About Us
Programmes Run By International Experts In Simulation and Patient Safety
Our programmes are designed and delivered by a team of international experts based at the Irish Centre for Applied Patient Safety in the University of Galway which is an ASPiH and NASCE accredited centre for simulation and clinical skills teaching and holds the prestigious AMEE Aspire to Excellence Award for Simulation.
The core team of Drs. Byrne, O’ Connor and O’ Dea have combined expertise of over 60 years in simulation and patient safety, are accredited simulation educators and have qualifications in education, quality improvement, psychology and research.
There are additional contributions to the programme from experts in healthcare games, clinical skills, digital design and simulation management systems.
Dr. Paul O’ Connor
Course Co- Director
Dr. Paul O’ Connor is a Senior Lecturer in Primary Care and a Human Factors Psychologist. He started as a Lecturer in Primary Care in 2013 after coming to the University of Galway as a Senior Research Methodologist in 2010.
Paul is the Research Director of the Irish Centre for Applied Patient Safety and Simulation (ICAPSS). Paul is currently the Chair of the Irish Association for Simulation (IAS) and an executive member and accredited by the Association for Simulated Practice in Healthcare (ASPiH).
Prof. Dara Byrne
Course Co- Director
Prof. Dara Byrne is the Professor of Simulation at the University of Galway. She is a Fellow of teh Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. She is the Director of Simulation at the Irish Centre for Applied Patient Safety and Simulation and Director of Simulation for the Saolta University Healthcare Group. She is the Clinical Lead for the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland for Simulation and an executive and founding member of the Irish Association for Simulation (IAS). She is a Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH) advanced certified healthcare simulation provider (CHSE- A) and accredited by the Association for Simulated Practice in Healthcare (ASPiH).
Dr. Angela O’ Dea
Course Co- Director
Dr. Angela O’Dea is a Human Factors Psychologist with over 20 years of experience in developing evidence based human factors training and education programmes for healthcare and industry. She has a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Aberdeen, and Masters degrees in Occupational Psychology, and in Clinical Research.
Prior to joining the University of Galway as a Senior Lecturer in Simulation and Patient Safety, Dr. O’Dea was a Senior Lecturer in Surgical Education at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland – a position she held for seven years. Previous to this she was a Post-doctoral researcher at the University of Galway, and an Adjunct Lecturer in Psychology at Mary Immaculate College. Dr. O’Dea worked in the United States for eight years where she worked as a Senior Scientist at Applied Research Associates in Dayton Ohio and as a Research Associate Professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey California.
Dr O’Dea has a range of experience in teaching and conducting research in human factors, patient safety, and healthcare simulation. She has conducted research in a range of high risk work domains including healthcare, aviation, nuclear power generation and the military.
