Inspire: Professor Eddie Maloney on building a respiratory career, leading the Irish Thoracic Society, and staying active

In this episode Professor Eddie Maloney, consultant respiratory and sleep physician and President of the Irish Thoracic Society speaks about the career path that led him into respiratory medicine. They discuss fellowships, intensive care exposure, society leadership, advocacy priorities, and why tennis and regular exercise have been a constant throughout his working life. In This Episode - A career path through respiratory and sleep medicine, with training and leadership experience across Ireland and the UK. - The appeal of respiratory medicine as a specialty that combines acute care, chronic disease management, procedures, physiology, and imaging. - The value of fellowships and international experience in strengthening clinical judgement, adaptability, and problem-solving. - The role of the Irish Thoracic Society in supporting professional development, membership growth, and annual scientific meetings. - Current advocacy priorities in respiratory health, including air quality, climate- related impacts, vaping, and World Lung Day. - Practical advice for trainees on publications, case reports, and building an academic profile alongside clinical work. Guest Professor Eddie Moloney is a Consultant Respiratory and Sleep Physician at Tallaght University Hospital and Beacon Hospital, with over 20 years’ experience in respiratory, sleep and general internal medicine. He has held senior clinical and leadership roles in Ireland and the UK, including as current president of the Irish Thoracic Society and has made significant contributions to respiratory and sleep medicine through research, education and professional leadership. Outside of medicine, Eddie is a passionate tennis player and advocate for an active lifestyle. Hosts: Dr Margaret Higgins is a third year respiratory trainee at the Mater Hospital. A graduate of University College Dublin, she is currently completing a Master's at University College Cork. She is the current ITS education co-officer with a keen interest in Medical Education. Her research interests include Pulmonary Hypertension and Interstitial Lung Disease.  Dr Sandra Green is an Irish-trained respiratory fellow with a strong track record in climate advocacy and multidisciplinary sustainable initiatives, as co-founder of Irish Doctors for the Environment. She has an MSc in Leadership and Innovation in Healthcare at the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (2023–2025). With Marisssa, she co-founded the Irish Thoracic Society Podcast Productions, launching the platform in 2024 to share knowledge, insights, and innovations in respiratory care. Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/dr-sandra-green-2a9536199 Email: [email protected] Chapters 00:00 - Welcome to Inspire and what the podcast aims to cover 00:57 - Professor Eddie Maloney’s clinical background and leadership roles 02:23 - How respiratory medicine became the right fit 03:49 - Intensive care exposure and the Brompton fellowship 05:35 - Why a fellowship abroad can change the way you think 06:34 - Whether fellowships still matter for trainees today 07:27 - Why he joined the Irish Thoracic Society 08:48 - How the society’s committee pathway works 09:35 - Growing membership across the respiratory MDT 10:29 - Respiratory Health of the Nation and the annual scientific meeting 12:20 - Current advocacy priorities: air quality, vaping, and World Lung Day 14:09 - Tennis, fitness, and staying active through a busy career 15:33 - Fitting exercise into early starts and full clinical days 16:26 - Publication advice for trainees and early career doctors 18:21 - Why finishing papers and handling review matters 19:14 - Case reports as a practical starting point for research 20:02 - Closing remarks and the next episode topic Resources and Links: - Irish Thoracic Society https://irishthoracicsociety.com/ - Respiratory Health of the Nation report 2018 https://irishthoracicsociety.com/respiratory-health-of-the-nation-2018/