Dr. Connell received his undergraduate and postgraduate training in from The UWI St. Augustine & Cave Hill Campuses, and graduated with an MBBS and DM Internal Medicine degrees in 2000 and 2006 respectively. He was awarded a Barbados National Development Scholarship in 2007. He was awarded his Doctor of Philosophy degree on completion of studies from King's College London, University of London.
He joined the Faculty of Medical Sciences as Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacology in 2011 and assumed duties of Deputy Dean - Phase 1 in August 2014 - August 2017. He has held several administrative responsibilities within the faculty, and the campus, including the first examiner for Medicine and Therapeutics examinations, and is currently Chair of the Principal’s Task Force on International Outreach.
He has attended, and presented at, over 40 scientific conferences and meetings, locally, regionally and internationally, including invited speakership for the American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American Society of Hypertension (ASH) and the International Society for Hypertension in Blacks (ISHIB).
His research interests span the spectrum of hypertension science, from novel mechanisms of vascular reactivity and sodium handling by the kidneys, to health system strengthening in the management of hypertension in primary care to improve control rates. This work has led to his appointment as one of the international specialist Consultants contracted by the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Global Hearts Initiative from January 2018. This international programme introduces specific packages that detail public health interventions, and health system strengthening, such as hypertension management, salt reduction, and smoking cessation, to name a few.
As a Clinical Pharmacologist, he chairs the Barbados Drug Formulary Committee, a government appointed committee to review, update and recommend changes to drugs available for use in Barbados. Dr. Connell is currently President of the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados from March 2017 - present. He is a member of the regional civil society organization, the Healthy Caribbean Coalition.
Prestigious professional distinctions include, a Fellowship of the American College of Physicians (ACP), the largest international College of doctors. He was elected as the youngest Governor of the ACP, as Governor of the ACP Caribbean Chapter, from 2016 to the present. He holds the rare distinction of being elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians UK (FRCP) without membership of the College, and for his contribution to hypertension and cardiovascular science, he was also awarded Fellowship of the American College of Cardiology (FACC).
He continues to have a very keen and active interest in the use of mobile technology in the training of medical students, and postgraduate doctors.
