DCU Alumni Awardee Dr. John Gerard Cannon

Dr. John Cannon is President of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), the representative body for medical doctors in Ireland, only the 6th junior doctor to hold the position in the near 200-year history of the organisation.

A practicing GP in Sligo, Dr Cannon holds first class honours degrees in both Physics and Medicine, and previously worked in commercial banking.

Throughout his training Dr. Cannon was a relentless advocate for patient safety and junior doctor welfare. During his tenure as Chairperson of the IMO’s junior doctor division, he successfully led the organisation through a series of complex negotiations with the Department of Health and the HSE, securing much-needed reform in the working conditions of junior doctors and, in doing so, narrowly avoided strike action.

As President, he continues to pursue his agenda on patient safety and is a proponent for structural reform, digitalization, and increased capacity within the Irish health service. Dr. Cannon also performs diplomatic duties representing Irish doctors around the world. 

He is a regular contributor on national radio and television and has established himself as the respected voice of Irish doctors, speaking with integrity and clarity on difficult and nuanced subject matter. His pragmatic and forthright commentary on the Irish health service, as well as his astute analysis on health policy, has made him one of the most recognizable and trusted voices for the Irish public.

During his time in DCU he was instrumental in resurrecting the University’s now vaunted Drama society, while also representing the faculty of Health and Science on the Students Union. 

BSc Applied Physics 2010