Eimear Nolan
“What excited me about the research was the opportunity to improve NCHD’s experience of working and living in Ireland as we are so reliant on their contribution to our health care system. This, in turn, I hope will strengthen doctor research, enhance patient care, and support the HSE’s long-term sustainability.”
Professor Eimear Nolan
Project Name: The Cross-Cultural Adjustment of NCHDs Working and Living in Ireland
Problem addressed by the research
Inadequate cultural adjustment training for nternational doctors has created problems in the Irish healthcare system. Despite their critical role in sustaining Ireland’s healthcare system, these international doctors receive insufficient cultural training, undermining their patient interactions and integration. Furthermore, systemic barriers severely limit their professional growth and career progression opportunities, resulting in widespread dissatisfaction, burnout, and negative impacts on healthcare delivery and patient outcomes nationwide.
Project description
Professor Eimear Nolan’s mixed methods research was the first in Ireland to address the topic of cultural adjustment training for international doctors, along with the limited career progression opportunities for nonconsultant hospital doctors.
Project outcomes so far
Professor Nolan’s briefing to TDs at Leinster House sparked a national conversation on the issue, from which strategies have begun to emerge, including new government initiatives (from 2023 onward) to provide cultural adjustment training to non-consultant hospital doctors. This will immediately enhance doctor retention and wellbeing, ultimately improving patient care quality and securing the sustainability of Ireland’s healthcare services. She also delivered a keynote speech at the Royal College of Surgeons and liaised with a HSE advisory panel. The research also triggered extensive dialogue in the media.