Graduates from Ireland’s first Graduate Entry Programme in Medicine (GEP/GEM) were among 259 students conferred at RCSI's annual graduation ceremony in the National Concert Hall, Dublin on Thursday, 3 June 2010.

This year’s graduating class is the largest ever to be conferred by RCSI.

229 graduates were conferred with Degrees in Medicine, Surgery and Obstetrics (MB, BCh and BAO) and 28 students will be conferred with Masters and PhDs in Degree of Master of Science (MSc), Degree of Master of Surgery (MCh), Degree of Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). A Fellowship of Faculty of Radiology (FFR) and Honorary Doctorate was also be awarded.

The Graduate Entry Programme in Medicine was launched in RCSI in September 2006 and the first cohort of 49 GEP graduates will be conferred today. Since then, RCSI has consistently been top choice among applicants for Graduate Entry Medicine in Ireland. GEM has attracted students from diverse academic backgrounds. In addition to the expected biological, physical and allied health sciences, RCSI-GEM has students with primary degrees in maths and actuarial science, law, English literature, philosophy, humanities, French, geography and history.

Professor Cathal Kelly, CEO, RCSI said “As the largest undergraduate medical school in Ireland, the conferring ceremony is one of the highlights of the year for RCSI. This year’s conferring is particularly special for the College with Ireland’s first Graduate Entry Programme in Medicine Class being conferred by RCSI. This pioneering milestone cements RCSI’s leadership position in medical education. I would like to congratulate all the students here today and wish them every success in the future."

Professor Hannah McGee, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at RCSI said “Graduation is an exhilarating time for our students, their families, faculty and staff. Today is an important step for our students and we share in their excitement as they embark on their new career paths. The graduates here today are testament of the excellent educational and training standards that RCSI is renowned for both nationally and internationally.”

An Honorary Doctorate was also conferred on Irish medical Carmelite missionary Fr Robert MacCabe. Fr MacCabe has spent the past thirty years as a priest and doctor in the hot desert region of Lake Turkana, Northern Kenya, where he has worked tirelessly caring for the sick and the well being of others. Fr MacCabe is also a visiting lecturer on Tropical Medicine in RCSI.