Rate My Professor Joseph McVeigh

Professor Joseph McVeigh serves as Dean and Head of School of Clinical Therapies and Head of the Discipline of Physiotherapy at University College Cork. He earned a BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy from Ulster University in 1992 and a PhD titled ‘Physiotherapy Management of Fibromyalgia Syndrome’ in 2007. His career began in the NHS as a staff grade and senior physiotherapist, specializing in the rehabilitation of long-term musculoskeletal conditions. In 1999, he was appointed to one of the first joint clinical-academic posts in physiotherapy in Northern Ireland between the Royal Hospitals Trust and Ulster University. He advanced to Lecturer in Physiotherapy at Ulster University in 2003, serving as Course Director for the BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy and MSc Sport and Exercise Medicine programmes. Joining University College Cork in 2017, he has supervised 11 current PhD students, completed supervision of 6 others, and acted as external examiner for 11 PhD theses. Professor McVeigh is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy since 2016, previously a Fellow since 2013, and holds a Visiting Professorship at Ulster University since 2023. He served as physiotherapist for the Co. Down Senior Hurling team from 1996 to 2008 and has been External Examiner for physiotherapy programmes at St George’s University of London and Manchester Metropolitan University.

Professor McVeigh leads research with over 170 outputs, including 76 peer-reviewed articles, securing more than €12.4 million in funding from national and international sources. His specializations encompass rehabilitation for long-term conditions, chronic pain including fibromyalgia syndrome, non-pharmacological interventions, behaviour change for physical activity and self-management, eHealth interventions for musculoskeletal disorders, virtual reality in rehabilitation, and dementia training for physiotherapists. Key publications include ‘Perceptions and use of behaviour change interventions for physical activity in chronic respiratory disease in The Republic of Ireland’ (2026), ‘Predictive Value of Quantitative Sensory Testing and Psychological Factors on Outcomes Following Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review’ (2026), ‘A scoping review of frameworks evaluating digital health applications’ (2025), ‘The impact of fatigue on people with Fibromyalgia Syndrome’ (2023), and ‘Design and development of an eHealth intervention to support self-management’ (2025). His research informs national clinical guidelines for fibromyalgia (Canadian and German), NICE reviews for rheumatoid arthritis, and patient guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As Editor-in-Chief of Physiotherapy Practice and Research, Senior Editor for Physical Therapy Reviews, and founding member of the XR4REHAB Collaboration & Innovation Network, he significantly influences physiotherapy education, practice, and innovation.