Pictured: Dr Charles Brand, Research Officer and Shane Devlin, AP. Photo: National Ambulance Service (NAS)
An Inishowen man has made history by becoming the first National Ambulance Service paramedic researcher to secure a major PhD Scholarship.
Advanced Paramedic Shane Delvin from Clonmany, now based in Galway, has be awarded a 2025 Research Ireland Enterprise Partnership PhD Scholarship.
Valued at €136,000 over four years, this fund has a highly competitive national selection process with an annual success rate of approximately 18%.
The scholarship supports Shane’s doctoral research into improving the prehospital recognition of posterior circulation stroke. The multi-phase study will examine epidemiology, clinical tool development, and validation in paramedic practice.
Shane’s application was supported by Dr Charles Brand (Paramedicine Directorate – Research Department) as the NAS Enterprise Partner Mentor and Prof. Conor Deasy and Dr Kirstyn James from UCC as Academic Supervisors.
This landmark moment for paramedic-led research in Ireland has been widely welcomed.
“Shane is the first NAS Paramedic Researcher to secure this level of funding to complete a paramedic research doctoral degree,” said the NAS.
“Hopefully his story inspires other NAS paramedic researchers to begin and/or continue their important work.”
Closer to home, the Clonmany First Responders congratulated Shane and said: “We were privileged to have Shane come speak to us at the early stages of training and we gained a valuable insight from him as an experienced paramedic, in particular in his field of expertise in stroke. Well done Shane and we wish you every success!”
Donegal man becomes first NAS paramedic to secure major research funding was last modified: February 19th, 2026 by Staff Writer
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