I met Frank Miguel Hernández Velázquez when he was in his first years of medical school at the University of Medical Sciences of Holguin (UCMHo). From that moment on, he stood out for his intelligence, responsibility, his predilection for scientific activities. In short, for his love for the sacred profession of saving lives. After six years of study, this young man became the Valedictorian and Overall Vanguard of the 48th graduating class of this institution of higher learning.
Frank Miguel was one of the 646 new professionals—including physicians, dentists, nurses, and health technologists. Who completed this stage and will soon join the National Health System.
The graduation ceremony for the 2024-2025 academic year took place at the Bariay Club in the provincial capital. Bringing the total number of graduates, both national and international, to over 38,460 professionals from the academic institution.
Hernández’s curriculum speaks for itself: a perfect 5.0 GPA, 26 award-winning exams, participation in over 130 scientific events with national recognition. And authorship of 90 scientific publications in high-impact Cuban medical journals and student scientific journals. He also achieved significant results in Teaching Media Festivals, Knowledge Encounters, Class Festivals, and as a Student Assistant in Internal Medicine, and was named the most outstanding student in the Federation of University Students (FEU) nationwide in two categories.
Then, on the very day when so many emotions surged from having given their all. Words were spoken on behalf of themselves and their classmates: “Being recognized as the top graduate is, without a doubt, an honor and a source of pride. I am privileged to raise my voice on behalf of the more than 600 healthcare professionals who graduated with hearts full of emotion and gratitude. Today, we celebrate not only an academic achievement, but a shared history, woven with effort, dreams, and learning.”
“Being part of this generation of doctors, marked by so many important events, is an immense treasure that I will always carry with me. We were exposed to radical changes: a new curriculum, a pandemic that claimed so many lives. We overcame adverse circumstances, we fought for that dream that seemed so distant and unattainable, and which we are now making a reality.”
Also present at the ceremony were authorities from the Communist Party of Cuba and the local government, hospital directors, representatives of political and mass organizations, family members, and guests. The most outstanding graduates from the various specialties were recognized. Along with recipients of Gold Diplomas, 87 members of the “Mario Muñoz Monroy” vanguard movement, and 32 recipients of Scientific Merit Awards.
During their university studies, students gain experiences that prepare them to face life and serve others. With the goal of saving lives and preserving health wherever they may serve. The graduates are culminating years of hard work and dedication, during which they have learned that the most important thing is the life of each patient.
New and complex tasks lie ahead, but they will surely undertake them with responsibility. Congratulations to the faculty for their commitment and professionalism in training the new generations. This graduating class is a tribute to the centennial of the birth of the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz. And to the anniversaries of the founding of the Federation of University Students, the Vladimir Ilich Lenin Provincial University Hospital, and the Mario Muñoz Monroy Vanguard Movement.
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