Dr Bergin studied at Otago Medical School in New Zealand and graduated in 1982. While at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, he obtained his MD degree by undertaking research into the effects of epilepsy on memory. He returned to New Zealand as a consultant neurologist in 1994. Since 1997 he has been coordinating the Epilepsy Surgery Programme at Auckland Hospital. In 2006, he was elected as the first president of the New Zealand chapter of the International League against Epilepsy, and he remains on the NZLAE committee. Dr Bergin established the EpiNet project, and he is current chairman of the EpiNet steering committee.