Conference Series: Maximizing Your European Respiratory Society Congress 2025 Experience with Dr Barry Harnedy and Dr Margaret Higgins (Part 1)
In this episode, Dr Marissa O'Callaghan and Dr Sandra Green host Dr. Margaret Higgins and Dr. Barry Harnedy, the new Educational Officers of the Irish Thoracic Society, to discuss the upcoming ERS Congress in Amsterdam. They share insights on how to strategies to get the most out of your conference attendance, the importance of networking, and opportunities for pursuing fellowships. The conversation also includes a fun quiz about the ERS Congress and practical tips for first-time attendees.
Keyword / Tags
ERS Congress, networking, fellowship, pulmonology, education, conference tips, respiratory health, international collaboration, poster sessions, early career
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Breathwork: Overview of lung function testing and the new Global Lung Initiative Guidelines with Aisling McGowan (Part 2)
In this episode, Aisling McGowan takes us through the full journey of lung function testing — from referral to patient walkthrough — covering contraindications, the patient experience, and interpretation using the new GLI Guidelines.
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26:51
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26:51
Inspire: Respiratory Physiology: Career Insights with Aisling McGowan (Part 1)
Join us in this interview with Aisling McGowan, Chief 2 Physiologist at Connolly Hospital, Dublin, whose 34-year career in respiratory and sleep diagnostics has combined clinical expertise, education, and leadership. We explore the role of a respiratory physiologist, the varied training paths into the profession, career progression, opportunities in education and leadership, and the challenges and rewards of a career in respiratory physiology in Ireland.
01:10 Describing the role of the respiratory physiologist
03:13 The training pathway for respiratory physiology
06:32 Specialising in respiratory physiology
08:10 Postgraduate entry to respiratory physiology
08:50 Career progression; staff grade to senior to chief one and chief two
12:10 Advanced practice in respiratory physiology
13:53 Changes to the role if advanced practice came into effect
14:45 Opportunities abroad for Irish trainees
15:50 The pathway for internationally trained respiratory physiologists
16:20 Popularity of respiratory physiology degree courses
17:09 Challenges in recruitment and retention
17:50 Additional postgraduate training opportunities: Master of Science
20:10 Staff shortages and workloads
21:45 The impact of integrated community care hubs on tertiary care staffing
22:26 Vision for lung function diagnostics in the integrated care hub
27:18 What keeps you engaged?
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Breathwork - Pleural Effusions with Dr Laura Gleeson (Part 2)
This week, we speak to Dr. Laura Gleeson again—this time about pleural effusions. Our conversation covers all the pleural effusion basics, plus the nuances of radiology, when to insert a chest drain, and how to monitor it once it’s in place.
Chapters:
01:05 – Rapid fire round
04:23 – Pleural effusion intro
05:30 – Symptoms at presentation with pleural effusion
06:40 – Interpreting a white-out on CXR
07:20 – When to do further radiology/imaging
08:35 – CT pre or post chest drain insertion?
10:25 – Light’s criteria – can it always be trusted?
12:00 – What tests to send on your pleural fluid sample
14:15 – Chest drain indications
16:35 – Monitoring your chest drain
21:00 – Flushing the chest drain
22:20 – How much fluid to drain
25:00 – Removing the chest drain
27:10 – Empyema management
30:10 – Fibrinolysis
31:55 – Following up your pleural patients
34:10 – Take-home points
Show notes & resources:
Light’s criteria – MDCalc calculator | CHEST Clinics article
MIST trials – MIST2 – NEJM | MIST3 – ATS Journals
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Inspire: Early consultant years with Dr Laura Gleeson (Part 1)
In this episode, we speak with Dr. Laura Gleeson, Respiratory Consultant in St James Hospital, about her journey into respiratory medicine and her diverse specialist interests. She shares valuable insights on preparing for consultant interviews and highlights the importance of networking. We explore the realities of early career life and the transition into the first years as a consultant. Dr. Gleeson also reflects on the challenges of setting up a new clinical service and the key tools that can support success. (Recorded June 2024).
Chapters
00:43 Introduction
01:24 Pathway to respiratory and special interest in immunology, TB, and pleural disease
07:00 Networking and preparation ahead of a consultant interview
10:23 The interview for a consultant post
11:00 Being on the consultant interview panel
12:35 The inspo for the ambulatory pleural service
14:00 Career focus and fellowship
16:45 Challenges when developing a new clinical service
18:59 Money talks and other methods of engaging management
22:14 Gaining momentum and the Spark Innovation Fund
Show Notes
1. Developing an Ambulatory Pleural Effusion Service
https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-public-expenditure-infrastructure-public-service-reform-and-digitalisation/publications/developing-an-ambulatory-pleural-effusion-service/
2. Healthcare team of the year award for the St Jame’s Hospital Ambulatory Pleural Effusion Sevice
https://x.com/stjamesdublin/status/1926927226848633028
Breath work
A Respiratory Medicine podcast for busy respiratory nerds who want to keep up-to-date with the constantly evolving world of the lung. Every month we speak with respiratory experts on their areas of special interest.
Our goal is to provide YOU with interactive and easy to listen to clinical updates. We will cover presentation, clinical reasoning, diagnostics and treatments but also new and exciting changes coming down the line. Delivered at a time convenient to you in 20-30 minute episodes.
Inspire
Meet your Respiratory Medicine heroes and hear how they got to where they are today. There are now more people than ever working in the respiratory medicine sphere. In this podcast we speak to Physicians, scientists, nurses, physiologists and more. We learn about their career paths to date, how they have achieved such success and advice for others hoping to follow suit. Some of these discussions are profession specific, but much of the advice is applicable to anyone trying to progress in their career.
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