On Saturday 15 June, the University’s Aula Magna hosted the graduation ceremony of the Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. The event was chaired by the dean of the Faculty, Esther Calbo, and the protagonists were the new graduates in Medicine from UIC Barcelona, accompanied by their families, friends and teachers. The event was attended by numerous figures of the academic, institutional and biomedical sectors, especially representatives of UIC Barcelona university hospitals.
The mayor of Sant Cugat, Josep M. Vallès, opened the event by congratulating the new Medicine graduates, highlighting the honour it is to have a Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences in the city like that of UIC Barcelona.
Next it was the turn of Dr Albert Balaguer, patron of the eleventh graduating class of the Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine and dean of the Faculty until last year. Balaguer gave a lecture on the medical profession and his specialty; paediatrics. The patron of the graduation reminded the new doctors that this profession, whatever the specialty, has a common spirit: a vocation for public service. Throughout all these years, he explained, the faculty has wanted to train physicians with a critical spirit and with skills to respond to the challenges of the medical profession.
Dr Balaguer made special mention of end-of-life and palliative care, represented at UIC Barcelona with the WeCare Chair, with the new Master's Degree in Palliative Care and Supportive Care that will be offered from next year, and Cuides UIC Barcelona, the university clinic supporting advanced diseases and palliative care.
The awarding of diplomas took place in the event, and the Extraordinary End Degree Award from the 2017-2023 class went to alumni Javier Jiménez Pareja. The best records of the 2018-2024 class were also read out: Ignacio García-Valdecasas Roig, Miriam Abid Fraga, Sofía Margarita Svoboda Pineda, Aina Martínez Pacheco, Félix Manuel Ruiz Torres and Marcos León Alcoceba.
Then lecturer José Gregorio Zorilla congratulated his new colleagues by dedicating emotional words of gratitude and appreciation, highlighting their resilience, nobility and interest to learn more. On behalf of the teaching staff, Zorilla then proceeded to read the Hippocratic Oath. Student representatives Maria Benejam Garcia-Miralles and Diana Empez Estival then addressed their classmates, relatives and teachers who supported them throughout these six years.
The event was closed by Dr Esther Calbo, dean of the Faculty, who congratulated the new doctors and thanked the families for choosing UIC Barcelona to train their sons and daughters.
The event was attended by academic, institutional and biomedical figures, such as the mayor of Sant Cugat del Vallès, Josep Maria Vallès; the vice president of the Barcelona Society of Physicians, Jaume Sellarès; the manager of the General University Hospital of Catalonia, Joan Izquierdo; the general director of the Fundació Privada Hospital Asil de Granollers, Beatriu Bayès; the medical director of the El Pilar Hospital of the Quirónsalud group, Antonio de Giorgi, and Cristina Carod, healthcare director of Badalona Healthcare Services. From UIC Barcelona the president of the Board of Trustees, Miguel Ángel Cazcarra, and the manager of the University, Josep Maria Torné were present at the ceremony.
Photo caption (from left to right): Dr Esther Calbo, dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at UIC Barcelona; Beatriu Bayès, director general of the Fundació Privada Hospital Asil de Granollers; Joan Izquierdo, manager of the Hospital Universitari General de Catalunya; Jaume Sellarès, vice-president of the Barcelona College of Doctors; Dr Albert Balaguer, patron of the eleventh graduating class of the UIC Barcelona Medicine degree; and Josep Maria Torné, manager of UIC Barcelona.
