This award is presented at the society’s annual and scientific meeting. It is awarded to an undergraduate student who distinguishes herself or himself as the primary and presenting author of an oral or poster abstract which is judged to be of outstanding merit.

Dr. John Fleetwood was a founding member of the Irish Gerontological Society.  Born in Edinburgh, John Fleetwood graduated in medicine from University College Dublin.  He practiced as a general practitioner in Blackrock Co. Dublin and at Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services in Harold’s Cross.

In 1949, Dr. Fleetwood recognised that knowledge about the social medical care of the elderly in Ireland was scanty.  In pursuit of improving his own knowledge, he attended a meeting of the Medical Society for the Care of the Elderly (later renamed the British Geriatrics Society). In 1950, Dr. Fleetwood attended the International Association of Gerontology (now IAGG) meeting in Liege.  He was elected to its governing body as a delegate of ‘the Irish Gerontological Society’ (IGS).

Following Dr. Fleetwood’s return from Liege, the first meeting of the IGS took place on 23 October 1950.  Six people attended.  Prof. Jerry Jessop, Professor of Physiology at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland was elected as President and Dr. Fleetwood as the society’s first Honorary Secretary.

The 2022 winner is Clara Heinrich of University College Cork for Identification of potentially inappropriate medications in frail older adults residing in long-term care: a retrospective chart review.

The 2019 winner is Helen Mannion of National University of Ireland Galway for Sleep and Frailty: Examining the Effects of Frailty on Sleep Disturbance in Hospitalised Older Adults

The 2018 Dr. John Fleetwood Award was won by Clare Tracey of the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast.  The abstract title was: The Impact of Area Based Socioeconomic Deprivation on Osteoporosis.

In 2017 the medal was awarded to Charlie Dunmore of Aintree University Hospital and School of Medicine, University of Liverpool for his abstract Social Determinants and Older People Hospital Outpatient Non-Attendance

In 2016 the medal was awarded to  Adam Dyer of Centre for Ageing, Neuroscience and the Humanities, Tallaght Hospital, Dublin, Ireland for his abstract Investigating Cognitive Impairment in the Emergency Department: the Role of the Informant History.

In 2014, the inaugural Dr. John Fleetwood medal was awarded to Catherine O'Dare of Trinity College Dublin for her abstract “Words Open Windows”: Older Women’s Experiences of Adult Literacy Service

The student must be registered as an undergraduate student or a student in a graduate entry programme at the time of submission 1 st May 2023. A student, who is the primary author, may choose to enter their abstract for the Dr. John Fleetwood Medal.

Graduate entry programme students are those undertaking an accelerated degree e.g. in medicine, allied health discipline or another recognised graduate programme.

Note: Any student undertaking a MD, MSc, PhD, diploma or any further education is not eligible for this award

Student identification will be required at time of registration.

All student queries and registrations should be directed to: secretary@irishgerontology.com