Winners Shine at Educational Excellence Day 2026
NIMDTA hosted its 9th Annual Educational Excellence Day at The Malone Hotel, Belfast on Friday, 19 June.
This flagship event celebrates the achievements of doctors and dentists in training, alongside the educators and trainers who support them across Northern Ireland. It remains one of the most important and uplifting moments in our academic calendar, offering an opportunity to come together to recognise excellence, share successes, and be inspired by the dedication and impact of our training community.
The event opened with a warm Welcome Address by Mr Derek Wilson, who reflected “Educational Excellence Day is a celebration of commitment, innovation and leadership - but above all, it is a celebration of people. It recognises the outstanding dedication of our resident doctors and dentists in training, whose passion and drive continue to shape the future of healthcare. Today reminds us that excellence is not only achieved, but inspired, supported and shared.”
We were honoured to welcome Ms Aine McCahey, Senior Social Work Practitioner, Primary Care MDT, West Belfast, who delivered an inspiring Keynote Address on ‘Engaging with Carers for Positive Outcomes’. Aine highlighted the vital role of informal carers in delivering safe, effective and patient‑centred care. The session emphasised that carers - who make up a significant proportion of the population - bring unique knowledge, act as advocates, and are essential partners in care delivery.
The programme continued with highlights from NIMDTA’s Simulation Champions, SUCCEED Leadership Fellows, and ENGAGE Programme Facilitators and Showcase winner. A series of inspiring presentations showcased the work and achievements of both trainees and educators, underlining the impact of leadership, innovation, and quality improvement across the region.
Next up was the presentation of Excellence Day Awards.
The category winners were as follows:
Innovation in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Winner: Dr Charlotte Irwin
Dr Irwin was unable to attend the live event. The award was accepted on her behalf by Nora Quigley, Employability and Skills Officer, Belfast City Council’s and Dr Maryam Alhag.
Dr Irwin was recognised for her dedication to equality, diversity, and inclusion. This award recognises individuals who demonstrate outstanding commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in medical education - championing change, tackling inequality, and ensuring that under-represented voices are heard.
Dr Irwin is recognised for her exceptional leadership and dedication to supporting refugee doctors in Northern Ireland. Through her innovative - and largely voluntary - work, she has created vital opportunities for education, mentorship, and career progression. In doing so, she has addressed a significant regional gap, improving access to the medical workforce while championing inclusion and diversity.
Her work is making a meaningful and lasting difference - both for individual doctors and for the wider health service.
Dr Irwin was unable to attend the event is person. The award was accepted on her behalf by Nora Quigley, Employability and Skills Officer, who has established Belfast City Council’s English Language Academy (Medics) as an initiative to support refugee doctors, including Dr Maryam Alhag, who has recently passed her PLAB 2 exam and gained GMC registration.
Innovation in Training (Trainees)
Winner: Dr Sarah Rafferty
Professor Sir Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland, presents Dr Rafferty with her Education Excellence Award
This award recognises education and training that goes beyond standard curriculum delivery, celebrating innovation, leadership, and meaningful impact for trainees.
Dr Rafferty has designed and led a pioneering regional training programme on Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI) - a rare but deeply challenging scenario requiring both clinical expertise and compassion.
She developed a simulation-based, multi-agency course, bringing together healthcare professionals, police, social services, and, importantly, parent voices to ensure learning is grounded in real experience.
The programme has delivered outstanding results, with 100% of participants reporting improved confidence and understanding, and it has now been rolled out across Northern Ireland.
Dr Rafferty’s work exemplifies innovation in training - enhancing collaboration, improving care, and making a lasting difference for both professionals and families.
Innovation in Training (Trainer/Educator)
Winner: Dr Tiarna Byrne
Professor Sir Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland, presents Dr Tiarna Byrne with her Education Excellence Award
This award recognises education and training that goes beyond expected curriculum delivery, celebrating innovation, leadership, and meaningful impact across medical education in Northern Ireland.
Dr Byrne has demonstrated exceptional commitment by extending her expertise beyond undergraduate teaching to support Internal Medicine Trainees. She designed and delivered an innovative, simulation-based clinical skills programme addressing a clear gap in procedural training.
Through a structured, hands-on approach and a strong focus on psychological safety, this programme has significantly improved trainee confidence and competence.
Importantly, it was developed using a quality improvement framework, with ongoing evaluation and refinement, leading to measurable improvements in trainee outcomes, including increased procedural assessments.
Dr Byrne’s leadership and dedication have strengthened postgraduate training and supported safer patient care.
A Special Recognition Award was then presented by Sir Michael to Dr Craig Renfrew for his Outstanding Contribution to Medical Education
Professor Sir Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland, presents Dr Craig Renfrew with his Educational Excellence Award.
This award recognises individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to education and training, demonstrating leadership, dedication, and a commitment to excellence.
Dr Renfrew has been the Director of Medical Education within the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust since September 2010 , making him the longest-serving Director in this role. Over this period, he has provided sustained leadership and guidance in supporting and developing medical trainees across the Trust.
His leadership in medical education and training has resulted in improvements within the training environment, ensuring GMC standards are met and driving continuous improvement evidenced through quality management activities.
Over the past 15 years, Dr Renfrew has also Chaired the joint NIMDTA/DME Postgraduate Medical Education Forum. Through this role, he has played an important part in influencing and supporting postgraduate medical education at a regional level.
The afternoon saw the ADEPT Clinical Leadership Fellows 2025/2026 each present an overview of project outcomes, innovations and experiences from their host organisation placements to date, and feedback on formal leadership training including mentoring and coaching they attended as future leaders in healthcare.
The ADEPT presentations concluded with Dr Anita Smyth and Dr Lorraine Parks presenting the ADEPT Fellows with their awards, recognising their exceptional dedication and hard work throughout the year. Their achievements reflect not only their personal commitment to excellence but also the invaluable support provided by our partners and host organisations in fostering leadership and professional development.
The Educational Excellence Day concluded with closing remarks from Professor Sir Michael McBride, who expressed his sincere thanks to all those who contributed to and participated in the day’s celebrations. Sir Michael extended his deep appreciation to the organisers at NIMDTA for their outstanding efforts in organising and delivering a highly successful and meaningful event.
To view the event booklet, click the image below:
To watch the highlights of the 2026 event, play the video reel below:
If you would like to know more about the Educational Excellence Awards click here
For further information on ADEPT Clinical Leadership Programme click here
For any queries regarding the Educational Excellence Awards or the ADEPT Clinical Leadership Programme, please contact: ValuedTrainees@hscni.net
