Professor Lord Ara Darzi, former Parliamentary Under Secretary in the UK Department of Health, received the Distinguished Graduates Award at RCSI’s Alumni Weekend. More ...

More than 250 medical graduates and their guests travelled from all parts of Ireland and across the globe to be stimulated and entertained, revisit old places and renew acquaintances during this annual event, which ran from 10-13 September.

Lord Darzi, who graduated from RCSI in 1984, is one of the world's leading surgeons at Imperial College London, specialising in the field of minimally invasive and robot-assisted surgery, having pioneered many new techniques and technologies. In 2002, he was awarded a knighthood for his services to medicine and surgery and subsequently elevated to peerage in 2007. He announced his resignation from his ministerial position on July 14, 2009, in order to return to his full-time clinical and research activities.

This year's Alumni Weekend, which was sponsored by Quintiles & Innovex, celebrated the classes who graduated in 1949, 1959, 1964, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989 and 1999. It included a full programme of activites and a scientific meeting.

Throughout the three days, graduates enjoyed various activities such as a golf outing to the K Club in Kildare, a tour to Glendalough and Powerscourt Gardens in Wicklow; a walking tour of Dublin and a reception and gala dinner held in the College on Saturday evening.

On Friday, 11 September the RCSI Scientific meeting added another dimension to the weekend as talks and poster presentations were given by former graduates and leading medical professionals and academics from RCSI. Among the speakers were Professor Cathal Kelly, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences who spoke about the new and innovative curriculum at RCSI and Professor Hannah McGee, Deputy Director of Research at RCSI briefed the group on RCSI’s Research Strategy; Dr Rachel Stanley from the class of 1989 gave a talk about 'A description of the First Federally Funded Emergency Medicine Research Network in the US' and Dr David Crooks from the class of 1989 spoke about 'Breast Cancer Risk Reduction'.

Professor Cathal Kelly said: “It is a privilege to welcome our graduates back to RCSI. Alumni weekend offers special opportunities to rekindle relationships and affiliations as well as networking amongst peers. RCSI has a proud tradition of educating some of the finest medical professionals. The graduates here this weekend are a reflection of this educational ethos.”

John Kiernan, CEO of Quintiles & Innovex, said: "Alumni reunions allow graduates to reconnect with former class mates, as well as providing an opportunity to forge new professional relationships. We are delighted to be supporting this weekend again this year."