the editorial team, the publishers said they selected only a few elite experts in the field of experimental physics.

Dr Azra Mahmud, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology was one of the speakers at the 11th Hypertension and Cardiovascular Highlight Session at the Gulf Hotel on April 2.

Anni Kavanagh to represent Bahrain in Ireland’s Rose of Tralee

Congratulations to Anni Kavanagh who has been crowned the 2014 Bahrain Rose. Anni will represent Bahrain at the international Rose of Tralee regional final in Portlaoise, Ireland from May 29-June 1.

She will compete against 70 other Roses from Ireland and around the world. Following this, 32 Roses will be selected to compete in the Rose of Tralee International Festival, in County Kerry, Ireland from August 15-19. We wish her the best of luck!

Congratulations also to Tom Hanratty who won best Rose Escort at the Bahrain Rose selection event, which was held in the Ramee Grand Hotel & Spa in Seef, Bahrain.

Around 30 members of Durrat Al-Riffa Senior Social Club visited RCSI Bahrain on March 31. The visit started with a lecture by Dr Fryad Henari on the importance of walking and its effects on health. It was followed by a campus tour, during which guests were shown the main campus facilities.

On April 9, Dr Ghufran Ahmed Jassim, lecturer at the Family and Community Medicine Department shared with more than 30 BIZNET members, lecturers and students the cultural nuances, experiences and decision-making tactics of female Bahraini breast cancer survivors. BIZNET is a network and business platform for leaders, managers, owners and entrepreneurs.

Esterad Investment Company BSC met recently with some of its sponsored students.The meeting was requested by Esterad as part of its social responsibility programme, which offers scholarships to five students in Medicine, five in Masters of Nursing and three in Undergraduate Nursing at RCSI Bahrain. The meeting was attended by Mr Abdurahman Jamsheer, Deputy Chairman of Esterad; Mr Khalid Taqi, Board Director; Mr Faisal Janahai, CEO; Mr Abdulsamad Zaman, COO and Mr Stephen Harrison-Mirfield, COO of RCSI Bahrain. The meeting was also attended by members of The Palm Association, who contributed to the management of the project.

The President of Ireland’s Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), Liam O’Neill met with staff when he visited RCSI Bahrain on April 10.

Dr Mohammed Al-Suwaidi, Head of Directorate of Traiing, Salmaniya Medical Complex(SMC); Professor Sameer Otoom; Dr Aysha Mubarak Buaneq, Undersecretary, Ministry of Health; and Dr Mohammed Amin Al Awadhi, Chief of Medical Staff, SMC meeting the CEO of the College of Anesthesiologists, Fintan Foy on a recent visit to Dublin.

Congratulations to Dr Claire Donnellan who won the 2nd overall non-Bahraini position for the Nasser Bin Hamad Foundation (NBHF) Women’s run. Claire did a 10Km run in 45:38 minutes on March 22nd.