My Biography

He was appointed as an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Mayo Clinic and developed an interest in medical simulation and military trauma education. His appointment as a Visiting Professor at Ulster University confirmed his established interest in academic research and innovation for optimisation of vascular patient clinical care and overall safety. Professor O’Donnell remains actively engaged in under-graduate and post-graduate education at Ulster University. Professor O’Donnell is a faculty tutor for the Royal College of Surgeons Basic Surgical Skills (BSS) and Systematic Training in Acute Illness Recognition and Treatment (START) courses where he was also appointed to the START course reconfiguration group. His continues to contribute actively on the Editorial Board of the Ulster Medical Journal and remains a regular reviewer of scientific publications for numerous PubMed Indexed Scientific Medical Journals.

Professor O’Donnell was previously appointed as a Consultant Vascular and Endovascular Surgeon at the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust in 2015 providing patient care for the full remit of vascular diseases followed by a move back to the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust in 2017. He remains proud of the Diabetic Limbs at Serious Risk (LASER) service which was commenced in September 2015 and his supervisory role for University Higher Degree Theses.

Professor O’Donnell’s recent transition from the NHS to the independent healthcare sector in November 2024 recognises his continued commitment to high quality, patient focussed clinical care in many of the largest private healthcare institutions in Northern Ireland. He was humbled to have been awarded the UK Doctify Healthcare Professional (Medical) Patient Choice Award 2023; SME News Endovascular Surgeon of the Year 2024 (Belfast); GHP Patient Care Excellence Award 2025; GHP Surgery Clinic of the Year 2025 (NI); Best Consultant Vascular and Endovascular Surgeon at the 3rd Northern Irish Enterprise Awards 2025 with further nominations for Excellence in Patient Care and Surgical Clinic of the Year at the inaugural 2025 Private Healthcare Excellence Awards.

With regard to his Private Practice, Professor O’Donnell performs office consultations for all aspects of primary and complex arterial, venous and lymphatic disease at Kingsbridge Private Hospital Belfast, Kingsbridge Private Hospital North West, Kingsbridge Newry Clinic and the Ulster Independent Clinic. He hopes to commence further clinics at Orthoderm Hillsborough. At both Kingsbridge Private Hospital sites, he provides the full remit of varicose vein procedural treatment including endovenous radiofrequency ablation, foam sclerotherapy and microsclerotherapy as well as open surgery for complex or recurrent veins. Professor O’Donnell does not perform arterial surgery at any of his private practice clinics and no longer engages in NHS Clinical Duties.