MELP - Medical Executive Leadership Programme

Programme Overview

Dates:

Duration: 2 x 3-day modules (6 days) delivered over 3 months, with Module 1 on-campus at Trinity Business School and Module 2 in a residential setting. 

Format: In-person

Who is this programme designed for?

This programme is for senior healthcare professionals who are responsible for leading people, services, and systems. It is suited to consultants, clinical directors, service leads, and others who are shaping care delivery or preparing for executive roles.

Participants are expected to bring current challenges and leadership experience into the room. The course supports them to manage complex teams, communicate clearly at board level, and build practical skills for decision-making and change.

What does the programme offer to participants?

Participants leave with clear strategies for leading teams, influencing decision-makers, and managing change in a healthcare setting. The sessions focus on practical tools and real-world scenarios. Group work, case studies, and expert input are built into each day.

The course brings together senior professionals working across the health system. Participants gain new insights from peers as well as experienced faculty. They complete the programme with stronger skills in negotiation, communication, and operational planning.

Programme:

• Lead through uncertainty with Adaptive Leadership

• Drive high-impact strategy in Complex Systems

• Master boardroom presence and Stakeholder Influence

• Navigate conflict with Negotiation for Value

• Build trust and lead Organisational Transformation

• Deliver results through Operational Excellence

• Communicate with authority in Crisis and Media Settings

Testimonials

"MELP was an enlightening and richly rewarding experience. It was a powerful blend of academia and experience, enabling trust, cohesion and collective thinking among senior healthcare leaders. The focus on high performance teams and organisational transformation was invaluable and I highly recommend this course to anyone who wants to make the most out of leadership opportunity in healthcare." - Kay Connolly CEO, SVUH

"I wish I had had this opportunity much earlier in my career. MELP was an excellent exercise in building teams and consensus among senior healthcare executives. It has formed a platform with the undoubted potential to be a significant influence on healthcare policy and delivery into the future."- Conor O' Keane

"This programme really helped me to prepare for the transition to consultancy by equipping me with powerful leadership tools and insights. I loved the opportunity to collaborate with my senior colleagues and learn about strategies to achieve organisational change. I look forward to furthering that collaboration to achieve real advances in healthcare during my career."- Clare O'Connor

"Our undergraduate and postgraduate system has little focus on formal leadership and management education. We learn a lot on the ground but it was invaluable to have the opportunity to study with a group of senior healthcare colleagues at a top global business school. Really impactful and I highly recommend"- Keith Synott

Request information: jane.flanagan@tcd.ie 

Senior Academic Director: Dr. Rhona Mahony, Adjunct Assistant Professor

Dr Rhona Mahony is Senior Academic Director of the Medical Executive Leadership Programme at Trinity Business School. A practising consultant obstetrician and Adjunct Professor, she brings over 30 years’ experience in healthcare leadership. Dr Mahony served as Master of the National Maternity Hospital and held executive roles across the Ireland East Hospital Group. She is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organisation and a graduate of Harvard’s Value-Based Healthcare and Managerial Finance programme. Her work focuses on strategic leadership in healthcare, governance, and leading change in complex clinical settings.

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