Catherine Fitzgerald

Dr Catherine Fitzgerald is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). Her research focuses on continuing professional development (CPD), health professions education, and health services research, with a strong emphasis on nursing, midwifery, and cystic fibrosis outcomes. She collaborates with national and European academic and industry partners and is leading the implementation of the European Centre of Excellence for Research in CPD and scoping a WHO Collaborating Centre at RCSI.

Education:

• PhD in Public Health and Epidemiology, University College Dublin, Ireland (2017)
• Master of Public Health (MPH), University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA (2012)
• Bachelor of Science in Occupational Health Nursing, Leeds Beckett University, UK (2007)
• Midwifery Studies, University College Dublin, Ireland
• General Nursing, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, Ireland (1999)

Her research interests center on Health Professions Education, particularly continuing professional development for healthcare workers, interprofessional learning, and educational modalities in long-term care. She also investigates Health Services Research, including workforce staffing, policy, and outcomes, with a clinical focus on Cystic Fibrosis, especially newborn screening, caregiver burden, and economic impact. Her work aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being.

The 15 most recent publications reflect a consistent trajectory in evaluating CPD effectiveness, teaching methods, and economic aspects in healthcare education, alongside longitudinal studies on cystic fibrosis outcomes and newborn screening awareness. Her work combines mixed-methods, systematic reviews, economic evaluations, and cohort studies, often involving multi-center and international collaborations.

Scientific Awards:

• No awards listed in the provided text.

Dr Fitzgerald has secured multiple competitive research grants, including EU-funded ECHOES, AMEE-funded CPD Train-the-Trainer, and Skillnet projects, supporting her work in CPD and health professions education. She has supervised or collaborated with numerous researchers and co-authored studies involving teams across Ireland and Europe. While no formal students are listed, her mentoring role is evident in collaborative publications and academic leadership.

She is actively involved in building research infrastructure, including the European Centre of Excellence for CPD and a potential WHO Collaborating Centre, indicating leadership in shaping future research and policy in health professions education.