By Eimear O’Dwyer
LOCAL medic Denis Collins was elected by surgical trainees across Ireland to receive this year’s Silver Scalpel Award for his outstanding contributions to surgical training.
Mr Collins is a consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon at Beaumont and Cappagh hospitals and a fellow with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI).
Denis received the Silver Scalpel accolade from the Irish Surgical Training Group (ISTG) in recognition of his excellence in surgical training and mentorship, as voted for by trainees across Ireland.
RCSI held a ceremony and dinner in June to celebrate Mr Collins’ achievement and they recently conducted a podcast interview with him.
Speaking on the podcast, Denis referenced the support he has received from his wife Rosemary, his parents, and his colleagues throughout his career.
‘My parents were a huge early support instilling the importance of education. Later, my wife Rosemary for believing in me and supporting me during the HST programme. Currently I have many supportive colleagues in the Beaumont/ Cappagh and other hospitals that I ask regularly for advice,’ he said.
His parents are Frank and Peg Collins, residents of The Cross House in Aughadown, Skibbereen. Denis went to school in St Fachtna’s De La Salle in Skibbereen and he later went on to study medicine at University College Cork.
Honesty, enthusiasm and a willingness to learn are the most important traits of an effective surgeon, Denis told the RCSI.
When asked about the prevalence of burnout amongst surgeons he said that it is important to lean on colleagues for support and to have friends and hobbies outside of medicine.
Denis enjoys sport and is particularly passionate about sailing in West Cork. He plans to do more long distance sailing in the next few years and is hopeful that ‘time and health will allow this’.
The Silver Scalpel Award is approaching its third decade, and is a longstanding event in the Irish surgical training calendar.
