Professor Derek O’Keeffe
Why did you choose Green Templeton for your place of study?
I studied at Green Templeton College in 2009, as a graduate medical student, having done biomedical engineering first. My medical school at the University of Galway, Ireland offered an opportunity to travel to another international campus for a semester abroad experience and after doing some research in early 2008, I had read about this new exciting University of Oxford University merger Green Templeton whose mission was an ideal match for my background and career goals.
I am a Physicianeer (Physician / Engineer) having done a Bachelors Degree in Electronic Engineering at the University of Limerick, Ireland to understand how things work in our technology driven world. For my final year project, I used those skills in the healthcare domain and was fascinated that I was able to solve a clinical problem with an engineering solution. I then completed a Masters of Computer Engineering to develop my skills in programming, simulation & algorithm development. I then merged these hardware and software skills in a Biomedical Engineering PhD, where I learned how to do research and solve complex problems. I spent part of my PhD training at Salisbury District Hospital, UK and had a very positive experience working there in a multidisciplinary team. I then did a post-doc at Harvard University, USA and worked with people who were on the Health Sciences Technology track doing an undergraduate engineering degree and then a postgraduate medical degree and it was there I realised that I needed to formally study medicine, to complete my 360-degree understanding of the clinical problem and the engineering solution.
During my medical degree, I continued to do interdisciplinary research (with NASA, placing an experiment onboard the International Space Station) and looked for new opportunities for academic growth, which is why I applied to Green Templeton College, which at its core was an innovative multidisciplinary healthcare learning environment from the bedside to the boardroom.
What advice would you give to any student considering choosing Green Templeton about why they should come here?
Green Templeton is a place of excellence. The moment you walk onto its beautiful campus, you both see and feel the Radcliffe Observatory. The faculty are knowledgeable and curious, eager to teach and to learn more themselves which to me is the hallmark of a good mentor. The students that I met in the Graduate Common Room, had a fantastic energy, blending global experience with interdisciplinary knowledge to create amazing cross-pollinating conversations and ideas.
Can you outline how GTC has helped you in your career path since leaving?
I am very grateful to GTC for the experience and energy that it gave me. As a resident in Doll House during my time at Oxford, I was deeply immersed in campus life, interspersed with trips to John Radcliffe Hospital for clinical training. I enjoyed attending talks in business management which were outside of my core disciplines of medicine and engineering, but it ignited an understanding in me of the importance of healthcare leadership in medicine. Indeed, it planted a seed that I should get more management knowledge & experience, which led to me completing an MBA in 2022.
What is your most enduring memory of GTC and/or your time at Oxford?
I had a very positive experience at GTC both academically and socially. I remember long days of lectures, clinics and study but also longer nights of laughter, friendship and fun. Every evening there were different club activities to try, interesting talks to attend and endless chats in the Stables bar. However my lasting memories will always be of the themed bops, wonderful garden party and the Summer ball, truly Halcyon days.
Can you give an overview of your current role?
I am an Academic Consultant at the University Hospital Galway / University of Galway Ireland. I split my time working as a Consultant Physician (Endocrinologist) in the hospital and as the Established Professor of Medical Device Technology at the University. My hospital job involves inpatient and outpatient clinical duties (clinics, ward rounds, consults), supervision of training doctors, teaching, audit, quality improvement, and management roles. I am the clinical lead of Endocrinology, so I work closely with hospital management, administrators and multidisciplinary clinicians to ensure we deliver the best patient care that we can. My university job involves digital health research (writing grants, running projects, publishing & patents), supervising students (undergraduate and postgraduate), teaching (medicine and engineering), course leadership and serving on myriad college committees! I also work dilligently to promote STEM in our society and contribute my expertise to MedTech policy discussions and development both nationally and recently at the White House, USA!
Do you have any other major roles alongside your profession or other interests/affiliations outside your main role(s)?
I took on the role of the National Clinical Lead of Diabetes in Ireland in 2022. I did this to improve access to care, technology and structured education and I am delighted to say that we are achieving strong progress across all of these domains.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside work?
I have a lot of hobbies and have explored over 100 countries. I love seeing new places, learning about new cultures and meeting new people. In addition, I have volunteered extensively & was awarded The Outstanding Young Person of the World by Junior Chamber International. I am a Black Belt Taekwondo Instructor, Qualified Pilot, DJ, Advanced Scuba Diver, Triathlete & Six-Star Medal Marathoner. I like gardening and have designed an award-winning Cardiovascular themed garden for a national flower show and created a seated sculpture for my university campus.
What would you consider your greatest achievement in life so far?
Philosophically my greatest achievement is that I have travelled to the most important place in life – outside of my comfort zone. I have been willing to try new things in order to learn new things about myself and the world around me. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has always been rewarding. My motto is Ancora Imparo (I am still learning) which is what Michelangelo is reputed to have said to his apprentice and to be embodies the spirit of life long curiosity and learning.
Professionally my greatest achievement is helping patients, using the latest knowledge and compassion to improve their outcomes. I am also very proud of my HIVE (Health Innovation via Engineering) laboratory at the University of Galway, which develops patient centred solutions to clinical problems from bedside to bench to bedside through interdisciplinary collaboration. Since I started the HIVE Lab, we have impacted clinical care, shaped policy and achieved multimillion euro funding for our innovative research that has resulted in a new generation of interdisciplinary students, publications and patents.
Personally, I am very grateful to have a wonderful family and a great circle of friends, always up for the next Adventure to the Ends of the Earth!
