President hails Graduate Entry Medical School

President of Ireland, Mary McAleese visited the University of Limerick yesterday evening where she addressed a packed audience of UL’s Graduate Entry Medical School (GEMS) students as well as medical professionals and educators from across the region. President McAleese spoke at UL on the on the theme of “Ireland’s enduring Contribution to Medicine” as part of the GEMS public lecture series.

President McAleese, was welcomed to the campus by UL President, Professor Don Barry and Professor Paul Finucane, Founding Head of the Graduate Medical School as well as by almost 300 GEMS students, 32 of whom are current fourth years, who in June, will become the first medical graduates of the University of Limerick.

In her address President McAleese said, 'the University of Limerick’s Graduate Entry Medical School has set the highest of standards designed to ensure the rounded professional formation of highly competent, confident and caring medical professionals. You take seriously the WHO’s espousal of social accountability, making it your own duty to be responsive to the needs of the community and of every strata of society. This very lecture series is part of that mission of integrated outreach to the community and we who are part of that community are now major beneficiaries of the advanced healthcare which is now part of everyday life on this island.'

'Many of the future graduates of the UL Medical School will also go on to serve humanity with great distinction, as so many Irish-born and Irish-trained doctors have done before them.  When the very first cohort of students graduates from the medical school in June this year, it will be a proud moment in the short history of medical education in UL and the long history of medical education in Ireland. Prouder still will be the chapter that UL’s first graduates and staff will help write in the long distinguished narrative of Irish medicine, which for the first time will include the imprint and unique ethos of UL medical school. I hope it will be the best chapter yet in the history of Irish medicine.'

“All Students and staff at the GEMS feel greatly honoured that Preisdent McAleese has agreed to visit our school shortly before the time of graduation of its first students. The GEMS has very high expectations of its graduates and of their future role in Irish society. At this particular time it is important to both reflect on the past and to look to the future of Irish Medicine. We thank the President for her very important contribution to the school at this historic time.”

Established in 2007, the University of Limerick Graduate Entry Medical School is the first new medical school to be established in Ireland in over 150 years. GEMS students and faculty are currently working across 10 hospitals and over 40 primary care centres, making the school one of the most community integrated and focussed medical facilities in the country.  

Michael O’Callaghan GEMS Student who thanked President McAleese said ‘"it's great that President McAleese has taked the time to come and speak at the University of Limerick for the GEMS Annual Public Lecture. We hope to be the first class to graduate from the school this summer, and to see such an important public figure attending such an event is yet another step towards putting the UL Graduate Medical School firmly on the map."

Read about postgraduate courses in the University of Limerick.