Paul Collins, a consultant dermatologist who played a pivotal role in the provision of dermatology services in Dublin and the southeast of the country, died on April 7th.
Born in Limerick on May 3rd, 1961 , the son of Michael Dorothy Collins, Paul was educated at Glenstal Abbey. He studied medicine at University College Dublin, graduating in 1984. He found his vocation in dermatology. There was no mistaking his enthusiasm, ability, and determination to succeed. The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland training scheme did not exist then, but a new dermatology registrar post in the City of Dublin Skin and Cancer Hospital, Hume Street, and St Vincent’s University Hospital (SVUH) had recently been approved for two years of higher training by the Royal College of Physicians, London. Paul proved himself to be a talented clinician and learned to conduct clinical research leading to several publications in peer-reviewed journals. Phototherapy for inflammatory skin disease formed a large part of this work and from this he progressed to a research post in photobiology in Ninewells Hospital, Dundee. His boss, Dr Jimmy Ferguson, remembered Paul as “a kind, capable and considerate man, his gentle sense of humour was never far away in any conversation”.
To complete his clinical training, Paul was senior registrar in dermatology in the General Infirmary at Leeds, after which he undertook a fellowship at the University of Minnesota.
By the time of his appointment in 1997 as consultant dermatologist to SVUH, Hume Street Hospital, and St Michael’s Hospital, Dún Laoghaire, Paul had a medical doctorate (MD), an enviable curriculum vitae, and was ready to take on the responsibilities of the job. Training junior doctors was part of his remit and he shone in this role: he was a good role model and an excellent mentor, inspiring junior colleagues to accumulate both academic knowledge and clinical expertise with the ultimate aim of excellence in the care of patients. He supervised detailed clinical research projects, many in the field of photodynamic therapy for skin cancer.
Paul’s academic work was meticulously crafted and executed; this was recognised by his peers and Paul was the recipient of many prizes and travelling fellowships for his orally presented and published work.
In the early 2000s, with the closure of Hume Street Hospital looming, Paul took on planning a new dermatology department in SVUH to incorporate the transfer of the service from Hume Street. It was a mammoth task. Committed to team-playing in running the department, Paul always sought the views of medical, nursing and administrative colleagues. His hard work was rewarded by a smooth transfer, and from it the initially small department grew to a new state-of-the art one with strong links to UCD with its new institute, the Charles Institute of Dermatology, which was established by the City of Dublin Skin and Cancer Hospital and UCD. Paul served on its board as SVUH representative, where he had an ideal opportunity to emphasise his strongly held view that the links between academic and clinical dermatology should be actively fostered in order to maintain and enhance clinical standards.
In the midst of all his academic and professional achievements, Paul never forgot his patients with whom he had such a good rapport and who were so fond of him. His honest and respectful approach meant that patients and colleagues held him in high esteem – not only for his professional skills, clinical acumen and as an excellent clinical opinion but also for his personal interest in everyone. He had a special fondness for his small department in St Michael’s Hospital, Dún Laoghaire.
Paul who was a man for the outdoors, with a love of the natural world. As a young man he had crewed on a tall ship, the Asgard II. He continued to sail in west Cork and in Dún Laoghaire. He was an enthusiastic walker, golfer and skier, as well as being a keen Ireland and Leinster rugby fan. Paul collected, and tended to, an impressive range of plants in his small urban garden, and was happiest on this patch wielding the spade or hoe, while indulging his other great interest, ornithology.
An erudite who was widely read, Paul loved books and talk of books; he was enthusiastic for new ideas and for new experiences, for political and economic discussion, and for travel, with a particular love for Italy, its art, architecture and music.
But above all, Paul was a family man, spending many happy summers in Bantry with his family and parents-in-law Breda and the late Derek McCoy.
Paul was taken from us too soon by an illness with which he coped without fuss or complaint. Even towards the end, when things were more difficult for him, his sense of humour was still to the fore. His death was acknowledged by both the Irish and British Associations of Dermatology.
Paul is sorely missed by his colleagues, friends and family. He is survived by his parents Michael and Dorothy, his mother-in-law Breda, wife Deirdre, son Patrick, daughter Hannah, and his brothers Conor and Simon.