University News Last updated 16 February 2011
A former hospital porter has become the first serving army nurse to gain a PhD from Birmingham City University.
Lieutenant Colonel Alan Finnegan will be officially presented with his doctorate on Monday 21 February at one the University’s graduation ceremonies which will be held at Symphony Hall, Birmingham.
Alan started his career as a porter at Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham then later qualified as an RGN and RMN, working in Birmingham at the Accident, Dudley Road, Highcroft & Sandwell Hospitals, before joining the army as a nurse in 1987.
He then took a number of nursing-related posts within the army including deployment in Iraq, Northern Ireland, Kosovo and South Africa and working on policy matters for the Ministry of Defence.
In 2004 he was promoted to the rank of Lt Col and was employed as the Defence Specialist Nursing Advisor (Mental Health) before moving to the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine in Birmingham, where he served as the Commanding Officer and as the units Senior Military Nurse. He has been a reviewer for the Healthcare Commission, is chairman of the Royal College of Nursing's Defence Forum, is an Honorary Lecturer at Birmingham City University's Faculty of Health and is well published in the area of military mental health. On 21 February he will be receiving his PhD for his work examining factors leading to depression within the British Army.
Brought up in the Alum Rock area of Birmingham, Alan now lives in Chester. He is married to Sara and has two daughters, Kate and Beth. His main hobby is supporting Aston Villa Football Club, where he is Holte End season ticket holder.