The first cohort of graduates from the country’s only masters programme in women’s health (MSc) were conferred today at RCSI.

Established in October 2002, the MSc in Women’s Health is a two-year, part-time course covering all aspects of women’s health from gynaecology to medical ethics and anthropology and is particularly focused on the care of women in a primary care setting.

Having completed their dissertations in late 2004, the 16 new MSc graduates include general practitioners, practice nurses, nurse specialists and gynaecology registrars. Course Director and Lecturer in Women’s Health and Community Gynaecology at the RCSI, Dr Mary Condren said: "This course has produced the first cohort of professionals with a postgraduate training in the wider aspects of women’s health where the woman is seen as a whole person rather than a disease entity."

More than 200 students in total were conferred during two special graduation ceremonies today at the RCSI.

The morning event conferred new graduates in physiotherapy, medicine, and a number of postgraduate degrees, while the afternoon ceremony saw new graduates in nursing, practice development and nursing management.