Irish Thoracic Society Podcast Productions

Whether you’re preparing for a specialty registrar or consultant post—or are part of the wider respiratory multidisciplinary team—excelling in healthcare interviews requires clarity, authenticity, and strategic storytelling. In this episode, career and communication expert Sarah Geraghty shares practical guidance on standout interview preparation, avoiding common pitfalls, and clearly demonstrating your value.

Prioritise evidence-based answers over generic statements

Use the STAR framework (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure responses

Practice speaking answers out loud rather than memorising scripts

Address gaps or perceived weaknesses honestly and positively

Align your unique experiences with the specific needs of the role

Stay composed when faced with unfamiliar or unexpected questions

Understand interviewer priorities and tailor responses accordingly

Deliver a strong closing statement to reinforce suitability

Leverage informal meetings and networking strategically

Build a consistent professional brand and story bank for long-term success

Sarah Geraghty

Marissa O’Callaghan

Sandra Green

00:00 – Introduction and episode overview

02:25 – Why speaking answers out loud matters

04:20 – Evidence over experience: thinking like an interviewer

06:15 – Building a targeted story bank

08:35 – Avoiding scripts and improving fluency

10:22 – Answering “Tell me about yourself”

13:09 – Structuring competency and scenario responses

18:03 – Addressing gaps and unfamiliar topics

24:23 – What to do when you don’t know an answer

27:49 – Demonstrating leadership and management skills

32:45 – Closing with impact

36:14 – Interview prep realities in busy clinical roles

56:55 – Differences in prep for SpR vs consultant roles

61:08 – Networking and informal meetings

63:43 – Crafting your professional brand

Sarah Geraghty (LinkedIn): https://ie.linkedin.com/in/sarah-geraghty-comms

The Communications Clinic: https://www.communicationsclinic.ie/

STAR Method: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice/interview-advice/the-star-method

This episode features an evidence-based dialogue with Professor Luke Clancy on contemporary tobacco control. The discussion critically analyses tobacco's disease burden, cessation knowledge gaps in respiratory medicine, industry evolution toward novel nicotine products, adolescent neurodevelopmental risks of nicotine addiction, and missed opportunities in tobacco control during COVID-19.

Listen to learn:

The key health impacts of tobacco every respiratory MDT member must know.

How the tobacco industry is using tech, AI, and synthetic nicotine to addict a new generation.

Why framing e-cigarettes as "95% safer" was a public health disaster.

The sobering lesson COVID-19 taught us about our priorities in tobacco control.

Professor Clancy's one key message for making a difference in Ireland and beyond.

Guest: Professor Luke Clancy, Director General of the TobaccoFree Research Institute Ireland, and a leading figure in Irish public health policy.

Hosts: Margaret Higgins & Sandra Green

Chapters:

00:00 - 01:32 | Introduction & Rapid-Fire Round

01:32 - 07:09 | Framing the harms of tobacco use

07:09 - 15:10 | The Formidable Tobacco Industry: Evolution & Tactics

15:10 - 20:31 | The Problem of Nicotine Addiction: E-Cigarettes & Harm Framing

20:31 - 25:07 | The COVID-19 Wake-Up Call & Missed Opportunities

25:07 - 27:02 | Conclusion & One Key Message

Show Notes:

ESPAD (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs): The long-running study tracking substance use in Irish and European youth.

HSE Smoking Cessation Service: Praised by Clancy for doing "a great job, better than in many countries."

TobaccoFree Research Institute Ireland (TFRI): Professor Clancy's institute.

Irish Thoracic Society: Supporters of the Breathwork podcast.

This episode is sponsored by AstraZeneca with no involvement in the input or content discussed. Produced with the support of the Irish Thoracic Society.

For more, or to get involved, please use the links in the podcast description.

Join hosts Dr Margaret Higgins and Dr Marissa O’Callaghan as they sit down with respiratory physiology expert Ciarán Heatley to explore the science and clinical value of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET). Moving beyond static resting tests, this episode highlights how CPET provides dynamic, real-time insight into integrated cardiopulmonary, metabolic, and muscular responses to exercise.

Ciarán, who leads the Respiratory Physiology Laboratory at Mater University Hospital Dublin, draws on over a decade of experience to explain what CPET truly measures and how it is applied in modern respiratory and cardiovascular care. The discussion covers CPET’s role in diagnosing unexplained dyspnoea, preoperative risk stratification, transplant assessment, pulmonary hypertension management, and personalised rehabilitation planning.

Key Topics Covered

1. What CPET Really Measures

CPET is more than a stress test—it evaluates ventilatory, cardiovascular, metabolic, and muscular responses during exercise. Core parameters discussed include VO₂ max, metabolic threshold (VT1), and respiratory compensation point (VT2), with emphasis on the distinction between aerobic capacity and functional capacity.

2. Clinical Applications

CPET is valuable for:

Investigating unexplained breathlessness Preoperative risk assessment for major surgery Heart and lung transplant evaluation Monitoring treatment response in pulmonary arterial hypertension Assessing pregnancy risk in congenital disease Individualised pulmonary rehabilitation planning

3. What the Test Involves

A full CPET takes approximately 90 minutes, including setup, an 8–12 minute exercise phase, and interpretation. Bike ergometry is preferred clinically. Equipment includes ECG, spirometry, a metabolic mask, and continuous blood pressure monitoring. Safety protocols require two physiologists and one doctor present.

4. Interpreting CPET Data

The episode breaks down:

VT1 and VT2 identification Ventilatory efficiency (V̇E/V̇CO₂) Detection of V/Q mismatch and pulmonary hypertensionChronotropic incompetence and heart rate reserveVentilatory limitation vs maximum voluntary ventilationThe impact of obesity on interpretation

5. Referral Considerations

Good referrals clearly state the clinical question, relevant comorbidities, and medications (especially beta-blockers). Contraindications include acute illness, recent MI, severe cognitive or mobility impairment, and significant claustrophobia.

6. CPET in Ireland

CPET remains underutilised compared to the NHS, largely due to resource, training, and education gaps. However, there is growing recognition of respiratory physiology’s role within Irish healthcare.

Educational Chapters

00:00 Introduction & disclaimer

03:28 What is CPET?

05:54 CPET procedure

09:32 Data interpretation

18:14 Clinical indications

22:51 Practical referrals

25:20 CPET in Ireland

29:32 Closing thoughts

Further Learning

ARTP CPET Course

ERS Clinical Exercise Testing Course

Cambridge CPET Course

ATS/ACCP CPET Guidelines

Wasserman’s Principles of Exercise Testing and Interpretation

Guest: Ciarán Heatley, Chief II Respiratory Physiologist, Mater University Hospital Dublin

Hosts: Dr Margaret Higgins & Dr Marissa O’Callaghan

Disclaimer: Sponsored by AstraZeneca. Sponsor had no input into content. Always follow local clinical guidance.

Professor Luke Clancy, Director General of the Tobacco Free Research Institute Ireland and Professor at Technological University Dublin, describes how clinical observation, focused research and coalition‑building translated into major public‑health wins — the 1990 Dublin smoky‑coal ban and Ireland’s 2004 Public Health (Tobacco) Act.

He reflects on the science behind excess winter mortality and air pollution, clinical innovations (bronchoscopy, COPD outreach, lung‑cancer MDTs), tobacco control advocacy, implementation lessons and leadership advice for clinicians to influence policy.

Chapters

00:00 — Introduction & guest bio

Show notes

• Kelly, I., Clancy, L. et al., 1984. Mortality in a general hospital and urban air pollution. ResearchGate. [online] (Accessed 14 December 2025)

• Tobacco Free Research Institute Ireland (TFRI) https://www.tri.ie/

• Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Ireland https://ash.ie/

• Framework Convention on Tobacco Control https://fctc.who.int/convention

In this episode, Irish respiratory fellows Barry and Sandra sit down with Professor Richard Costello to explore the rapidly evolving world of digital asthma care. From eosinophils and T2 inflammation to the future of smart inhalers and precision monitoring, this conversation dives deep into how technology is reshaping diagnosis, adherence, and long-term management.

Professor Richard Costello discusses the challenges of diagnosing a highly variable disease, the limitations of symptom-based tools like the ACT, and why biomarkers and digital home spirometry are essential in modern asthma practice. They cover how digital devices can reveal patient behaviour, uncover hidden comorbidities, and distinguish difficult-to-treat asthma from true severe asthma.

The episode also explores the emerging potential of closed-loop smart inhalers, real-time lung function monitoring, and how personalised dosing may soon become a reality. Along the way, the team unpacks overlooked side effects of chronic inhaled steroids, the importance of steroid stewardship, and how Ireland can move toward a more decentralised, digitally enabled model of asthma care.

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction

00:31 – Episode Overview

01:15 – Rapid-Fire Round: True or False

03:45 – The Importance of Eosinophils & T2 Inflammation
Dr. Costello explains why identifying T2 inflammation is central to diagnosing and managing asthma.

06:15 – Challenges in Diagnosing Asthma
Variability, biomarkers, bronchial responsiveness, and why asthma remains difficult to diagnose in 2025.

09:40 – The Role of Home Spirometry
How home monitoring helps differentiate asthma from mimics and guides treatment decisions.

12:10 – Differentiating Difficult-to-Treat vs Severe Asthma
Using digital adherence data to distinguish true severity from difficult to treat asthma.

14:20 – The Future: Smart, Closed-Loop Inhalers
How inhalers may soon auto-dose based on real-time airflow and physiology.

17:00 – Understanding the User, Not Just the Device
Digital data reveals patient behaviour patterns and barriers to adherence.

20:10 – When Symptoms Aren’t Asthma
Reflux, deconditioning, cardiac disease, and other asthma mimics uncovered through monitoring.

22:20 – Hidden Side Effects of High-Dose Steroids
Adrenal suppression, cataracts, diabetes, and why symptom-based escalation can lead to elevated steroid exposure.

25:00 – The Limitations of the ACT & Symptom Scores
Why subjective questionnaires fall short in a multimorbid population.

27:10 – Ireland’s Future: Digital Home Monitoring & Decentralised Care
How integrated hubs and digital platforms could streamline diagnosis and management.

30:00 – Looking Ahead

31:29 – Closing Remarks

Guest: Professor Richard Costello

Professor Richard Costello is a professor of respiratory medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and a consultant at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin. He trained at RCSI, Beaumont, and Johns Hopkins University. A leading researcher in airways disease and digital respiratory health, he has published over 200 papers, holds several health innovation patents, and founded a company focused on inhaler adherence. He has served as Vice President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and chaired the European Respiratory Society Educational Council, receiving the ERS Educational Award for his contributions to respiratory medicine.  

Hosts: Dr Barry Harnedy & Dr Sandra Green

We’re back in the studio with Professor Richard Costello, exploring his vision for the future of digital health and what it takes to set up a medical device to life. He discusses how his experience in digital monitoring led him to a deeper understanding of human behaviour.

Guest - Professor Richard Costello

Professor Richard Costello is a professor of respiratory medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and a consultant at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin. He trained at RCSI, Beaumont, and Johns Hopkins University. A leading researcher in airways disease and digital respiratory health, he has published over 200 papers, holds several health innovation patents, and founded a company focused on inhaler adherence. He has served as Vice President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and chaired the European Respiratory Society Educational Council, receiving the ERS Educational Award for his contributions to respiratory medicine.

Hosts - Dr Barry Harnedy & Dr Sandra Green

Dr Barry Harnedy is a respiratory specialist trainee in Ireland. He graduated from National University of Ireland Galway. He is the current Irish Thoracic Society co Educational Officer. He is passionate about digital innovation and airways assessment.

Dr Sandra Green is a respiratory specialist trainee in Ireland. She is the current Irish Thoracic Society Sustainability Officer. As a founder of Irish Doctors for the Environment she is interested in healthcare sustainability and planetary health.

In this episode, Dr Marissa O’Callaghan and Dr Sandra Green host Dr. Augusta Beach and Dr. Laura Fabbri, both Early Career Representatives of the European Respiratory Society.

They discuss their journeys to becoming representatives, the responsibilities of their roles, and the importance of networking and engagement within the society.

This conversation also focuses on the upcoming Congress, including key sessions, tips for poster presentations, and social events, emphasizing the value of participation and proactive involvement for early career members.

Keywords

European Respiratory Society, Early Career Representatives, Networking, Congress, ILD, COPD, Research, Eosinophils, Asthma, Clinical Trials

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

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.

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?