Anne Hickey

Professor Anne Hickey is a distinguished health psychologist and Professor of Psychology at the Department of Health Psychology, School of Population Health at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). With a faculty appointment since 2002, she has established herself as a leading researcher in stroke rehabilitation, cognitive impairment following stroke, and patient-centered healthcare quality assessment. Her academic journey includes progression from Associate Professor (2013-2018) to full Professor (2018-present), alongside significant leadership roles including co-Director of the SPHeRE Programme (2013-2020) and current Deputy Dean for Positive Education at RCSI.

Professor Hickey's educational background includes a PhD in Psychology from Trinity College, University of Dublin (1997) and registration as a psychologist with the Psychological Society of Ireland (1998). Her postdoctoral training spanned University College Dublin's Department of General Practice (1992-1997) and collaborative research between RCSI and Trinity College Dublin (1988-1992).

Her research program focuses on stroke and stroke rehabilitation, vascular cognitive impairment and dementia, carer support systems, health service organization for stroke care, quality of life assessment, patient safety, and medication adherence. Professor Hickey has developed significant methodological contributions including the Stroke Awareness Questionnaire (SAQ), Ageing Perceptions Questionnaire (APQ), and the Schedule for the Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life (SEIQoL). Her work bridges clinical practice and health services research, with particular emphasis on translating findings into improved patient outcomes and healthcare delivery.

Analysis of her recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a strong focus on stroke epidemiology and rehabilitation, professional identity formation in medical education, and healthcare quality assessment. Her work demonstrates methodological diversity spanning systematic reviews, clinical trials, epidemiological modeling, and mixed-methods approaches. A notable trend is the integration of positive psychology principles into medical education through her Deputy Dean role, alongside continued leadership in stroke research through initiatives like the StrokeCog-R trial.

• President's Medal for best poster (2013)

Professor Hickey has supervised over 20 postgraduate students and currently oversees numerous research projects including the HRB Applied Partnership Award for developing a National Stroke Audit in Ireland and the StrokeCog-R pilot trial for post-stroke cognitive rehabilitation. Her research has secured substantial funding from the Health Research Board, Higher Education Authority, Irish Heart Foundation, and Enterprise Ireland. She has published nearly 100 peer-reviewed articles in leading international journals and contributed significantly to national health policy through her work with the Stroke Clinical Trials Network of Ireland.

As Deputy Dean for Positive Education, Professor Hickey leads educational transformation initiatives integrating principles of positive psychology across RCSI's curriculum, emphasizing student self-awareness, resilience, and well-being alongside clinical skills development. Her leadership extends to the SPHeRE Programme, a national PhD training initiative in population health and health-services research that has supported nearly 60 doctoral graduates.