Dr Paul Collins City of Dublin Skin and Cancer Hospital Charity Cutaneous Allergy Fellowship
Dr Paul Collins 1961-2018
A Limerick native, Paul graduated in Medicine in UCD in 1984 and pursued a career in Dermatology with characteristic enthusiasm and determination. He underwent Higher Specialist training in the Hume St Hospital where he held one of the first accredited RCP London Registrar posts. Subsequently he expanded his training and experience in the Ninewells Hospital Dundee, the General Infirmary in Leeds and completed a Fellowship at the University of Minnesota, USA. He returned as Consultant Dermatologist to Hume Street Skin and Cancer Hospital /St Vincent’s University
Hospital (SVUH) and St Michael’s Hospital in Dun Laoghaire in 1997 with an exemplary clinical and academic portfolio. Shortly after his appointment he provided the clinical leadership to plan a new Dermatology department in SVUH which incorporated the transfer of services from Hume Street Hospital. He served as liaison and SVUH representative on the Hume Street Board and subsequently contributed enormously to developing a world class department in SVUH with strong links to UCD and the Charles Institute of Dermatology. He also joined the Board of the Irish Skin Foundation which is funded by the City of Dublin Skin and Cancer Hospital Charity (CDSCHC) and Paul shared and contributed to its strong commitment to patient education, empowerment, and advocacy.
He was interested in all aspects of Dermatology and led specialty clinics in cutaneous allergy, photobiology, and phototherapy. He was held in the highest esteem by his patients and colleagues, and was a superb mentor and teacher inspiring his trainees to accumulate clinical and academic knowledge and was an enthusiastic supporter of overseas fellowships encouraging his trainees to return with skills and specialist expertise. He would have welcomed the opportunity for one of his trainees to avail of a Fellowship in Cutaneous Allergy. His life was cruelly cut short in his prime and the Dermatology community in Ireland has been deprived of a fine colleague and friend.
Eligibility
- Specialist Trainee in Dermatology or newly appointed Consultant Dermatologist (within 2 years of appointment to a substantive post)
- Must have acquired a basic knowledge in the principles of cutaneous allergy during the course of their Specialist Training/ rotating posts in Dermatology.
- Must have completed a basic recognised training course in Contact Dermatitis (Ireland/UK)
- Must demonstrate the intent and planning to ultimately develop cutaneous allergy services in a Dermatology Unit in Ireland.
- Presentation at National/International meetings on topics related to cutaneous allergy and particularly publications in the area of cutaneous allergy would be desirable.
Application
Application should be made to Dr Olivia Dolan, President, Irish Association of Dermatologists iad@outlook.ie by Friday 30th July 2021. This will be reviewed by an expert panel. An interview may be required. It is anticipated that the successful applicant will be notified by the end of September 2021.
The applicant must submit a personal statement (500 words max) outlining
(i) the reason for applying for the award,
(ii) the desired clinical experience.
(iii) details of venue, dates, and supervising consultants(s) at the cutaneous allergy
unit which the applicant wishes to attend
(iv) an explanation of how training is expected to be enhanced by the experience. (v) a plan to develop the area of cutaneous allergy in a Dermatology unit in Ireland.
In addition, the following documentation must be provided
(i) Letter of support from Educational Supervisor and Training Programme Director
or if newly appointed consultant a letter of support from Clinical/Medical
Director.
(ii) Letter of support from the proposed supervisor at the unit being visited.
(iii) Detailed costing of the proposed fellowship.
Nature of the award
- The CDSCHC will contribute up to €60,000 towards the cost of 12 months study at a centre of excellence in cutaneous allergy in the UK, Europe, US, Canada, or Australia This should include gaining expertise from international experts in patch testing and other forms of skin testing (e.g. prick testing, intradermal testing, use tests, lymphocyte transformation tests). The candidate must undertake to become involved in research projects, audit and must become familiar with the governance model.
- The applicant must outline in detail the schedule of clinical, academic, and educational activities which will be attended at the institution which he/she plans to visit. There must be adequate throughput of patients as well as opportunity for education, teaching and research. There should also be a component of Occupational dermatitis as part of the program.
- At the end of the fellowship, the recipient of the fellowship should be in a position to run a cutaneous allergy unit and develop clinical and laboratory research in the area.
- The Recipient of the Fellowship will agree to provide 2 year’s public service in Ireland commencing on a date not later than the third anniversary of the successful completion of the Fellowship.
- The period covered by this grant from the CDSCHC, is for a maximum of 1 (one) year from an estimated start date to be agreed.
- A 6 (six) month progress report and a final report on the completion of the fellowship must be submitted to the CDSCHC and the IAD.
- The contribution of the CDSCHC must be acknowledged in all presentations by the successful candidate and in all publications authored/co-authored following completion of the fellowship or of obtaining additional relevant experience and/or qualification.
Stipulations
- The CDSCHC expect that a successful candidate would (1) propose and explain the relevance of changes to clinical practice based on experience gained, in presentations to his/her employer in conjunction with the HSE or other bodies, as required, assist with the development of any clinical or other procedures to enhance patient treatment, and participate in sharing the benefit of the clinical output (whether from a pilot or other project) with relevant clinical/management teams in other teaching hospitals and (2) commit to contributing a 1-hour lecture on Cutaneous Allergy and to joining Prof. Desmond J Tobin (Director of the UCD Charles Institute of Dermatology) as a 'Charles Clinical Fellow' in the coordination of the UCD Professional Certificate in Clinical Dermatology (10-credit module) for a period of at least 2 years.
- In the event of the candidate, following completion of the fellowship and commitment to the public service for a period of 2 years, ceasing this commitment within the 2 year period, unless because of serious ill health, the CDSCHC will be entitled to recover the fellowship costs as follows: ceasing employment with the public service within 8 months of the commencement of the commitment, 100% of the fellowship shall be repaid; ceasing employment with the public service more than 8 months, but no more than 16 months of the commencement of the commitment, 75% of the fellowship shall be repaid; ceasing employment with the public service more than 16 months, but no more than 24 months of the commencement of the commitment, 50% of the fellowship shall be repaid
