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Prof Cathal Breen

Biography

Professor Cathal Breen is board-certified by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a Clinical Scientist of Cardiac Physiology. His practice focuses around cardiac diagnosis and technology enhanced learning. Cathal has almost 20 years’ experience working in academia, educating health and medical students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, supervising Masters and PhD projects. His PhD focused on the acquisition of expertise within the clinical domain and his published work demonstrates the impact smartphone applications, clinical decision support systems and augmented reality make to health professions education learning efficiency and knowledge retention. He currently leads the simulation and clinical skills department at Edinburgh Napier which facilitates Nursing, Midwifery, Allied Health Professions and Social Work professions education and research. Cathal holds an Honorary Research Consultant position, NHS Lothian, Scotland.
External roles include:
Clinical Facilitator Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency (NIMDTA).
Associate of the National School of Healthcare Sciences, Higher Education England, UK.
Cardiac and Vascular physiology theme lead, The Physiological Society, UK & Ireland.
Cardiac Devices Specialist Group Member, Public Health Scotland, Scottish Cardiac Audit Programme (SCAP).
External examiner, new Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Medical technologies at TUS (formerly Limerick Institute of Technology) (until 2024).
External examiner, BSc Hons Healthcare Science (Cardiology), PGCert Cardiac Device and Rhythm Management and PGCert Echocardiography, The Medical School, University of Leeds, UK (until 2024)
External examiner, PhD examiner, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR CRN), University of Leeds, Leeds, UK (currently).
External examiner, Certificate of Healthcare Science, City, London, UK (until 2023)
Member of faculty Academy of Healthcare Science, Leicestershire, UK (currently)
Member of faculty National School for Healthcare Science, Birmingham, UK (currently)
Research Interests Clinical skills and simulation.
Cardiac electrophysiology (science of elucidating, diagnosing and treating the electrical activities of the heart).
Epicardial adipose tissue associations with atrial fibrillation.
Heart Failure with preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF) diagnosis and treatment.
Diagnostic decision support systems (computer assisted differential diagnosis).Conducting translational
research (promoting entrepreneurship and commercialization).
Acquisition of expertise within the clinical domain (pedagogy).
Scopus Author ID 36105860700
PhD Supervision Availability Yes
PhD Topics Clinical skills and simulation.
Cardiac electrophysiology (science of elucidating, diagnosing and treating the electrical activities of the heart).
Epicardial adipose tissue associations with atrial fibrillation.
Heart Failure with preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF) diagnosis and treatment.
Diagnostic decision support systems (computer assisted differential diagnosis).
Conducting translational research (promoting entrepreneurship and commercialization).
Simulation and acquisition of expertise within the clinical domain (pedagogy).