Pharmacists, physiotherapists, nurses and health research scientists are among those who will graduate from RCSI at the College’s November conferring ceremonies, which begin this morning at RCSI’s York Street campus in Dublin.

The first ceremony, commencing at 11am today, will see the graduation of 89 candidates from full-time undergraduate programmes including BSc Pharmacy, BSc Physiotherapy and medicine (MB, BCh, BAO (NUI, RCSI), LRCP&SI).

At the 2pm Diploma, Masters and Doctoral Degree ceremony, Postgraduate Diplomas and Certificates in Health Professions Education and Postgraduate Diplomas in Human Factors in Patient Safety will be presented to 39 candidates. A further 54 candidates will be awarded doctoral and masters degrees at this event including Masters of Surgery (MCh) and higher degrees by research including MSc, MD and PhD; and MSc in Healthcare, Ethics & Law.

A further two conferring ceremonies will take place at The Convention Centre Dublin (CCD), tomorrow which will see 707 candidates graduate with Nursing and Midwifery and Masters awards. At the Friday morning ceremony, an Honorary Doctorate of RCSI will be presented, to The Honorable Mrs Catherine McGuinness, who will deliver an address to the graduating student body.

With a long-standing commitment to inclusion and equality throughout her career, The Honorable Mrs McGuinness is currently a Member of Council of State, Patron of the Irish Refugee Council, Patron of the Irish Foster Care Association and Chair of Údarás NUI Gaillimh (Governing Body of NUI Galway).

She was appointed as a Judge in the Circuit Court in 1994, the first woman to hold that office in Ireland, followed by appointments to the High Court in 1996 and the Supreme Court in 2000. In 1979 she was elected as an independent candidate to Seanad Éireann in the Dublin University Constituency, serving in the 14th, 15th and 17th Seanad until 1987.

Speaking on RCSI's latest honorary doctorate recipient, Professor Cathal Kelly, Chief Executive/Registrar, RCSI said: “As a strong and influential figure in Irish society, The Honorable Mrs Catherine McGuinness is a worthy recipient of the ninth Honorary Doctorate of RCSI, the College’s highest academic award. Her illustrious and long career which includes significant contributions to the Irish legal and political systems, her interest in education and also her impact on Irish society as a lifelong activist, will be an inspiration to our graduates and faculty who will be gathered in our audience today as part of this special ceremony.”

Friday’s first ceremony commences at 11am with the conferring of 433 candidates with postgraduate degrees in Nursing and Midwifery. A number of awards will be presented at the ceremony including the Florence Nightingale Committee of Ireland Award, Mary Frances Crowley Award, the Rose Lanigan Medal and the Catherine Cummins Medal.

The conferring celebrations will conclude a Masters Degree ceremony, at 3pm, which will see a further 274 candidates graduate with awards in Masters in Pharmacy (MPharm); MSc in Bereavement Studies as well as the Institute of Leadership programme candidates being conferred with MSc Healthcare Management, MSc in Leadership, MSc in Leadership in Health Professions Education and MSc in Quality & Safety in Healthcare Management.

Congratulating all those graduating on their success, Professor Cathal Kelly said: “The November Conferring ceremonies are a fitting recognition of our graduate’s accomplishments as all of their years of hard work and dedication today come to fruition. These future healthcare and research professionals will now leave RCSI, to continue on their exciting and varied career paths, all with the common goal of improving human health. I would like to congratulate everyone who will graduate today on their achievements and wish them success in their careers as healthcare professionals and I look forward to seeing them back at the College as alumni of RCSI.”