Prof Shanahan is a trained teacher with a number of formal teaching and educational qualifications, obtained from Cambridge University and London institutes. He is a Licentiate of the College of Preceptors and in addition to his MA(Oxon) holds degree equivalents in a variety of disciplines. He formerly lectured at Oxford university, in the Department of External Studies, on the topic The Theoretical Foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine. His teaching and lecture experience spans more than 35 years and extends to fields outside of medicine. He is a published author and has contributed to learned journals and publications on a variety of subjects as well as presenting scientific papers on Traditional Chinese Medicine at, for example, the World Congress Of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, held in the Palais de l' UNESCO, Paris, in !990, cosponsored by the World Health Organisation and the French Ministry of Health.

In 2006 he is representing Ireland at 2 International Conferences on TCM – one in Beijing. China, the other in Bangkok, Thailand and he will be presenting a paper at each conference. He is a Council Member of the presiding council of the World Academic Society for Medical Qigong. He is also on the Academic Selection Committee for the later Conference.

As a practitioner, teacher and life-long student of TCM Prof Shanahan frequently gives talks and lectures on the subject, and has broadcast both on radio and television, as well as contributing articles to newspapers, health guides and professional journals.