Joan Gilvarry is On the Couch this week.
Occupation: Director of Human Medicines, Irish Medicines Board - the authority governing the safety and efficacy of human and veterinary medicines and medical devices in Ireland.
Personal/family: Native of Killala, Co Mayo, now living in Dublin. Married to Billy with three children, Billy, Grace and Peter.
What figure from the world of medicine/health do you most admire?Globally, those individuals such as Jenner, Pasteur, Salk and Sabin who transformed human health through their genius and tireless application to research and development. Their medical innovations led to the development of vaccines that resulted in millions of lives being saved from preventable diseases and still form the foundation of medicines today. On a personal note, the countless healthcare professionals who choose medicine as a vocation, and, in particular, my father who worked as a GP seven days a week, 365 days a year for over 50 years of his life in a single-handed rural practice.
What other career might you have chosen? I seriously considered doing pharmacy and in a way my career has led me very close to this area given my position which involves me overseeing the safety, quality and effectiveness of medicines on the market.
If you were appointed Minister for Health, what would be your first priority? Strive to create a climate that nurtures, cultivates and increases the number of highly skilled healthcare professionals we have in Ireland. Our healthcare people are among the best in the world because of our education system and the training and experience they gain in practice. That needs to be acknowledged and sustained.
Do you have a phobia/what is your greatest fear? No real phobias, but my greatest fear would be something happening one of my children.
Have you ever been a patient and were you a good one? Yes found it tough being on the other side but would like to think I behaved myself.
What three books would you bring to a desert island? Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, The A to Z of Sport and the countless back issues of Time magazine that I never get to read.
Have you a fail-safe method of dealing with stress? Going to a good football/rugby match, walking on Ross beach in Killala or totally tuning off by playing a board game with my children.
What is your favourite TV or radio programme? The TV series 24, for current affairs Morning Ireland and Tonight with Vincent Browne are the regular stables.
If you did not live in Ireland, where would you choose to spend the rest of your life? Probably Italy, for its mixture of culture, shopping, social life and climate.
Summarise yourself in 12 words. Strong on detail, fair, reliable, energetic, a bit of a sports fanatic.
Do you use alternative medicine/therapies? My belief is that you should avoid taking any medicines whether alternative or conventional unless absolutely necessary.
Who or what makes you laugh? My children and Father Ted.