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Virtual Alumni Gathering 2020 celebrates global success of RCSI Alumni

  • Alumni

RCSI Alumni will be welcomed back to RCSI for a virtual Alumni Gathering on Saturday 22 August and Sunday 23 August.

For the first time, alumni will participate in a vibrant programme of online events, rekindling friendships and reminiscing with former classmates and faculty.

This year’s Alumni Gathering is open to all alumni. Highlighting the global reach of RCSI’s graduate community, 21,000 graduates hailing from 94 countries are invited to participate in the online celebration.

Aíne Gibbons, Director, Development - Alumni Relations, RCSI said: "2020 has been a challenging and oftentimes difficult year, but it has also been a year of great innovation as we have all adapted to coping and living with COVID-19. At RCSI, we have pioneered a series of historic firsts for our institution, bringing final examinations forward, hosting results day online and holding our first online graduation ceremony. Now we bring you another first – the first ever Virtual Gathering for all alumni.

"We are extremely proud of our alumni; the quality of care they deliver to patients and the scale of medical innovations they lead. Much is owed to the expertise of generations of RCSI alumni who have dedicated their careers to addressing the healthcare needs of populations across 97 countries of the world. This unique group of committed healthcare professionals have made enduring contributions to the improvement of human health and are united by their time spent together in RCSI.

"The tradition of Alumni Gathering has always been important to our alumni community, so we know how disappointed many will be to not be able to travel to Dublin this month. While it is prudent to postpone our in-person reunions, we look forward to connecting online through a series of special events. We also look forward to inviting our alumni back to St Stephen’s Green in 2021 to mark the reunion anniversaries and celebrate their success."

The Alumni Gathering’s virtual programme includes a Welcome & Jubilee Celebration, tours of the state-of-the art Simulation Centre in 26 York Street, and a Memorial Service which invites the RCSI community to join together in moment of reflection to remember those who have passed.

The Alumni Gathering will feature presentations by RCSI alumni making an outstanding contribution to healthcare delivery worldwide. Dr A. David Barnes (School of Medicine, Class of 1965), Mr Cian McCaffrey (School of Physiotherapy, Class of 2015), Dr Tommy Tun (School of Medicine, Class of 2000), Dr Gozie Offiah (School of Medicine, Class of 2005), Dr Mike Gaya (School of Medicine, Class of 1970) and Dr Julian Suzanski (School of Medicine, Class of 2010) will address the inaugural ‘Alumni Sessions’ series. Alumni will share their clinical experiences and their specific areas of research from neurology, surgery, and physiotherapy as well as their experiences of RCSI through the decades.

The full programme of events is available to view here.

Connect with RCSI Alumni on Facebook and Instagram to learn more.